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Sir Edmund of the Wild West
Sir Edmund of the Wild West: Mystery in the Grand Canyon
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
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
160 pages, Paperback
Published March 17, 2026
About the author
Dusti Bowling
20 books1,351 followersDUSTI 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 15, 2026
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.
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.
March 10, 2026
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
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.
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.
August 26, 2025
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
March 18, 2026
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.
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.
April 21, 2026
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.
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.
May 1, 2026
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!
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!
April 18, 2026
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
🐶
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
April 9, 2026
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.
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.
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March 9, 2026I 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!
I really hope there is a sequel because I felt like I was left with a cliffhanger.
A must-have for all libraries!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
March 18, 2026
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.
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.
March 24, 2026
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
August 20, 2025
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.
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.
May 17, 2026
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.
April 13, 2026
it took a few chapters for me to understand the perspective of the book, but one i did, i appreciated the story much more. nice start to a beginner-chapter-book series.
May 22, 2026
This cute story is the first in a Middle Grade series for the younger aged bunch, featuring Edmund, a service dog who thinks he’s British due to his former owner’s background. He is adopted by Willy, who takes him to the Grand Canyon to solve the mystery of a missing person from many years ago. Dogs can see and communicate with ghosts, so Edmund is perfect for solving the mystery, if only he could also communicate with Willy! I thought this was cute and funny and I enjoyed the dog friends that Edmund made. I liked that Edmund was a service dog and his high self-esteem! I also liked that real Grand Canyon legends were incorporated into the story.
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