What do you think?
Rate this book
Frankie Jackson Mysteries #1
I Didn't Kill Your Cat
"Fast-paced, entertaining read ... a charming main character and a diverting plot sure to appeal to fans of whodunit novels." -- KIRKUS REVIEW Last year was one heck of a ride for 12-year old Mary Frances ("Frankie") Jackson. She was an inning away from becoming the first female all-state middle-school pitcher ... until a teammate double-crossed her. Then, she was arrested after she sought revenge against the double-crosser. And to top it off, her dad was banished from the family home after falling off the wagon. Now, she's been sent to California for the summer to live on a houseboat with her Aunt Roxy. There's one catch -- she can't get in trouble or it's back to New Jersey and juvenile detention camp. Too bad that days after arriving at the houseboat community, Frankie lands in hot water. Accused of animal cruelty (killing a cat), and with the evidence stacked against her, she has two weeks to prove her innocence. Frankie turns to a houseboat resident, Margie Britt, a washed out 70s TV star who used to solve mysteries on TV. But as the days pass, Frankie loses faith in Margie and initiates her own investigation. In the process she gets to know all of the eccentrics on the dock. There's Forgetting Michael, a young disabled man, who forgets things whenever a loud noise goes off; Alice, an 82-year old activist who loves birds and hates cats; and there's Butch, a German shepherd whose owner has a shady past. Frankie even learns the sad truth about Kay, her accuser. Ultimately, with help of Margie, Roxy, and her new houseboat friends, Frankie proves her innocence. But more importantly, Frankie learns how to deal with her own anger and frustration from the past year's events. I Didn't Kill Your Cat is a young adult novel with a tough, lovable, heroine and an intriguing setting - the houseboats of Sausalito.
172 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2010
69 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 2, 2015
This is the FIRST book.
This was a really good little mystery book. All the characters were interesting and unique, and I can recall every one of them. Now, there was a few things that in my opinion seemed a little mature for age 10-13 readers this is aimed at, but I do think it's a great book for everyone of all ages and children would love it. I know I do and I'm 19.
Frankie, who got into some trouble back in New Jersey, goes to stay with her "Aunt" Roxy for the summer in California. Roxy lives in a houseboat on Dickery Dock which is the main setting in this story. Frankie hasn't been there long when Pickles, a grouchy bird killing cat owned by another Dock resident Kay, is found dead on the dock. And Kay blames it on Frankie! From that point on Frankie goes about clearing her name, which means getting into more trouble, with the rest of the Dickory Dock residents along for the ride.
This was a really good little mystery book. All the characters were interesting and unique, and I can recall every one of them. Now, there was a few things that in my opinion seemed a little mature for age 10-13 readers this is aimed at, but I do think it's a great book for everyone of all ages and children would love it. I know I do and I'm 19.
Frankie, who got into some trouble back in New Jersey, goes to stay with her "Aunt" Roxy for the summer in California. Roxy lives in a houseboat on Dickery Dock which is the main setting in this story. Frankie hasn't been there long when Pickles, a grouchy bird killing cat owned by another Dock resident Kay, is found dead on the dock. And Kay blames it on Frankie! From that point on Frankie goes about clearing her name, which means getting into more trouble, with the rest of the Dickory Dock residents along for the ride.
February 5, 2018
I must admit that I was skeptical about this book at first, being that the MC is only 12, but I was pleasantly surprised. It could work for tweens or younger young adults who just want something clean and fun. With a suspenseful (but not horribly complicated) mystery going on, the characters were all super interesting, and it's nice to see a unique storyline with a young person interacting with a variety of adults more often than with just other kids her own age. Overall, I great read.
March 12, 2015
Picked this one out for my 11-yr old G-daughter's new Kindle, and thought I should read it first myself. It was fun enough to keep me reading, and real enough to make me glad I didn't pass it up. The mystery of who killed the cat is very well handled, and with a 12-yr old protagonist as the star, I know my G-daughter is going to love it.
May 27, 2023
Frankie has come to Sausolito to live with her “honorary” Aunt Roxy for the summer. After the first week a neighboring houseboat owner accuses her of killing her cat, Pickles. Frankie denies the charge but since she had been in trouble at home in New Jersey, she is afraid the Animal Control people will not believe her. If she is found to be in trouble she will have to return to New Jersey and “juvie” camp. She decides to ask other neighbors to help her prove her innocence.
At times it is difficult to rate a juvenile book, so let me say it was well-written, it offered lessons, showed consequences, and it offered solutions. I enjoyed Frankie’s relationships with the various adults, as I see many children who have not been introduced to the necessary skills to socialize with adults. Good read for children and preteens.
At times it is difficult to rate a juvenile book, so let me say it was well-written, it offered lessons, showed consequences, and it offered solutions. I enjoyed Frankie’s relationships with the various adults, as I see many children who have not been introduced to the necessary skills to socialize with adults. Good read for children and preteens.
October 19, 2022
I suppose this would be considered a cozy mystery. The MC is 12 years old and lives on a houseboat and there are eccentric people in the houseboat neighborhood. A woman accuses her of killer her cat and the MC trying to prove her innocence propels the plot.
For a gentle little mystery that reads like an 8th grader wrote it, this book isn’t really for kids. It’s clean and it tries to be funny in places but then there’s a completely out of place a semi-sexual assault in the middle and some domestic violence. What on earth? From this little book that was like $.99 cents on Apple Books and has a cover that looks like it was drawn in MS Paint?
