Lassie Files Books in Order

The Lassie Files is a playful offshoot of the Henry Bins universe that puts the spotlight on Henry’s pets. Lassie is Henry’s sharp tongued cat, Murdock is his father’s massive, food obsessed dog, and together with Henry and his dad they manage to turn one sleepy hour in the middle of the night into full blown chaos.

These stories still respect the series rule that everything happens between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m., but the stakes are smaller and the tone is lighter. Instead of presidential conspiracies and shadowy programs, you get botched errands, slapstick rescues, and capers where the animals often seem to be in charge.

In one adventure, Henry has sent his father to Las Vegas for a birthday trip and is left in charge of Murdock. A goofy game of "what will the dog eat" ends with an emergency dash to an all night vet clinic. What should have been a simple visit erupts into a hostage situation when another pet owner pulls a gun, leaving Henry, Lassie, and Murdock to save the day inside their sixty minute window.

Another outing follows Henry’s fiancée as she arranges the perfect present, a private 3 a.m. visit to the Smithsonian National Zoo. Henry, who is only ever awake in the dark, is thrilled, right up until Lassie and Murdock tag along and their curiosity sends the carefully planned tour spinning out of control.

Across the Lassie stories you see the same cast that circles the main Henry Bins books, just turned a few degrees funnier. Lassie may only ever say "meow" on the page, but Henry’s running translations give the cat a sarcastic, opinionated voice. Murdock barrels through scenes with the enthusiasm of a small horse, while Henry’s dad hovers between exasperated and delighted by the trouble his animals cause.

Because the episodes are short, they are easy to drop between the longer Henry Bins installments or read on their own when you are in the mood for something quick. They still carry a ticking clock and the occasional burst of danger, yet the focus is on banter, absurd situations, and the small, odd family Henry has built around himself at three in the morning.