Cat About Town is the first book in the Cat Café Mystery series. The author has created a cast of interesting characters: some are rather quirky and a few appear to be a bit mysterious with histories that are barely hinted at. It will be interesting to see how the author shows us more about them as the series continues.

This first book was neatly tied up with a killer I never suspected. The ending of the book introduces us to a new business venture and the reason for the for the name of the books.

If you love books with an intriguing mystery, cats and interesting characters, I am sure you wont want to miss the opportunity to start at the very beginning with this series!

For a new series, I have extremely high hopes for this one. It has been created to be a hit. It was great to be reminded that a character doesn’t just come home without a backstory and start a their lives there again, it was nice to feel like the author took the time to create the story in this first book that will keep readers coming back. I am eager to read how the cat cafe turns out in the next book,and can’t wait to see where Maddie’s heart leads her. Mysteries and cats go hand in hand, and this purrfect mystery will excite cat and animal lovers alike.

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

My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay.

Book 1 in the series.

When the most likeable character in the book is a cat, there's a problem. The only thing I really liked about the main character, Maddie, is her love for cats and taking JJ in.

And I felt a bit cheated, since the blurb said, "When a stray orange tabby pounces into her life, she’s inspired to open a cat café." No, she wasn't. She came home to bury her grandma and check up on her grandfather, she has a juice bar in California. The stray cat prompted her to make friends and take him home with her, that's all. The cat cafe idea didn't really come into play until the very end of the book. (view spoiler)

And don't get me started on the stupid love triangle. That's just destined to ruin a story faster than you can say, "annoying."

I won't be anticipating book 2, though it might go on my library list, just to see how the cafe develops.

You can't go home again, or can you? What about you MUST go home again?
Sometimes life makes choices for each of us and then we must decide how to move forward.
Maddie James wanted to experience life off an island where once the tourists have left for the season there seems to be nothing to do. Everyone knows their neighbors and there seems to be no privacy.

Maddie returns home to spend some time with her grandmother before she passes and to help her grandfather adjust to life without his partner of forever. As things are supposed to be settling down, things just become more mysterious and messed up. Both Maddie and her grandfather, the former police chief, become suspects in a murder. Murder does not happen on Daybreak Island!
The victim has many friends (connections) but is not well liked. People Maddie thought she knew, pillars of the community, have more secrets than anyone could ever imagine.

The characters are colorful, the relationships between them are intriguing. There is action and suspense. I am sure we will learn more about Leopard Man as the series progresses.
And the star of this novel, an orange cat with the personality (and potential) of a Superstar - JJ - will steal your heart.

Discover this series from the beginning. I hope we do not have to wait long for the next adventure.

Maddie James returns to Daybreak Island off the Massachusetts coast for her grandmother's funeral. She grew up on the island but now lives in San Francisco where she owns a juice bar. Planning to only stay on the island a few days to visit with family and friends, Maddie is perplexed when she discovers a local businessman, Frank O'Malley, is trying to force her grandfather to sell his house, even resorting to threats. Rescuing a stray orange tabby cat helps distract her from O'Malley's nonsense for awhile....until the kitty discovers his dead body. Who murdered Frank O'Malley? And who keeps leaving information about cat cafes for Maddie to find? Does someone want her to stay on the island?

I adore the idea of cat cafes! So I knew I just had to read this book! Loved it! A great start to a new cozy series! Cat About Town has a nice mix of humor and mystery. The mystery is engaging, and not entirely predictable. I like Maddie James as a main character .... she is intelligent and has spunk. The side characters are nicely developed and interesting, adding some depth to the story. JJ, the lovely ginger rescue cat, is awesome, of course. I was a bit skeptical about a former stray and adult cat adjusting immediately to being on a leash though.....I think in reality most adult cats would balk at a leash and require some time to get used to it. But.....it is a cozy mystery.....and a cat on a leash is just darling. So...I'm willing to suspend reality and just relax.

I am a bit weary of the budding love triangle cozy trope though. Maddie has a couple local men showing interest in her in this first story......just hoping this doesn't become a major plot point. Too formula. And....I'll be honest....the MCs never seem to choose the one I like best in these situations....or they end up marrying some other character that pops in from out of the blue, leaving both men in the lurch. Bleck. Just skip the love triangle.....and focus on the kitty cafe, IMHO. :) \

I enjoyed this light-hearted cozy mystery and look forward to more books in this series! The cover artwork is just darling!

