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Book cover of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

2003226 pagesVintage Contemporaries

Synopsis

Christopher Boone is fifteen and sees the world differently from most people. He knows every prime number up to 7,057, cannot bear to be touched, and reads faces and social situations only with great effort. When he discovers his neighbour's dog, Wellington, killed with a garden fork, he decides to investigate the crime and to write a murder-mystery novel about it — modelled on the Sherlock Holmes stories he loves.

Christopher's methodical inquiry, though, keeps leading him past the dog and into the far more bewildering territory of his own family. As he uncovers things his father would rather he never knew, his careful, ordered world is upended, and he is forced onto a terrifying journey that takes far more courage than any maths problem.

Narrated entirely in Christopher's precise, literal, and often very funny voice, Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a crossover phenomenon and a modern classic. It is a mystery, a coming-of-age story, and a compassionate portrait of a mind that works by its own uncompromising logic.

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About the author

Mark Haddon (born 26 September 1962) is an English novelist, best known for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003). He won the Whitbread Award, the Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award, the Guardian Prize, and a Commonwealth Writers' Prize for his work.

Genres

Characters

Christopher BooneProtagonist

A fifteen-year-old who investigates his neighbor's dog's death and uncovers unsettling family secrets.

Ed BooneSupporting

Christopher's father, who is raising him alone.

Subjects

Places

Edition

Book cover of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
5 editions available

Frequently asked questions

  • Is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time a standalone book?

    This novel is a standalone work and does not require reading any other books by Mark Haddon to understand its story. It offers a complete narrative arc within its pages.

  • Is there a stage adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time?

    The book was adapted into a highly acclaimed play that premiered in London's National Theatre. The stage production is known for its innovative set design and portrayal of the protagonist's perspective.

  • What award did The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time win?

    The novel won the Whitbread Book of the Year award, a prestigious literary prize. It was recognized for its unique narrative voice and compelling story.

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