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Cat Cafe Mystery #7
Nine Lives and Alibis
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 everything Halloween. The town is going all out for the holiday, hoping to one-up the festivities in neighboring Salem, Massachusetts, and Maddie James is delighted to be part of the planning for the annual happenings.
But trouble brews when Maddie’s youngest sister, Sam, books a famous medium, Balfour Dempsey, to come to town for the celebrations and stay in the local haunted inn—along with his equally famous black cat. The town busybody books a secret reading with Balfour and doesn’t want anyone to know why. Maddie’s best friend Becky is hell-bent on getting Balfour to help her solve two 40-year-old mysteries—a murder and a missing maid. And the psychic has a stalker who’s followed him here to the island, demanding he connect with her dead husband.
When Balfour is pushed off the cliffs behind the inn to his death and his beloved cat goes missing, it throws the whole town into a frenzy. And Maddie and her family find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery straight out of a Halloween movie.
It’s October in Daybreak Harbor, which means everything Halloween. The town is going all out for the holiday, hoping to one-up the festivities in neighboring Salem, Massachusetts, and Maddie James is delighted to be part of the planning for the annual happenings.
But trouble brews when Maddie’s youngest sister, Sam, books a famous medium, Balfour Dempsey, to come to town for the celebrations and stay in the local haunted inn—along with his equally famous black cat. The town busybody books a secret reading with Balfour and doesn’t want anyone to know why. Maddie’s best friend Becky is hell-bent on getting Balfour to help her solve two 40-year-old mysteries—a murder and a missing maid. And the psychic has a stalker who’s followed him here to the island, demanding he connect with her dead husband.
When Balfour is pushed off the cliffs behind the inn to his death and his beloved cat goes missing, it throws the whole town into a frenzy. And Maddie and her family find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery straight out of a Halloween movie.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2023
40 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
July 28, 2023
I had high hopes for Nine Lives and Alibis. The title was pretty fetching. But the cat(s) played little or no part in the narrative except for a few cameos.
Nine Lives and Alibis is the 7th installment in the Cat Cafe Mystery series. And while I have read a number of series' novels as standalones, I had some difficulty with this one. I felt as though I missed a lot of the finer points of the characters and perhaps even their backstories. So, I was at a disadvantage as to knowing the history of the cat cafe, and all of the characters.
For me, Nine Lives was a little boring. Nothing exciting happened until a little past 37%. By that time, I was ready to throw in the towel But something happened that drew me back in, only to be disappointed, again. So by 51%, I was done.
I think I would have enjoyed the novel a lot more if the crime(s) were committed earlier, then followed by the amateur investigations, and sleuthing.
Author Cate Conte is a new to me author. So I'm not going to rule out future novels from her. Though I probably won't step in mid stream on an existing series. One unfortunate DNF star.
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Nine Lives and Alibis is the 7th installment in the Cat Cafe Mystery series. And while I have read a number of series' novels as standalones, I had some difficulty with this one. I felt as though I missed a lot of the finer points of the characters and perhaps even their backstories. So, I was at a disadvantage as to knowing the history of the cat cafe, and all of the characters.
For me, Nine Lives was a little boring. Nothing exciting happened until a little past 37%. By that time, I was ready to throw in the towel But something happened that drew me back in, only to be disappointed, again. So by 51%, I was done.
I think I would have enjoyed the novel a lot more if the crime(s) were committed earlier, then followed by the amateur investigations, and sleuthing.
Author Cate Conte is a new to me author. So I'm not going to rule out future novels from her. Though I probably won't step in mid stream on an existing series. One unfortunate DNF star.
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
December 15, 2023
I received an ARC of “Nine Lives and Alibis. A Cat Cafe Mystery” from NetGalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. Because of my reading slump, I let this book expire. So, in order to read this book and write the review, I purchased a Kindle copy.
Prior to reading this book, I’d never read anything by author Cate Conte, even though this is the seventh book in her Cat Cafe Mystery series. I don’t know the reason why, but I always seem to pick up the last book in a series—either the final one the very last one that’s been published. In a way, this is good because I can evaluate the book as a whole, standalone book rather than the entire series.
With some other book series that I’ve read, it is nearly impossible to pick up the most recently published book and understand what’s happening. This wasn’t the case with this book. The author introduced me to all of the main characters without me having to scratch my head and wonder who they were. The only part where I got lost was at the beginning when (if you can believe it) I was trying hard to figure out exactly what a cat cafe is. But, given that I’m a rural dweller, I forgave myself and Googled it.
