The tradition of pets in the White House goes all the way back to the Founding Fathers. From the parrot and foxhounds of George Washington to Spot and Barney, the current canines of the Bushes, the First Family's animal companions have always had a special place in America's heart. These various (and often exotic) animals have enjoyed the special privileges of living in the nation's capital, giving them access to the scenes of power. So when something goes awry in the White House, who better to solve it than these pet detectives? Did Rex, Ronald Reagan's King Charles spaniel, play a role in uncovering Irangate? What mystery did Franklin Roosevelt's Scottish terrier, Fala, uncover when left on the Aleutian Islands? How would some of the more unusual pets, such as John Quincy Adams's pet alligator or Calvin Coolidge hippopotamus, search for clues in the halls of the Executive Mansion? The authors and stories are:

"Martha's Parrot" by Edward D. Hoch • "A Mimicry of Mockingbirds" by Lillian Stewart Carl • "Alligator Tears" by Bill Crider • "The Greatest Sacrifice" by Brendan DuBois • "Tabby Won't Tell" by Jan Grape • "Under Hoof" by Jeffrey Marks • "The Princess and the Pickle" by Carolyn Wheat • "Remember the Maine?" by Jeanne Dams • "The Secret Staff" by Janet Pack • "Trouble A-Bruin" by Esther Friesner • "Izzy's Shoe-In" by P. N. Elrod • "Fala and The Ghost of Bulows Minde" by Kate Grilley • "Dr. Couch Saves a President" by Nancy Pickard • "Sax and the Single Cat" by Carole Nelson Douglas