Purrder She Wrote: A Cat Cafe Mystery

Cate Conte

Jul 2018 · Cat Cafe Mystery Series Book 2 · Sold by Minotaur Books

About this ebook

Purrder She Wrote is second in the pawsitively charming new feline mystery series from Cate Conte set off the New England coast, where curiosity leads to some killer small-town secrets....

It’s the grand opening of Daybreak Island’s cat café, where customers can get cozy with an assortment of friendly felines—and maybe even take one or a few home. Co-owner Maddie James is purring with excitement over her new warm-and-fuzzy venture. . .until she becomes entangled in a petty drama between one of her volunteers, an ardent animal-rights activist, and a wealthy woman who insists on adopting a calico kitty—right this instant. The catfight that ensues is bad enough for business. But when the snubbed socialite is found dead with a tell-tale catnip toy on the scene, suspicion lands squarely on Maddie’s staffer. Now, with her reputation and her career prospects on the line (to say nothing of her budding romance with a handsome pet groomer) Maddie must do whatever it takes to solve the crime—before her nine lives are up.

Ratings and reviews

Purrder She Wrote by Cate Conte is the second A Cat Café Mystery. Maddie James is having the grand opening of JJ’s House of Purr’s, a cat café, on Daybreak Island. It is a chance for people to spend time with adorable felines and enjoy a snack at the same time. It is Maddie’s goal to find loving, stable homes for the cats in her care. The first day gets off to an explosive start when volunteer, Adele Barrows gets into an altercation with Holly Hawthorne. Holly wishes to adopt a cat and Adele has no intention of letting Holly get her claws into another innocent feline. Before Maddie ends up with a cat fight on her hands, she diffuses the situation. That evening Sgt. Mick Ellory stops by asking about the shop’s signature cat toys which are made by Adele and exclusive to JJ’s House of Purr’s. Unfortunately, someone used them to silence Holly forever. With Adele at the top of the suspect list and the shop the subject of hot gossip, Maddie, with the aid of Grandpa Leo, digs into the case. She will need to work in her investigating in between handling the café, spending time with her new boyfriend, listening to Ethan’s new ideas for the café’s kitchen, handling the hospital gala for her father, delivering for the new Pet Meals on Wheels program and dealing with her sister’s marital woes. Maddie will need to work in a cat nap or two if she is to keep up with her responsibilities. She will need to be stealthy in her investigation or Maddie may use up the last of her nine lives. Purrder She Wrote is easy to read and has a steady pace. There is a lot going on in this book. I do not quite understand why the author felt the need to jam so much into one story. I would prefer she take the time to fully flesh out her characters. I would like to know more about Grandpa Leo and have him take a more active role in the investigating. I also could do with less of Maddie’s father who comes across as self-centered. He cares more about how events affect his career than his family. There was a great Emily Gilmore (of Gilmore Girls) reference in the book as well as one referring to Lord Voldemort. It was clever how the author included Stan and her pet treats from the Pawsitively Organic Mystery series. The whodunit was straightforward, and readers will have no problem identifying the guilty party. Maddie was intensely focused on solving the crime. She went from suspect to suspect to obtain information and kept in touch with her contact at the local newspaper for the latest news. There is speculation, rumors, and red herrings. I do wish that the case had been solved differently by Maddie (I would say more but I do not want to spoil it for you). There is some mild foul language in the story. Maddie is dating local pet groomer, Lucas Davenport but an old beau is also trying to capture her attention. Personally, I prefer the old beau over Lucas. I would prefer the romance to be less prominent in future books. I enjoyed the descriptions of the adorable felines and their antics. However, we do not need to know how often or when the litter boxes are scooped (no matter how necessary the chore). The cat café concept is unique, and I had not heard about them until I read Cat About Town (you should look it up online to see the various designs). While Purrder She Wrote is the second novel in A Cat Café Mystery series, it can be read alone. My rating for Purrder She Wrote is 3 out of 5 stars.

I love Purrder, She Wrote, second in the Cat Café Mystery series! I envy the business that our protagonists are in, a cat café with adorable cats ready for adoption. Each character is designed with care; Maddie and Grandpa Leo run JJ’s House of Purrs. The café is named in honor of JJ, Junkyard Johnny, an orange tabby who rescues Maddie even as she rescues him right back. The mystery is finely planned and executed. Grandpa Leo’s Victorian home has been in his family for several generations. An anonymous benefactor saved the family home from a shyster trying to take it with the stipulation that the home be used to benefit Daybreak Island’s cats. Maddie had worked at a cat rescue in San Francisco and knows the business well. She and Leo, retired police chief, turn the home into a cat café, with the cat quarters and café on the main floor. Their Grand Opening is underway with two volunteers and Maddie’s business partner from California, Ethan, to serve coffee and baked goods. All is going well until Holly Hawthorne, from one of the wealthy island families, decides she wants to adopt a cat and take it home that day, sans the application required for all adoptions. She and volunteer Adele, who works two jobs to support herself and help the island’s feral cat population, have a loud disagreement. Maddie tries to calm the ladies, confirms the adoption process, and a very angry young woman leaves the Café without a cat. Cats Holly had adopted from Animal Control had not fared well, and Adele didn’t want another cat going to less than ideal circumstances. Sergeant Mick Ellory comes to visit later to ask about the signature catnip toys. Adele makes and donates them for the café cats, and one for each cat to take to their fur-ever home. Katrina, who manages Animal Control, arrives. She is afraid that Adele may have finally lost it, as Holly has been found dead, choked with a catnip toy. Even before Adele finally confesses, Maddie knew something was off. Something was also off with Adele’s friend, Gigi, also volunteering at the Café. Maddie is determined to find the truth. The characters are well defined. I like Maddie and her best friend Becky. Holly and her twin Heather were unquestionably not my favorites. Grandpa Leo and others are seen best through their decisive actions, love for cats, and rich dialog. Maddie’s lack of self-confidence is endearing, serving to make her more realistic. Discovering which of the two guys interested in her she will pursue is interesting; also interesting will be seeing whether Maddie’s sister goes back to her cheatin’ hubby. The novel is so good that I can’t wait for the next one! The author provides such an in-depth knowledge of cat cafés that it sounds to be as enchanting a place to work as a bookstore or library. The mystery is very well-written with plot twists that continually change the suspect list. I was surprised at who the killer really is, as I had not even considered the person. JJ is a unique protagonist! He seems at times to be imparting wisdom to Maddie; he wears a harness and walk on a leash. Not many cats will see that as a positive trait but JJ loves the attention. This is a memorable “tail” in almost every aspect, and this crazy cat lady who smiles at the mention of the organic pet treat vendor highly recommends it! From a grateful heart: I received a copy of this e-arc from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

About the author

Cate Conte serves on the Sisters in Crime New England board and is a member of Sister in Crime National, Mystery writers of America, and the Cat Writers' Association. She currently lives in Connecticut with her cats and dog. Cate is the author of the Cat Cafe Mystery series.