To Catch a Thief

by Martha Brockenbrough

Urchin Beach isn’t the sort of place where bad things happen. The little seaside town is too lucky for that. But then one day, a thief steals something precious—the town’s dragonfly staff, which is the source of all its good fortune and the most important part of the upcoming Dragonfly Day Festival.

Amelia MacGuffin is no detective. She’s eleven, quiet, and unlike her four younger siblings, she has no special talents. But Amelia loves her town. Her family has lived there forever. Her parents run the Pacific General Store, and she and her best friends, Birdie and Delphine, are about to start middle school. If Amelia doesn’t find the staff, the Dragonfly Day Festival will be canceled.

The town needs that tourist money to survive. Unless she cracks the case, Amelia’s family will lose everything--including the adorable stray dog they’ve fallen in love with. She only has seven days to solve Urchin Beach’s crime of the century. It’s not a lot of time, but Amelia has her list of suspects. It might be the new kids next door. Or the grumpy mystery writer who lives in the town’s creepiest mansion. Or perhaps even someone closer to home.



Amelia wants to save the town. She wants to save the dog. She wants both, so much.



But first, she has to catch a thief.

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Childrens, Family, Juvenile, Realistic Fiction, Animals

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 4, 2023

About the author

Martha Brockenbrough is author of The Game of Love and Death, Finding Bigfoot, The Dinosaur Tooth Fairy, and Devine Intervention, books for young readers. For adults, she has written Things That Make Us [Sic], a hilarious guide to things that can go wrong with English, and It Could Happen to You, a diary of her first pregnancy. She's the founder of National Grammar Day and SPOGG, the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar.

Reviews

[DaNae · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amelia McMuffin aspires to be both a detective and a dog owner. Fate turns in her favor when beloved objects begin disappearing and a scruffy mutt materializes out of the hedge. Can Amelia solve the mystery and contrive a way to keep the dog?

This was a serviceable mystery and I hope to find readers. I found the writing awkward and not super compelling. I did enjoy the small town. Urchin Cove is a made up name, but since it was on the Puget Sound it very much reminded me of Port Townsend, which we lived near for over a decade.

52 Book Club: 42)  Non-human antagonist 

[Lily Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing read and it is thought out really well
Highly recommend!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed in Horn Book, May/June 2023.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute story set on the Washington coast. Great family relationships. The cast is a little too deliberately diverse (we have a Black friend! and an Asian friend! And a friend in a wheelchair! And a brother who is coded autistic! And a narrator who is coded to have anxiety! And two moms in the house across the street!), but I appreciate the effort. An extra half star for including a character named Eugenides (like in the The Thief) Turner (like the author of The Thief) and making him known as...a thief (in kindergarten).

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I finished To Catch A Thief by @marthabrockenbrough. My copy, as you can see, contains more than a few sticky notes marking Martha’s fabulous storytelling. The setting is the small seaside town of Urchin Beach. A thief has ventured into the town, their voice told in chapters interspersed throughout the narrative. Initially, the thief steals that which makes this community a star attraction during the Dragonfly Festival Day held annually. The thefts multiply, setting the entire community on edge. They believe their usual good fortune has shifted, placing their very livelihoods and homes in jeopardy. “There’s no magic more fragile than trust.”

Amelia MacGuffin, about to start sixth grade, is the oldest of five children. Her hard-working and loving parents own the Pacific General Store. To Amelia, everyone including her two best friends, Birdie and Delphine, and the seventh grade twin new neighbors, Dash and Dot, have a special talent. Amelia has yet to fulfill her dream of having a gift all her own.

Then, a stray dog, quickly fostered by the MacGuffin children and named Doc, adds an affectionate twist to the events unfolding. Now I ask you, what’s not to love about an eleven-year-old determined to becoming a top-notch detective and solve mysteries, a town with a gusty mayor and a persnickety realtor who seem at odds but are secretly sweethearts, plus other quirky but heartwarming locals, including a writer who may or may not be dastardly, the preservation of an essential habitat and its occupants, and the saving of a dog? Tender, tense, and truthful, this book is middle-grade gold. This will make a fantastic read aloud.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful family, the big MacGuffin family of Urchin Beach, a beach town on the Washington coast. Mom and Dad work hard to keep the family business ~ the local grocery store ~ afloat. Amelia wishes she had some special talent, a superpower, like Bridget, her gymnastic sister who is always doing hand stands and flips, or her brother Colin, who has an inventive streak.

