Another great whodunit from author Cat Conte! I had such a hard time putting, CLAWS FOR ALARM down. At the end of each chapter, I tried to pull myself away, but it was impossible. This wonderfully sneaky mystery fooled me until the reveal. Well done, Ms. Conte!

Maddie came back to Daybreak Island after her grandmother died and now she and her grandfather, Leo, the former police chief, are running a feline rescue in the form of a cat cafe. Named JJ's after her rescue kitty, Junkyard Johnny, it's home to fifteen cats - up from her original limit of ten. When Leo's house wasn't keeping up with their growing business, Maddie, Leo and Ethan, the master baker of the cafe, expand into the garage to house the food angle and part of the house is home to Maddie, Leo, Ethan, Val and Lucas along with JJ and a dog named Oliver. The place is full to its rafters and it takes more than just loving cats to run the only rescue on the island. It takes volunteers and money. Maddie gets the chance for a fundraiser when she is approached by the Shoreline Animal rescue League, a group with a stellar reputation for bringing in the donations. Too bad this event has something extra - murder.
Maddie and Leo make a great team. Leo passed on his investigative skills to Maddie and together with some help from the rest of their household and some friends, the killer will be caught. From the first page to the last, my reading time spent on Daybreak Island, Massachusetts, was the perfect escape. The puzzle had me guessing wrong all the way and the ending caught me by surprise.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Claws for Alarm by Cate Conte (Cat Cafe Mystery #5) 3.5 stars

I confess that I haven't read any of the other books in the series. That said a cat cafe mystery intrigued me. Maddie James, the proprietor of JJ's House of Purrs is awash in cats and getting some national renown. She is contacted by Jillian Allen, the executive director of the East Coast Animal League about partnering on a fundraiser for local animal charities. She sweetens the pot with a celebrity guest and her Instagram worthy cat - Maddie is now on board. When Maddie and her sister Val go to the venue review the plans, they find Jillian dead with a cat leash around her neck. Who had it in for Jillian?

This started a little slow for me and built up momentum in the second half. I found Maddie to be tenacious and curious. She came by it honestly, her grandfather was the former chief of police. Since I hadn't read the prior books, I think I was missing the nuances about the relationships between characters. All in all, a decent mystery with a potential to add to my must read series list.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Another enjoyable visit to Daybreak Island and Jo's House of Purrs, the local cat cafe. When the opportunity arises for a fundraiser for the cafe with a major celebrity, Maddie is excited but overwhelmed. As the planning for event begins, a person from the celebrity's team is found murdered. The mystery is solid and the island regulars are a charismatic bunch. Over the course of the series, they have we have learned about their back stories and seen their growth and relationships. For all feline lovers especially, but a fun read for anyone looking for an entertaining mystery.

Maddie and her grandfather Leo run a highly successful cat cafe so it's only natural that Laverne, who wants to raise money for a rescue organization, will approach her about a fundraiser. Luckily, Leo is a former police Chief and Maddie an ace amateur investigator because Laverne is - wait for it- found murdered with a a leash around her neck! Is Laverne a classic cozy villain in sheep's clothing? Or, is this because of a valuable piece of real estate? No spoilers from me. Don't worry if you haven't read the earlier books- this will be fine as a standalone although fans of the series will be pleased to see growth in the characters. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A fun read for cat fans.

Cate Conte skillfully crafts a complex mystery in this hard-to-put-down Cat Cafe Mystery. For complete review please see www.reviewingtheevidence.com.

An intricate plot with a satisfying ending. Whirlwind Jillian Allen comes to town and convinces Maddie to do a major fundraiser with her team from the Shoreline Animal Rescue League. Everything was proceeding at breakneck speedy until someone ended up dead.

There are a lot of things I liked about this story. It keeps you guessing through the whole book. First you get to know the cast and try to figure out who is going to meet an untimely death for the first third of the book then after the murder there are a number of viable suspects to sift through. There are characters to like and those to hope get what they deserve. This engaging story is the fifth in the Cat Cafe Mystery series. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

This is the first book I've read in the Cat Cafe Mystery series and I loved it. It was a fast fun read for me, once I started I couldn't put it down. If you like cozy mysteries you will love this book. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series. Thank you St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Things are happening at JJ's House of Purrs on Daybreak Island. Jillian Allen , of the Shoreline Animal League wants to raise funds for the group.. Maddie soon learns Jillian and her friend Stevie Warner are cousins and share an interest in a property. So when Jillian turns up dead Stevie becomes prime suspect. But why would Stevie want his cousin dead? Would he inherit the entire property? Or was there more bad blood between them? Maddie and Grandpa Leo dig into the crime but can they keep themselves from becoming the next victims? And what happens to the fund raiser? Great read. Lots of action.

Another fun book in the series. Book 5 I believe. Haven't read them all, but was not lost. A good cozy mystery, that would be a good rainy day read. Highly recommend.

Claws for Alarm is a fun addition to the series. Opening a cat cafe keeps Maddie and her grandfather on their toes, but it’s also expensive. When Maddie is offered the opportunity for a fabulous fundraiser, she finds no reason to resist.
Naturally, things don’t go as planned and a murder occurs, and Maddie can’t resist getting involved with the investigation.

This is a fun, light hearted book that is guaranteed to put a smile on the reader’s face.
I am looking forward to reading more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
#NetGalley #ClawsforAlarm

Another good book in the series. In this book, the cat cafe is having a fundraiser, but things don't go as planned. The main character gets involved in the murder, of course. She isn't good at keeping her promises and tells things to her friend, the local newspaper reporter (!), when she shouldn't (the male celebrity's secret, information from the FBI/police that is suppose to stay among the small group). She does great work on the island, for the homeless animals, but otherwise, she's a bit reckless. I like the supporting characters, especially her grandfather. It is an interesting murder mystery, and is light on the romance drama (which I appreciate). Everyone's devotion to cats is wonderful. A light cozy mystery worth checking out.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

OMG this is totally just what I needed I'm so glad I brought my Kindle to the beach with me perfect setting! And quirky adorable characters I wasn't bored for a second.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really liked this cozy mystery and can't wait to read more.

Maddie James’ cat cafe is garnering national attention and is partnering with a rescue on a fund raiser. Maddie’s sister Val is tapped to plan the event, but find the rescue director strangled at the venue, leaving Maddie with the need to figure out what happened and why? Was it personal to Laverne or to the rescue? Either way, Maddie is on the case and hopes to not use her one life solving it.

A great series with a cute cat cafe theme that sets the tone. I love the kitties and the characters and keep coming back for more with each new entry. A solid whodunit and cute kitties. What more can you ask for?

I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and the cat are adorable. It's an interesting story, well paced. I was surprised by who the killer was. The reveal was exciting. . #ClawsforAlarm #NetGalley

This was an okay book but I much prefer another book series with the same premise.
I will have to take a pass on this series.

I really like Conte’s Cat Cafe series. Maddie James, her sister and her grandfather, are all a big part of JJ’s House of Purrs, which has a special room where customers can interact with adoptable cats. In fact, Maddie has just agreed to increase the number of cats to 15.
When it seems that the East Coast Animal Rescue League is interested in helping the cafe out with a fundraiser, Maddie meets with Laverne Gardner, who offers the help of a celebrity (and her cat) to increase visibility of the fundraiser.
When Laverne turns up dead, strangled with a fancy cat leash, there are questions to be answered, not the least of which is who might have wanted this woman out of the picture.