Review Detail

Play Dead (A Dog and His Girl Mysteries #1)

Middle Grade Fiction 333

Fun new mystery series

January 30, 2013 (Updated: June 28, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Cassie's mother is the town's chief of police, and Cassie's dog, Dodge, is a former police dog who is very well trained. When the town's richest man, Verdel Ward, disappears, a lot of people have a vested interest in what has happened. The mayor thinks he has left property to the town. A fiance comes to claim her share. The faithful housekeeper is just irritated that people keep trespassing on the estate. Frequent trespassers include Cassie and Dodge, who are trying to solve the mystery. Narrated alternately by the two, we get a dog's eye view of what was going on at the estate, and Cassie gets a lot of valuable clues from Dodge's sleuthing. Will Cassie's prodding get her in trouble with her mother, or will it actually put her in danger?

Good Points

A mystery! With a dog!

Both of these elements are hugely popular in my middle school, so it's great to see them together!

This was a great mystery for middle grade students. First of all, the main mystery was one where someone is suspected of being murdered, and that's what students are constantly asking for! The chapters narrated by Dodge included details a dog would notice, but were not annoying. Cassie's relationship with her police chief mother was realistic. A subplot involving a stray dog that Cassie was trying to save at Pet Rescue came into the mystery nicely. I'll be interested to read the others in this series.