The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst

I picked this mystery book to read solely on the front cover. The photograph was of a dog lying next to a lady who looked like she was sleeping. Being an animal lover and an avid reader of mystery books, I couldn't resist taking it home to read. I soon found out that the lady wasn't sleeping, she was dead and the dog was the only witness to her death.

The husband is devastated by his wife's death and can't carry on with his own life until he solves the mystery. Was it murder or suicide? He is determined to find out how his wife died and why. He wants to teach his dog how to talk and tries numerous ways to make this happen. He spends time analyzing his courtship, marriage and life with his wife, which has always included her loving dog.

Whenever an animal is one of the main characters in a book, I find that the book is written for animal lovers and that the emotions you feel for people, can also be felt for animals. I felt an overwhelming realm of emotions reading this book and I recommend it to anyone who has ever had a dog and/or loved someone with all of your heart.

Reviewed by Mrs. Finney