I haven’t read such a unique modern mystery novel since Penn Jillette’s Sock. And like that strangely narrated book, this one is also penned by an unlikely fictional author. We see the world through the eyes of Christopher, an autistic fifteen-year-old. He’s capable of seeing every detail before him, sometimes leading to a literal information overload, but he lacks the ability to interpret human emotional and conversational nuances. When a neighbor’s poodle is killed, Christopher sets forth to solve the case through sheer logic. The mystery is solved rather matter-of-factly midway through the book, but the real story is just getting off the ground by then. Experiencing the world through Christopher’s words is kind of like having a part in Being John Malkovich. We understand his perspective, and are also able to perceive other bits as he “drives” us around in his head. By reading in between the lines, it’s obvious that there is much more going on around Christopher than simple dogicide, even before explicitly stated. It’s clever, funny, sad, and above all a great insight into the autistic mind.

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