Sir Edmund of the Wild West: Mystery in the Grand Canyon

Sir Edmund of the Wild West

by Dusti Bowling, Beth Hughes (Illustrator)

The Secret Life of Pets meets Ranger in Time in this humorous, historic, and mildly haunted illustrated chapter book series featuring a service dog who thinks he’s British, tasked with chasing the unsolved ghost stories of the Southwest.

Edmund, a goldendoodle and seizure-alert dog of esteemed lineage (at least according to him) is destined for life in a palace. Buckingham Palace, to be precise.

He is an expert at all things British—from tasty kidney pies to the cozy mysteries of Jessica Fletcher—and thus he believes he is meant to be a Royal Guard, serving the King of England.

But when Edmund’s beloved owner dies, he gets adopted by a veteran called Wild West Willy, an aspiring ghosthunter. Willy aims to travel to the Grand Canyon, where he’ll uncover the truth behind the disappearance of a couple who went missing in 1928. Little does Willy know that Edmund can actually see ghosts!

Should Edmund help out and solve the mystery, even though it isn’t quite as grand as serving in the Royal Guard? Maybe his destiny is closer to home than he realized. . . .

From the award-winning, bestselling author of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus comes a funny new chapter book series that captures the heartwarming bond between man and his best friend—even when his best friend is a bit delusional.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Humor, Animals, Adventure, Dogs, Childrens

160 pages, Paperback

Published March 17, 2026

About the author

DUSTI BOWLING is a USA Today and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author of books for children of all ages.

Dusti's books have won the Reading the West Award, the Sakura Medal, a Golden Kite Honor, the William Allen White Children's Book Award, and have been nominated for a Cybil and over sixty state awards. Her books are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections and have been named best books of the year by the Chicago Public Library, Kirkus, Bank Street College of Education, A Mighty Girl, Shelf Awareness, and many more.

Dusti currently lives in Arizona with her husband and three daughters.

Visit her website at www.dustibowling.com

Reviews

[Donne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a silly and delightful short story that was just perfect for a little break from all the murder and mayhem that I typically read. The book summary lays out the whole storyline of Edmund’s previous owner, Miss Brandywine, dying and Edmund landing at the local pet rescue. Edmund is a service dog and detected Miss Brandywine’s seizures. Edmund is then adopted by Willy, a former veteran with PTSD and recovering from a traumatic brain injury, who also has seizures.

I loved that the storyline was inspired by some real stories of the disappearance of Glen and Bessie Hyde and the rumor that Grand Canyon River runner, Georgie Clark, was actually Bessie Hyde. Anyway, it was a fun read and even though it is labeled for the middle grade school readers. I’m actually going to add the next installment to my to-read list because it was a perfect read when I want an entertaining and adorable doggie story.

[Amanda F · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so adorable. I had a great time with this and I'd read a whole series about the adventures that they have together. Just so cute and a great escape from the world.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook before its release. We truly appreciated getting to experience the story early.

We absolutely loved Sir Edmund of the Wild West: Mystery in the Grand Canyon. My kids thought this book was hilarious. The Chihuahua at the Grand Canyon had us laughing out loud every single time it showed up. The humor landed perfectly for kids but was still genuinely funny for adults listening along.

The story kept them completely engaged from start to finish. This was actually the first time I’ve sat down and had my kids listen to an audiobook with me, and they were hooked. We finished the entire book in just a couple of days because they kept asking to listen to more.

The narrator also did a fantastic job bringing the characters and the humor to life, which made the experience even better.

When we finished, the very first thing they asked was if we could buy another book from this author — which I think says everything. I’m excited to add this author to the list of stories I feel great about letting my kids listen to, and we’ll definitely be looking for more adventures.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edmund is a highly-trained British service dog who can detect seizures. He has a new owner, Willy, who makes videos about tracking down ghosts at historic locations. They hike through the Grand Canyon, searching for clues about what might have happened to some river rafters who disappeared decades before under mysterious circumstances. Although dogs can't talk to the living, they can see and communicate with the dead ghosts that haunt the canyon. Edmund meets a lot of friendly ghosts who kindly lead him in the right direction to solve the mystery.

