This book immediately reminded me of Anna Sewell's “Black Beauty”, as the eponymous character narrates his increasingly harrowing life before finally finding peace and safety many years later.

In this case, the equine narrator is a pony who harbours intense anger toward the twelve-year-old girl who loved him then abandoned him. He's cultivated a bad attitude because of his anger, biting humans and generally being a menace. Consequently, our narrator has been passed from owner to owner, each time Pony is a little more angry, a little more determined to find that girl, Penny, and let her know that he's mad and hurt.

Meanwhile, Penny grew up, and never got over the loss of her parents selling her pony, whom she loved unreservedly. She has never felt as happy since, or as transported, as when she was with her even then grumpy pony.

Penny is a grade school teacher, is married with a teenaged daughter who has suffered from being too intensely sensitive to everything around her, driving Penny around the bend, and sometimes causing her to wish she did not have to deal with Tella. Penny drops Tella off at a camp for kids with a variety of mental health issues, and is later arrested by police for a murder that occurred when Penny was twelve, and lived across the country.

Penny discovers just how much injustice is part of the justice system, as she ends up in jail, accused of killing someone on a day she was riding her pony with a boy she was trying to impress. Penny cannot fully remember what occurred that day, and her public defender's intern doesn't hold out much hope of Penny of getting out of jail any time soon.

When Pony discovers that his understanding of what really happened the day that separated him from Penny (Pony has many conversations with a rat, horse, goat, dog, etc.) Pony is contrite. And he decides to reunite with Penny and apologize.

Pony then begins an epic journey travelling the country in search of Penny, again receiving much needed help from other animals, starting from where he last saw her, and in the process, begins to unravel the true events years ago that led to a man's death. Pony also discovers kindness and empathy within himself, making friends with those who help him.

While Pony's journey changes him profoundly while travelling back and froth across the country, Penny stays in one place, and discovers just how much she loves her small family. Her case does not look good, but it's Pony's efforts, putting details together, that save her.

This book should not have worked. A pony as a main character, whose first person narration is full of grumpiness, anger, and a transactional approach to others, should have either been too cute or too hard to swallow. Instead, despite the dangers and cruelty he encounters at each destination, there is friendship, and lessons offered by various other lovable animals, with a growing understanding that his behaviour has been less than exemplary.

Penny's third person perspective chapters are equally compelling, as her belief in how the world works is blown apart by her experiences in the justice system. We see enough of the baddies in this story to understand that they're self-absorbed, and lacking empathy, and that without some sort of miraculous intervention (i.e., Pony), Penny's chances are slim of ever going home.

The concept could have become a cute, silly story, but author Christina Lynch instead has crafted something incredibly affecting. Even with scenes of animal mistreatment and abuse, and the problems in the justice system, this is an incredibly hopeful story, full of love, humour, and friendship. And tasty carrots.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my review.

From the moment this book’s point of view switches over to that of the pony at the heart of the dual narrative, I was deeply in love:

QUOTE
I am a pony. But not just any pony. I am a pony who is bent on revenge. I am the Iago of ponies, a furry Fury. I am both adorable and devious, and, until I get what I want, I’m going to make every human I meet pay for your collective crimes. I am a tiny, mop-topped demon, and I am coming for you.
END QUOTE

I was so taken by this voice, by this juxtaposition of anger and adorableness, that I immediately took a picture of this paragraph to send to my bookish group chat. I was never a horse girl growing up – though I absolutely wanted to be! – but I am a woman who’s been underestimated and disdained for being small and pretty more times in my life than I care to think about. The Pony’s rage resonates, even before you find out what he’s mad about and what he ultimately decides to do about it.

Fifteen years ago, The Pony belonged to a young girl named Penny, who promised that they’d be together forever. But one day she left, and he was sold and has never really known happiness since. Older, bitter and facing the unwelcome prospect of being sent to become food at a big cat sanctuary, he’s determined now to find her and exact his revenge.

Penny, meanwhile, has grown up to be a wife, mother and schoolteacher. Her life is fine enough, until she’s arrested for a murder she didn’t commit and definitely doesn’t remember. Extradited from her California home to a holding cell in a New York prison, she has a lot of empty time in which to reflect on her life and past. When a fellow prisoner exhorts her to think of happier times in an effort to avoid despair, her thoughts unerringly turn back to the sweet pony she was forced to leave behind as a child:

QUOTE
I loved that pony more than I have ever loved anyone. I’ve known that for a long time, but I felt guilty about it. My husband, my child. I love them, of course. But it’s so complicated. I never feel like I’m doing it right.

