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  • Bark Twice for Murder (Orca Currents)

Bark Twice for Murder
(Orca Currents)

Author
John Lekich
Publication Date
August 19, 2025
Genre / Grade Band
Fiction /  6th − 8th
Language
English
Format
Hi-Lo
Bark Twice for Murder (Orca Currents)
Description

After the death of his parents, Harry keeps busy by making food for the unhoused in his grandmother's food truck.

That's how he meets and befriends Stanley, an excellent cook and teacher with only two possessions: a precious recipe binder and a grumpy dog named Waffles. Then Stanley turns up dead, the victim of a grisly murder, and his treasured recipe book is gone. Harry is shocked--who would do such a thing? That is exactly what Waffles wants to find out. Yes, Waffles, the dog that is now talking to Harry and only Harry. Waffles reveals that in his past life he was a detective and Stanley's friend before he too was murdered and then reincarnated as a dog. Waffles wants to follow the crumbs and piece together Stanley's murder, but he can't do it without Harry. Will this souped-up duo be able to take down a heaping serving of criminal characters, or will they be the next dish on the murderer's menu?

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading-level book for middle grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don't like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Publication date
August 19, 2025
Genre
Fiction
Page Count
120
ISBN-13
9781459841482
Lexile Measure
530
Publisher
Orca Book Publishers
Series
Orca Currents
BISAC categories
JUV002070 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Dogs
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
JUV086000 - Juvenile Fiction | Readers | Hi-Lo

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8--This trio of tales features resourceful protagonists who get in over their heads but use their wits to find their way out of sticky situations. The weakest of the bunch is Night for Mischief, a plot-driven tale about a cursed mask turning Halloween into a real-life nightmare. Miss Match features a group of young teens who start a matchmaking service for the upcoming middle school dance. The interest turns out to be overwhelming, and when everyone ends up mismatched, they have some angry customers. This title builds up to a dramatic dance-night confession straight out of a teen movie. Bark Twice for Murder is a masterfully written, deliciously weird mystery. Fourteen-year-old Harry loves to make food for people at his local homeless shelter, even befriending some of the regular customers. When Stanley is murdered near Harry's food truck, Stanley's dog, Waffles, starts talking to Harry. The two must solve the murder. Despite the outlandish plot, the book is sensitive to issues like homelessness and mental illness. VERDICT Bark Twice for Murder is a must-add to any collection, Miss Match is worth considering, pass on A Night for Mischief.

Copyright 2025 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

John Lekich

John Lekich is a full-time freelance writer and a movie reviewer for "The Georgia Straight." His other book for teens is "Reel Adventures: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Great Movies." John lives in Vancouver.

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