This was such a fun book! I loved Edmund's character. He is very proud of his service record and training, and he thinks he's good enough to serve in Buckingham Palace! At first he is disappointed when he ends up camping in the American West instead, but he discovers that he can be just as brave and heroic for his humble owner, Willy.

It was really heart-warming to see how Edmund comforts his new owner when Willy has nightmares. Willy is lonely and grieving over the deaths of his old friends from the military, and Edmund brings him so much comfort and caring. Their relationship is really sweet!

Edmund also meets some other dogs at the campsite and makes some unlikely friends. At first, Edmund is disgusted by their poor manners and uncouth American ways, but gradually he begins to appreciate their humor and honesty.

I also really loved the illustrations in the book! It brings the story to life and brings the humor forward in the comedic scenes when we see Edmund making funny doggy faces!

The mystery does include some brief descriptions of accidents and ghosts and how they died. One ghost was shot by his mining partner, another died in a plane crash, and one fell over a cliff while taking a selfie. Most of the descriptions are from true history, including the main mystery of the missing river rafters, but they are not described in any gory detail. I appreciated that we could have the mystery, but it was still age-appropriate.

This book has been screened on the Screen It First website. https://screenitfirst.com/book/myster...

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a young middle-grader historical fiction/mystery story about a service dog, a veteran, and missing and dead people in the Grand Canyon -- oh yes and throw in a sighting of Bigfoot. It's got a lot going on to be sure, but it may be perfect for spooky season with your littles. I read because of my super-fandom of Dusti Bowling, but this title is probably not my favorite. Looking into it, it seems as if it's the first book in a new series -- don't know if I'll pick up the sequel.

The best part of this book for me is the fact that all of the major plot points of the story are based on historical facts surrounding the Grand Canyon. For instance, did you know the leading cause of death in the Grand Canyon? Well, if you read this book -- you'll find out and it may surprise you, it certainly did me.

I really like the Author's Notes at the end, so don't skip those -- they clarify some of the history and embroider with more detail, and I liked that. As a frequent historical fiction reader, I like the idea of creating compelling stories for young readers based on factual events, so if you have middle grade readers -- would recommend but maybe with the caveat that you read along with them to navigate some of the more fanciful elements -- like the theory that dogs can see ghosts. Happy Reading!

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet, fun story. I loved Edmund and his way of speaking like a proper English gentleman due to the fact that his first caregiver was a British woman who fed him kidney pie and schooled him in everything British, especially about the Royal Family. He and Willy made such a great pair and definitely have many more mysteries to solve and adventures to take together. I look forward to the next book in the series coming out in January 2027.

[Kristi W - Book Love By Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids loved this book! They laughed out loud multiple times as I was reading it to them. Highly recommend!

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a big fan of Dusti Bowling’s Across the Desert, Canyon’s Edge, Dust, the “cactus” trio, I was curious about this new series for 2nd-4th grade readers. Yes, a shorter novel for middle elementary readers like her wonderful Aven Green series, but with a canine narrator and main character, very different from anything I have read by her. This may not win as many accolades as some of her others, but readers in that tricky “I can read more than easy chapter books but not quite as much as those 300 page novels” stage.

Edmund is a goldendoodle trained as a service animal for those with seizure disorders who finds himself back where he started after his first partner dies. Being raised by a Brit and rather proud of his regal bearing, good looks, and amazing skill set, he is certain he is soon to be placed in service with the British Royal Guard at Buckingham Palace and is a bit put out when instead, a rather odd-looking man with a camper van comes to collect him. He soon falls back on his training and takes his role as Willy’s protector just as seriously as he did with his beloved Mrs. Brandywine. Willy is set on searching out ghosts and ghost-related mysteries in the western United States with the first stop for his new podcast being Arizona’s Grand Canyon and the puzzling disappearance of Bessie and Glen Hyde. Hiking and researching commences as does camaraderie among both human and canine campers. There are some treacherous mishaps, a health crisis and some confusing conversation about eating [hot]dogs and a total lack of good tea or bangers and mash but soon Willy and Edmund begin to realize what a good team they make and Edmund comes off his wanna-have royal pedestal enough to make friends with several dogs, at least one of which will likely be in the next installment.

