chez_jae | Entries tagged with author: cate conte

Nine Lives and Alibis (Cat Cafe Mystery #7)

Nine Lives and Alibis by Cate Conte

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

View all my reviews

I stayed up late last night to finish reading Nine Lives and Alibis by Cate Conte. It's the seventh in her "Cat Café" series of cozy cat mysteries. The main character is Madalyn "Maddie" James, who owns and operates the cat café on Daybreak Island.

Maddie and everyone else on Daybreak Island is getting ready to host a two-week long Halloween Fest. Maddie has arranged a cat costume parade to showcase the cats available for adoption in her café, JJ's House of Purrs. The Island's biggest coup was landing renowned psychic medium, Balfour, as the featured guest. Maddie's friend, Becky (the editor of the local paper), is excited about Balfour; she intends to ask if he has any insight into two cold cases: one, a murder of a guest at the Lighthouse Inn, the other the mysterious disappearance of a woman who worked at the inn. Not everyone is thrilled about Balfour's arrival. Some think it will turn the festival into a woo-woo circus, and Jacob, the owner of the allegedly haunted inn, doesn't want to play up the inn's notoriety in that way. Not long after he arrives, Balfour is found dead at the foot of the cliffs the lighthouse is perched on, and his beloved cat, Balfour Jr, has vanished. Maddie is convinced that the current crime is connected to the past ones, and with the help of her friends and allies, she sets out to prove it.

Wonderful story, although I wish I'd read it in October. LOL! The author portrays her characters well, from the familiar to the new ones. The plot clipped along at a good pace and unfolded in a sensible fashion. It kept me engrossed in the story. I found the villain easy to guess early on; however, I was only partially correct. Heh. One part of the book left me scratching my head:
( SPOILER )

Favorite lines:
♦ I loved looking at the ocean. It would never get old.
♦ Was everyone talking about how I got punched in the face when we had a dead guest of honor on our hands?

"Breath" line: I hadn't realized I was holding my breath until I went to speak again.

Very good book overall. Four stars.

Current Mood: good
Current Music: Blackhawks vs Golden Knights

Witch Way Out by Cate Conte

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I completed the book Witch Way Out on Monday night. It's the third in author Cate Conte's "Full Moon" mystery series, featuring novice witch, Violet Mooney.

Violet is excited that she was invited to exhibit at the Spring Equinox Fair. Here, she'll have a chance to promote her crystal shop as well as mingle with other magical beings. Violet is especially excited when she meets Horatio Hale, a well-known mortal who pushes for ethically sourced crystals and minerals. When Horatio learns that Violet has been having difficulty finding moldavite, he arranges to meet up with her to give her some from his stock. Violet arrives to find Horatio murdered. Now she's caught up in the investigation into his death, while trying to figure out who genied another witch in her shop. In addition, Violet is still learning about her new life, which includes navigating witch council politics and feuds.

There was so much happening in this book. It's not a series you'd want to jump into the middle of, because one of the crimes occurred in the first book. In this one, we get to learn more about the world of witches and Violet's family as she muddles her way through. In a sense, this seemed like a series finale, although the author didn't say so. At least, I don't think she did. I'm not big on reading authors' notes. My bad. LOL!

Favorite line: I was having a fangirl moment.

Very good, four stars

Current Mood: cold
Current Music: "Let the Music Play" ~ Shannon

Gone but Not Furgotten: (Cat Cafe Mystery #6)

Gone but Not Furgotten: by Cate Conte

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After cleaning house (which never not sucks but was made much worse by how ghastly hot it is), I finished reading Gone but Not Furgotten by Cate Conte. It's the 6th book in her "Cat Cafe" mystery series, starring Maddie James and her rescue cat, JJ.

Maddie is getting ready for an influx of visitors during the busy tourist season on Daybreak Island. Concerned that she's stressing too much, her friend Cass encourages Maddie to attend one of his retreats and also take up meditation. Cass also brings a potential cat hoarding situation to Maddie's attention. When they travel to the nearby small town of Fisherman's Cove, they find the home owner, Laurel, dead at the bottom of her steps...and dozens of cats roaming the property. In the midst of trying to remove the cats, Maddie encounters several locals, including people who'd argued with Laurel about the cats. Maddie is beginning to wonder if Laurel's death was no accident. When someone else is murdered and suspicion falls on Cass, Maddie takes it upon herself to start investigating. She enlists the help of her grandfather, who's a licensed PI, and her BFF Becky, who's the editor of the island's newspaper. It's all hands on deck to solve a murder or two and save the cats.