I absolutely loved the MC Maddie James. And throughout the book, the rest of Maddie’s family, her friends, and the quirky people living on her island community quickly became endeared to me. The author is a really solid writer. And the way that she plotted this story was not only creative, but really shows what a good writer she actually is.
Tales of two 40-year-old murders appeared right away, with a third murder occurring at the 60% mark. In most cases, this would be far too late for a murder to appear. But Conte pulled it off beautifully by weaving together not just two unsolved murders, but THREE.
Conte also took an unusual approach by interspersing short, chapter-long newspaper articles in between her story. These really helped fill in the blanks. Through it all, the author brought up a ton of unanswered questions that kept the story moving, building up excitement with numerous suspects. The author kept me on edge trying to guess “Who-done-it?”
This story was really crafted well. At the midpoint, instead of sagging down—which happens a lot in other books—the book zoomed into action. By the time I’d read the first 23% of the book, I could **not** put this book down.
I do have to admit, however, that I was more than a little upset by the third murder. There was nothing inherently wrong with it—the author followed all of the conventions expected in a cozy mystery: it wasn’t a scary story; it wasn’t political; and etc. My dislike of this murder dealt more with how attached that I had become to the character. I kept thinking (and still do) that Conte could have used this now-deceased character to create a whole new line of cozy mysteries featuring this person. I just really liked that character and wish that she had killed off someone else who was less likable.
Overall, this was a great book that was expertly plotted. If you love cats, Halloween, and especially cats dressing up in Halloween costumes, then this book is for you. This cozy mystery includes everything that one would expect in this genre, so there’s no hidden surprises. Additionally, if you’re not a big cozy mystery reader, I would suggest this novel by Cate Conte. Not only is it a really good book, but a reader unfamiliar with her work can actually pick up this book and still completely understand who everyone is.
Prior to reading this book, I’d never read anything by author Cate Conte, even though this is the seventh book in her Cat Cafe Mystery series. I don’t know the reason why, but I always seem to pick up the last book in a series—either the final one the very last one that’s been published. In a way, this is good because I can evaluate the book as a whole, standalone book rather than the entire series.
With some other book series that I’ve read, it is nearly impossible to pick up the most recently published book and understand what’s happening. This wasn’t the case with this book. The author introduced me to all of the main characters without me having to scratch my head and wonder who they were. The only part where I got lost was at the beginning when (if you can believe it) I was trying hard to figure out exactly what a cat cafe is. But, given that I’m a rural dweller, I forgave myself and Googled it.
I absolutely loved the MC Maddie James. And throughout the book, the rest of Maddie’s family, her friends, and the quirky people living on her island community quickly became endeared to me. The author is a really solid writer. And the way that she plotted this story was not only creative, but really shows what a good writer she actually is.
Tales of two 40-year-old murders appeared right away, with a third murder occurring at the 60% mark. In most cases, this would be far too late for a murder to appear. But Conte pulled it off beautifully by weaving together not just two unsolved murders, but THREE.
Conte also took an unusual approach by interspersing short, chapter-long newspaper articles in between her story. These really helped fill in the blanks. Through it all, the author brought up a ton of unanswered questions that kept the story moving, building up excitement with numerous suspects. The author kept me on edge trying to guess “Who-done-it?”
This story was really crafted well. At the midpoint, instead of sagging down—which happens a lot in other books—the book zoomed into action. By the time I’d read the first 23% of the book, I could **not** put this book down.
I do have to admit, however, that I was more than a little upset by the third murder. There was nothing inherently wrong with it—the author followed all of the conventions expected in a cozy mystery: it wasn’t a scary story; it wasn’t political; and etc. My dislike of this murder dealt more with how attached that I had become to the character. I kept thinking (and still do) that Conte could have used this now-deceased character to create a whole new line of cozy mysteries featuring this person. I just really liked that character and wish that she had killed off someone else who was less likable.
Overall, this was a great book that was expertly plotted. If you love cats, Halloween, and especially cats dressing up in Halloween costumes, then this book is for you. This cozy mystery includes everything that one would expect in this genre, so there’s no hidden surprises. Additionally, if you’re not a big cozy mystery reader, I would suggest this novel by Cate Conte. Not only is it a really good book, but a reader unfamiliar with her work can actually pick up this book and still completely understand who everyone is.
