4.25⭐
It's the holiday season on an island off the coast of Maine and the winter island residents are all in for the Christmas lights house contest, especially as there are $$$ as a prize for the first time. But the town's contracted electrician seems only borderline competent. Lights are not working correctly all over, but when Maddie's grandfather gets zapped was the final straw for her. She had promised herself to leave the organizing to others after the Halloween festival. Then someone is postings ads all over town for special breed cats, even in front of the cat rescue that Maddie runs. And one of the rescue's cats goes missing. That's a lot going on. Then to top it all off, Maddie learns that the owner is planning to sell the town's newspaper where her friend is the editor. This is a continually wonderful series combining two of my loves, cats and cozies into one with exceptionally well-drawn characters and mystery plots that don't disappoint.

3.5 Stars

Maddie James is the proud owner of JJ’s House of Purrs, a cat cafe named after her cherished cat. It’s less than two weeks before Christmas, and the whole town of Daybreak Harbor in New England is excited about the town’s Christmas Lights Contest. Maddie is usually in the middle of all the town’s events, but this time, she’s happy to just be a participant and have more time to enjoy the holidays. However, plans change for Maddie when her mom begs her to step in and organize things for the contest before it ends up being a failure. Then, when Donna Carey, the publisher of the local newspaper, is killed and her best friend becomes a suspect, Maddie puts plans of relaxation aside and begins looking into the murder.

This is the eighth book in the Cat Cafe Mystery series. I’ve read a couple of the earlier books in the series, but it has been a while. I had a hard time keeping up with all the characters and remembering how each person was connected. When Maddie and her friends were able to narrow down the suspects in Donna’s murder, I had to remind myself who they were. This kept me from focusing on the plot, but I’m sure readers who follow the series regularly won’t have the same problem. I would have loved a list of characters at the beginning. Those that stood out were Maddie, her grandfather, her sister, and her boyfriend, but some of the others blended together.

The decorating contest is a fun element for a Christmas-themed cozy and I love how excited Maddie’s grandfather is to participate and how competitive he is. Maddie and others keep finding advertisements for designer cats for sale, promoting them as great holiday gifts. That part of the plot, especially regarding potential scams, is interesting and informative. I liked the scenes with Maddie and her boyfriend Lucus, owner of a pet grooming salon, and wish there had been more of them. Instead, we have Maddie being manipulated by several townspeople into taking over their part of the contest planning, including having chairs delivered and putting up decorations. This wasn’t as interesting, and I hated seeing Maddie taken advantage of. When Maddie was at the cafe with the cats, the book interested me more, but there weren’t many scenes there. As a whole, I think this is probably a really fun series. This book on its own had some enjoyable parts but had the potential to be even better. I think fans of the series will enjoy catching up with their favorite characters.

~ Christine

I really enjoyed revisiting the cat cafe series! This book can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend this entire cozy mystery series.

It’s time for the Christmas events on the island, but chaos is swirling around the town’s holiday preparations. Maddie is trying hard not to get involved, but then her mom asks for help and Maddie steps in. There are also posters popping up all over town, advertising fancy cat hybrids for outrageous prices. A stray Maddie found is catnapped and as Maddie investigates, she finds the cat world can be a dangerous place. When Maddie’s friend finds a body and becomes a suspect, Maddie digs into the crime. There are plenty of red herrings for an intriguing mystery, along with family and friends who care for each other…and their animals.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

12 chapters into the book and no mystery, no murder, nothing. It's too much of a regular novel for me and not very interesting at that. I would not recommend to mystery aficionados.

Maddie is busy! There's the cat cafe, the town decorating contest before Christmas, her new relationship, and her family. But someone, is trying to derail all the activities on the island before Christmas. Maddie's grandpa falls from a ladder and must be confined to a wheelchair but that doesn't stop him from helping Maddie solve a murder! Who wanted the publisher of the local paper dead? Is the wannabe electrician guilty of murder or Maddie's best friend? Who is stealing cats and threatening people? Maddie had planned to keep things low key during the holiday season, but it just doesn't happen. Thanks for NetGalley for the arc.

In the eight installment of the Cat Cafe mystery series, Maddie is running her cafe and trying to avoid volunteering for the Christmas carnival committee. The town is furiously getting ready for the lighting contest and bracing for the visitors from the mainland. Grandpa, who takes great pride in his house decorating skills is trying to cope with an incompetent electrician and ends up falling from the ladder. Although not badly injured, he is slightly Incapacitated which throws a monkey wench in all their plans. Maddie feels bad for her overworked Mom and reluctantly joins the planning committee for the festival. As seems to always happen to Maddie, a murder occurs which sends her on a quest to solve it to exonerate her best friend who is under suspicion of the crime. A side adventure is the mystery of a missing designer cat as well as the worry that the crooked breeder of these cats is on the island. With the help of her friends and family, Maddie eventually ferrets out the murder.er.

