Tales with Tails: The Best Adult Fiction with Animal Narrators
Posted on April 30, 2025
by Amy H
There are some really fantastic adult novels narrated by animals. Some books unfold entirely from their point of view, others limit their zoological insights to selected chapters. But all of them are creative, quirky, and so, so delightful. Often just the descriptions and covers make me smile. Prepare to be charmed and entertained!
pony confidential by Christina Lynch
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 hasn’t 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. This acutely observant, feel-good mystery reveals the humanity of animals and beastliness of humans in a rollicking escapade of epic proportions.
dog on it by Spencer Quinn
Chet, the wise and lovable canine narrator, and Bernie, a down-on-his-luck private investigator, are quick to take a new case involving a frantic mother searching for her teenage daughter. This well-behaved and gifted student may or may not have been kidnapped, but she has definitely gotten mixed up with some very unsavory characters. With Chet’s highly trained nose leading the way, their hunt for clues takes them into the desert to biker bars and other exotic locales-until the bad guys try to turn the tables and the resourceful duo lands in the paws of peril. Spencer Quinn’s irresistible mystery kicks off a delightful new series that will have readers panting for more.
the navigating fox by Christopher Rowe
In a surviving Roman empire that has colonized the Western Hemisphere and magically altered certain animals to have reason and language, fox navigator Quintus Shu'al is the only one of his kind. He's on a quest to save his reputation (as his world's only navigator of the magic byways) from a conniving, blackmailing priest with a self-aggrandizing agenda. Quintus Shu'al has been coerced into leading an ill-assorted party of mapmaking racoons, ambassadorial water buffaloes, and badly prepared humans, among others, on a trip to Hell. It may be a one-way trip for some of the travelers, but the navigating fox is good at maneuvering his way out of trouble. Quintus Shu'al is everything a hero should be--overconfident enough to get into trouble and clever enough to get himself out. His journey to rescue his reputation and give his enemy exactly what he deserves is the kind of fable that fantasy readers will love.
hollow kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
S.T. is a bird of simple pleasures: hanging out with his human owner, Big Jim, trading insults with Seattle's wild crows (i.e. ""those idiots""), and enjoying the finest food humankind has to offer: Cheetos ®. But when Big Jim starts behaving erratically and one of his eyeballs falls out of his head, S.T. starts to think something's not quite right. With no choice but to abandon his old life and venture out into a frightening new world with his trusty steed Dennis (a loyal but dimwitted bloodhound), S.T. discovers that the neighbors are zombies devouring one other. Humanity's extinction has seemingly arrived, and the only one determined to save it is a well-intentioned crow whose only knowledge of the world comes from watching really bad TV. What could possibly go wrong?
remarkably bright creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, especially since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors-until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.
the art of racing in the rain by Garth Stein
Enzo is different from other dogs: a philosopher with an obsession on opposable thumbs, he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his person, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of life with his family: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side.
the aeronaut's windlass by Jim Butcher
Since time immemorial, the Spires have sheltered humanity. Within their halls, the ruling aristocratic houses develop scientific marvels, foster trade alliances, and maintain fleets of airships to keep the peace. Captain Grimm commands the merchant ship Predator. Loyal to Spire Albion, he has taken their side in the cold war with Spire Aurora, disrupting the enemy's shipping lines by attacking their cargo vessels. But when the Predator is damaged in combat, Grimm joins a team of Albion agents on a vital mission in exchange for fully restoring his ship. And as Grimm undertakes this task, he learns that the conflict between the Spires is merely a premonition of things to come. Humanity's ancient enemy, silent for more than ten thousand years, has begun to stir once more. One of the main characters is a sentient cat named Rowl, who narrates parts of the story.
the bees by Laline Paull
Flora 717 is a member of the lowest caste in her orchard hive where work and sacrifice are the highest virtues and worship of the beloved Queen the only religion. Flora finds her way into the Queen’s inner sanctum, where she discovers mysteries about the hive that are both profound and ominous. But when Flora dares to challenge the Queen’s fertility-enemies abound, from the fearsome fertility police who enforce the strict social hierarchy to the high priestesses jealously wedded to power. Flora's deepest instincts to serve and sacrifice are now overshadowed by an even deeper desire, a fierce maternal love that will bring her into conflict with her conscience, her heart, her society-and lead her to unthinkable deeds. Thrilling, suspenseful and spectacularly imaginative, The Bees gives us a dazzling young heroine and will change forever the way you look at the world outside your window.
war horse by Michael Morpurgo
In 1914, a farm horse named Joey is sold to the British army and thrust into the midst of World War I on the Western Front. When Joey is dragged away, his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he is forced to leave behind. In the army the beautiful red-bay horse is trained to charge the enemy, drag heavy artillery, and carry wounded soldiers not much older than Albert off the battlefields. Amongst the clamoring of guns, and while plodding through the cold mud, Joey wonders if the war will ever end. And if it does, will he ever find Albert again?