Frequent sketches are mixed in with the text (not rendered well enough in my eARC to comment on) and the page count is at only 160 making this perfect for those who want more than the typical early reader chapter book but do not yet have the stamina for the heftier tomes. Most of the vocabulary will be relatively easy for that grade 2-4 group especially with the simple and straight forward plot. There are, however, plenty of references to British landmarks and food with a few expressions (Butter my crumpets!) and terms like collywobbles and chunder that may cause a few missteps but Bowling includes plenty of context clues to meaning for those who want to do more than just skip over unfamiliar vocabulary. The mystery part in this particular episode is not fully solved but some will appreciate all the theories behind Bessie and Glen’s fully intact but vacated boat and yes, there are ghosts that Edmund communicates with, but is primarily a dog-human relationship adventure story with a bit of historical fiction thrown in and less a mystery or a ghost story. But those who enjoy any of those genres are likely to enjoy this one and others that are sure to follow.

*Target age: grades 2-4 (maybe 5)
*Profanity: none
*Violence: Deaths in the Grand Canyon are a covered topic and the real life aspects are included in end notes but none of the deaths or near death accidents are recorded in a graphic manner.
*Sexual content: none
*Representation: Willy is Caucasian but the race of other characters is left ambiguous; no LBGTQ+ characters noted

Thanks for the eARC, Edelweiss and Holiday House/Peachtree.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Edmund is a goldendoodle who thinks he should become a British Royal Guard at Buckingham Palace when his owner, the British Mrs. Brandywine, passes away from a heart attack. He is returned to the Academy, where service dogs are trained. Since Edmund has a talent for identifying when people are about to have seizures, he is paired with Willy, a veteran who suffered a traumatic brain injury in the service and also suffers from PTSD after the death of his friends Jeff and Mike. Willy has a camper van, and hosts a ghost hunting show. He and Edmund take off to the Grand Canyon to investigate the 1928 disappearance of hikers Glen and Bessie. Edmund, who is extremely supercilious and overestimates his own importance, is condescending to the dogs he meets, like Rocky and King Ruler (a tiny Chihuahua), although he bows to social pressure and lets Rocky sniff his butt. Because many people have died in the Grand Canyon, Edmund realizes that he can see and talk to their ghosts. Willy starts his investigation at the Emery Kolb photography studio, since it was the last place that the hikers were seen. The other dogs warn Edmund about the Mogollon Monster who frequents the canyon, and there are plenty of scrapes, like Willy slipping and almost plummeting to his death before being saved by travelers Emmie and Jared. Edmund uses his conversations to help lead Willy to some conclusions about the mystery, and he is soon able to lean into his new life, even eating a lowly hotdog that Rocky provides. Willy's seizures have returned, so the two get help from Emmie and Jared in order to head off to their next adventure.
Strengths: Bowling uses a lot of history of the Grand Canyon, especially in her portrayal of the ghosts. I loved her author's note at the end, as well as the bibliography. It's always fun to travel in the Southwest via her books. There's a nice balance between Edmund's point of view and Willy's activity, and the representation of a military veteran dealing with health issues and being helped by a service dog was excellent. I'm not sure how many elementary readers are interested in podcasts, but middle school ones occasionally listen, especially to ones with murder and ghost themes, so the mystery of Glen and Bessie will garner some interest.
Weaknesses: Edmund's British affectations and insistence that he is somehow better than the other dogs will amuse elementary school readers more than middle school ones.
What I really think: Comparisons to Messner's Ranger in Time series are apt, since both books feature dogs who save the day and are roughly the same length and reading level This reminded me most strongly of Erickson's 1982 Hank the Cowdog series with a dash of Cameron's Puppy Tales books.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
Sir Edmund could come across as a pompous character, as he thinks he’s worthy of being a member of the Royal Guard and dreams of being knighted by the queen. This dog narrates the story and frequently comments about his beauty and superior qualities. However, his attitude stems from confidence and dedication as a service dog, so he has earned some leeway. The book exposes young readers to service dogs and their importance to their owners. Edmund’s specialty is sensing seizures and helping his human avoid injuries during an episode, while a peacock says it’s an emotional support animal for its owner. Edmund takes his job seriously and steps up to keep his owners safe.
Edmund is initially disgusted with the other animal characters, as his superiority takes control of his opinions. A little, yappy Chihuahua proclaims himself King Ruler of the Grand Canyon, so Edmund’s annoyance is understandable. A boxer named Rocky adds humor to the story, as he’s slower to understand Edmund. Rocky initially greets Edmund by sniffing his butt and calls him Ed-Man throughout the rest of the story. Edmund slowly realizes that these two dogs might be new friends, and it’s okay to associate with non-royals.
The highlight of the story is Edmund’s ability to see and speak to ghosts. He interacts with a variety of characters who perished in the Grand Canyon, and it’s interesting to note that many of them are based on historical facts. The author shares this information at the end of the book. Edmund talks to a female influencer who fell while taking selfies along the edge of the canyon. Another ghost searched for gold and was killed by his partner. Edmund’s ability to speak with ghosts creates the possibility of unexpected characters popping up at any moment.
What didn’t work as well:
The mystery is the backdrop of the book, but real mystery lovers will be disappointed with the outcome. Willy’s interpretation of it is full of speculations, and the book never comes to a definite conclusion about the mystery. This may be due to the fact that it’s based on true events, but no one knows how it turned out. Also, it may not bother every reader, but the dogs somehow communicate with each other while in the presence of humans. It must be telepathy, because the humans never comment about their dogs making sounds.
The final verdict:
In many ways, this book is more about ghosts than it is about an actual mystery. It’s most appropriate for younger middle-grade readers, and I suggest they give it a try.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Mystery in the Grand Canyon
Series: Sir Edmund of the Wild West
Author: Dusti Bowling
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Joe Jameson
Publisher: RBMedia/Tantor Media
Genre: Children’s Mystery
Pub Date: March 17, 2026
My Rating: 5

