There is absolutely no way I could pass up on a book that is part of a series called A Cat Groomer Mystery. I love cats. And I especially love a great cozy mystery! When a trap, neuter, and then release program for a feral cats colony at a retirement village leads to murder we are set up for a mystery of our lives! The characters, cats, and murder all intrigued me the whole book. This is one of the first cozies I have read with such a focus on cats - and this book made me want to change that! I am definitely going to read the previous books in this series (they seem to be able to be read as a standalone but I suspect there will be some character growth throughout the series as well). Give me more feline cozy mysteries! 3.5 stars!

Feral Attraction by Eileen Watkins is about cat groomer Cassie McGlone whose good friend Dawn is part of an organization that’s trying to protect a colony of stray cats. The condo residents are not happy about the cats so Dawn comes to Cassie to ask for help. An Eccentric woman named Sabrina Ward does agree to help. She feeds them and provides shelter but before long Sabrina’s body is found in the woods. Cassie does not believe her death is an accident and begins to investigate. This is the third book in the author’s cat series. I enjoyed the first two books, but enjoyed this one even more. There is plenty of drama and suspense. A great plot and warm characters. Cat lovers will readily enjoy this book. Thank you to Net Galley for providing an ARC and allowing me to review this book.

Who would possibly suspect that a trap neuter and release program for a feral cats colony at a retirement village could lead to murder? When Cassie , attends a board meeting for the retirement, she is confounded at the level of antagonism and the subsequent murder of the woman leading the program. Lots of valuable and interesting info about feral cats and a cracking good mystery. My only quibble with this book is with the cover art. I kept postponing reading this book, because I found the cover off putting. I still don't understand why a cat in a shower cap is featured.

The third book in the Cat Groomer Mystery series by Eileen Watkins is Feral Attraction. Cassie owns a cat grooming and boarding shop. Her friend Dawn enlists her help in protecting a feral cat colony at Dawn's mother's condo community. When one of the vocal supporters of the colony dies, Dawn suspects foul play. Cassie goes from protecting cats to investigating a murder. The author includes some good information on feral cat control in addition to a strong mystery.

Princess Fuzzypants here: As a cat, I am not particularly fond of the groomer. But I do enjoy this series and Cassie, the crazy cat lady who both makes kitties more beautiful but also provides regal lodging for us when our humans abandon us and go on trips. Her place sounds rather nice although I prefer to stay in my own palace and with all the things Cassie gets into, it is just as well.
This time she is corralled into going to a gated community where a feral cat problems has driven the residents into factions. There is the lady who never met a good cause she did not pursue who attempts to convince the humans the cats colony was there first and by using TNR and feeding stations, they can all live in harmony. Then on the other extreme, there are those who want to cart them off and euthanize them- or in other words, murder the cats.
It turns out she is the one who gets murdered first, although it appears to be a heart attack. Then as Cassie and her friend Dawn try to dig a bit deeper, another innocent lady also dies. Because it is easy to explain both deaths as natural causes, it is almost impossible, until Cassie uncovers enough information to put her in deep danger, to get the police to take a second look.
The villains might have gotten away with murder but for a wily black cat named Omen. He is one smart cookie and not only avoids TNR (although all his girlfriends are “fixed”), he feeds clues to Cassie and even tries to save her life. He is a great asset and I hope there is some way to work him into future stories.
As it turns out, the conspiracy runs deeper than expected but all the baddies are brought to justice, thanks to Omen and Cassie.
I give it five purrs and two paws up.

Great cozy mystery series! This is the third book in the Cat Groomer Mystery series. I haven't read the first two before reading this but I was able to catch up quickly. I enjoyed this mystery and all the characters. Highly recommended.