December 1, 2023
Nine Lives and Alabis finds us in Daybreak Island, Mass. The little island town is hoping to one up its neighbors in Salem, Mass who everyone goes to see for all their Halloween scares. This year Daybreak Island is hosting a Halloween Festival better than any of the previous years. A famous medium, Balfour Dempsey has come to stay at the reportedly haunted hotel. While there he is being asked to try to solve two cold cases from forty years ago, a murder and a missing maid. I enjoyed the New England setting, as we spent time there this Fall including Salem, Mass. When another murder occurs, the whole town is in an uproar and Halloween festivities are the last thing on their minds. Past and present come to mingle in the case being solved. Maddie runs a cat cafe and takes in strays and gives them the best care. She and her cat JJ also solve cases together and she's on the job here finding the murderer and discovering what happened to his cat. Surprising twists and turns I sure didn't see coming. I enjoyed all the Halloween descriptions from the decorations and foods to the pet costume parade to all the festivities at the haunted hotel This is a series I'll continue reading.
Pub Date: 22 Aug 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Pub Date: 22 Aug 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
October 11, 2023
I need more of JJ and Maddie in my life! Of course I found book 7 in this series and now have to go back and grab the other 6 😂
This is a purrfect read for Spooktober. Let's see:
Small Town✔️
Halloween Setting ✔️
Murder Mystery ✔️
Ghost Stories and Haunted Vibes ✔️
Kitty Cuteness ✔️
All that and some cozy goodness makes for a quick and fun read. I really enjoyed Maddie too. She's a great MC. Definitely grab this one if you're a fan of mysteries.
I sincerely appreciate St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is a purrfect read for Spooktober. Let's see:
Small Town✔️
Halloween Setting ✔️
Murder Mystery ✔️
Ghost Stories and Haunted Vibes ✔️
Kitty Cuteness ✔️
All that and some cozy goodness makes for a quick and fun read. I really enjoyed Maddie too. She's a great MC. Definitely grab this one if you're a fan of mysteries.
I sincerely appreciate St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 2, 2023
Settle in for a binge read if you are anything like me. This ticked all my boxes ...well-written, a cozy, engrossing mystery, cats, Halloween, ghosts and cold cases. And something unusual for a cozy, the victim was actually a character that I like and would have liken to have known better. Typically you can pick out the victim within the first 20 pages. It's the person going around causing angst for multiple characters. So this was actually a refreshing change. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 22, 2023
Settle in for a binge read if you are anything like me. This ticked all my boxes ...well-written, a cozy, engrossing mystery, cats, Halloween, ghosts and cold cases. And something unusual for a cozy, the victim was actually a character that I like and would have liken to have known better. Typically you can pick out the victim within the first 20 pages. It's the person going around causing angst for multiple characters. So this was actually a refreshing change. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2023
Cate Conte is a favorite author and I was beyond excited to have been selected to read an advanced copy of the book from NetGalley and the publisher.
This series is well written and the cast of characters are quite delightful. This book makes an excellent addition to the series, and the mystery includes a recent murder, and a cold case.
My attention was captured from the beginning and when it ended it was as if I was saying bye to a friend.
This series is well written and the cast of characters are quite delightful. This book makes an excellent addition to the series, and the mystery includes a recent murder, and a cold case.
My attention was captured from the beginning and when it ended it was as if I was saying bye to a friend.
August 22, 2023
This is book 7 in the Cat Cafe cozy mystery series and the first I've read. I do feel like I might've enjoyed this more if I started at the beginning, so I will definitely read more from this series at some point because it was super cute. Daybreak Harbor is celebrating the Halloween season with festivities and hoping to one-up the neighboring Salem Massachusetts. Maddie James is helping with all the planning. Maddie's younger sister, Sam, books a famous medium, Balfour Dempsey and his black cat, to come to town and to stay at the haunted Inn. Maddie's bff Becky books a secret session with him to help her solve two 40 yr old mysteries. But then Balfour is pushed off the cliffs and falls to his death. Now Maddie and her family are in the middle of a Halloween murder mystery. In the end, the murder is solved, and so are the 40 yr mysteries. No loose ends.
Out August 22.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Out August 22.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
September 5, 2023
Maddie James is living a busy life on Daybreak Island. As the owner of the cat cafe JJ's House of Purrs, she has a full-time job taking care of the cats that are forever being added to the current rotation of adoptable felines (despite an official limit of 10). Her boyfriend Lucas is moving into the house where she runs the business and also lives with various family members: her grandfather, sister and sister's boyfriend (who supplies the baked goods at the cafe). She's also part of the committee that is preparing the annual Halloween Festival that's going to be celebrated on the island. Everyone is looking forward to the return of one of the island's most famous former residents, the renowned psychic Balfour. He plans to give readings by appointment during the festival at the Inn at Lighthouse Point hotel, where he'll also be staying. This is appropriate since the inn is said to be haunted, as well as being the site of an unsolved murder and disappearance in the 1980s. Maybe the uneasy spirits will be able to get Balfour's help to solve the mystery. Once he arrives with his odd entourage in tow, he's settled into the top floor of the inn, which had been unused since the mysterious death of a guest. When Balfour begins his psychic readings, the electricity goes out and then the evening really gets scary when a body is discovered at the foot of the cliff behind the inn. Are the ghosts to blame, or are there all-too-human reasons that are working to keep the secrets of what happened so long ago?