A love a good mystery and they are my ‘to go’ stories. Recently read some dark even some cruel stories so this was truly an enjoyable read.

We are introduced to Edmund, a golden doodle and seizure-alert dog of esteemed lineage (at least according to him) is destined for life in a palace- the Buckingham Palace, to be precise.
However when his beloved owner dies, he gets adopted by a veteran called Wild West Willy, an aspiring ghost hunter. Willy aims to travel to the Grand Canyon, where he'll uncover the truth behind the disappearance of a couple who went missing in 1928. Little does Willy know that Edmund can actually see ghosts! Edmund is great at solving mysteries as his favorite TV show is “Murder She Wrote”.
This story is so good. I always loved reading to my children and then my grandchildren and tried to use a voice to match but I sure could not do the fabulous performance narrator Joe Jameson did in this story.

In the Author’s Note, he tells us that this story was based on a true situation or situations that happen at the Grand Canyon. Yes! Innocent lives are accidently lost by careless mistakes; some are injured but many more serious. The main story is based on a plane going on – the husband was found dead but the wife was never found and thus rumors about her were created.

Want to thank NetGalley and RBMedia and Tantor Media for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 17, 2026.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when a goldendoodle with super sniffing skills accompanies a wannabe ghosthunter to the Grand Canyon?

You will see the history of the canyon come to life!

Here's what I liked:

🐕‍🦺Sir Edmund is a service dog through and through. While he thought his next assignment would be Buckingham Palace, working for Wild West Willy becomes his new passion.

🤠Wild West Willy has a mystery to solve. What happened to Glen and Bessie Hyde in 1928? He wants to track down their ghosts and get an interview. Sir Edmund is along since Willy is a vet with a seizure disorder from a head injury.

😎The Grand Canyon is an endless source of folklore and true stories of peril. There is the Mogollon Monster or Arizona Bigfoot, the United Flight 718 crash, and many an ill-fated tourist. Entire books are out there reminding us all of the dangers that lurk in this magnificent setting. Dusti Bowling pays tribute to many of them through Edmund's eyes.

📚Dusti Bowling is an auto-read for me and I am glad I got to meet Sir Edmund and Wild West Willy. There were some issues with my ARC like missing "ff" and duplicated text. And the illustrations were like a slide puzzle that needs to be solved. I love the cover art and am sure the finished edition is filled with delightful pictures of Sir Edmund's visit to The Grand Canyon.

