Publication Date: November 5, 2024
In this one-of-a-kind mystery with heart and humor, a hilariously grumpy pony must save the only human he’s ever loved after discovering she stands accused of a murder he knows she didn’t commit.
Pony has been passed from owner to owner for longer than he can remember. Fed up, he busts out and goes on a cross-country mission to reunite with Penny, the little girl who he was separated from and hasn’t seen in years.
Penny, now an adult, is living an ordinary life when she gets a knock on her door and finds herself in handcuffs, accused of murder and whisked back to the place she grew up. Her only comfort when the past comes back to haunt her is the memory of her precious, rebellious pony.
Hearing of Penny’s fate, Pony knows that Penny is no murderer. So, as smart and devious as he is cute, the pony must use his hard-won knowledge of human weakness and cruelty to try to clear Penny’s name and find the real killer.
This acutely observant, feel-good mystery reveals the humanity of animals and beastliness of humans in a rollicking escapade of epic proportions.
Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch had some laugh-out-loud moments with animals who could understand each other and some humans who could, too. There’s a mystery to solve with no time to waste.
The story begins in Ithaca, New York, but takes us to the West Coast, Florida, Canada, and across the country again. Penny is twelve years old, takes riding lessons, and falls in love with her pony, named Pony. When her family sells Pony, and they move to Chicago, Pony is determined to get revenge. What follows is a story with more twists and turns than I expected. Some parts were sometimes confusing, but all the details played an important role in the end.
When Penny is arrested for a crime she supposedly committed when she was twelve, no one is more surprised than Penny herself since she has no memory of it. But the clues start to build against her, and we are taken on a merry ride with Pony and his animal friends, who not only help him find Penny but also help solve the crime. We get to know Penny’s family and about her struggles and stresses. We also get familiar with Penny and Pony’s bond. There is closure when the case is solved, and some happiness comes about for Penny’s family, Pony, and other animals. It was definitely a different murder mystery!
Pony Confidential depicts animals with thought processes, family strife, and a mystery that needs to be solved. There is laughter and a little anguish while on the trail to making a family whole again. If you love animals and a cozy mystery, this story is for you.
Christina Lynch is at the beck and call of two dogs, three horses, and a hilarious pony who carts her up and down mountains while demanding (and receiving) many carrots. Besides Pony Confidential, she is also the author of two historical novels set in Italy and the coauthor of two comic thrillers set in Prague and Vienna. She teaches at College of the Sequoias and lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