The events of the story move along quickly and there's a lot going on. My main issue with the book was that there were So.Many.Characters! It was impossible to keep up with everyone. There were Maddie's many family members, the townspeople, the police officers, the hotel people (past and present), the tourists arriving for the festival, the psychic and his crowd, etc. plus all of the pets had "people names" like Lola and Walter. When the festival planning was going on and later when the more recent murder happened, Maddie was running around talking to one of the many characters and it was impossible to keep everyone straight. It also didn't help that a lot of the characters had similar names like Henry/Harry, Manfred/Martin, Sal/Sam, etc. I guess it really shows that you have too many characters when you have to start re-using names! There was also the odd thing about the "cat costume parade" that made me wonder if the author had ever made the acquaintance of a cat. Sixty cats dressed up and walking on leashes in a parade full of noisy people? Yeah, that could happen . . .
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
The events of the story move along quickly and there's a lot going on. My main issue with the book was that there were So.Many.Characters! It was impossible to keep up with everyone. There were Maddie's many family members, the townspeople, the police officers, the hotel people (past and present), the tourists arriving for the festival, the psychic and his crowd, etc. plus all of the pets had "people names" like Lola and Walter. When the festival planning was going on and later when the more recent murder happened, Maddie was running around talking to one of the many characters and it was impossible to keep everyone straight. It also didn't help that a lot of the characters had similar names like Henry/Harry, Manfred/Martin, Sal/Sam, etc. I guess it really shows that you have too many characters when you have to start re-using names! There was also the odd thing about the "cat costume parade" that made me wonder if the author had ever made the acquaintance of a cat. Sixty cats dressed up and walking on leashes in a parade full of noisy people? Yeah, that could happen . . .
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.
August 30, 2023
Jumping into a series with book 7 can be a struggle. Cate Conte's series, A Cat Cafe Mystery, features a Maddie James and her friends and family living on an island off the coast of Massachusetts. In Nine Lives and Alibis, Maddie and her mother are leading the Halloween festival for Heartbreak Harbor. In an effort to compete with the ultimate spooky town, Salem, they are pulling out all the stops, even hiring a psychic with ties to their community. There are so many characters that it takes awhile to figure out who everyone is and it would have been helpful to have a character map to keep them all straight. However, by the end of the book I had figured out the important ones and knew who to focus on. There were many fun twists as Maddie investigated an unsolved mystery from 40 years ago and then became involved with a current day quest. Now I'm going to have to go back and read the previous six books!
August 4, 2023
I received a free copy of, Nine Lives and Alibis, by Cate Conte, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book seven in The Cat Cafe Mystery Series. Daybreak Harbor is in holiday spirits for Halloween. A famous medium has been added to the festivities, but when he is murdered, Maddie has a mystery to solve. What a captivating read, I love cozy mysteries, especially holiday ones, this is a really good mystery.
August 17, 2023
This was my first jump into this series (I know, I know...) but I so enjoyed it! It was so easy to get into the series and connect with the characters so I had no problem diving into the story with minimal confusion. I do wish I got to see more of the cat cafe, but for the 7th book in the series I love branching out and focusing on other parts of the town. The haunted inn was a perfect Halloween setting for this book and the ghost stories and cold cases + psychic visits just screamed fall cozy perfection. I had so much fun following Maddie, who is a smart, savvy, and caring character, investigate the various overlapping mystery threads. Her friends and family adding a lot of warmth to the story and this is a town I would happily visit during Halloweentime. There were twists and shocks in the most unexpected places that I really enjoyed. Oooh and seeing Violet Mooney featured (a nod to her other series that I LOVE) made me so sooooo happy! And the precious cats, what a fun center piece for the series. I really enjoyed this and can't wait for more of this series.
September 1, 2023
I always enjoy my visits to Daybreak Island. Maddie, as usual, is involved in everything except for actually running her businesses (a huge pet peeve of mine); fortunately, she has a lot of competent staff. Despite all this, the mystery was interesting and, while I figured out the murderer early on, I didn’t know the reason why. I also am a big fan of cold cases being added in so that was a nice surprise. Overall a good read and I look forward to the next one.