When the family is adopted by a dog, Amelia steps up and cares for him, hoping upon hopes that her parents will let her keep him.

Twisted within this light mystery is a town thief~~ and told in alternating chapters from the voice of the thief ~~ who steals some significant as well as scratch-your-head-as-to-why objects, which unfortunately has the impact of making the townspeople distrustful. Amelia decides to solve the theft mystery.

The story has multiple subplots that include environmental messages, ethical observations, and a few turns at not assuming you know who the character is... even (newly named) Doc the dog.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent middle grade mystery about a small town, family, and the love of a found dog named Doc who you will love to pieces from the beginning of the story until the very last page! Absolutely love Martha’s writing style, and kids will, too! :-)

“The MacGuffins were not wealthy people. But they were rich in children and buckets.”

“ ‘Is there something wrong with your mouth?’ Miss Fortune said.
‘This is how I smile,’ Amelia said. “

“When I was a kid there was a thief named the Hamburglar and he wore stripes and a mask”
“For real?” Bridget said.
“He was a character in a commercial. But he did have a costume.”
Amelia felt sorry for her mom. Only a sad child would watch commercials in the first place.

When in doubt, ask for forgiveness instead of permission.

“She loved her sister. She would always make sure there was enough room on the path for both of them.”

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute, low-stakes summer mystery. Amelia doesn't feel special because everyone in her family has a talent or is known for something, except her. When the town's important dragonfly staff is stolen, Amelia decides she will become a detective and solve the mystery. It's an important staff because it supposedly brings the town luck and is central to the Dragonfly Day Festival that takes place in just about a week. This festival brings in a ton of tourists, which funds the town for the following years, but with the staff missing, all of that is up in the air. It reminded me of Just Harriet with the small town summer feel, just with a slightly older protagonist and a few more characters (and siblings). I figured out the thief just before the big reveal. I don't know if that's on me for taking weeks to read this or if it was just that surprising.

[Chris G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

At eleven, Amelia is the oldest of five kids who live with their parents in Urchin Beach, a close-knit community on the Washington coast. In this cozy mystery for middle grade, Amelia must find out who has stolen the town staff, which is held in the grasp of the town’s Sasquatch statue except during the yearly town festival. There’s a found dog, new neighbors, the aloof woman next door who writes mysteries, and even her mother’s secrets that may factor in as Amelia uses a book from the library to learn detecting skills. Many readers will want to get some lock-picking game after reading about Amelia’s successes. Multicultural supporting characters and some thoughtful thematic work around the ideas of guilt and innocence. Could this be the start of a series? EARC from Edelweiss.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was too quirky and cutesy for my tastes, and I figured out the solution to the mystery before I was halfway through. Of course, this is written for elementary students, not adults, but I was hoping for more and was disappointed. Also, I ended up skimming this quite a bit because there were so many drawn-out scenes with dialogue that didn't advance the plot and wasn't particularly engaging.

The idea of an older sibling in a large family solving mysteries is an appealing to me, and I hope that future books in this series will have stronger plots and less fluff. I would recommend this to people who like cutesy small town mysteries and stories about kids bonding with stray dogs, but it didn't engage me.

[Sara Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done. A tight little mystery that resolves in 240 pages without feeling rushed or forced. Some suspense and intrigue without being scary or violent. Lots of fun word play - twins Dot and Dash Morse, 5 kids named in alphabetical order, a disagreement over "manning," "childing," or "youthing" a popcorn stand. Some fun book references including a sneaky one about cat teleportation that is a nod to Elana K Arnold's The House That Wasn't There. Solid pick for advancing readers ready to keep track of clues or a family read aloud. And Audio book is very well done.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This small-town sleuth story full of quirky characters, humor, and heart makes a perfect family read. Urchin Beach relies on its yearly Dragonfly Day Festival to keep itself afloat. But things go awry when a cunning thief steals the essential dragonfly staff from its honored place in the town square. Amelia and her friends know the festival is doomed if they can’t solve the crime in time. Cozy up with Martha Brockenbrough’s tale and be prepared to laugh as you join the characters cracking the case.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The thief paid no attention to the signs. That’s because the thief had spied something wonderful. Something they wanted. Something they would take.”