Every time I looked at the pony, my heart would swell and lift and sing. I loved everything about him, even his naughtiness and bad moods and little tricks. I loved the little black tips of his ears, and his prickery whiskers, and the feathers on his fetlocks. The silly frizz of hairs that stuck up around the base of his tail. He wasn’t the tallest or most athletic or most beautiful. It didn’t matter. He gave me courage, he made me laugh. I loved him intensely, with a connection that I have never felt since then.
END QUOTE

As The Pony embarks on a cross-country odyssey to find his former owner, Penny must also contemplate the circumstances under which they parted: the very same circumstances that have now landed her in jail. At the mercy of the carceral system, Penny has to fight with what few resources she has to establish her innocence in hopes of regaining her freedom. The Pony, meanwhile, learns a thing or two about his own culpability in their separation. When he finally discovers where she is now and why, he must take it upon himself to help prove that she’s no murderer. Will their efforts be enough, though, to ensure at least their reunification, if not an outright happily ever after?

I know that this book sounds completely bonkers, but it is truly one of the most heartfelt, thoughtful and hilarious books I’ve read in 2024. The Pony spends years blaming Penny for their rupture when he was absolutely as responsible as she was: their separate recollections of and reconciliations with the past make for one of the most convincing arguments for self-reflection I’ve read in ages. Further, Penny’s ordeal in prison is a clear-eyed indictment of a criminal justice system skewed towards the rich. Perhaps most importantly, however, this book is a celebration of friendship and family and the kind of pure, uncomplicated love that is all too rare, and should be all the more cherished and fought for because of it.

This is such a fun, interesting, and intriguing story that follows the two main characters, The Pony and Penny, as they each navigate their own set of challenging circumstances. I love all of the wonderfully colorful animals we meet along Pony's journey that add to his adventures. Penny's storyline is not as fast-paced, but it's an enlightening look at the flaws in our justice system as she faces a murder charge from her childhood. I love being surprised by a unique plotline and I really enjoyed this engaging debut novel.

Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch is a unique standalone novel about a Pony and his former owner, Penny. Years have passed, and Penny has never forgotten her childhood memories of her love for her Pony, when she was 12 years old: she is now 37 years old. The story opens when Penny opens the door, and the police are arresting her for a murder, that she may have committed when she was 12 years old. She is whisked back to Ithaca, NY, where she grew up.
Pony has constantly been passed over from many different owners, and now he is fed up, determined to find the only girl he ever loved; Penny. Pony busts out and goes on a cross-country mission to find her. Pony can talk to all animals, and gets help from them, but the mission that he embarks on is a long-drawn-out journey. It was fun with Pony being one of the narrators, and listening to him talk to the other animals; dog, birds, rat, sparrow, goat, butterflies and other species, who will eventually lead him to where he can find Penny. Each animal has a distinct personality; including other horses who give Pony advice. Pony will also learn along the way, that Penny is in danger, and he needs to save her.
Penny works with a law student, as her actual attorney only appears in the courtroom. Slowly, Penny’s memories begin to remember that day 25 years ago, when someone else committed the murder. Pony also remembers when another horse played a prank on Penny and the boy she was riding with, leaving both stranded in the woods. Of course, Pony feels guilt, as he is determined to rescue Penny; since she was attacked, and someone was killed; but Penny was not the murderer. The family moved away, and Penny never was able to say good-bye to her wonderful Pony.

Penny’s daughter pays a big part closer to the end, as she finds Pony, and together they will help Penny discover the two villains who were the true murderers. I really loved Pony, and his friends who helped him to find Penny, and the real culprits. This was a wonderful ending. Pony Confidential was an interesting and different kind of story, which was so very well written by Christine Lynch.

This was such a lovely book! The premise sounded really interesting, unlike anything I've ever read. I'm glad to say it also delivered! The main characters were quirky, and the plot was very entertaining. It left me on the edge of my seat! This is definitely a book I can recommend.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Berkley Publishing Group and Penguin Random House.

Pony has been passed from owner to owner for longer than he can remember. Fed up, he busts out and goes on a cross-country mission to reunite with Penny, the little girl who he was separated from and has not seen in years.