Thank you to Holiday House and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Professor Cindy Judd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fun adventure centers around Edmund, a very confident (dare I say a bit arrogant?) Goldendoodle service dog who is convinced he's destined for Buckingham Palace after the death of his owner. Instead, he ends up Willy, a kind, quirky veteran and aspiring ghost hunter who has PTSD and is recovering from a traumatic brain injury. (Like his previous owner, Willy also has seizures.) They travel to the Grand Canyon to investigate the decades-old disappearance of Glen and Bessie Hyde, a real couple who vanished while rafting the Colorado River in 1928. Along the way, we are introduced to a few other dogs and some ghosts that Edmund can see who have died at the Grand Canyon. The story blends real history with mystery, humor, and just a touch of the supernatural, while also giving readers a glimpse into British culture through Edmund’s personality and expressions. Some of Edmund’s British sayings and vocabulary may be unfamiliar (and sometimes amusingly confusing) for young students. (A few of note: chin-wagger, blimey, flim flam, loo, and faff around.) This would be good fit for 2nd-4th graders. There is an author's note that provides more detail about the historical events mentioned in the text.

[Ashlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to my seven-year-old son and he absolutely loved it. He is looking forward to the next book in the series and wants me to buy it even though it’s not in existence yet. It took us about four or five days to read this one, but he looked forward to listening to the story every night. He said it was sad because all the people who had died, but also there was nothing that he didn’t like about the book. It’s now his new favorite book, more than his favorite series.

Personally, I loved that this had a service dog as the main character and was told from his POV. I liked the adventure and mystery in the book along with the history sprinkled throughout. This is definitely going to be one of those stories that will be read multiple times over my son’s childhood and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. If your reader likes ghosts, monsters, mysteries, and animal POV, then definitely check this one out.

I received this book for free, which doesn’t affect my (or my sons) opinion about the story.

[Katie Reilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edmund, a goldendoodle, is a service dog trained to help those with seizure disorders. When his British (but living in the US) owner, Mrs. Brandywine, unexpectedly passes away, Edmund is sure he’ll end up at Buckingham Palace as a British Royal Guard dog. After all, that’s what Mrs. Brandywine would have wanted.

Instead, Edmund is adopted by a young ghost hunter called Wild West Willy, a veteran who suffered a brain injury. Willy and Edmund set off for the Grand Canyon, where Willy is determined to solve a missing persons case from almost a century ago.

At the Grand Canyon, Willy and Edmund meet other campers (and their canine companions), and animal antics (like butt-sniffing) abound. Edmund, with his “royal” attitude, doesn’t think that solving this mystery is up to his “grand” standards, but he soon comes to realize that Willy needs him more than he thought.

Readers will love plenty of laugh out loud moments as well as the illustrations by Beth Hughes. Back matter explains the real history that inspired the story, and I’m excited that this will be a series!

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new MG book series featuring a lovable mystery-solving dog by @dustibowling
🐶
Edmund, a highly self-important goldendoodle, is convinced he’s destined to serve as a Royal Guard at Buckingham Palace. But when he’s adopted by Wild West Willy, a veteran and aspiring ghost hunter, his life takes an unexpected turn. As they head to the Grand Canyon to investigate a decades-old disappearance, Edmund, who can secretly see ghosts, must decide if helping solve a mystery might be just as meaningful as the royal destiny he imagined.
🤠
This is such a cute pick for early chapter book readers. Edmund’s voice is hilarious and endearing, and the story balances humor with just the right amount of mystery and heart. It’s an engaging, accessible read that will definitely hook younger readers.

CW: death

[Bethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goldendoodle thinks highly of himself, a service dog to detect seizures, very British Mrs. Brandywine dies and he is sent back to academy to await a new owner, who turns out to not be the king of England like Mrs.B hinted at. Willy is a ghost hunter who can drive even tho he has seizures and they are off to Grand Canyon. Edmund can also see ghosts
Emotional support peacock
Willy injured in military, now has bad dreams, Edmund has to be more than one kind of service dog.
Square dancing always does the job
Was my heart big enough to hold that much love for 2 people?
Love a dog character who figures out the mystery or knows stuff but can’t tell their person
Set up for more books?
Beginning illustrated chap book, just right amount of funny, scary, mystery, and heart. Sources and author note about the actual events in book

[Hila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute middle-grade book about a service dog who aspires to serve the British royalty, but instead is paired with Willy, an aspiring ghost hunter. Willy suffers from seizures, but he's determined to solve the mystery of a couple who went missing in The Grand Canyon in 1928. What Willy doesn't realize is that Sir Edmund can actually see ghosts.