November 10, 2023
Loved this story and these characters!
August 24, 2023
Daybreak Island is getting ready for their Halloween event. They are having famous local medium Balfour Dempsey come for the event. Maddie James and Becky are in charge of the advertisement. Becky wants Balfour to look into the two Cold cases that are involved with the local inn. When a body is discovered at the bottom of the cliffs. Maddie and the local PD must try to find out if the Cold cases and the current murder. Are they connected?
I really enjoyed this mystery especially the cold cases. It's crazy to think that 40 years ago was the 1980s. I loved the tie-ins with Violet the crystal girl. I'm excited to read more of this series.
I really enjoyed this mystery especially the cold cases. It's crazy to think that 40 years ago was the 1980s. I loved the tie-ins with Violet the crystal girl. I'm excited to read more of this series.
August 25, 2023
I was hooked from the first sentence of the book to the last sentence of the book.
Wonderful characters with great chemistry with each other. The protagonist, Maddie is family ordinated, loves cats, and is intelligent. I loved the interactions between her and Becky, her best friend, as well as her interaction with her Grandpa Leo.
The plot was set around Halloween and was highly entertaining. The mystery was intriguing and had several surprises along the way. I loved the fact the author brought in a psychic to do readings in a haunted inn. Everything about the plot was spot on and created a perfect cozy mystery.
The authors style of writing was quick paced, full of story, and very little filler. Even though this was my first read in the series, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything in terms of following the story or what I assume would be regular characters. I highly recommend you give this book a read. I plan on going back and reading the rest of the series.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.
Wonderful characters with great chemistry with each other. The protagonist, Maddie is family ordinated, loves cats, and is intelligent. I loved the interactions between her and Becky, her best friend, as well as her interaction with her Grandpa Leo.
The plot was set around Halloween and was highly entertaining. The mystery was intriguing and had several surprises along the way. I loved the fact the author brought in a psychic to do readings in a haunted inn. Everything about the plot was spot on and created a perfect cozy mystery.
The authors style of writing was quick paced, full of story, and very little filler. Even though this was my first read in the series, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything in terms of following the story or what I assume would be regular characters. I highly recommend you give this book a read. I plan on going back and reading the rest of the series.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.
October 9, 2023
I was ready for a fun mystery featuring lots of animals and a little Halloween spookiness. That’s not what I got.
I should start by clarifying that I haven’t read any of the prior books in this series. We have A LOT of characters, all with various relationships to one another, and not much introduction. I didn’t feel most of them had any personality. They just walked on and off the pages as needed. I assume reading the prior books would have helped somewhat, so I recommend starting at the beginning.
Now, if you haven’t yet read this book’s synopsis, then don’t. A major event—the only major event, in fact—is given away in the description, but it doesn’t actually happen until about halfway through the book. So major spoiler there.
Not much of anything of interest occurs until well after the first third of the book. It’s a lot of people talking to a lot of other people about plans for the big Halloween event. The mystery finally starts about midway, and continues dragging along until the final third, when it spirals into a convoluted tangle.
The biggest surprise for me was the absence of animals. This is a cat mystery, in a cafe full of DOZENS of cats. I expected to interact with, yes, cats. But we only get occasional hints at their existence. They’re the quietest, most polite, well behaved group of cats I’ve ever come across.
Speaking of which, have you ever shared a home with cats? There’s a reason why dogs have doggie daycares and dog parks where they interact with one another, but cats do not. Cats don’t generally like random other cats. They’re territorial. Yet this cat cafe apparently takes newcomers all the time. Just, here’s a new cat for you other cats to play with. Umm…. ? AND this town was planning a cat parade! Dozens of cats, in costumes, walking on leashes. Again… they’re CATS! Not trained cats, either. No one is taking endless hours teaching these cats to walk on leashes and get along with one another while wearing cute little costumes. So, yeah, that bugged me.
And, finally, while this is a Halloween-themed cozy that largely takes place in a supposedly haunted inn, there is nothing even remotely spooky in the content.
Clearly, this book wasn’t for me. But I’m in the minority, as I often am, so ignore me. But don’t read the synopsis.
*I received a free copy from Minotaur Books.*
I should start by clarifying that I haven’t read any of the prior books in this series. We have A LOT of characters, all with various relationships to one another, and not much introduction. I didn’t feel most of them had any personality. They just walked on and off the pages as needed. I assume reading the prior books would have helped somewhat, so I recommend starting at the beginning.