Feral Attraction, 3rd in A Cat Groomer Mystery Series, is an endearing novel that can be read as a standalone. I didn’t know anything about cat boarding or grooming, so I was happy to start a series with a unique specialty. It definitely doesn’t disappoint! The characters are a range of ages, from late 20’s to early 70’s, many of whom are pet lovers. The mystery is well-written, complex and challenging.
Cassie, owner of Cassie’s Comfy Cats, works hard and helps others with their pets. Her two-story building has been built out to have a cat grooming and huge cat boarding area on the first floor and she lives on the second floor. She and the local veterinarian, Mark, have been dating for several months. Cassie’s best friend Dawn invites Cassie to join her on a mission to help feral cats.
Dawn’s mother is on vacation so Dawn keeps an eye on her condo in a beautiful complex. Sabrina, an older lady and friend of Dawn and her mother, is disliked by most in the complex because of her care for feral cats. She monitors feeding stations and shelters set up off the hiking trails in the woods and has been instrumental in introducing a trap-neuter-return program to humanely control the colony, but some homeowners want all the cats taken to the pound. Cassie attends a board meeting with Dawn to verify that what Sabrina is sharing about the program is true. Murmurings are negative, and one man said that Sabrina should be euthanized.
Late one evening Cassie gets a desperate call from Dawn, who had gone to check on her mother’s condo and went to see the feeding station. She found Sabrina dead on the trail. Her scarf was wrapped several times around a nearby bush. She probably had a heart attack, possibly brought on by being strangled by her scarf. Cassie and Dawn don’t believe it. Days later, an older lady dies “accidentally” in her condo, a cat owner who thought she heard a scream the night of Sabrina’s death.
Add an irate man who boarded his cat at Cassie’s and a couple days after bringing her back home, a rash covers the lovely Sphinx, and having to decide whether to spend Thanksgiving with Mark’s family in Philly or her widowed mother in Morristown, and Cassie has her hands full.
Cassie and Dawn are my favorite characters, young women who are pursuing their dreams. I also enjoy Cassie’s assistant, Sarah, who has not spent much time around cats. As a retired schoolteacher, she is now a student as she learns Cassie’s methods of boarding, care, and grooming. The characters are well-defined, several choosing unique careers or hobbies. Each cat is delightful in his own way, and Omen helps in surprising ways.
This is a delightful and realistic cozy mystery with courageous feminine protagonists addressing challenges faced by feral cat colonies and those who care for them. Even as the organization Sabrina is a member of tries to help the colony, others are trying to kill the cats and anyone getting in the way. Cassie and Dawn will not consider the elderly ladies’ deaths accidents, and as damages and threats occur, it becomes clear that something besides poisoned food is afoot at the complex. Plot twists bring ideas leading to different suspects, and I was kept guessing until the surprising, explosive ending. I highly recommend this cozy to those who enjoy well-written cozy mysteries that include cats.
From a grateful heart: I received a copy of the e-Arc from the publisher through NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

Feral Attraction is the third in the Cat Groomer Mystery Series. I loved the previous books and this next in series is equally wonderful. For all who love cats this is series is catnip to readers. I enjoy learning more about cats in each installment. The author does a wonderful job with this series in both charcters and a well crafted mystery.
I always enjoy returning to this series.
In this next installment our protagonist Cassie McGlone is busy running her shop, Cassie’s Comfy Cats, a cat grooming and boarding specialty boutique. Cassie's business is popular and she enjoys her new business and working with cats.

Cassie is made aware of a terrible feud between some town residents that want a feral cat colony gone and the organization trying to protect them. The feud has turned heated as some residents threaten harm to the cats and others join together to try to save them. As the feud heats up Cassie's friend Dawn comes upon the body of a member of the cat supporters . Dawn convinces Cassie to help her look into the death as she suspects it was really murder. The local police do not want to investigate and think it was a natural death. They want to close the case .Cassie and Dawn think otherwise. Together they form a formidable team as they interview suspects and begin to build their case . Soon they are knee deep in suspects and fear another murder of the cat supporters may occur if they don't act fast to find the suspect.

This is a wonderful addition to the series. I love the aspect of the welfare of feral cats as this is a issue in every community. Every cat lover will adore this series. The sleuth is very well crafted and kept me guessing to the surprising end. The charcters all add to the plot and are interesting and fun to read about. I look forward to the next in series! Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my review. Very well done to the author .

When it comes to the subject of feral cats/colonies tempers can run very hot. Can that passion, for or against, lead to homicide? Cassie fears that the victim didn't die accidentally and sets out to dig into the world of TNR (trap, neuter and release/return) Not everybody at a local condo thinks feeding feral cats is the right thing to do but Cassie has been asked to get involved because of her cat grooming and boarding business, Cassie's Comfy Cats. Will Cassie be able to prove it was a homicide and figure out who did it before anymore bodies turn up?
I have had cats all my life and I have a favorite TNR group that I follow so this was a mystery that really had my interest from the beginning. While it is the third in the series, it can easily be read out of order. It gets better and better and I will be looking forward to reading the fourth entry.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you like/love cats this is a series for you. Cassie has a cat grooming business and somehow this always ties into a murder and of course helping cats. This time around Cassie's friend is involved in helping a feral cat colony when the leader (Sabrina) of the cat rescue is murdered. Does it have to do with the cat colony or Sabrina's prior activism?
This is the 3rd book in the series, but one doesn't need to read the others to enjoy this one.

