The Dogs of Babel
By Carolyn Parkhurst
Intriguing premise (cribbed from Amazon.com): after his wife Lexy dies after falling from a tree, linguistics professor Paul Iverson becomes obsessed with teaching their dog, a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Lorelei (the sole witness to the tragedy), to speak so he can find out the truth about Lexy's death--was it accidental or did Lexy commit suicide?
This was a surprisingly touching book with a few macabre detours sprinkled in. It earns some bonus points if you love dogs. As the story progresses, it neatly reflects the process of grief and the distortion of love, with enough mystery to keep the pages turning. I read the entire book during a flight back from San Francisco and I'm glad it wasn't any longer -- any longer and it would have gotten tiresome.
If you're looking for a quick read, like dogs and/or love stories, and don't mind some disturbing imagery, then I recommend you read this book.