This book, which was provided by NetGalley as an early readers copy, was not as enjoyable as the previous ones. While well written with a decent plot line, it just seemed a bit shallow. The characters did not show any advancement in their relationships and there were not too many “bread crumbs” leading to the murderer. But, it would make a quick Christmas read to get you in the holiday spirit. This opinion is purely my own.

A clever cozy mystery. Much more convoluted than expected. I have not read all in the series, but the ones I have are quite interesting and enjoyable. Nice group of characters. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Shock and Paw is book eight in A Cat Cafe Mystery series by Cate Conte.
This was a great book that was expertly plotted.
This series is well written and the cast of characters are quite delightful.
Wonderful characters with great chemistry with each other.
This book makes an excellent addition to the series

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I love the setup for this series. I mean who doesn't love a cat cafe? I'm allergic but I would Benadryl myself up to go play with kittens now and then - especially if coffee and baked goods were involved. There's also a Christmas lights competition with big prizes and high stakes. But while the results are brignt and sparkly not everything is going smoothly.

I liked the mystery and how the investigation played out. One of my favorite things about cozy mysteries is the community aspect and this series has that in spades. I'm looking forward to going back to the beginning of the series and reading these relationships from the beginning.

My only issue is with the heavy handed anti-breeder stance throughout the book. I don't know much about the cat world but I teach obedience classes and show in several different dog sports competively. Through that I've dealt with a large number of dogs and handlers both rescues and pure-bred. It kind of annoyed me that the stance was just breeders are bad without talking about the difference between unethical and ethical breeders - and that difference is HUGE. This is one of those specific things that probably wouldn't have bothered me if this wasn't a world I work in on a daily basis.

This was an entertaining mystery with a good group of characters The ending was a bit abrupt but I enjoyed following Maddie along for her investigation.

Dear Fellow Readers,

Have you ever read a book and thought that the ending was a bit abrupt?  Like the author was only allowed so many words and when they came close to being used up the plot suddenly moved a the speed of light to the end?  That always really bothers me. 

Today’s book is Shock and Paw by Cate Conte.  This book is a cozy mystery with cat fur.  It is the eighth in the series by Cate Conte.  One would assume from that that the previous books have done well.  The first good thing that I can say about this book is that you would never know it was part of a series.  It could have been the first in the series.  I have no idea what the other books were about.  This book stands alone.  The next good thing I will say is that the characters are well-drawn.  There are lots of characters and I didn’t have any trouble keeping them separate. 

And then starts my complaint about the book.  We didn’t get to a murder until over halfway through the book.  Which means, as you can guess, that the murder was solved fairly rapidly. Also, there is a lot of information about cats in the book.  While it didn’t ruin it, I know nothing about “fancy cats”.  Part of the story of the book was about a catnapping ring and some of the types of cats were beyond me. 

This is probably a great book if you love and know cats. 

It is not my thing. While appreciated the book, I have read books that appeal more to me.  As I said, there were good, descriptive characters and lots of back stories to keep them separate from each other.  There was just a lot of cat information.  I would say that if you want a lot of character development and you like cats, this is the book for you. 

Thanks for reading.

This was another fun book in the series, especially being set at Christmastime. I got such a kick outta Grandpa Leo and how serious he was about the Christmas lights contest, to the point of being injured in the line of duty. But that didn’t stop the former police chief at all, lol. I just love that guy!

The showdown was a crazy one that somehow I just had a feeling Maddie was gonna get involved in. Thanks to a cat, the killer didn’t get far before the police burst in. I love it when cats or other pets help in the showdown—this little guy was pretty amazing. There was a good twist toward the end that explained so much of some earlier issues about a little side mystery going on with the lights.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin Press via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Cate Conte’s Shock and Paw is a delightful addition to the cozy mystery genre, offering a charming blend of holiday cheer, feline antics, and murder on Daybreak Island. In this eighth installment of the series, Maddie James, the owner of the island's cat café, finds herself reluctantly involved in the island’s Christmas event committee while also trying to solve a perplexing mystery. The seasonal setting is wonderfully depicted, with festive decorations, jingle bell collars on cats, and a backdrop of holiday festivities that add warmth to the chilling mystery at hand. When the island's newspaper publisher is found dead, Maddie is drawn into the investigation to clear her best friend Becky's name, adding a layer of personal stakes that keeps readers invested.