Now, if you haven’t yet read this book’s synopsis, then don’t. A major event—the only major event, in fact—is given away in the description, but it doesn’t actually happen until about halfway through the book. So major spoiler there.
Not much of anything of interest occurs until well after the first third of the book. It’s a lot of people talking to a lot of other people about plans for the big Halloween event. The mystery finally starts about midway, and continues dragging along until the final third, when it spirals into a convoluted tangle.
The biggest surprise for me was the absence of animals. This is a cat mystery, in a cafe full of DOZENS of cats. I expected to interact with, yes, cats. But we only get occasional hints at their existence. They’re the quietest, most polite, well behaved group of cats I’ve ever come across.
Speaking of which, have you ever shared a home with cats? There’s a reason why dogs have doggie daycares and dog parks where they interact with one another, but cats do not. Cats don’t generally like random other cats. They’re territorial. Yet this cat cafe apparently takes newcomers all the time. Just, here’s a new cat for you other cats to play with. Umm…. ? AND this town was planning a cat parade! Dozens of cats, in costumes, walking on leashes. Again… they’re CATS! Not trained cats, either. No one is taking endless hours teaching these cats to walk on leashes and get along with one another while wearing cute little costumes. So, yeah, that bugged me.
And, finally, while this is a Halloween-themed cozy that largely takes place in a supposedly haunted inn, there is nothing even remotely spooky in the content.
Clearly, this book wasn’t for me. But I’m in the minority, as I often am, so ignore me. But don’t read the synopsis.
*I received a free copy from Minotaur Books.*
August 22, 2023
It’d been way too long since I read in this series and even though I’m not totally caught up with the rest of the series, I couldn’t resist requesting this from NetGalley. I quickly remembered who was who and didn’t feel lost. Maddie’s grandpa’s still my fave character and that little JJ couldn’t be cuter! Check out his Sherlock Holmes outfit on the book cover, isn’t that sweet?
This twisty mystery was filled with secret passageways, an old haunted inn, red herrings and as always, some great characters. It’s a shame the guy who was killed was such a nice person. I’d really come to like his character, but from the blurb I knew not to get too close! 😉 Not only was the current murder solved, but a couple cold cases got answers as well and all took place with a very cool Halloween season event and even a cat costume parade. The showdown was exciting and the most unlikely person saved the day with a kick butt move.
I really loved how Violet and Sydney from the author’s newer Full Moon Mysteries came as vendors for the Halloween event, and Maddie actually liked Violet—she usually wasn’t into paranormal and crystals and stuff. But when she discovered what a crystal could do for her, maybe to her sister Sam’s delight she’d be open to even more. Naw, probably not, lol. If Full Moon would ever happen not to continue, I’d love to see more visits from Violet and Syd!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin's Paperbacks via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.
This twisty mystery was filled with secret passageways, an old haunted inn, red herrings and as always, some great characters. It’s a shame the guy who was killed was such a nice person. I’d really come to like his character, but from the blurb I knew not to get too close! 😉 Not only was the current murder solved, but a couple cold cases got answers as well and all took place with a very cool Halloween season event and even a cat costume parade. The showdown was exciting and the most unlikely person saved the day with a kick butt move.
I really loved how Violet and Sydney from the author’s newer Full Moon Mysteries came as vendors for the Halloween event, and Maddie actually liked Violet—she usually wasn’t into paranormal and crystals and stuff. But when she discovered what a crystal could do for her, maybe to her sister Sam’s delight she’d be open to even more. Naw, probably not, lol. If Full Moon would ever happen not to continue, I’d love to see more visits from Violet and Syd!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin's Paperbacks via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.
August 15, 2023
This is such a fun Halloween cozy mystery! I want to preface this review by saying that I am NOT a cat lover, but I loved this seventh book in the Cat Cafe Mystery series! In this story, Halloween has come to Daybreak Island and is celebrated with a week-long festival. It's the small island's first such festival and Maddie James, the Cat Cafe owner is excited to be part of the festivities. Maddie is hosting a cat costume contest and a cat parade, featuring the cafe's adoptable cats. The committee has even secured renowned psychic Balfour as the main attraction, offering readings, being the master of ceremonies at the parade and judging the costume contest.
There is a 40-year-old unsolved murder on the island, as well as a missing persons case from around that time. Maddie and her best friend Becky are hopeful Balfour may be able to get answers for the town. However, some of Balfour's team seem strange and possibly hiding secrets. A mysterious woman keeps showing up and making Maddie suspicious. Then, Balfour is found dead, and Maddie can't help but start asking questions.