Penny, now an adult, is living an ordinary life when she gets a knock on her door and finds herself in handcuffs, accused of murder and whisked back to the place she grew up. Her only comfort when the past comes back to haunt her is the memory of her precious, rebellious pony.

Hearing of Penny’s fate, Pony knows that Penny is no murderer. So, as smart and devious as he is cute, the pony must use his hard-won knowledge of human weakness and cruelty to try to clear Penny’s name and find the real killer.

Pony Confidential reveals the humanity of animals and beastliness of humans in a rollicking escapade of epic proportions. When I started reading this book, I thought it was one of the weirdest books, I have read. The book does span out in a couple of decades, but it was mostly told in the present. There were many flashbacks to understand the relationship of Pony and Penny and the road that lead to them finding/discovering the truth. I really enjoyed the different animals in the book that assisted Pony in getting to his destinations and finding Penny.

Pony Confidential was such a beautiful tale of forgiveness and love, with a bit of a mystery and reflection on the imperfect justice system. It also explores the connections between humans and animals, highlighting both the joy and the harsh reality of animal cruelty relationships. I feel like this is one that you have to read yourself to enjoy. But if you want to read a book about a pony as a main character, I would recommend checking this one out.

Rating: 3.5/5

Pony and Penny have a bond that even a 25 year separation can't break. What will Pony do to reunite with his dear Penny again and save her from a lenghty prison sentence for murder? He will criss cross the country from side to side and top to bottom in a quest to find Penny and show her how much he loves his girl.

This was a surprisingly engaging read. Pony is a rascal at times -- most of them are -- and his "frequent trotter miles" accumulate through trotting, riding, paddle boarding, swimming, plodding, and more. . . How many places that Pony visits are also places you have visited?

Penny has been falsely accused of a murder that happened decades ago when she was twelve. Her memories of that night will need to be brought to the forefront to save her from a prison sentence. Her frustrations with the legal system are heartbreaking and her determinination to bring about change is inspiring.

If you have ever had a pony or wanted a pony, this book is for you. I couldn't help thinking of my faithful pony Trudy. She was a competitive little thing and always wanted to be the fastest in the bunch. 🐴

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Berkley Pub for the free book and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

I knew to expect a pony POV, but I had not expected the pony to introduce itself as vengeful, mean-spirited, and hateful of children. It was a rocky start for me. But I came to really love the pony and it's pervious person, Penny.

There's a lot going on in this book with a closed case murder mystery, present suspense and intrigue, and a pony taking multiple cross-country adventures. And I became surprisingly invested in all of it.

The book incorporates strong themes of environmentalism, the treatment of animals, and the criminal justice system. There are fascinating metaphors of jail and cages that really explore treatment in a variety of ways.

I found it utterly fascinating and so thought-provoking.

Rounded up to 4 stars

As seen on www.mysteryandsuspense.com

Author Christina Lynch has managed to craft an engaging, entertaining mystery novel with a pony as the protagonist. Yes, a four-legged, adorable, rideable pony. Although he goes by many names depending on who owns him at the time, he is identified to readers as “Pony,” and his quest to find his previous owner during her darkest time is both fun and heartwarming.

Penny can’t remember a time when she was happier than when she was spending time with her beloved Pony. Even though it’s been twenty-five years, her times with Pony were some of the best of her life. Now, she is a teacher, a mother, and a wife, living a moderately satisfying and very normal existence—until the day a police officer shows up at her door and arrests her for the murder of a man who died over twenty-five years ago. Now, Penny is in jail, and the only thing getting her through the hard times is the memory of her beloved Pony. Pony himself is trying to find a home where he was as happy as he was with Penny. Finally deciding to seek out the only owner he ever truly loved, he sets off on a nationwide journey to reconnect with the only family he has, just at the time when she needs him the most.

Pony Confidential is a quirky and boundary-defying mystery unlike anything in the genre. Part Homeward Bound and part Toy Story, yet with a murder mystery component and a plot geared toward adults, Lynch has written a story that will attract horse lovers across the globe.

The story is narrated by both Penny and Pony, in alternating chapters. Pony is sarcastic, bitter (and a biter!), and has managed to turn on anyone who ever shows him affection, leaving him isolated and lonely. Penny is struggling to raise a daughter with mental health challenges while navigating the possibility of a separation from her husband. Both Penny and Pony’s stories run parallel to each other, as they both find themselves in situations beyond their control, often in confined spaces, wanting nothing more than to be reunited with each other.

