The Labrador Pact — Matt Haig

The story of a family in crisis and the loyal dog that holds them together, from the author of How To Stop Time and Reasons to Stay Alive.

"Matt Haig has an empathy for the human condition, the light and the dark of it, and he uses the full palette to build his excellent stories." -- Neil Gaiman, author of American Gods

Meet Prince, the canine narrator of this tragi-comic tale of family life. As with all Labradors, he has devoted his entire existence to preserving the happiness and security of his human masters. Not that his human masters realise this, of course. After all, when the Hunter family rescued him, they had no idea that they were the ones who were really being saved. But as events unfold Prince realises he's got his work cut out.

The trouble is that while he has no problem in remembering his duty, the Hunters themselves seem to have greater difficulty remembering theirs. Of particular concern is Adam Hunter, who forgets his responsibilities as a father and husband when he becomes sexually attracted to a young and flirtatious aromatherapist. Then there's Kate, Adam's wife. As Prince watches her increasingly neurotic behaviour he detects something is wrong and decides to sniff out the source of the trouble. What he eventually discovers is a treacherous secret that could tear Adam, Kate, and their two children apart.

The Labrador Pact explores the hidden dangers of family life from the perspective of the only family member who gets to see everything â€" the knee-high, four-legged observer in the corner of the room. Through Prince's eyes (and nose) we come to realise the secrets which hold families together and which, once dug up, can lead to their destruction.