Synopsis

Pony has been passed from owner to owner over the course of his life—he’s put out to pasture when the children outgrow pony-riding, bought and sold like an object. The years have left him jaded, and, fed up with the way he’s been treated, Pony decides to bust out of the barn. He sets out to find Penny—his original owner, and the one person who ever held Pony’s heart. But when Pony finds Penny and learns she’s an adult who is now standing trial for murder, he commits to stirrup some trouble—he must find the true killer and clear Penny’s name once and for all. What follows is an epic filled with both snark and heart. It’s only murders in the barn from here—and Pony must make hay if he is going to bring the true killer to justice.

Lynch shines light on how people often treat animals as disposable goods despite their innocence, devotion, and loyalty to us. Her story poignantly upends this dynamic, revealing the humanity of animals and the beastliness of humans time and time again. A former editor of Harvard Lampoon, Lynch is no stranger to humor. Her bold, unique novel hilariously brings to life a pony with attitude. PONY CONFIDENTIAL begs the question—if our pets could talk, what would they say about the ways in which we treat them? And the ways we treat each other?

Fresh, original, and full of humor, PONY CONFIDENTIAL is a must-read—the “mane event” this fall, you might say!

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Review

I admit that when I first started reading this book, I thought it was the strangest book ever! However, once I dove into the various chapters and the incidents surrounding Penny and the Pony, it became an endearing tale. It did not start off that way since Pony held a grudge against Penny for things beyond her control, but he didn’t know that. What ensues is a tale of forgiveness and love, with a bit of a mystery and reflection on our imperfect justice system.

This book alternates between Penny and Pony’s point of view. Penny’s story is primarily about being accused of murder 25 years ago when she was just 12, and all because she supposedly confessed to a therapist. There was a lot that I didn’t quite understand about how all of this came about because it didn’t seem realistic. Maybe if she had been 18 when this event happened, but who would believe a 12-year-old would commit a murder? Ok, it probably does happen now that I think about it, but this one seemed far-fetched.

The story does span decades, with most of the book set in the present. There are flashbacks to understand the relationship between Penny and Pony, to share details of the mystery to assist us in uncovering the truth, and for us to understand friendship and the road that Penny and Pony go down in discovering the truth. I feel like you could replace Pony with another person, and the story would have been just as relevant in describing their relationship, the emotional side, and learning what love and friendship mean to them. I also enjoyed the addition of various animals along the way that assisted Pony in getting to his destinations and finding Penny. The sarcastic wit of some of these animals made for lighthearted moments. There is also Tella, Penny’s daughter. We learn more about her in the last half of the book and her special ability.

This book may not be for everyone, but I think anyone who does read this book will pick up a few tidbits of wisdom.

We give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

Christina Lynch is the author of The Italian Party (St. Martin’s, 2018) and Sally Brady’s Italian Adventure (St. Martin’s, 2023). Her newest novel is the comic mystery Pony Confidential, coming November 5, 2024, from Berkley. She is also the co-author of two novels under the pen name Magnus Flyte, City of Dark Magic and City of Lost Dreams.

Christina lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada with two dogs, three horses, and a pony and teaches at a community college in central California. She is happy to answer your questions about Italy, writing, horses and ponies, or how to keep your dog off the sofa (answer: don’t even try).

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