The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time   by Mark Haddon David Fickling Books, 2003, 272 pages, ISBN 0 385 60587 0

How easy was it to get stuck into this book?
The mere fact that this book is written in such a different way from any other book you are likely to have read is bound to keep you interested. The book is told from the point of view of a boy with Asperger's Syndrome and the author does well at helping you to see what it is like to be autistic. This is probably because he has worked with kids who are autistic before, so he has a lot of experience.

Who are the main characters?
The main character is fifteen year old Chris. He has a stunning photographic memory, which recalls things in such detail that he can remember the number of cows in a field on holiday in France five years ago (and the black and white patterns on them). He is also brilliant at maths, and subsequently takes his A level exam at the tender of age of fifteen. However he finds talking and understanding other people incredibly difficult.

What's the storyline?
The story starts from the moment when Chris discovers Wellington (his neighbour's dog) dead on the lawn with a fork impaled in the side. His investigation starts, but there is one problem. In order to solve the crime, he must talk to suspects and witnesses. The story is also about his family and himself, and as it progresses Chris discovers more than he thinks he wants to know about his life.

How's it written?
Well written, and presents lots of everyday situations in a ways that you don't think about, but which matter to a autistic person. For example, does the sign 'Do not walk on the grass' apply to just this patch, or the whole park?

Other books by the same author that Chris knows about?
Has written fifteen books.

The overall verdict is
A cool-read

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