Not to be outdone, the mystery component is full of unexpected twists and turns. There is plenty of potential in the characters that Lynch scatters throughout the plot, but the ending took me by complete surprise in a delightfully unexpected way.

Pony Confidential was a novel I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did. Lynch’s writing flows, her plot is intriguing, and her characters—especially Pony—are sassy and lovable. Horse lovers, mystery lovers, or anyone looking for a delightfully unusual read should check out Christina Lynch’s Pony Confidential.

"It’s a hard-knock life,” says the rat. “You can’t insulate yourself from stress. You gotta learn how to cope with it. Instead of wishing for a perfect life, live the life you have. Be happy now."

Just one of many life lessons from a wise Brooklyn rat featured among the animals in the uniquely magically Pony Confidential, by imaginatively creative author, Christina Lynch. A mystery that only the love between a girl and her pony can solve.

Everything changed for Pony and 12 year old Penny in the forest with the blue butterflies. A ride that left Pony alone, Penny moving away and one man dead. Through many owners, some kind, some cruel, Pony realizes, with the help of a goat that once ate a psychology book, that Penny never wanted to leave him. This begins his cross country adventure to reunite with his favorite human.

Meanwhile, 25 years later, Penny is arrested for the murder on that fateful day. As she awaits trial, and ponders the inadequacies of our judicial system, Pony with his fine tuned sense of smell finds Penny's teenage daughter, who suffers from an anxiety disorder; they quickly realize they need each other to save Penny.

This special story is enhanced by voice actor Blair Young. His sarcastic, witty, and sincere portrayal of Pony makes it all real. Voice actress Erin Moon gives Penny her vulnerability as a mother, wife, prisoner and Pony's person.

I laughed a lot with this one of a kind mystery. I cried too. The loneliness, fear, and sadness abandoned animals suffer is quietly stated by the animals themselves. It's soul crushing. There's also quirkiness, fun and joy. It's no secret, Pony Confidential is for everyone.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair & honest review. All opinions are my own

I’m really not sure words can properly capture this unique book - it’s a drama and a comedy, a mystery, and a story of love between a girl and her pony. The book is told from two perspectives - Penny, now a middle aged mom who hasn’t seen her pony since 25 years before when her parents uprooted her after a tragedy, and the pony, who starts the book very angry and bitter about his abandonment by Penny all those years ago. Soon after the book starts, Penny much to her surprise is arrested for a murder she is alleged to have committed when she was 12; meanwhile we see Pony on a journey crisscrossing America looking for Penny.

I have read and loved Christina Lynch’s two previous books, both relatively serious historical fiction. This one couldn’t be more different, but I loved it just as much or even more! I laughed and I cried, it was just so great and so different from anything else I’ve read. If you love books with unique animal narrators like Marcellus in Remarkably Bright Creatures, Six Thirty in Lessons in Chemistry, or the fox in Remarkably Bright Creatures, this one is for you!

4.25 stars

Real Rating: 3.75* of five

You know that Swede who writes about cutesy old people? Of course you do, y'all luuuv him as much as Richard Osman! (Only Osman's old people are cool, unlike that Swede's faux-feisty feebs.) Now imagine that Swede decided to take over Spencer Quinn's Chet and Bernie series.

Yeah. That, and Remarkably Bright Creatures chucked in for good measure. So what's it doing as a regular review, not a Burgoine? "When you like a book, but don't love it, it's a Burgoine," someone is even now saying to their screen.

Penny and fluent English-hearer Pony the pony, separately and together, do some very good mental health work, that's why it's a regular review, and thanks for noticing. Penny's never quite gotten a grip on Life; as a result she is always on the back foot with the people and situations in her life. Being a kindergatren teacher does not make this easier. Being a single mom to a cute kid with a really bad relationship to the father, well...gettin' the drift here? She has a life-altering nightmare hit her square in the chops, and here we come to the first-ever in my reviews spoiler. (Stop laughing! And pointing is rude.)

This para has the spoiler: When Penny was twelve, a terrible, fatal accident occurred and her family has to run away. Pony got left behind, and is still bitter about it. Penny's now being accused of murder, twenty years later, and is hauled off to jail. A mother with a child is hauled off to jail for suspicion of involvement in a twenty-year-old crime.

