For the love of a pug.

With A Pug’s Tale Alison Pace brings us once again into the world of Hope McNeill,art conservationist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art,and her much-loved and unusually insightful pug,Max. Hope frequently sneaks Max into the Met while she works,and so jumps at a legitimate opportunity for both of them to attend a “Pug Night” party thrown in honor of a donation to the museum from wealthy,elderly socialite Daphne Markham,well-known for her love of her own pug,Madeline.

During the party,Hope discovers,with a little help from Max,that a valuable painting has been stolen and a fake substituted in its place. Hope and her colleagues Elliot and Gil decide to keep the theft to themselves and attempt to discover the missing artwork without involving the police. Hope and Max follow a trail of mysterious clues left throughout the museum with the helpful advise of Daphne Markham and the less-than-helpful investigations of a private detective hired by Gil.

Hope’s personal life is complicated as well by the fact that her boyfriend Ben (and official owner of Max) is half a world away working for five months in rural Africa,and by her lingering (unrequited) romantic feelings for Elliot. But Elliot is also a suspect,and so is everyone else at the museum,including Hope herself! The author’s obvious adoration and knowledge of pugs and art comes through every word of this light-hearted,humorous novel. Told in the first person,you are in Hope’s head every step of the way as she uncovers more and more of the truth. A Pug’s Tale gives the reader an intriguing mystery,a behind-the-scenes view of one the world’s most famous museums,and,of course,lots of fun pug action.

About the Author: Alison Pace is the author of five novels and her essays have appeared in several anthologies. She lives in New York City where she teaches creative writing.