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.

Feral Attraction
A Cat Groomer Mystery, Book #3
Eileen Watkins
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Cat groomer Cassie McGlone tails a killer gone wild over feral felines. . .

Cassie's good friend Dawn is part of an organization that's trying to protect a colony of stray cats on the property of a senior condo community in Chadwick, New Jersey. The residents have got their backs up over the cat invasion, and Dawn has come to Cassie's grooming and boarding shop, Cassie's Comfy Cats, to ask her help in talking sense to them.

Not everyone's against the cats. Eccentric Sabrina Ward feeds them and has even created makeshift shelters for them in the nearby woods, infuriating her neighbors. Following a heated community meeting--in which Cassie and her veterinarian boyfriend come up with a proposal--Sabrina's body is found in the woods. The police are calling her death an accident, but Cassie smells a rat. Narrowing down the list of suspects may be tougher than herding cats, but Cassie is determined to collar the killer before another cat lover has a fatal accident . . .

Praise for The Persian Always Meows Twice

"Fans of felines will appreciate Cassie's demonstrated attachment to the master species, which Watkins successfully integrates throughout her debut, a deft blend of mystery and cat love."
--Kirkus Reviews

"A promising start to a new cozy series. And the information the author provides about cats is fascinating."
--Suspense Magazine (Amazon)

Review:

Cassie is a strong-willed woman and a hard worker. She loves all animals but especially cats. So when the feral cat community gets threatened, she is ready and willing to help them. And when an activist is killed, she knows she has to figure out what happened and who the killer is for the victim and for the cats.

The characters are well rounded and well developed. I really enjoy reading about the relationship between Cassie and Dawn, her best friend. They care about each other and always have each other’s back. And the relationship between Mark, her boyfriend, and her is moving along nicely.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there in New Jersey, watching all the action taking place. The mystery was well plotted and carried on well throughout the whole book. There were plenty of clues to examine and suspects to consider.

This is such a great book and series and I would recommend both to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy. I am looking forward to reading the next book.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate

Cat lovers will be attracted by the cute cover. All will enjoy the mystery. As I am dealing with a feral cat issue, I could truly relate to the problems involved. A little too woo woo at the very end, but a thoroughly enjoyable bit of entertainment otherwise.

Community cats and TNR can really around heated and passionate discussion...but did it lead to murder? That's the question Cassie, Dawn, and Mark (Cassie's love interest who is a vet) try to answer when Sabrina, one of the most ardent supporters of the colony is found dead. This is good cozy territory, with a terrific protagonist in Cassie. It never gets too cutesy and you'll learn something about feral colonies. The mystery is fairly straightforward, a cat named Omen (love that) plays a role, and all in all it's a rewarding read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This one is for cat lovers. Don't worry if you haven't read the earlier ones- you'll be fine starting here and then you, like me, will find yourself looking forward to the next.

Feral Attraction by Eileen Watkins is the third installment of the cozy A Cat Groomer Mystery series. Each book in the series has it’s own murder to be solved so they could be read as a standalone if choosing to do so. There is however a bit of character development from book to book for the fans of the entire series.

This series if centered around Cassie McGlone who had moved to the picturesque town of Chadwick to give herself a fresh start after leaving a horrible relationship. Cassie had opened her own shop, Cassie’s Comfy Cats, a cat grooming and boarding specialty boutique.

Cassie’s friend Dawn invites her along to a meeting between residents that want a stray cat colony moved and the organization trying to protect them. Afterwards Dawn is out one night when she comes upon the body of a member of the cat supporters and when police think it’s natural causes Dawn convinces Cassie to help her look into the death as she suspects it was really murder.

