Fifteen-year-old Christopher is incapable of lying, detests the color yellow and can name all the countries of the world, including their capitals. Christopher is not a normal teenager. He is autistic.

“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” centers around Christopher from his perspective. Readers are able to experience what he does and from his unique point of view the world around him.

The story begins when Christopher finds his neighbor’s dog, Wellington, dead in the yard. From that point on, Christopher follows in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes to uncover the mystery of the murder.

Because of his autism, Christopher avoids social contact, but he forces himself into uncomfortable situations to solve the case. He discovers more than he anticipated and goes on an emotional journey which takes him to places he has never been.

Christopher goes from Swindon to London facing crowds of people, trains and policemen with his sidekick, Toby, a pet rat.

“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” is a novel by British writer Mark Haddon who does a fantastic job of capturing the day-to-day life of an autistic child.

The novel has sold more than two million copies. Reviews have praised Haddon for providing an honest and imaginative book which is also fun to read.

This book is recommended for young adult readers looking for an unexpected mystery novel. Although the book is sometimes bittersweet, it is a worthwhile read.