Cate Conte is a pen name used by the author Liz Mugavero, author of the Pawsitively Organic Mystery series. For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://lizmugavero.com/wp/

Cat About Town is the first in Cate Conte's new series about Maddies James, who is home for her grandmother's funeral and thrust into the middle of a murder. With family emotions running high, Maddie is out for an evening with her best friend and newly found cat when kitty stumbles upon the body of the head of the town's chamber of commerce. Everyone seems to become a potential suspect in the murder and while working to find the killer, Maddie becomes involved in town business politics, family dramas and a love triangle.

There were parts of this book I loved and parts that fell a bit flat. I felt the pace to be a bit uneven, and while the characters were individually well developed, their interactions were stilted. There were a lot of characters, which builds nicely for the rest of the series but was almost overwhelming in this novel. I would have enjoyed more focus on perhaps just 2-3 aspects of the murder motivation instead of a more shelter skelter approach. The love triangle and troubles at the animal shelter are again, going to be essential to the rest of the series, but in the novel, they were distracting. I had also anticipated more involvement of the cat cafe idea, and while I am not a cat person, I was slightly disappointed that it did not play a larger role. Again, I see it developing over the course of the series.

Not a bad read, but a little disappointing for me.

Cat About Town
Cat Cafe Mystery, Book #1
Cate Conte
5 Stars

Synopsis:

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? (Goodreads)


Review:

Maddie has returned to Daybreak Island to attend her grandma’s funeral and to help out her family during this trying time. She has left her business partner and her juice bar to come back where her family needs her, but she does plan on returning to her old life as soon as she can. Before she is able to accomplish this, someone is murdered and someone she loves is found to be a person of interest. Now she has to figure out the clues and find the real culprit before her loved on is sent away for a crime they did not commit.

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Maddie is a smart hardworking woman who will do anything for her family. I really enjoyed reading about her relationship with her parents and siblings. And I especially found her relationship with her Grandpa Leo heartwarming. She is willing to go toe-to-toe with someone who is bullying her grandpa, as well as other members of the community. And I think J J, the cat, stole the show. I am looking forward to spending more time with the characters in the next books in the series.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there in Daybreak Island, watching all of the action taking place. The stores and the shops of the island came to life in my mind. The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.

The mystery was carried on well throughout the whole book. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through that it was difficult to determine who the culprit was. Throw in some twists and turns and red herrings and even the most experienced armchair detective will be challenged.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. It was hard to believe this was the first book in the series, I really felt like I was visiting old friends. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Cat About Town seems to be a pretty promising start to a new series.

The pacing was a little slow for me at times, so I had to stop and keep coming back to the book later on. I enjoyed the descriptions of the town and the characters were pretty likable. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Maddie and her grandfather. All of my grandparents passed at an age where I was too young to really remember much about them, so I always enjoy reading about these relationships in books. It's so heartwarming.

The love triangle was an interesting addition into the storyline and I am looking forward to seeing how that all plays out in the future.

The mystery was well written and the killer completely took me by surprise.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this cozy mystery. It may be because I'm a huge cat lover but the story was satisfying. The characters were extremely likeable. I would definitely keep reading this series.

I really enjoyed this book. The mystery was great, and I loved the ending. It did start out a bit sad and slow, but the pacing did pick up pretty quickly.

Maddie James has returned home to Daybreak Island, just off the coast of Massachusetts, to attend her grandmother’s funeral. An animal lover Maddie spies a stray cat during the funeral and decides she is going to befriend him and give him a home. After the funeral though Maddie finds out that her grandfather is in debt and being threatened to sell the home that has been in their family for years.

Maddie decides to speak with the Frank O’Malley who has been pressuring her grandfather but things don’t go well. Then as Maddie is out with her new cat the cat gets away only for her to chase him to the location of a dead body. Frank O’Malley has been murdered and now she needs to clear her name since she was last seen with him.

Cat About Town is the first book in a new cozy mystery series, Cat Cafe Mystery, by Cate Conte. Maddie is a successful business woman who has returned home only to find herself in the middle of a mysterious murder. She pokes and prods and questions her way to the answer she needs to clear her name.

This was a typical cozy in probably all areas that you would expect, the cute set up with the stray cat who steals part of the show, someone looking for answers because the police will expect them and plenty of places to point the blame too to keep a reader guessing. I questioned why involving a bit of a love triangle in here but hopefully that will get worked out in future reads. Otherwise, it was a fun start to the series and I would definitely continue on with Maddie and her adventures.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The cover of this book caught my attention because I love cats. Knowing that Cate Conte is a new pen name for Liz Mugavero (Pawsitively Organic Mysteries) made this story a must read!