This is really, really unbelievable to me.

Howsomever, the plot needs driving so drive we shall. Grouchy, misanthropic Pony hears and understands this, decides he's off to save Penny (the one human he's ever loved) and has so many cool adventures...all of 'em opportunities to shine a light onto how truly unfair and sadistically convoluted late-stage capitalism is. I agree with this and find the looneyness of the animal characters' various voices great fun. They banter together, discuss how rotten humans are. They still say home truths about each other that will get past the guard of all but the most cynical. I'll go with it.

I want to note that suicide and depression are more than minor plot points without being foregrounded.

As a puzzle, the villains are very two-dimensional thus easy to spot. I read a lot of mysteries, though, so ma'at leads my eyes (as the Egyptians said) and I figured it out; honestly, that's not the point here. Read this for feel-good cuteness. Read this for affirmation the world *can* be good. Read this, in short, for fun.

I did. It was. Everybody's happy. (Even Pony.)

A Pony with Personality
I enjoyed this book and had fun reading it.

The pony was a strong character with a distinctive voice and personality. I loved his bravado and cockiness. He had a lot of great lines and interesting turns of phrases that I highlighted throughout the book. His travels took him on quite the adventures, and I felt like the animal characters he met were drawn vividly, too. I will remember Burnie and Dr. Rat as well as Pony, for example, not to mention Caya and Circe.

I also think the story is a springboard for thinking about or discussing topics such as animal welfare, animal rights, the ethics of responsible animal ownership, the challenges of caring for someone with mental health difficulties, the American justice system, and, to a lesser extent, the prison system. I wasn't expecting to find any of these topics in a pony detective-led mystery novel, but I enjoyed the book more because of their inclusion.

I struggled a fair bit with the timeline. What I initially thought were parallel timelines didn't exactly line up, at even in later points of the book the two timelines seemed to contain more action in one seemingly equivalent portion than the other. I think it would have helped me a lot to have had month/year cues in the chapter heads or some other way to indicate how the timelines related to each other. A small bit, but one I spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about, especially given the sweep of travel.

I think, too, that marketing it as a mystery - especially with that great cover, with the Sherlock hat on the horseshoe! - meant I expected something different. There is a mystery, and it does provide the impetus for the action, but it isn't really the heart of the story and there isn't any type of traditional detecting. It's more of a homecoming journey than a mystery. The author references Odysseus returning to Penelope in the credits, and this is very, very apt. It's a Homeric epic more than a murder mystery. ??

I enjoyed Pony enough as a character that would enjoy a second book starring Pony and Penny in a more traditional detective novel.

Thank you to BookBrowse and PRH for the advance copy.

This book was an unexpected delight! The story moves between two character perspectives: Penny, a grown woman who has just been arrested for a crime she allegedly committed 25 years earlier, and her horse, know to us as The Pony. I loved the world of The Pony and all his animal friends as he tries to clear Penny's name. I think fans of Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and Beep by Bill Roorbach will enjoy this one.

As a kid, I absolutely loved horses. From my numerous Breyer horses to the book series I read (The Black Stallion; Phantom Stallion; Pony Pals; many more!), I was a horse girl through and through (minus the budget for riding lessons, sadly). To this day, I love horses and am drawn to anything involving them. This is why Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch first captured my interest.

25 years ago, Pony loved his human, 12-year-old Penny. But despite her seeming kindness, she suddenly disappeared from his life, leaving him disillusioned, hateful, and vengeful. Now old but still cute and naughty, Pony is on a mission to finally find Penny and right the wrong it took him far too long to realize he committed. Is Penny safe out there, wherever she is? Pony goes on a cross-country, years-long journey to be reunited with his person. Meanwhile, Penny has been accused of murder, and her trial isn’t looking good. Will anyone be able to prove her innocence?