Overall, it was fine. Just very uneven.
For a gentle little mystery that reads like an 8th grader wrote it, this book isn’t really for kids. It’s clean and it tries to be funny in places but then there’s a completely out of place a semi-sexual assault in the middle and some domestic violence. What on earth? From this little book that was like $.99 cents on Apple Books and has a cover that looks like it was drawn in MS Paint?
Overall, it was fine. Just very uneven.
April 24, 2018
A fun read
Twelve-year-old Mary Frances "Frankie" Jackson had a brush with the law in her hometown of Toms River, New Jersey, and her mother sent her to stay with "Aunt" Roxy on her houseboat in Sausalito, California. Now Frankie has been accused of killing the neighbor's cat. Frankie sets out to find the real cat-killer to clear her name.
Although this is a book for young adults, I found it very entertaining.
Twelve-year-old Mary Frances "Frankie" Jackson had a brush with the law in her hometown of Toms River, New Jersey, and her mother sent her to stay with "Aunt" Roxy on her houseboat in Sausalito, California. Now Frankie has been accused of killing the neighbor's cat. Frankie sets out to find the real cat-killer to clear her name.
Although this is a book for young adults, I found it very entertaining.
November 17, 2019
Highly entertaining!
The story line is original, and while the quirky characters at first seem bizarre, the author develops them into believable personalities. I especially liked the twelve- year-old perspective and the surprising solution of the crime.
The story line is original, and while the quirky characters at first seem bizarre, the author develops them into believable personalities. I especially liked the twelve- year-old perspective and the surprising solution of the crime.
June 27, 2024
Frankie is sent to live with her mother's friend in California. She got in trouble in NJ and the court ordered her to relocate for a time. She has only been there a short while, when she is accused of killing someone's cat. She is living on a houseboat. Everyone is a mystery to her.
August 2, 2019
Fun read
Loved all the quirky characters, most of whom came thru in the end for Frankie. And I especially loved Frankie, who was smart, funny and really a good kid.
Loved all the quirky characters, most of whom came thru in the end for Frankie. And I especially loved Frankie, who was smart, funny and really a good kid.
October 18, 2020
Loved it everything was amazing i'm gonna read the rest of the series and i am so exited the characters are so real i felt rhat i was in frankie's place and idk it was just relatable
June 29, 2022
Fantastic
Really good read . Excellent read for young people too. Telling the truth always wins. My regards to the author.
Really good read . Excellent read for young people too. Telling the truth always wins. My regards to the author.
January 29, 2024
The narration of the audiobook needs improvement. The Intonation didn't match the events. The narrator is calm even during exciting or dangerous parts.
December 4, 2013
This book is funny, serious, and has some unexpected turns. A mass murderer cat named Pickles is murdered and a young girl is accused of the murder by the cat's owner. The girl maintains her innocence. She spies on people and learns about being a private investigator from Margie Britt, former star of the detective TV show Climaxx. Margie at first seems unhelpful, but by the end of the book, she helps the girl out. The characters are very interesting. The book takes place in the summer in Sausalito, California. I especially liked Frankie Jackson, the protagonist, as well as her guardian Roxy, Margie Britt, the former TV star, Alice the activist, and Butch the German Shepard. This book proves that just because you get into trouble, doesn't mean you can't turn it around. It is also about the power of forgiveness. Frankie Jackson makes many friends with the people who live on houseboats in Saucalito.
October 2, 2020
Birds, cats, dogs, and raw deals
This was a very good book to read, because it deals with real
human issues on life in general. Where a young girl is uprooted
from her home after false charges against her and was trying to
start over. Where she learns dealing with people in a tight community,
requires trust along with giving instead of taking. While learning what
she sees on the out side is not really what's going on with a person
on the inside. Frankie is finally learning to meet things head on, putting
her anger and inner feelings under control to trust enough to let people
who really are her friends to help prove her innocence. People of all ages
could benefit by reading this book.
Debra H.
This was a very good book to read, because it deals with real
human issues on life in general. Where a young girl is uprooted
from her home after false charges against her and was trying to
start over. Where she learns dealing with people in a tight community,
requires trust along with giving instead of taking. While learning what
she sees on the out side is not really what's going on with a person
on the inside. Frankie is finally learning to meet things head on, putting
her anger and inner feelings under control to trust enough to let people
who really are her friends to help prove her innocence. People of all ages
could benefit by reading this book.
Debra H.
July 31, 2013
Great book!
I was going through amazon looking for free books and this showed up. In brief, this is a very enjoyable, quick, mystery read that can be read and enjoyed by people from all ages.
Basics:
Girl sent to CA for various reasons, stumbles across a murdered cat, then has to solve the mystery.
Highly Recommend!
I was going through amazon looking for free books and this showed up. In brief, this is a very enjoyable, quick, mystery read that can be read and enjoyed by people from all ages.
Basics:
Girl sent to CA for various reasons, stumbles across a murdered cat, then has to solve the mystery.
Highly Recommend!
January 12, 2015
Loved it!!!
I recommend this book to ages 10-14 because it wasn't too old or mature but it wasn't too immature either. I couldn't put my kindle down when I read this because it was just a really good mystery, action story.
I recommend this book to ages 10-14 because it wasn't too old or mature but it wasn't too immature either. I couldn't put my kindle down when I read this because it was just a really good mystery, action story.
May 21, 2013
entertaining!
November 28, 2013
Great book! It was cute, unpredictable, and the world Frankie lives in is just fun.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews