Vertigo 42 by Martha Grimes, Richard Jury Mysteries Book 23

The four-legged members of Melrose Plant’s  (a/k/a Lord Ardry and Superintendent Richard Jury’s civilian sidekick) household include a horse named Aggrieved, a goat named Aghast, and a stray dog named Aggro (a/k/a Joey).

The fact that all Plant’s pets have names beginning with Ag has nothing to do with the plot of Grimes’ latest whodunit, Vertigo 42, but it is one of the many delightfully quirky details that characterize Grimes’ novels. But beyond the quirks, Grimes delivers another satisfyingly knotty mystery featuring Richard Jury, his law enforcement sidekick, Detective Sergeant Alfred Wiggins, and a Staffordshire terrier named Stanley (a/k/a Agape).