This was an enjoyable story, and I powered through it rather quickly. I liked that the narrative went from active investigation to cat rescue to Maddie at home. Characters were relatable and real, including the various animals. I guessed the killer early. Woo! However, there were a couple editing errors that threw me out of the story:( Spoilers )

Favorite lines:
♦ "What's her name again?" If he'd told me, I couldn't remember. If he'd told me the cats' names, though, I'd have remembered those.
♦ "I'm just really sensitive about how people look at cat caretakers. Anything over two usually gets you labeled with something derogatory."
♦ "If it wasn't for those silly cats, no one would have ever known." // Her words reminded me of the old Scooby Doo cartoon.

I'd award this 4.5 stars if I could. Given the editing issues, I'm knocking it down to four.

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: Live Coverage: Tracking Hilary

Witch Trial by Cate Conte

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Earlier today I completed the book Witch Trial, which is the second book in Cate Conte's "Full Moon" mystery series, featuring novice witch Violet Moonstone.

Violet is still coming to terms with being a witch, learning to wield her magic, and adjusting to having not just her mother in her life, but a half sister, Zoe. Because of her family affiliations, Violet is expected to take over her grandmother's seat on the witch council. That would be daunting enough, but there is still the mystery of who attacked Mazzy Diamond in Violet's shop. Violet is more concerned with saving Mazzy than finding out who harmed her, but no one else seems to care. When a young woman comes to Violet for help, Vi senses a darkness surrounding her. Days later, Nicole St James is found murdered in a nearby park. Violet is convinced that Nicole's death is connected to Mazzy's attack and she sets out to ask questions and do some investigating of her own. Everyone tells her to stay out of it, but Violet isn't backing down, even though her own life may be in danger.

I liked some aspects of the book and disliked others. Characters were fully realized, and the plot had good pacing throughout. It was fun to make new 'witchy' discoveries along with Violet. What I didn't like was that most of the book was in Violet's first-person point of view, but the author chose to write a few chapters in third-person pov. I maintain that if you're going to write in first-person, commit to it. I didn't like that some characters weren't forthcoming with Violet, because they felt the need to protect her. Maybe she wouldn't need protecting if you explained things to her? Was not fond of the abrupt ending, either.

Favorite lines:
♦ "She wouldn't want you to fill her shoes. She'd want you to buy your own shoes."
♦ I hated condescending men who thought they were smarter than any woman they met.
♦ I was standing in my shop arguing with a leprechaun about the smell remaining from a witch who'd been slimed weeks ago.
♦ "You don't know what desperate witches are capable of."

An enjoyable story, in spite of the minor drawbacks. Solid four stars.

Current Mood: full
Current Music: Maple Leafs vs Lightning, game 3

Claws for Alarm by Cate Conte

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I finished reading Claws for Alarm by Cate Conte this morning. This is the fifth installment in the author's "Cat Cafe" mystery series with main character Madalyn "Maddie" James.

Maddie's cat cafe, JJ's House of Purrs, is starting to gain recognition beyond their local environs. In fact, Maddie is contacted by Jillian Allen, the director of Shoreline Animal Rescue League, an association known for its fundraising, to host a fundraiser for the cat cafe. Jillian promises to get celebrity Peyton Chandler on board, along with Peyton's equally famous rescue cat, Rhiannon. Maddie is excited for the opportunity, and she gets her sister Val, an event planner, involved as well. However, when Maddie and Val go to meet with Jillian, they find the woman strangled with one of Rhiannon's branded leashes. When one of Maddie's volunteers, who was seen arguing with Jillian, is arrested, Maddie sets out to prove that Mish is innocent. After Peyton's romantic co-star, both onscreen and off, is also attacked, the race is on to find a killer before he or she can strike again, or worse...get away with murder.

Let me get this off my chest first: the blurb on the back of the book indicated the name of the director of the animal rescue league was Laverne Gardner. I was confused when I first began reading, wondering when Laverne was going to put in an appearance. I have no idea how we went from Laverne to Jillian, but whatever. The blurb on the book also noted that Val was the one to find the murder victim, but it was Maddie. Maddening!

That being said, the story was engaging and had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. It seemed like each time Maddie was making some headway in sifting through suspects and motives and clues, something else would pop up, such as secret relationships and family drama. I was pleased to see the community pull together to support the cat cafe, even after the misfortune surrounding the fundraiser.

Favorite lines:
♦ She looked like Val had just told her they were going to have severed heads as a main course.
♦ The ocean always restored my energy.

Good book, four stars.

Current Mood: good

A Whisker of a Doubt (Cat Cafe Mystery, #4)

A Whisker of a Doubt by Cate Conte

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Storms chased me offline last night, but that enabled me to finish reading A Whisker of a Doubt by Cate Conte. It's the fourth book in the 'Cat Cafe' mystery series, featuring cat cafe owner Maddie James. Narrative is in her point of view.

