In her latest whimsical mystery, Where Is All the Grass Going?, author Deborah Fox invites readers into a world where dogs run a secret agency—and the planet’s grass is mysteriously vanishing. It's fun, heartfelt, and just a little bit absurd in the best way. Following the success of her debut Second Hand Rose, Deborah shares her journey, inspirations, and the real-life dogs behind the detective work. We’re thrilled to share our full Q&A with her here:
1. Let’s start with the obvious—where did the idea for a secret dog agency solving the mystery of disappearing grass come from?
I was sitting in a park one day watching bumble bees and butterflies going from flower to flower and suddenly thought what if all the grass disappeared right before my eyes. Like it was being pulled from underneath, I looked at my partner and shouted I have an idea for a book and sorry it's really daft. I relayed the story over our picnic. He loved it and laughed when I said what the villain would be. His exact words were “that's never been done before.”
2. Your first book, Second Hand Rose, was inspired by your dog Jake and your love for the supernatural. What inspired this second story, and how did it evolve from your debut?
When Jake passed away I was struggling with grief and in a dark place, so Second Hand Rose was an obvious genre to write. It wasn’t until 5 years later that I started to write Where is all the grass going? I was in a much clearer and happier place, mentally. Jake was such a fun quirky dog that it only seemed right that I should write a fun quirky mystery, where dogs rule.
3. The structure of this book is so unique—with news clippings, posters, and even real dog photos. What made you choose such a mixed-media format?
I wanted my book to make readers feel as happy as I did while I wrote it. So I had the idea early on to add pictures and fun images. Jake and Sammy’s photos are real, I wanted readers to know what they looked like so they could imagine both of them while they read the book.
4. You’ve clearly done extensive research on dog breeds. What was the most surprising or fascinating thing you learned during that process?
The dogs were the only thing I didn't have to research. I am absolutely dog mad. I can tell most breeds straight away and going for a walk with me is a nightmare. I want to greet every dog. My partner always says I should go on as a mastermind with a specialist subject of dogs.
5. You humanize your canine characters in such a tender and relatable way. Was that intentional from the start, or did it naturally unfold as you wrote?
Because I love dogs so much I always talk to them like they are human. I think they understand a lot more than we think. I used to have dreams when Jake was alive that he spoke to me and told me how much he loved me. He always had a strong London accent hence the cockney accent in the book.
6. There’s a recurring theme of adoption, identity, and purpose woven through the story. How important was it for you to draw parallels between the dogs’ lives and human experiences?
We adopted Jake, unfortunately he had been adopted and rejected two times before we took him home. My mum and dad actually met at a dog's home so I was always taught to adopt and to give a dog a second chance. We learned a lot from adopting him. It made us strong people from dealing with his traits and bad habits.
7. The narrator occasionally breaks the fourth wall with little facts and commentary. What was your intention behind that choice, and how do you think it affects the reader’s journey?
I hope it affects the reader's journey positively. I'm a huge fan of Winnie the Pooh and when I read it I feel like A.A. Milne involves me and he’s only talking to me. I wanted the same feeling for my readers. Reading for me should be total immersion, forgetting about day-to-day issues or problems. About having fun.
8. Flashbacks in the book reveal how the secret agency was formed and how the protagonists were recruited. How did you approach building that backstory while keeping the pace fun and whimsical?
It all started with the mice needing a new home because of the renovations of the London underground. I suddenly thought I needed a flashback here or the readers won't understand why the whole agency was formed. It just evolved from there, once I wrote that bit I could then bring Sammy into the agency and of course Sammy wouldn't join without Jake it just slotted into the plot.
9. This book balances humor, heart, and absurdity really well. How do you strike that tone without tipping too far into silliness or sentimentality?
I knew this book would be slightly silly. It's dogs saving the planet from grass being stolen, definitely not real life. But I wanted escapism rather than downright daftness. I wanted to make readers laugh because Jake made me laugh every day. You can't have laughs all the time there needed to be a few tears, cheers and moments when you just can't help but say awwwww. I didn't want it to be too sickly sweet but I also wanted the reader to know that Jake and Sammy are not only best friends they would do anything for each other. A team!!!