Cate Conte debuts a delightful new cozy series that I devoured from cover to cover. I liked the way the story began at Maddie's Grandma's burial, and the way fate seemed to unite the stray orange cat with the protagonist, Maddie, who's a cat lover. The first whispers of trouble for the family are also heard in the cemetery.

Some fantastic characters are introduced--Grandpa Leo, who has a wonderful relationship with his granddaughter Maddie. Another fave of mine is Cass--I loved how he helped Maddie name the intriguing orange cat, JJ! I hope we see much more of Cass, a man of many talents, in future stories. A possible romance blooming for Maddie may also be nice.

The plot of this story is compelling with several suspects for readers to ponder over means, motive, and opportunity. The author skillfully sets the scene for future stories to include the addition of a cat cafe. I absolutely loved this debut cozy!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy thanks to NetGalley and SMP.

Cat About Town by Cate Conte was a delightful cozy book and just the beginning of a new series.

I liked Maddie right away and her relationship with her grandfather and family was realistic. Ms. Conte's descriptive writing of the island and shops made me feel like I was there with Maddie and JJ as they walked around their home town. All of the characters were very likable and developed enough that I want to know more about them. The plot was steady with plenty of suspects, clues and twists that I was surprised at the reveal. A great beginning to a new cozy series.

This weekend I finished Cat About Town a new book by Cate Conte. This is a lovely first in series for a cozy mystery, cat book lover like me. The main character Maddie James comes home to attend her grandmother's funeral and finds things are not quite as she left them, out of sight out of mind. Staying with her Grandfather who is the town's old police chief, Maddie finds out that someone has been threatening her Grandfather and trying to force him to sell the family home. I loved the relationship between Maddie and her grandfather in this mystery. I also love how JJ her cat factors into this story. This is a sweet cozy mystery with some adorable twists. I am really looking forward to seeing where this series goes and what will happen next in this Cat Cafe Mystery Series.

1 Star Read.

WHAT a complete waste of my time.

I have read a lot of cozies. A LOT. And this was so meh. It was predictable and formulatic and well, just boring. SO. VERY. BORING. I was pretty sure who the murderer was early on and it was no real surprise when it was all revealed. The characters were very one-dimensional and OMG can we talk about how much I despise the "love triangle" angle? Especially one that is as skeevy as this one is? The MC really knows how to treat people badly and it really makes me angry when writers portray women in such a bad light [like we don't have enough to contend with, now we have authors, WOMEN authors at that, making us look horrible. Ergh].

I could never in good conscience, recommend this to anyone. There is 4 days I will never get back [and yes it took me that long because I was so bored and just didn't want to read it. Blech] and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

This cozy felt canned and formulaic to me from beginning to end. It had several semi-amusing elements that were quickly overshadowed by some less interesting element. The characters were either stereotypical or just unlikable.

This cozy was fun. I love JJ the cat and Maddie the person JJ adopts. The characters are many and quirky. Maddie herself runs a Juice Bar in California, but has returned home for her Grandmother's funeral. She finds out her Grandpa is being pressured/coerced to sell his home, which has been in the family for years. Grandpa gets hauled in for questioning when Frank, the person who is doing the pressure is killed. Grandpa had been the Chief of Police for years. So Maddie is investigating. She and JJ of course. The mystery is entertaining and the characters endearing. I would read more by this author.

I really enjoyed this new series that pet lovers will love. Maddie come home from San Francisco to spend time with her grandparents and family. After her grandmother dies she stays to help her grandfather fight off a bully trying to buy the family home. When said bully is found dead there is a list of suspects as long as your arm. A stray orange cat helps Maddie and her grandfather and becomes a town celebrity. The ending has a wonderful setup for the next book and I'll be looking forward to reading it. I've never read anything by Cate Conte and this was a great introduction to her writing.

An interesting story for the most part. Maddie returns to help her grandfather after the death of her grandmother. People are turning up dead left and right, and mysterious events are occurring around the property. Fun mystery to read overall, but wish more details would be given to explain why they wanted her grandfather's property, and the love/obsession. Also, what exactly was the grandfather doing? Never did quite understand that. Minor details overall though, and highly recommend this story and author. Love the squeaky cat.