The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

ForeignrightshavebeensoldtotheUK,Italy,France,Sweden,Norway,Spain,Japan,Greece,Finland,Denmark,HollandandBrazil.FilmrightshavebeenboughtbyHeyDay(themakersofHarryPotter)togetherwithBradGrey(producerofTheSopranos)andBradPittintheirfirstacquisitionforWarnerBros.Narratedbyafifteen-year-oldautisticsavantobsessedwithSherlockHolmes,thisdazzlingnovelweavestogetheranold-fashionedmystery,acontemporarycoming-of-agestory,andafascinatingexcursionintoamindincapableofprocessingemotions.ChristopherJohnFrancisBooneknowsallthecountriesoftheworldandtheircapitalsandeveryprimenumberupto7,057.Althoughgiftedwithasuperblylogicalbrain,Christopherisautistic.Everydayinteractionsandadmonishmentshavelittlemeaningforhim.Atfifteen,Christopher’scarefullyconstructedworldfallsapartwhenhefindshisneighbour’sdogWellingtonimpaledonagardenfork,andheisinitiallyblamedforthekilling.Christopherdecidesthathewilltrackdowntherealkiller,andturnstohisfavouritefictionalcharacter,theimpeccablylogicalSherlockHolmes,forinspiration.Buttheinvestigationleadshimdownsomeunexpectedpathsandultimatelybringshimfacetofacewiththedissolutionofhisparents’marriage.AsChristophertriestodealwiththecrisiswithinhisownfamily,thenarrativedrawsreadersintotheworkingsofChristopher’smind.AndhereinliesthekeytothebrillianceofMarkHaddon’schoiceofnarrator:Themostwrenchingofemotionalmomentsarechronicledbyaboywhocannotfathomemotions.Theeffectisdazzling,makingforoneofthefreshestdebutinyears:acomedy,atearjerker,amysterystory,anovelofexceptionalliterarymeritthatisgreatfuntoread.