If talk of smelly "puffs" and butt sniffing aren't your thing, maybe skip it. Edmund is the narrator, so there seemed to be a lot about that. But overall, I think my kids would enjoy this one. It wasn't super exciting for me, but it was a quick listen. The background photo is one I took last week at Painted Canyon, which is definitely not close to the Grand Canyon (Painted Canyon is in North Dakota), but it's a close as i got this year 😉.

[Sirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edmund finds himself with a new companion who needs his help to detect seizures. Together, they venture to the Grand Canyon to try to solve a decades-old mystery and become famous podcasters.

On the one hand, this book is cute and funny with lots of humorous wordplay and delightful dog content. On the other, you can tell that Dusti Bowling did some great research into history and service dogs, adding richness to this book without overwhelming the plot. It's a short read and one that has a great depth without ever getting sad. I had a great time with this one and am looking forward to more in this series.

[Michelle]

I love Dusti Bowling books for middle and high school readers! This was very different from what I am used to reading from her. This book's perspective is from Edmund, a dog that is a very good seizure-alert dog for his person. Edmund goes to the Grand Canyon with his person in search of people from long ago. Edmund can see ghosts but, if only he could talk to his person and let him know the new information he has learned.

I really hope there is a sequel because I felt like I was left with a cliffhanger.
A must-have for all libraries!

[Critter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.

This is a cute book about a dog who is a bit goofily full of himself. It's a bit silly, but is a fun read. The characters are all fun and Edmund does grow in this book as he adjusts to his new home. I like the inclusion of service animals in this book. I also just enjoyed the more light heartedness of this book. The narrator does a great job with this book and characters as well that younger audiences will enjoy listening to this book.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so hilarious that when I was done I immediately went to see what other books are available from the author. Edmund the goldendoodle is such a funny narrator-- I have a thing for books written from the dog's point of view anyway. Edmund describes his world as thoughts come to him, with the short attention span you'd expect from a dog, and some of his comments show what would be an embarrassing side to his loved ones.
The performance is charming, and I was entertained the whole time. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

This is a review of the audiobook.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun book to read. The story is told from the POV of Sir Edmond the Goldendoodle! He’s a seizure alert dog from the UK, whose elderly owner had died. My six year old son absolutely loved Edmond! He thought he was hilarious!

My son and I both enjoyed the author’s note where he talks about the story being based on true events. It was fascinating.

If you enjoy silly books told from an animal point of view, then I definitely recommend checking this one out. We are excited for the next book in the series to come out.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seizure-detecting goldendoodle Edmund has to transition from life with Mrs. Brandywine – who always told him he was destined to by a royal guard – to life with ghost-hunting war-damaged Willy. Willy is determined to hike down the Grand Canyon and solve a century-old mysterious disappearance. If only he understood Edmund, Edmund could tell him about the ghosts he meets and the rumors of the Mogolian Monster. A fun series starter for younger elementary readers.

[Grandma Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming and witty. Sir Edmund, a seizure alert dog gets a new owner after his British owner passes. Willy and Sir Edmund go to the Grand Canyon.
The story is told from Sir Edmund’s perspective. Outstanding narration. Highly recommend.

I was blessed with an audio ARC. Thank you Net Galley and Tantor Media. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were things I really liked about this book. I liked the author's writing style. I liked the dog's point of view. I liked the compassionate addressing of PTSD. But the occult isn't something appropriate for anyone, let alone children. There are no such things as ghosts, only demons. And that is nothing to mess around with.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
This is a great start to a new series about a lovable service dog, and in this first book his new owner is traveling to the Grand Canyon in search of clues to an old mystery. This is a perfect suggestion for readers who enjoy the Ranger In Time series.

[Jenny Murman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This dog can see ghosts and all of the ghosts in this book are inspired by real people. It’s like a beginning chapter book for aspiring baby crime junkies or baby murderinos. I think I Survived fans will like it for the historical elements.

[David Rough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written book for young readers. The mystery was interesting, and Sir Edmund was a great character. I didn't like the dog's ability to see and talk to ghosts, but the historical facts at the end of the book were quite interesting.

[Emily Cottle · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I liked: the dog as the narrator was cute and allowed for some humorous observations.

What I didn’t like: it didn’t feel much like a mystery but more like a list of theories that never really formed a conclusion.