A Cat Cafe Mystery — by Cate Conte

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  Cat about Town
  

  • Aug-2017
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  Book - 1
  

  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...

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  Purrder She Wrote
  

  • Aug-2018
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  Book - 2
  

  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, wh...

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  The Tell Tail Heart
  

  • Jun-2019
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  Book - 3
  

  Welcome back to the charming New England coast, where Maddie James's cat café is at risk of becoming a crime scene for the purrfect murder. . . Maddie is hoping to have some downtime during Daybreak Island's off-season to tackle her to-do list. H...

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  A Whisker of a Doubt
  

  • Mar-2020
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  Book - 4
  

  It's promising to be a picture-purrfect Christmas at New England's favorite cat cafe . . . but instead of jolly old St. Nick, residents are being visited by murder. The fourth in a mystery series from author Cate Conte, A Whisker of a Doubt is filled...

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  Claws for Alarm
  

  • Jul-2021
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  Book - 5
  

  In Claws for Alarm, the fifth book in Cate Conte's delightful and cat-filled series, it's the heart of the busy season, and JJ's House of Purrs is booming -- until a killer is let off the leash.Maddie James has finally given in to her friend Katrina'...

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  Gone but not Furgotten
  

  • Jul-2022
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  Book - 6
  

  In Gone but Not Furgotten, the sixth in Cate Conte's Cat Café beloved cozy mystery series, Daybreak Island has a killer on the loose...and this villain isn't afraid to use their claws. Maddie James has big plans for the summer season at JJ's House ...

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  Nine Lives and Alibis
  

  • Aug-2023
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  Book - 7
  

  In Nine Lives and Alibis, the seventh in Cate Conte's Cat Café beloved cozy mystery series, Daybreak Island is gearing up for Halloween -- but this year it seems like it'll be all tricks and no treats.It's October in Daybreak Harbor, which means eve...

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  Shock and Paw
  

  • Jan-2024
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  Book - 8
  

  The eighth installment in a charming cozy mystery series set on an island off the New England coast and featuring the cat cafe owner Maddie and her cat JJ.Beware the cats of Christmas past...It's the holiday season on Daybreak Island, and Maddie Jame...

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  Claws Out
  

  • Aug-2025
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  Book - 9
  

  The ninth installment in a charming cozy mystery series set on an island off the New England coast and featuring the cat cafe owner Maddie and her cat JJ.After a long, snowy winter on Daybreak Island, Maddie and her cat cafe crew are finally ready to...

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  Purranormal Activity
  

  • Jul-2026
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  Book - 10
  

  The tenth installment in a charming cozy mystery series set on an island off the New England coast and featuring the cat cafe owner Maddie and her cat JJ. Trouble is brewing on Daybreak Island...Summer is in full swing on Daybreak Island, and JJ's H...

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Series Premise

The premise revolves around Maddie James running JJ's House of Purrs on Daybreak Island—a cozy spot combining coffee, pastries, and cat interaction to promote adoptions from local rescues. Maddie, a former juice bar owner from the West Coast, returns east and embraces island life, but murders frequently disrupt the peace, often tied to café visitors, local events, or community figures. Each book features a standalone mystery: a poisoned patron, a suspicious death during a festival, a haunted inn reading gone wrong, or threats to the café itself. Maddie gets involved due to proximity (bodies near the café or involving friends/family), using her observational skills, connections, and determination to uncover clues. Cases draw on island secrets—old grudges, hidden pasts, or new arrivals—while Maddie navigates personal stakes like family dynamics, romance, and keeping the café thriving. Her rescue cat JJ (a clever tabby) often provides comic relief or subtle "help" (knocking over clues or sensing trouble). The series celebrates cat rescue, community support, and justice, with Maddie proving that even in paradise, curiosity can solve crimes.

Cat Cafe Series Characters

Maddie James: The protagonist and café owner. Warm, resourceful, and compassionate in her thirties, she left California for family reasons and stays to build a new life. Skilled at multitasking (running the café, adoptions, investigating), she's empathetic toward people and animals, often drawn into mysteries to protect loved ones. Her arc includes embracing roots, romance, and confidence.
- JJ: Maddie's clever rescue tabby cat and café mascot. Playful, observant, and occasionally "helpful" (knocking things over to reveal clues), he provides comic relief and heartwarming moments.
- Grandfather (Grandpa): Maddie's supportive, charming grandfather; his home and legacy inspire her move and café.
- Supporting cast: Family (sisters like Sam, who stirs drama); best friend Becky (enthusiastic and adventurous); romantic interest (often a local like a vet or sheriff, with slow-burn sparks); café staff/volunteers; island eccentrics (busybody locals, festival organizers, suspects). Police contacts tolerate Maddie's involvement, adding gentle friction.

Setting of the Cat Cafe Series

The setting is Daybreak Island, a fictional charming island off the Massachusetts coast—evoking real New England locales like Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket, with ferry access, quaint harbors, historic homes, beaches, and seasonal tourism. JJ's House of Purrs is the heart: a welcoming space with comfy seating, cat perches, adoption areas, and a menu of coffees, teas, and treats (often featuring cat-themed specials).

The island includes small-town staples—cafés, inns (including a "haunted" one), community halls, festivals (Halloween, holidays), beaches, and winding roads. New England seasons drive plots: summer crowds, fall foliage, winter coziness, spring renewals. The atmosphere is idyllic yet intimate—everyone knows everyone, amplifying gossip and stakes when secrets surface. Contemporary era includes modern touches like social media for café promotion and cell phones for sleuthing.

Tone & Themes of the Cat Cafe Series

The tone is warm, whimsical, and quintessentially cozy—light-hearted with gentle humor, no graphic violence, and plenty of feel-good elements. Murders occur off-page or are discovered tastefully, emphasizing clever deduction, red herrings, and satisfying resolutions over horror. Conte infuses fun through cat puns (titles like *Purrder She Wrote*), quirky island characters, and relatable frustrations (café mishaps, family meddling). Romance adds sweet tension, and emotional moments (grief, family bonds, animal welfare) provide depth without heaviness. It's uplifting and escapist, perfect for readers seeking relaxing reads with adorable cats, small-town kindness, and the satisfaction of puzzles solved over a latte and a lap cat.

Cate Conte's A Cat Cafe Mystery series purr-fectly combines cozy charm, feline adoration, and engaging whodunits in a picturesque New England island setting. Through 10 books (and counting), Maddie James and her café crew deliver heartwarming escapism—where cat adoptions, community spirit, and clever sleuthing triumph over island intrigue. With witty puns, lovable characters, and themes of second chances and rescue, it's an addictive read for cat enthusiasts and cozy fans alike. Whether curling up with a mystery or a real cat, the series reminds us that in Daybreak Island, love (for people and pets) always lands on its feet—making it a comforting, tail-wagging addition to the genre.