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.
Author Bio
John Lekich is an award-winning journalist, essayist and author whose work has appeared in a wide variety of publications, including the Hollywood Reporter, the Los Angeles Times and the Globe and Mail. He is the author of several novels for young adult readers, including The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls, King of the Lost and Found and The Losers’ Club, which was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award. John lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Prizes
- Junior Library Guild (JLG) Gold Standard SelectionCommended 2025
Review Quotes
“Bark Twice for Murder is a masterfully written, deliciously weird mystery. Despite the outlandish plot, the book is sensitive to issues like homelessness and mental illness. A must-add to any collection.”
— School Library Journal (SLJ)“Rollicking fun and an enticing read for middle graders with a sense of humour, whether they’re traditionally enthusiastic readers or not…No reader can resist caring about Harry and Waffles.”
— YAdudebooks“John Lekich ensures that the story is intricate enough for older middle-grade readers to become invested in Harry's story and in solving the mystery. They might even get wrapped up in learning to cook risotto, lasagna, or minestrone. That's because John Lekich has seasoned this book with so much richness of story that they'll be barking—with laughter—for another.”
— CanLit for Little Canadians“A page-turning murder mystery that tackles grief, homelessness, and mental illness with a good dose of compassion and, ultimately, optimism...A magical and strangely believable story.”
— BC BookWorldBiographical note
John Lekich is an award-winning journalist, essayist, film critic and author. He has written several critically acclaimed novels for young adult readers, including The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls, Murder at the Hotel Hopeless and The Losers’ Club, which drew on John’s personal experience with cerebral palsy and was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award. His YA fiction has been recognized by organizations including The Young Adult Library Services Association and The Canadian Library Association. John lives in Vancouver.