The holidays should be a happy time, but Maddie is feeling blue over the implosion of her relationship with handsome dog groomer, Lucas. He left Daybreak Island for a short stint, and now she hasn't heard from him in a month. To keep her mind off of Lucas, Maddie throws herself into work. Since winter brings a lull in tourism, the cat cafe is undergoing renovations, and Maddie is keeping busy as a volunteer feeding and caring for a colony of feral cats. Unfortunately, the colony is in the woods just beyond an upscale neighborhood, and the residents have been at odds with the volunteers. When Maddie finds one of the residents dead in the snow and her friend Katrina is arrested, she sets out to clear Katrina's name. With the help of her grandfather, Leo (the retired chief of police), and her ex-boyfriend-but-still-friend, Craig (a current police officer), Maddie starts uncovering a wealth of conflict in the Sea Spray neighborhood. However, she also learns that Katrina has a history of being involved in a radical animal rights group. As if sorting out the crime isn't enough, Lucas returns and wants to "talk". Having been ghosted before in a previous relationship, however, Maddie isn't interested in hearing him out. More secrets come to light, putting not just Maddie's heart in danger, but also her life.

I liked the story, but I would have enjoyed it more had it not skipped around, time-wise. This is completely subjective on my part, but I really hate it when stories do that. I blame my OCD. I did like how so many people stepped up to help Katrina, including the island's eccentric Leopard Man. You know, I'd like to read a book wherein Leopard Man is the main character. He's a cult of personality unto himself! I didn't care for how Maddie's family tried to butt into her relationship issues with Lucas. If they knew something she didn't, why not tell her rather than simply imploring her to hear him out? Given her past history, I don't blame her for being stubborn about it.

Favorite lines:
♣ Tonight here I was, creeping through a stranger's yard in a snowstorm, about to sneak through a snow-covered hedge to get into the woods while dragging a forty-pound bag of cat food. All while talking to myself. I really had become the crazy cat lady.
♣ Our family had always done Christmas Eve big.
♣ All I knew is that the more I let people get away with stuff in my life, the more stuff they tried to get away with.
♣ "We cat people need to have each other's backs."

Overall, an entertaining and engrossing read. Four stars.

Current Mood: calm

Witch Hunt by Cate Conte

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Earlier this evening, I finished reading Witch Hunt. It's the first in a new series by author Cate Conte. Main character is Violet Mooney, who owns a crystal shop called The Full Moon.

Violet is still reeling from the unexpected loss of her grandmother, the woman who raised her after Violet's mother abandoned her as a young child. She throws herself into her work at the crystal shop she owns. When a town councilwoman accosts Violet at the local coffee shop and berates her for attracting the wrong kind of clientele to town, Violet is shocked and angry. Later, she learns that the woman, Carla Fernandez, was murdered after the police come knocking to ask questions about her public spat with the victim.

Things go from weird to bizarre when she is picked up from the police station by none other than her prodigal mother and a half-sister whom she never knew about. Her mother, Fiona, claims to be a witch, and she tells Vi that she is a witch, too. Violet would like to return to her normal life, but that seems impossible when her own magical powers begin manifesting. She is far more interested in finding out who really killed Carla, if only to get the police off her back.

It was an interesting story. The reader got to discover things along with Violet, including the fact that some of her friends and neighbors were also magical folk. Violet was a likable character, as was her sister, Zoe. I was not so impressed with Fiona, who simply came in and steamrolled poor Violet, even though her machinations were coming from a genuine desire to protect her daughter. At least Violet's boyfriend was not a cop, but I don't really care for her boyfriend. Let's hope she ends up with someone more worthy of her in the future. And, please don't let her get all ga-ga over one of the Sagebloods--long enemies of both sides of Vi's family.

Favorite line: How had my day gone so far down the toilet?

Good book, four stars.

Current Mood: chipper
Current Music: Blue Jackets at Maple Leafs, game 1

The Tell Tail Heart: A Cat Cafe Mystery by Cate Conte

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Stayed up late last night to finish reading The Tell Tail Heart, which is the third installment in the "Cat Cafe" mystery series by Cate Conte. Main character is Maddie James, who has recently opened a cat cafe on Daybreak Island.

Now that the tourist season is over, Maddie is taking advantage of the slow time to do some construction work on the home where her cafe is located. Her only regular customer at this point is a famous writer who comes in each day to hang with the cats and work on his latest project. Maddie's relationship with dog groomer Lucas is going well, and she's happy that her sister seems to be finding her own niche after a messy divorce. However, Maddie's rosy world starts to crumble when a strange woman appears at the cat cafe, claiming Maddie's cat JJ belongs to her. Not long after, the author is found murdered, and Lucas must leave the island for a convention on the mainland. Maddie is convinced the odd woman is somehow involved in the murder, but as she does her own investigating, she learns that people she's known all her life are keeping secrets of their own.

