Howard Wallace, P.I. Shadow of a Pug Book Review

Howard Wallace, P.I. is a character created by the wonderful author Casey Lyall. The character made is debut last September and now he's back with a new investigation in the follow up novel Shadow of a Pug.

Middle-school detectives Howard Wallace and Ivy Mason are itching for a juicy case. But when their friend and cohort Marvin hires them to prove his nephew— über-bully Carl Dean—didn’t pugnap the school mascot, they’re less than thrilled. To succeed, not only must Howard and Ivy play nice with Carl, they’ll have to dodge a scrappy, snoopy reporter and come face-to-face with Howard’s worst enemy, his ex-best friend Miles Fletcher. Can Howard deal with all these complications and still be there for Ivy when her life is turned upside down? Or will he once again find himself a friendless P.I.?

Now I'll admit to not having read the first book, something which I will now rectify having had the chance to experience all the entertainment that is encompassed in this novel. Howard and Ivy are taking on their biggest case yet, the pugnapping of the school mascot, Spartacus and what a case it turns out to be.

My eldest daughter was immediately taken in by the mention of a pug (her favourite dog) but of course that isn't why she kept reading. 

What I love about this book is that it isn't all about the investigation itself. We see focus on the friendship between Howard and Ivy and the struggles that come with maintaining it and we are also privy to a superb amount of wit and banter.

As the read you become immersed in the story, trying to pick up on clues and what they might mean but you also get see a sort of coming of age journey as you see the interactions between both the children and the adults too.

This is a book that both boys and girls, children and adults can enjoy. There are relatable characters and with several unexpected twists and turns, you will want to keep turning the pages to finally solve the mystery.

I could see this book being very popular in schools and I hope to see more books in the series. Shadoewof a Pug is a book that is fun and fast paced, jam packed with adventure. Casey does a fantastic job of balancing the emotions contained within the story and has created characters that will soon become classics in the literary world.