This is a feel-good mystery involving the quirky MacGuffin family that features 11-year-old Amelia who longs to solve a cozy mystery.

She gets her chance sooner than expected when an unknown thief begins stealing items around the small town of Urchin Beach.

[Miriam Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a charming mystery. Items stolen, an invisible thief, and teens who set about to solve the mystery of the stolen staff that brings Urchin Beach luck.

You'll cheer for the cheeky sleuths, the zany characters, and the scruffy dog.

This is the perfect mystery to get kids reading, and there's no violence or murders.

Thanks to the BookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for an ARC to read and review.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amelia MacGuffin is worried that her town’s dragonfly festival will be ruined after a series of thefts occur, starting with the cherished dragonfly staff believed to bestow luck on the residents of the town. If the staff is not found, tourists might stop coming to the festival and her parents’ store will lose business. Clever references to mystery writers and mystery tropes abound in this upper elementary/middle grade mystery.

[Libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A middle grade mystery that borders on the cartoonish. The characters seemed to fit stereotypical types. Amelia, the main character, is the responsible sister who feels like she's not special in any way. Her siblings and even the new neighbor twins with their two mothers all feel rather flat. And, while it might take a middle grade reader a bit longer than it took me, I figured out who the thief was fairly quickly. Not a bad book; just one that doesn't stand out from the crowd.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thief has come to Urchin Beach and plans to stay a while. Things begin to disappear and villagers are suspicious of each other. As a result, Amelia McGuffin unwittingly finds herself pulled into solving the mystery and catching the thief. Readers will love the McGuffin family, their new allies, and this quaint village where residents truly care for one another.

[Carlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ this was a cute cozy mystery! Amelia lives in the small coastal town urchin beach. The towns lucky dragonfly staff has disappeared and Amelia spends her summer being an amateur detective while also trying to convince her parents to keep the stray dog that has wandered into town. Picturesque setting and fun characters!

[Theresa Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging characters, a small town with a lucky staff that gets stolen, and a mysterious thief. What's not to like? Martha Brockenbrough has written a wonderful book for the middle grade audience. It's easy to root for Amelia, her close-knit family, and her new neighbors, Dot and Dash, experts in Morse Code.

[Vibha C · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Catch a Thief is a great book because it describes the struggles a detective has to go through, plus how to deal with parents not listening to you. :-)

This book goes into a lot of detail and explains everything thoroughly.

It's a great book; definitely recommend it!

[Angela Sandoval · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story with some good lessons and warm fuzzy feelings. But it was slow moving and predictable. Might be more enjoyable for the 8-10 year old crowd, but not likely to hook many of our middle school students.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closer to 3.5 stars. You get a realistic character in a realistic setting and a realistic mystery. I liked this a lot, especially because of the strong main character. She's a worrier, and it's a constant bit throughout the book and it's a real departure from how other books would have handled it.

[Jacquelyn Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book a 5. It was the cutest children's book that taught lots of lessons. It taught friendship, acceptance, family, togetherness, community togetherness, working together, and most of all- love. Any elementary to middle school-aged children would enjoy this book.

[Tj Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming middle grade that will hit you with a warm feeling you won't be able to shake. Sweet and wonderful!

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A satisfying mystery about a missing good luck charm on a small island.

[Emily Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

JFIC

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters, the setting, the mystery, the humor all fit together just right. I hit me right in the heart. Highly recommended!

[Lisa D]

Loved it!

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cozy summer mystery with an endearing cast of characters, small quirky town, and a sweet stray dog who brings it all together.

[AllyP Reads Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Lots of plot holes but kids would like it.