Book review: ‘The Two Dogs Who Stayed’
The Two Dogs Who Stayed by Matthew Caldwell. Northern Paw Press, 2025. Softcover, 261 pages.
One of the perks of being a book reviewer is receiving new books from publishers and authors. One of my secret joys, however, is coming across a book that is new to me on my own. Sometimes, such books make good review material. And, in the case of The Two Dogs Who Stayed, I realized I had come across a gem.
In this hauntingly beautiful novel by Matthew Caldwell, a 58-year-old owner of a floundering bookshop in a small Alaskan town rescues an injured dog who becomes the true companion he needs as he slips into dementia. Goober, as the dog is named, is the sort of loyal friend anyone would welcome. But to the bookshop owner, she becomes a kind of caregiver when human friends have gone their own ways.
Told in two parts, Caldwell’s novel is simply beautiful, both in its story and writing. There are no wasted words in this tale filled with empathy, hope, and love. I can’t discuss the second part of the book without giving away the magic of the entire novel, but it involves another character and dog equally in need of each other’s rescue.
When I read the author’s biography at the end of this book, I was surprised to discover that this finely crafted work is his debut novel. Like all the other readers charmed and deeply moved by The Two Dogs Who Stayed, I am looking forward to many more books from this talented writer.
Are you the author or publisher of a book about animals that you would like considered for review? Please send the details to editor@bestfriends.org.
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