The charm of Shock and Paw lies in its well-crafted characters and the cozy, close-knit community of Daybreak Island. Maddie's love for her cat JJ and her strong ties to friends and family give the story a heartwarming touch, even as she navigates the darker aspects of the murder investigation. The plot is well-paced, with enough twists to keep the reader guessing without overshadowing the cozy atmosphere that defines the series. Conte’s ability to blend humor, mystery, and a love for animals makes Shock and Paw a satisfying read for fans of the series and newcomers alike. While it follows the familiar cozy mystery formula, the holiday spirit and engaging storyline make this a standout entry in the series.

Shock and Paw
A Cat Cafe Mystery

By: Cate Conte

Publish Date: August 20, 2024

Publisher: St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Paperbacks

Mystery and Thrillers

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I would like to thank both NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

Book Review:

I gave this cozy mystery 4 stars. It is set in a small town on an island off of New York. It is taking place around Christmas time. It is also the 8th book in the series. Again, you don't have the books in order to understand what is going on because each book is a new mystery.

In this book there is a competition for Christmas lights that the whole town is doing. The town has hired a new handyman to help with the lights and any decorating help that the town people need. This handyman is not very good and there have been complaints. One day Maddie's Grandfather falls off the ladder after trying to fix what the handyman messed up. He isn't severely hurt but it does put him in an off mood for the holidays. The thing is he wouldn't have fallen if he hadn't been zapped by the lights. This worries Maddie because she doesn't know what to do except to let her mom knows who is overseeing the event. Her mom is overwhelmed with this event because she doesn't have much of a say as she is only overseeing it. She wants Maddie to help but Maddie doesn't want to get involved because she has enough to do. There is also competition going on with a breeder of exotic cats and the adoption agency of the cats she is helping with. One day the person who is the major supporter of this event is found dead in her front yard. Maddie's best friend finds her there with a string of Christmas lights around her neck. Did she fall or was she murder?

So, with these two things going happening in the book, it was fun to read and try to keep up with what Maddie was going to do. The main thing was helping her grandfather and her Cafe. I love the friendships and the family in this book. Maddie is very involved with both issues and finds herself in a mess.

Ok this cover is adorable right? Cats, Christmas, the New England Coast…yes please. Shock and Paw is number eight in the cat cafe mystery series and I really enjoyed it! I always enjoy cozy mysteries but this one was extra cozy because it was set at Christmas. I enjoyed the storyline and liked that the mystery part came up further in the plot so I got enjoy getting to know the characters. I was literally thinking….oh boy who’s gonna die, lol
Maddie James loves living on Daybreak Island. Everyone knows one another and gets along…for the most part. It’s the holiday season and that means people will be decorating their homes for the towns Christmas light competition. Everyone really gets into it especially her grandpa Leo. Although Maddie enjoys a little friendly competition she’s focused on her business JJ’s House of Purrs. Maddie loves running the cat cafe and helping felines find their forever homes. But things will get very un-holiday like when someone is found dead. Murdered.
Maddie wants to help the police but she also has the cats to think about, and someone is putting flyers all around selling exotic felines in her town. Why would anyone buy these fancy cats when they can adopt one who needs a family? And who would pay $18k for a cat? Something isn’t right and Maddie will do whatever she can to protect the cats and her town.

A nice addition to the series that was fun to read in the heat of summer! Maddie was hoping for a quiet Christmas but nooooo. First her grandfather fell and she's been coopted to take his place event planning, then a rescue cat is stolen, and worst of all, her pal Becky is the prime suspect in the murder of her boss. Yikes. Luckily, Maddie's an ace amateur investigator and she's not fooled by the red herrings. This has good characters, a sufficiently twisty mystery or two, and gosh, the holiday season came early. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun cozy read.

Considering it is in the 90s and HHH here in Connecticut, it was great to read a book set in New England starting ten days before Christmas. Maddie is trying to get decorations up for the holiday decorating contest, trying to find homes for as many kitties as possible before the holidays and trying not to get involved in planning any of the town wide events as she had enough at Halloween. The best made plans get thrown on their ear when her grandfather falls off a ladder, trying to fix lights set up by an incompetent electrician, a rescue cat gets stolen out of their home, Becky's job maybe at stake and then the owner of the paper she works for is found murdered. Can Mel and company find answers to who this electrician really is? Can Katrina and Maddy figure out who nabbed their rescue cat? Who killed Donna, and can they keep Becky off the suspect list? Can all this happen in time for everyone to enjoy Christmas? You will want to join our team for this holiday romp! Thanks to #Netgally, #StMartinsPress, and the author for a chance to read. #ShockandPaw #CateConte #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

Shock and Paw initially caught my attention because of the title. It was a charming play on Shock and Awe. When I read the blurb, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this series was centered around a cat cafe. So, I decided to read it. And I am glad that I did. This was a mystery that kept me on my toes.