What I really enjoyed about this book is that I could read it as a standalone, as I mentioned, I'm not a cat lover and have not read any other books in the series. I am now looking forward to starting the series from the beginning. The cast of characters, including Maddie's grandfather and friend Becky really drew me into the book and made it that much more satisfying. This was a great read, especially because it involves Halloween. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great Halloween themed cozy mystery.
I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. My thanks to #NetGalley and the publishers.
There is a 40-year-old unsolved murder on the island, as well as a missing persons case from around that time. Maddie and her best friend Becky are hopeful Balfour may be able to get answers for the town. However, some of Balfour's team seem strange and possibly hiding secrets. A mysterious woman keeps showing up and making Maddie suspicious. Then, Balfour is found dead, and Maddie can't help but start asking questions.
What I really enjoyed about this book is that I could read it as a standalone, as I mentioned, I'm not a cat lover and have not read any other books in the series. I am now looking forward to starting the series from the beginning. The cast of characters, including Maddie's grandfather and friend Becky really drew me into the book and made it that much more satisfying. This was a great read, especially because it involves Halloween. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great Halloween themed cozy mystery.
I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. My thanks to #NetGalley and the publishers.
November 11, 2023
Mild spoiler alert! Don't think it's enough to hide the whole thing, but just in case.... I inflated the rating on this one because I was very pleased that this one was a cut above some of the others. I almost gave up on the series after one entry in which our 30 something heroine whined and acted like a 12 year old. In fact, I skipped reading them for awhile. This one had Maddie on a more even emotional keel. There was a very good mystery: a historical mystery and a contemporary, both solved satisfactorily. I do tend to like books that have an old mystery that gets solved along with the current one. Anyway, there are some very mild supernatural element that I enjoyed. For those who don't like the woo-woo, these elements are handled well, with plausible explanations. For those who like a bit of the magic, there's no expose. (Don't know how to do the acute accent mark, sorry!) These are pretty much confined to the presence of a psychic and woman who heals with crystals, so no supernatural intervention in resolving the mystery or in saving anyone. Conte also writes a witch series that I haven't tried so perhaps she's letting a little magic settle in this one.
September 10, 2023
I love cozy mysteries and am always looking for a new series to try. Nine Lives and Albis have all the makings of a perfect cozy-a beautiful small-town setting wonderfully described, an adorable pet (or 2 or 3), and a main character who gets involved in solving a crime. The spin of 40 year old cold cases, a, likable victim and secrets revealed made this a fun , interesting read. This is the first in the series I've read - I was admittedly confused by the concept of a cat cafe and some of the relationships of the characters. I did like the main character Maddie and will need to go back to read the rest of the series. Although Halloween-themed it is perfect to read anytime. Thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress @minotaur_books for the ARC. My review is voluntary and
the opinions expressed are my own.
the opinions expressed are my own.
September 14, 2023
Daybreak Harbor has decided to compete with Salem for the Halloween tourist dollar by inviting native son Balfour, a famed mystic, back to town. Maddie, who runs the local cat cafe and is helping with the Halloween festivities, is less excited about his presence than most--until he reveals a story about her beloved, decreased grandmother that he just couldn't have known...Maddie's friend newspaper editor Becky, who works with Balfour's mother, hopes he will help solve two decades=old mysteries, but someone kills him before he gets a chance. Of course, his death could be a product of the people he travels with, who are financially dependent on his career. Although Balfour does seem to have some psychic abilities, the woo-woo in this is under control.
August 21, 2023
This is such a cozy mystery that I loved. Even though this is the 7th book in a series I didn't have any problem following the story, in fact since I fell in love with the town of Daybreak Harbor and the characters, that I am going back to read book 1-6 of the Cat Cafe Mysteries.
I love competitions between towns decorating for Halloween, but then again, I love Halloween. This story has it all with the Medium, Haunted House, Black Cat and a murder which is a, "Who Done It".
This is a must read for the Halloween lovers that love a good cozy mystery.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I love competitions between towns decorating for Halloween, but then again, I love Halloween. This story has it all with the Medium, Haunted House, Black Cat and a murder which is a, "Who Done It".