Not my favorite in this series. Maddie's behavior got a tad tantrum-y and childish at times. I don't like that the author can't seem to decide if Maddie will pair up with Lucas or Craig, her ex. Most of JJ's screen time was spent sleeping, which, ya know, cats, but it would have been nice to see him be more involved.

Favorite line: I knew cat people. We were all a little crazy.

I'd give this 3 1/2 stars if I could. Vexing enough for me to bump it down to a three.

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: "We're Not Gonna Take It" ~ Twisted Sister

Purrder She Wrote (Cat Cafe Mystery, #2)

Purrder She Wrote by Cate Conte

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Last night I rocked through the rest of Purrder She Wrote, by Cate Conte. It's the second installment in the "Cat Cafe" mystery series, featuring entrepreneur and cat lover, Maddie James.

Maddie is excited for the grand opening of her newest venture, a cat cafe on Daybreak Island. Unfortunately, the day is almost ruined when one of her volunteers gets into a heated argument with a snobbish socialite who wants to skip the adoption process and take one of the cats home that instant. When the wealthy woman is later found dead, suspicion falls squarely on Maddie's staffer. She doesn't believe Adele killed anyone, and after she learns her brother-in-law called in the dead body, Maddie is doubly intent on finding out who really killed Holly Hawthorne. In addition to trying to dig up other suspects, Maddie is trying to run her business, support her devastated sister, embark on a new relationship with handsome dog groomer Lucas, and organize her father's gala at the hospital. All in a day's work!

First of all, I did enjoy this book more than the first one in the series. Characters were more relatable, and we finally got the 'cat cafe' part of the 'cat cafe mystery'. I also appreciated that it wasn't Maddie who stumbled across the dead body. Too many cozies, which feature amateur sleuths, have the main character finding body after body after body, and it's utterly unrealistic. Much better to have our main character learn about it and start investigating from there. The plot was interesting, Maddie was engaging, and I enjoyed reading about the cats, too.

Favorite line: "Lord Voldemort could've gone in there with a white apron and pants on and they'd never have noticed."

I would like to see this. Ha ha!

Good book, four stars:

****

Current Mood: okay
Current Music: Kings at Golden Knights, pre-season

Last night, I finished reading Cat About Town, which is the first book in author Cate Conte's "Cat Cafe" mystery series.

Maddie James has returned home to Massachusetts. She's left her life and her business behind in San Francisco to spend some time with her grandfather after her grandmother's death. Maddie hadn't planned to stay long, but when she learns that a local businessman wants to buy her grandpa's house and isn't taking no for an answer, Maddie decides to stay to help. She meets with the man and warns him to stay away from her grandfather.

In the meantime, a stray orange cat has adopted Maddie, and when she takes him downtown that evening, the cat finds the dead body of the bullying businessman. Now Maddie finds herself, as well as her grandfather, in the sights of the local police, including her ex-boyfriend, Craig. Determined to prove her grandfather is not a killer, Maddie begins asking questions around town, during which she learns some interesting facts about the victim. She also meets Lucas, a dog groomer/musician, whom she develops an interest in. That makes it awkward when Craig asks her out on a date, too.

Maddie finds herself juggling two interested men, a murder investigation, and a new cat, which is about the time another murder takes place in the neighboring town.

The story was interesting, but parts of it disappointed me. For one thing, the title of the series would indicate it's set around a cat cafe, but that aspect doesn't even come into play until quite late. For another, no real motive was given for the second murder. It was just an "oh, by the way..." solution. Also, Maddie was getting frustrated with her grandfather, because he kept leaving without letting her know where he would be, and when she asked, he admitted he'd taken a part-time job, but he wouldn't tell her anything more about it. Turns out, the job wasn't something that I could see any reason for him to act all dodgy about. Finally, there was evidence that someone had tampered with the well at Maddie's grandfather's house, but there was no resolution there as to who or how or why. Bewildering. I did enjoy the story, but I'm noticing that, more and more, our intrepid female amateur sleuths have two love interests to choose from, rather than just one. I'm not sure I like that trope. It comes across as confusing and awkward. One love interest at a time, please!

Favorite lines:
♦ Cats were my weakness.
♦ "Those who love cats have a special place in heaven."
I hope so!

Waffling over a score here. I'd like to give it a 3 1/2, but for now, I'm going to give it a 3:

***

Current Mood: disappointed
Current Music: "Time" ~ The Alan Parsons Project