the travelling cat chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
With simple yet descriptive prose, this novel gives voice to Nana the cat and his owner Satoru as they take to the road on a journey with no other purpose than to visit three of Satoru's longtime friends. Or so Nana is led to believe. With his crooked tail--a sign of good fortune--and adventurous spirit, Nana is the perfect companion for the man who took him in as a stray. And as they travel in a silver van across Japan, with its ever-changing scenery and seasons, they will learn the true meaning of courage and gratitude, of loyalty and love
toto by A. J. Hackwith
I was mostly a Good Dog until they sold me out to animal control, okay? But if it's a choice between Oz, with its creepy little singing dudes, and being behind bars in gray old Kansas, I'll choose the place where animals talk and run the show for now, thanks. It's not my fault that the kid is stuck here too, or that she stumbled into a tug-of-war over a pair of slippers that don't even taste good. Now one witch in good eyeliner calls the kid pretty and we're off on a quest? Teenagers! I try to tell her she's falling in with the wrong crowd when she befriends a freaking hedge wizard made of straw, that blue jay with revolutionary aspirations, and the walking tin can. Still, I'm not one to judge when there's the small matter of a coup in the Forest Kingdom.... Look, something really stinks in Oz, and this Wizard guy and the witches positively reek of it. As usual, it's going to be up to a sensible little dog to get to the bottom of it.
shady hollow by Juneau Black
Shady Hollow, a place where woodland creatures live together in harmony--until a curmudgeonly toad turns up dead and the local reporter has to solve the case. Reporter Vera Vixen is a relative newcomer to Shady Hollow. The fox has a nose for news, so when she catches wind that the death might be a murder, she resolves to get to the bottom of the case, no matter where it leads. As she stirs up still waters, the fox exposes more than one mystery and discovers that additional lives are in jeopardy. Vera finds more to this town than she ever suspected. It seems someone in the Hollow will do anything to keep her from solving the murder, and soon it will take all of Vera's cunning and quickness to crack the case. First in a series.
the book of the dun cow by Walter Wangerin
This profound fantasy concerns a time when the sun turned around the earth and the animals could speak, when Chauntecleer the Rooster ruled over a more or less peaceful kingdom. What the animals did not know was that they were the Keepers of Wyrm, a monster of evil long imprisoned beneath the earth ... and Wyrm, sub terra, was breaking free. Winner of the National Book Award.
three bags full by Leonie Swann
Something is not right with George the shepherd. His sheep have gathered around him on a hill outside the cozy Irish village of Glennkill to assess the situation. George has cared for the sheep, reading them books every night, and now he lies pinned to the ground with a spade. His flock, far savvier about the workings of the human mind than your average sheep, set out to find George's killer, led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world). Her team of investigators includes Othello, the "bad-boy" of the group; Mopple the Whale, a merino who eats a lot and remembers everything; and Zora, a thoughtful (if gloomy) ewe-just to name a few. Together, the sheep engage in nightlong discussions about the crime, and their speculations vary wildly. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, they embark on furtive missions into the village, where they encounter some likely two-legged suspects. There's Ham, the terrifying butcher; Rebecca, the secretive village newcomer; Gabriel, the shady shepherd of a strange flock; and Father Will, a sinister priest. With wit and heart, this clever international bestseller is a mystery to chew on-and savor, cozy mystery lovers will be delighted. The sequel, Big Bad Wool, was just published in 2025.
the cat who caught a killer by L. T. Shearer
Meet Conrad. Conrad is a cat. You've never met a detective like him before. Neither has Lulu Lewis, until he walks into her life one summer's day. Mourning the recent death of her husband, the former police detective had expected a gentle retirement, quietly enjoying life on her new canal boat, The Lark, and visiting her mother-in-law in a nearby care home. But when her mother-in-law dies suddenly in suspicious circumstances, Lulu senses foul play and resolves to find out what really happened. And Conrad will be with her every step of the way . . .
a night in the lonesome october by Roger Zelazny
Under cover of the murky London gloom, a knife-wielding gentleman named Jack prowls the midnight streets with his faithful watchdog Snuff--gathering together the grisly ingredients they will need for an upcoming ancient and unearthly rite to summon the Elder Gods back into the world. But Snuff and his master are not alone. All manner of participants, both human and not, are about with their ancient tools and their animal familiars in preparation for the dread night. It is brave, devoted Snuff who must calculate the patterns of the Game and keep track of the Players--the witch, the mad monk, the vengeful vicar, the Count who sleeps by day, the Good Doctor and the hulking Experiment Man he fashioned from human body parts, and a wild-card American named Larry Talbot--all the while keeping Things at bay and staying a leap ahead of the Great Detective, who knows quite a bit more than he lets on.
tailchaser's song by Tad Williams
"Watership Down" meets "Lord of the Rings" and said to be a major influence on Erin Colfer's Warrior Cats series. Meet Fritti Tailchaser, a ginger tom cat of rare courage and curiosity, a born survivor in a world of heroes and villains, of powerful feline gods and whiskery legends about those strange furless, erect creatures called M'an. Join Tailchaser on his magical quest to rescue his catfriend Hushpad--a quest that will take him all the way to cat hell and beyond...
gobbelino london & a scourge of pleasantries by Kim M. Watt
The first book in the Gobbelino London, PI urban fantasy series, is centred around the adventures of a mercenary feline PI and his human sidekick. It contains snarky cats and other gods, many bad jokes and terrible puns, plus a large serving of mythological and real creatures behaving badly. It will appeal to anyone who likes their fantasy funny, modern, and filled with friendship rather than romance - and also to those who suspect their cat may be living a great and secret life when they're not looking. The book contains some violence, particularly toward furniture, but none of it is graphic. It contains no sex and only mild language. It does, however, contain blasphemy.
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