Shock and Paw is the eighth book in the Cat Cafe Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone, but to avoid the confusion I encountered while reading, I recommend reading the first seven books before picking this one up.

The main storyline of Shock and Paw revolves around Maddie, the Christmas competition, the murder of the town paper’s owner, and fliers that promise designer cat breeds by a backyard breeder. It is up to Maddie to control the Christmas competition, solve who killed the paper owner, and determine who is responsible for breeding designer cats.

Shock and Paw did rub me the wrong way at the beginning of the book. I was slightly turned off by how preachy the author was about not breeding and adopting only. Listen, I rescue cats myself and fall into the adopt when you can category. I have seen the effect that cat overpopulation has. I have also seen what happens when irresponsible owners don’t spay/neuter their pets. But I agree with responsible breeding (aka breeding to breed standard with breeders who are checked often). So, to repeat myself, I was turned off by the dialogue between Maddie and her friends in the first chapter. Thankfully, I don’t judge a book based on what I initially read.

The storyline with Maddie and the Christmas competition was amusing. I felt for Maddie being pulled into it against her will. I also felt for her mother having to deal with someone who was not only new to the island but also new to the committee. Thankfully, Maddie was able to help smooth things over for the competition.

The storyline with the flyers advertising the breeding of designer cats was interesting. I won’t go into my feelings (see above), but I liked seeing Maddie’s commitment to discovering who was breeding and hoping to educate them. I will say that I was shocked at who it was and how it was tied into the murder.

The storyline of the newspaper owner’s murder was interesting. I did kind of figure out who the murderer was, but the motive wasn’t clear. Maddie’s best friend’s red herring was just that—a red herring—but it did add some extra context to the storyline.

The end of Shock and Paw was exciting. I liked how Maddie tied everything together, and I was truly surprised at not only who the murderer was but also how it was tied to the flyers. I also liked that the author ended the book on a positive note.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Cate Conte for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Shock and Paw. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

It’s the holiday season on Daybreak Island, and Maddie James is looking forward to stepping out of the limelight, watching the island’s Christmas decoration competition from afar, spending time with her boyfriend and family, running tours for visitors as part of the festivities and spreading holiday cheer through cute cats in jingle bell collars.

But trouble hits close to home when word gets out that Donna Carey, the publisher of the island’s only daily newspaper where Maddie’s best friend Becky is editor, may be selling the business. Becky is a diehard journalist and to her, selling the only newspaper on the island is a fate worse than death. She publicly opposes the potential sale, wreaking havoc on her relationship with her big boss.

Maddie is sympathetic, but she has her own problems - like getting pulled into a role on the Christmas event committee despite her best efforts to stay far removed and solving the case of a mysterious cat breeder trying to sell expensive designer cats as holiday gifts on the island. But then Donna winds up dead—electrocuted by her own Christmas decorations—and it appears to be more than an accident. To make matters worse, Becky becomes suspect number one. Maddie is thrown into another murder investigation in order to save her best friend from a Christmas behind bars.

It’s interesting that Maddie’s friends and family want her to not be involved, and then THEY involve her. I am not a fan of people, even fictional people, who do not accept their own actions. However, this is not a pet peeve and does not take away from the novel. It's the involvement that makes the story move forward.

It was a unique plot point for a cozy mystery, exotic cats. Unfortunately, the holidays are a good “scamming” time. It's also a sad time for shelter pets. This is a serious crime, a live is still a live, and I wish more people had humanity beaten into them. The mystery itself was decent. Though it does seem to go really quick once Maddie starts putting two and two together.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

Shock and Paw is the 8th Cat Cafe mystery by Cate Conte. Due out 20th Aug 2024 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 320 pages and will be available in mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

This is an enjoyable and well written holiday themed small town cozy mystery with an appealing female protagonist. I had read the first couple of books in this series, then sort of lost track of it and hadn't read any of them for more than a year. I didn't have any trouble following the story or keeping the main characters straight in my head whilst reading. The setting is a small relatively isolated island community in New England which gives the author broad scope to pepper the narrative with "eccentric" local characters.

The denouement was perhaps a trifle heavily foreshadowed, but nevertheless well written and executed. The cats (as always) are delightful, are featured in central roles, and add a lot of whimsy to the story. With 8 books in the ongoing series, it would make a great candidate for a long binge/buddy read.

Four stars. This will appeal to lovers of small-town cozy mysteries (with lots of cats).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.