A Cat Groomer Mystery series has quickly become one that I really look forward to reading each book as they come along. The author has done a wonderful job with Cassie’s character and her knowledge of cats that even having owned cats my whole life I can still learn something new. There’s also always little reminders to bring a reader right back into the series without missing a beat and to keep a new reader on top of the character building. Wrap that up with a great mystery each book and this is one I’d definitely recommend, especially to the kitty fans out there.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I love this series and I loved this instalment. It's more complex and darker than the previous ones but it was a really enjoyable and a fun read.
I loved the idea of having the difficult cohesistence of a group of people with a feral colony, the victims and what they stand for.
The mystery kept guessing till the end it was lovely to meet again the cast of characters and see how things were evolving.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC

Cassie, our favorite cat groomer is back and she’s been persuaded by her best friend, Dawn to take a walk on the “wild side”. Definitely a two thumbs up cozy!!

While house-sitting for her mother in the local senior living community, Dawn finds out about a feral cat colony who’s taken up residence on the grounds alongside the two-legged residents. One of the seniors, Sabrina, is advocating for a “capture, neuter, release” program to enable the cats to survive being euthanized while simultaneously being unable to reproduce and increase the size of the colony. To that end, Sabrina has set up a feeding station and a shelter along the walking path in the wooded area of the community. This has resulted in many grumbling residents and many uncooperative felines. Dawn wants to get the job done more quickly and convinces Cassie to assist and Cassie readily agrees.

But the grumbling turns deadly when Sabrina’s body is found near the feeding station partially covered in snow. The coroner says heart attack, but the ladies are seeing and hearing too many questionable things and so a new case begins!

I read this title as an unpublished gallery proof in exchange for my review.

Once again Cassie McGlone, owner of Cassie’s Comfy Cats, steps in to investigate murder while helping the local feline population in this third Cat Groomer Mystery.

Dawn, Cassie’s BFF, asks Cassie to help her mother’s neighbor Sabrina with The Reserve’s feral cat problem. The Reserve, where Dawn’s mom and Sabrina live, is working with a local animal group to trap-neuter-return feral cats and put other safeguards in place to eliminate the cats’ aggressive behavior. The residents at The Reserve are divided about continuing the program with some just wanting the cats rounded up and euthanized. The day after a heated community meeting Sabrina is found dead – supposedly of a heart attack. A few days later, a neighbor who heard Sabrina’s scream the night she died, is found dead under suspicious circumstances.

Now, Cassie and Dawn are not only working on the feral cat community problem, they’re also trying to investigate whether Sabrina and Edie died of natural causes.

As usual, Eileen Watkins does an excellent job injecting information about feral cat community problems and solutions as she builds a suspense filled mystery. The only thing missing was Cassie’s back and forth with her three feline companions. Maybe in the next adventure…

I enjoyed this book very much. It has interesting characters, including cats, interesting stories and an interesting murder. I found it easy to read, well-paced and packed with stories. It's one of the better cozy mysteries I've read. Can't wait til the next one. #FeralAttraction #NetGalley

Feral Attraction is the third book in Eileen Watkins’ A Cat Groomer Mystery series. This is the first book I’ve read in this series, but I didn’t feel lost. The storyline is well plotted and the well-developed characters are likeable. The mystery is interesting and everything is tied up nicely.

Cassie McGlone is the owner of Cassie's Comfy Cats, which offers grooming and boarding for cats, and is dating Mark Coccia, a local veterinarian. Cassie’s best friend, Dawn Tischler, is trying to help save a feral cat colony and invites Cassie to attend a condo board meeting at The Reserve, a senior condo community in Chadwick, New Jersey, where her mother, Gwen, lives to try to explain how and why trap-neuter-return programs work and encourage them to give it another try. A few residents have been feeding the cats, which caused more of them to be seen hanging around the community and many of the residents want the cats gone. One of the residents, Sabrina Ward, is an animal activist, who works with Friends of Chadwick Animals and spinoff group, FFF, to provide a feeding station, water, and shelters for the feral cats in the nearby woods, which is upsetting her neighbors. The next evening, Dawn finds Sabrina’s body in the woods by the feeding station. Detective Angela Bonelli originally thought her scarf had gotten tangled in tree branches and strangled her. The initial autopsy report indicated a possible heart attack, but even though Sabrina was in her seventies, Dawn is convinced she was murdered. Dawn asks Cassie to speak with the detective to see where the investigation is and share their thoughts about what may have happened. Dawn and Cassie get involved helping with the cats and find themselves in trouble when they start asking questions and snooping around.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I really enjoyed this book. I like the characters and the deepening relationships we see between them. However, i find the author’s descriptions of POC quite problematic and othering. I don’t think it’s malicious but it’s off-putting in an otherwise enjoyable series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for this review.