Cat About Town is catnip for mystery lovers
Cat About Town A Cat Cafe Mystery by Cate Conte St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 01 Aug 2017
Review
Me-wow! Cat About Town is catnip for mystery lovers who adore cats. Cate Conte gives readers a cute cozy set in a small New England town where progress and tradition are at odds. Frank O’Malley, the head of the chamber of commerce has a vision, one that includes demolishing Maddie’s grandfather’s house and putting up a transportation hub in its place. With the recent death of his wife, and her medical expenses, Maddie’s grandfather is uncertain what to do and asks her to help. Maddie agrees, but only hours after an uncomfortable conversation with Frank, her cat JJ discovers Frank’s body. The discovery instantly catapults JJ to stardom and pushes Maddie to start her own investigation.
Cat About Town is a cute novel with many memorable characters - particularly JJ (though I had to laugh about the crazy Bichon-Russell mix who peed on Maddie’s leg). Maddie was neither whiny nor overly reckless. Her behavior makes a lot of sense given the situation. I also liked the dash of romance. Both of her potential suitors are likable, despite their differences. Personally I hope Conte goes the non-cliche route and matches her with Lucas, the dog groomer. I also want to learn more about the town’s quirky Leopard Man. Is he the anonymous Good Samaritan? The island of Daybreak and its residents is very appealing and I look forward to reading more of the series.
If you love cats and mysteries, Cat About Town will make you purr.
5 / 5
I received a copy of Cat About Town from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Description
The first novel in a frisky new mystery series set in a small New England town, where an unlikely citizen is called in to solve the purrfect crime. . . Maddie James has arrived in Daybreak Island, just off the coast of Massachusetts, eager to settle down and start her own business—and maybe even fall in love. When a stray orange tabby pounces into her life, she’s inspired to open a cat café. But little does Maddie know that she’s in for something a lot more catastrophic when her new furry companion finds the dead body of the town bully. Now all eyes are on Maddie: Who is this crazy cat-whisperer lady who’s come to town? If pet-hair-maintenance and crime-fighting weren’t keeping her busy enough, Maddie now has not one but two eligible bachelors who think she’s the cat’s pajamas . . . and will do anything to win her heart. But how can she even think about happily-ever-after while a killer remains on the loose—and on her path?
