The Pig Did It, by Joseph Caldwell

Reviewed by Brenda Seward

Chosen as The Washington Post’s Book World Best Book of 2008, The Pig Did It is Joseph Caldwell’s first offering in the “Pig” trilogy.

As the book opens, we meet Aaron McCloud. Aaron is a man disillusioned by his recent romantic pursuits and women in general.  In an effort to embrace his emotional angst, Aaron decides to travel to his ancestral homeland in Ireland for a visit with his aunt. From the moment of his arrival in Ireland, nothing goes quite as he envisions or plans.  When a herd of errant pigs waylays the bus carrying him to his aunt’s home, Aaron tries to lend a helpful hand. Of course, this effort goes horribly wrong and his fate becomes intertwined with this stubborn swine.

On the first morning after Aaron’s arrival, while his aunt is busy in her professional pursuit of rewriting literary history’s “great romantic wrongs”, the pig is up to no good. Not only does this bothersome beast tear up the shed and uproot the vegetable garden, he unearths a body. When it turns out that the uncovered remains were Declan Tovey, a man that was involved with not only his aunt, but also a woman named Lolly (the owner of the pig), Aaron finds himself trying to discover exactly how Declan Tovey died and who killed him.

Part comedic romance and part quirky mystery, The Pig Did It is filled with sparkling dialogue and chaotic moments that will have you shaking your head and rolling your eyes with amusement.

I must admit, I was a bit put off by Aaron’s character at first. I don’t think it is possible for me to exaggerate the level of self absorption this man engages in during the first pages of the book. However, once this book moves from the complicated and sometimes preposterous workings of Aaron’s mind and out into the world around him, the story comes alive. The way in which Aaron’s rigid sense of order is challenged by the chaos he finds himself abruptly immersed in creates just the right measure of imbalance to keep the reader engaged and entertained. A rollicking Irish romp that will have you wondering what could possibly happen when The Pig Comes to Dinner.

Review by Brenda Seward,Owner, Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts

The Pig Did It and The Pig Comes to Dinner are available through Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts, at www.simplepleasuresbooksandgifts.com.