This is a must read for the Halloween lovers that love a good cozy mystery.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 17, 2024
This was a good read in the Cat Cafe series by Cate Conte. I love it when a mystery or, in this case, mysteries fall into place, and our amateur sleuth is actually so involved in what's going on around the action that their presence isn't a glaring intrusion. With a Halloween festival lasting a couple of weeks, and Maddie, her sister Sam, and her Mom all on the festival committee, not to mention several events centered around the Cat Cafe, featuring a cat parade, you know Maddie is going to be in the middle of everything. When their main event, a psychic, with local connections starts making comments and observations about the town's 40 year old cold
July 18, 2024
Wow! A psychic in town for Halloween dies as he is about to reveal the mystery to a decades old murder and a disappearance around that time. Shocker is who the mystery woman is and her connection to the psychic AND the mystery murder. And she is also the one to save the day when Maddie gets thick in the middle of the problem - just by doing a favor for someone!!!!
December 29, 2023
I hadn't read any of Cate Conte's cozy mysteries before this one, but I will now! Daybreak Harbor is hoping to put on a fantastic Halloween celebration that will bring lots of tourists to the island. A famous psychic is booked, there is a cat parade and contest, and Maddie is in the middle of it all.
Of course, there is murder - both in the past and in the story. The mystery is pretty good, and I didn't predict all of the twists. I liked the cast of characters, the island setting, and the cats.
Of course, there is murder - both in the past and in the story. The mystery is pretty good, and I didn't predict all of the twists. I liked the cast of characters, the island setting, and the cats.
September 10, 2025
Very Good
August 22, 2023
I really wanted to read this book mainly because of the cover and the cat cafe. We don’t really spend too much time there so that was a bit disappointing. The story starts out slow and nothing really happens til close to halfway through. The story picks up pace and becomes a nice little cozy mystery. I hadn’t read the previous ones in this series but it didn’t really seem to matter.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
August 1, 2023
Daybreak Island is about to celebrate Halloween. They manage to get renowned physic Balfour Dempsey to come . He arrives with a strange acting crew and his cat Balfour Jr . It should be a fun time. However Balfour drops a bombshell announcement. He's going to retire!! He's also interested in an old crime that took place at the Inn at Lighthouse Point. But before he can do anything he ends up dead!! Was his death an accident? Or did someone want him out of the picture? Was it his crew? Or because he was about to expose a killer? Will Maddie James be able to help police solve not only a murder but a cold case ? Or will she become the next victim .
This is a great series. It involves cats and cat rescues plus non stop action..
This is a great series. It involves cats and cat rescues plus non stop action..
July 21, 2023
This is the seventh book in the Cat Cafe Mystery series. It is the first I have read, and I enjoyed the variety of characters and the mystery.
Maddie James has recently come home to Daybreak Harbor. She opened a Cat Cafe with a partner and is busy getting back into life on the island. Currently she's working with her mother and sisters to coordinate the local Halloween celebration which they hope will rival Salem's.
After all, they have a haunted inn with a variety of ghosts and they have two unsolved mysteries from forty years earlier which are also still garnering attention. They have hired a psychic named Balfour Dempsey to come to town to be the centerpiece of the festival and to possibly provide insight into the two long unsolved crimes. Balfour's mother is a local who is recently retired but doing some work for the local newspaper.
When Balfour is found at the bottom of a cliff the first night of the festival, Maddie finds herself getting involved in the murder investigation. There are lots of suspects including members of his entourage, a stalker, and locals who aren't at all sure that they want the forty-year-old mysteries solved.
This was a fun story. I liked the way Maddie uses her local knowledge to learn more about the past. I thought the plot was well-developed and interesting. I liked the way Maddie was a sceptic about the paranormal when everyone around her seemed much more open to believing in ghosts and psychics.
Maddie James has recently come home to Daybreak Harbor. She opened a Cat Cafe with a partner and is busy getting back into life on the island. Currently she's working with her mother and sisters to coordinate the local Halloween celebration which they hope will rival Salem's.
After all, they have a haunted inn with a variety of ghosts and they have two unsolved mysteries from forty years earlier which are also still garnering attention. They have hired a psychic named Balfour Dempsey to come to town to be the centerpiece of the festival and to possibly provide insight into the two long unsolved crimes. Balfour's mother is a local who is recently retired but doing some work for the local newspaper.
When Balfour is found at the bottom of a cliff the first night of the festival, Maddie finds herself getting involved in the murder investigation. There are lots of suspects including members of his entourage, a stalker, and locals who aren't at all sure that they want the forty-year-old mysteries solved.
This was a fun story. I liked the way Maddie uses her local knowledge to learn more about the past. I thought the plot was well-developed and interesting. I liked the way Maddie was a sceptic about the paranormal when everyone around her seemed much more open to believing in ghosts and psychics.
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