Tropes & Narrative Devices:
- Animal narrator (The Pony)
- Nonlinear timeline
- Decades-old mystery
- Cross-country journey
- Dual POV (both first-person and third-person)

What I Liked:
- Grumpy pony! Pony gets a pretty epic opening paragraph from his point of view, and he remains a delightfully snarky and acerbic narrator throughout. Sure, he’s selfish, mean, and prone to biting people, but underneath it all, he’s also loyal and loving. Upon realizing that his mission of vengeance is misguided, he is determined to instead save Penny from whatever befell her 25 years ago. Will he be able to track her down and finally be reunited with her?
- So many animals! Horses, goats, dogs, rats, sparrows, bats, owls, cats, and more: Pony encounters numerous animals, both wild and domesticated, during his journey to find Penny. Some animals are helpful in pointing him in the right direction; others send him on a deserved runaround. No matter how big or small a role they played, I loved seeing all these animals and watching Pony interact with them.
- The harsh life animals face. Fun as this novel is, it’s also eye-opening to the atrocious ways people treat animals. Pony goes from job to job over the years, working in kids pony rides, as a companion to wealthy women or racehorses, and more. But he also faces dangers, such as the risk of being deemed worthless and thus sent to be euthanized. Pony describes the hollowness that some animals fall into, and it is heartbreaking. I hope this book inspires all its readers to treat animals better and save them from abuse, neglect, and cruelty.
- Cross-country journey! Pony travels all across the United States, from California to New York to Florida and more. It’s quite spread out, both in terms of distance and time! But he certainly is determined and makes a lot of memories along the way.
- Penny is on trial for murder. She didn’t commit it though! Right? Beyond Pony’s overdue reunion journey, Penny is facing her own tribulations. At the heart of this book is an unsolved mystery, one that had major impacts on both Penny and her pony.
- Mental health. This book looks at various mental health issues, including anxiety and that aforementioned hollowness that can affect people and animals alike. I appreciate the subtle reinforcement that we should all be more compassionate with each other.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Nothing, this was great!

Final Thoughts
From start to finish, I adored Pony Confidential. It’s funny and silly, but smart and thoughtful, with tons of laughs and heart in equal measure. Pony in particular is a standout narrator; I need to read more books from an animal’s point of view. This is a book that, while partially a cozy mystery, defies categorization and should be enjoyable to a wide range of readers.

Side note: It wasn’t until I was already reading this that I found out Christina Lynch is one half of the writing duo behind City of Dark Magic and City of Lost Dreams. I read those back in 2013 and enjoyed them so much! Pony Confidential is a completely different book and genre, but it does maintain the author’s fun, humorous writing style. I may need to reread those and finally share my reviews of them.

4/5 stars

Thank you Berkley Pub for the advanced reading copy!

This book was sooo odd and weird, but I enjoyed it! You'll have to suspend some disbelief, so know that going into it. If you're willing to try and read from a pony's perspective, you'll have as much fun as I did and really enjoy it. Mystery-wise this was more of a slow burn, and it took some time to get into it. As the plot continued and things progressed, I was super intrigued by the storyline and the way things unfolded. Overall the mystery itself was good, not great, but the creativity of this book's plot, characters and timeline bumped this up to a four star for me!

Rating: 4/5 stars

Pony sets off on a mission to find the only person he’s ever loved, Penny, and clear her name when she is accused of murder.

I have no idea what I expected from this book, but it was not HOMEWARD BOUND mixed with BLACK BEAUTY told as a retelling of THE ODYSSEY. That’s exactly what I got, however, and I’m not mad at it in the slightest. This was wildly entertaining and so original—easily the most unique book I’ve read this year. I loved Pony and really all of the animal characters, who each had such entertaining characters and added a surprising amount of depth and gravity to a book with a silly and fun overall premise.

I also thought the murder mystery in this was pretty well done, and while I figured out who had done it, I enjoyed the reveal itself. The entire novel is told in competing and overlapping timelines and the way everything was neatly plotted and came together was fairly masterful! I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

CW: Animal death/cruelty; murder/death; some discussion of mental illness and suicidal thoughts

I really thought this would be one of my favorite books of 2024 but it fell flat. The middle dragged and then there was a chronological issue that really bothered me. By the end, i didn't even care to solve the mystery, I just wanted to be done.

Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch had some laugh-out-loud moments with animals who could understand each other and some humans who could, too. There’s a mystery to solve with no time to waste.

The story begins in Ithaca, New York, but takes us to the West Coast, Florida, Canada, and across the country again. Penny is twelve years old, takes riding lessons, and falls in love with her pony, named Pony. When her family sells Pony, and they move to Chicago, Pony is determined to get revenge. What follows is a story with more twists and turns than I expected. Parts of the story were sometimes confusing, but all the details played an important role in the end.