10. On the surface, the story seems playful and even a bit ridiculous, but there’s some beautiful symbolism underneath. Can you share a bit about what you wanted readers to take away from the book?
Friends are everything and if you trust and work together you can achieve anything. I’m a strong believer in positive thinking, keep trying until you succeed.
11. What’s your writing process like? Do you start with the plot, the characters, or a wild idea like “what if dogs ran an agency?”
I can't give too much away on this one because I started with my villain. I knew who was taking the grass long before the other ideas came into my head. I decided once I knew my ending that humans couldn't solve this, that would be ridiculous. This was a mystery that only dogs could solve. So an agency run by dogs was formed.
12. The COVID era played a role in inspiring your first book. Did that time continue to shape your writing journey into this second one?
Not at all, I wrote Second Hand Rose and gave it to my mum as a xmas present then that was that. She loved it and passed it onto other friends and family. Two years ago I turned 50 so I decided I would send it off to a publisher just to get some feedback. I never imagined they would like it. But they did and offered me a contract, with this came my confidence to start writing again and so Where is all the Grass Going? Was born.
13. What’s the role of whimsy and imagination in your life—especially as a storyteller?
I have very vivid dreams. My imagination is off the scale, my mind never switches off. I think there’s about five books waiting to be written floating around in there as I write this. Ideas just pop in there all the time, while I'm in the shower, driving home from work. I work in a warehouse so I see a lot of weird and wonderful events and situations. I think ohhh that will go nicely in the next book!
14. Do you have a favorite character from the book—or perhaps a favorite real-life dog who inspired one?
Of course Jake, I love that he's still with me, he would have loved all this attention. But Sammy was our best friend's dog who sadly passed away a few years ago. That's why I started to write this to honour him and Jake together. Gino is actually my boss. He didn't know he was a chihuahua until he read it. Thankfully I've still got my job. He likes his character and understood why I chose him. Laura was Sammy's mum in real life she’s a super organised person so it was only fitting that she run the agency. All the human owners of the dogs are our real friends. I wanted to thank them for their support with Second Hand Rose.
15. You touch on environmental themes in a really subtle way through the disappearing grass. Was that intentional, or a happy accident born out of the story’s humor?
That was completely by accident. I had this idea of grass being stolen and what unbelievable culprit could be stealing it. I never even thought about the theme; it just sounded so much fun. The first readers pointed out to me the environmental theme I created.
16. What was the hardest scene or chapter for you to write, and why?
Two scenes, when Jake says goodbye to his new friend, it sounds weird but I cried my heart out. And Charles passing, he was a completely made up character but it still made me emotional.
17. Do you find that writing about animals allows you to explore emotions and relationships in a different way than writing about people?
I found writing the second book a lot easier in general so maybe yes I can write about animals better than people. But maybe I had learned from feedback I received. I do understand dogs and
animals better than people. Animals are easier to read. For me anyway.
18. Can readers expect more adventures from this secret dog agency in the future—or maybe another animal-led mystery on the horizon?
Definitely. One of the books that is floating around my head is a sequel. I think the agency has got at least one more outing—who knows maybe two.
19. Finally, what would you say to readers who might be skeptical about a book with dogs solving global mysteries? Why should they give it a chance?
I had a review yesterday from a reader who said “I honestly didn't expect to love Where is all the Grass Going? as much as I did. Just pure joy.” I hope readers will take a chance on a book written from pure love of a dog and other animals. Total escapism from a hard day at work or school. Just have fun, laugh at Jake trying to count and being obsessed with crisps. And cheer on our dog detectives. They need your help.
Where Is All the Grass Going? is available now. A heartfelt, humorous, and utterly unique read—perfect for dog lovers, mystery fans, and anyone in need of a little joy.
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