The Governor's Dog Is Missing! by Sneed B. Collard III

When Slate and his friend, Daphne, find out that the governor’s Border collie, Cat, has gone missing, the two friends decide to take on the case. Their investigation begins at the Capital building in Helena, Montana, as they question the governor, his staff, and a suspicious Minority Leader. Then the clues to Cat’s whereabouts take them through several of Helena’s historical sites. However, several false leads, arguments, a stray dog, and an awkward kiss threaten to derail the case and their friendship.

Collard has created an engaging, clean mystery series that both entertains and educates readers. Inside the page-turning whodunit, Collard has woven in important facts about Montana like what are Helena’s sites, how does Montana’s government work, and what rock formations are found in Glacier National Park, to name a few. Along with the amazing backdrop of Montana, Slate and Daphne are fun and true-to-life characters that successfully carry the whole story to the end. Slate’s narrative is witty, insightful, impulsive, and realistic, especially with his twelve-year-old beginning crush on Daphne. A great read for both boys and girls ages 10 and up. The next book in the Slate Stephens series is Hangman’s Gold.