When Penny is arrested for a crime she supposedly committed when she was twelve, no one is more surprised than Penny herself since she has no memory of it. But the clues start to build against her, and we are taken on a merry ride with Pony and his animal friends, who not only help him find Penny but also help solve the crime. We get to know Penny’s family and about her struggles and stresses. We also get familiar with Penny and Pony’s bond. There is closure when the case is solved, and some happiness comes about for Penny’s family, Pony, and other animals. It was definitely a different murder mystery!

Pony Confidential depicts animals with thought processes, family strife, and a mystery that needs to be solved. There is laughter and a little anguish while on the trail to making a family whole again. If you love animals and a cozy mystery, this story is for you.

When Penny Marcus was a kid, she loved her pony. She had a special connection with her pony and nothing could break that. Or she thought that nothing could break it. Then she decided to go to the abandoned house in the forest with Alex. Penny and her pony and Alex and his horse, and everything changed. She never saw her pony again.

Her parents sold the pony and moved her away. Penny grew up, finished school, fell in love, got married, had a kid, and lived her life. Her daughter Tella has an extreme anxiety disorder, so Penny and her husband Laus found her a boarding school that would be easier for her. But that took up all their savings and some of their retirement, so now Penny can’t afford a lawyer. And she really needs a lawyer, because 25 years after that afternoon in the forest, Penny was arrested for murder.

The pony has been angry since that afternoon in the forest. He’s been enraged at how Penny just abandoned him, and he’s been acting out ever since. He’s not afraid to kick or to bite, whatever it takes to make his unhappiness known to all around him. In the days and months and years since Penny abandoned him, he has worked hard. He’s had to give pony rides to kids, sometimes with a stupid unicorn horn on his head. He was an emotional support animal. He was a pet. He got bought and sold, over and over. But he never forgot Penny. He never forgot how she smelled. And he’s been looking for her ever since.

But when he tells the story of that day in the forest, of how he had untied the ropes for Alex’s horse and for himself, of how he got scared and ran from the forest, back to the farm where he lived, his friends point out that he’s wrong. The goat Circe and dog Caya both think that the pony got it wrong. He was the one who ran away and abandoned Penny. He doesn’t have any reason to be so mad at her.

Once the pony realizes his mistake, he wants to see Penny again. He can sense that she’s in trouble, so he sets out to find her. He remembers what she smells like, and he meets other animals who have clues about what actually happened that day at the abandoned house and maybe where he can find Penny. So he sets out to find her. The pony uses all of his wiles to find rides across the country, to find a way to Penny. He bounces around the country, chasing down clues and sniffing the air for the scent of Penny. He makes sacrifices for her. He would sacrifice everything to get back to hat magical relationship he had with Penny.

Penny was arrested in California, but the crime happened in New York, so Penny is detained until her trial. She’s not allowed bail, although she couldn’t afford it anyway. She has only a public defender, and mostly only talks to an intern in the defender’s office who is still waiting to see if she passed the bar exam. Penny is alone, and she can’t even help with her defense, since she doesn’t have a way to investigate anything about what happened that day at the abandoned house. She thinks about her daughter and her husband. She thinks about her pony.

The days go by, and Penny’s trial gets closer. Will those who care about her be able to figure out a way to save her from a lifetime in prison? Or is Penny’s fate sealed, with both her and her pony being trapped in a small metal cage for the rest of their days?

Pony Confidential is the most unusual mystery I’ve ever read. Author Christina Lynch takes readers on a journey, from anger to understanding, from loneliness to love, from mistrust to the truth. As these characters travel from one side of the country to the other, the search for answers brings up more questions that must be answered. But they don’t give up. They keep moving forward. And that ending is such a surprise.

I wasn’t sure of what to think about Pony Confidential for quite a while. It’s a bit of a slow start, with a angry pony narrating his frustration over and over. It takes a chunk of the book to figure out what’s happening with Penny and with the pony, but it’s an exceptional ride as long as you stay engaged with it. There are many interesting surprises throughout the book, with things coming together in lovely ways. I don’t think this book is a good fit for a typical mystery fan, but if you’re someone who likes something a little experimental (more literary fiction than a cozy mystery), and if you are willing to believe in a pony who is willing to stand in for an emotional support chicken to get what he wants, then Pony Confidential just might be the next book you fall in love with. I certainly did.

Egalleys for Pony Confidential were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks.