Shadow of a Pug (Howard Wallace, P.I., Book 2) - Softcover

Casey Lyall is a middle-grade writer from Southwestern Ontario. She works at her local library and is the author of the first two books in the Howard Wallace, P.I. series and the picture book Inky’s Great Escape. Find her on Twitter as @CKLyall and at caseylyall.com.

Praise for Shadow of a Pug (Howard Wallace, P.I., Book 2)

“Twists turn and turn again, and the detective duo nearly breaks up as they work and surprise themselves by teaming with former enemies. . . . mystery fans should enjoy it . . . [it lands] in new territory, and the characters interact realistically and have real kid problems. . . . Another sequel is in the offing, and young mystery fans should be glad. —Kirkus Reviews

“Business has been booming for the middle-school P.I. team of Howard and Ivy ever since their uncovering of bribery among the student council (in Howard Wallace, P.I., BCCB 9/16), but the open-and-shut cases have been boring for thrillseeker Howard. When the school mascot is stolen and their gym teacher hires them to get the dog back, Ivy and Howard look forward to the challenge and the action—until Howard realizes that the case will have him working with his ex-best friend Miles, who ditched Howard for the cool kids last year. Now Ivy seems to be distancing herself as well, and Howard embarks on investigative double duty, tracking down the pup and sussing out his pals’ evasions. The missing-mascot premise is not a new one but Lyall punches it up with Howard’s adolescent noir narration, and the dialogue between Howard and Ivy continues to be delightfully witty and clever. This book digs much further into the emotional turmoil that was only hinted at in the previous plot in both Howard’s and Ivy’s lives, and that focus reveals how truly tight their bond is, making their quippy back and forth all that more appealing in its affection. The mystery is a bit of a cakewalk, but the investigators, their narcs, and their suspects are enough of a draw, and fans of Howard will be happy to see friendship rifts healed and more cases to come.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books