A Whisker of a Doubt

Author Cate Conte dishes up an excellent cozy story for cat and mystery lover’s. Scooping up an enticing murder plot with a dwindling list of suspects due to Conte’s creative plotting; savvy protagonist Maddie James tunes in to her sleuthing vibes and goes after some vigilante cat hater’s who need to be behind bars.<br /><br />I found this story steadily entertaining with lots of humor and action. I enjoyed re-visiting many of the secondary characters from previous books in the series—Ethan, Val, Grandpa Leo, Cass, Officer Craig, and my favorite, Leopard Man. The enigmatic JJ, Maggie’s rescue cat, always deserves a big shout-out for the love and personality he brings to the story. This is a solid, entertaining cozy series that I highly recommend!<br /><br />I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. All opinions are my own. Thank you.<br /><br /><br />

A Whisker of a Doubt is the fourth book in the Cat Cafe Mystery series. I'm not a cat person, but I find this to be a very enjoyable series. It has great characters that are all hitting their stride. Maddie James is a bit impetuous, but her heart in the right place. She is loyal to her friends and can bit a bit stubborn when she is defending them. Maddie is surrounded by a wonderful cast of characters that include her Grandfather, sister, business partner, and parents. The one thing they can't seem to help Maddie with is her penchant for finding dead bodies or getting herself into trouble. This time around, Maddie stumbles upon a dead body close to Christmas and her close friend is accused and arrested for the murder.<br /><br />The mystery was well done. It was interesting because the book started out with Maddie discovering the body and then goes back a couple of days prior to that to establish the circumstances that led up to the death of this person. There is plenty of intrigue and suspects to choose from. It seems like everyone in this neighborhood has a secret to keep and as they come to light the list of suspects grows. I enjoyed trying to unravel this mystery and figure out the identity of the killer. There was a nice twist thrown in as to the identity of the victim but that didn't help me guess the right suspect.<br /><br />I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, St. Martin's, through Netgalley. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Maddie James and her friend Katrina have learned about a colony of feral cats near one of the richest neighborhoods on Daybreak Island, so they are working to take care of it. However, the neighbors are resistant to their efforts, going out of their way to be a pain. Just a couple of days before Christmas, Maddie finds the body of one of them, Virgil Proust, outside his house. Virgil and his wife were some of the loudest people fighting against the cats and Maddie’s efforts to feed them. When the police focus on Katrina as their prime suspect, Maddie knows it is up to her to find the truth. Can she do it?<br /><br />I’ve been waiting impatiently for this book due to the cliffhanger the previous book left us with. I was thrilled to get back to Maddie and find out what happened there. Even if you haven’t read the books that came before this one, you’ll still be able to jump in here and follow along. I will say that Maddie’s attitude in this sub-plot bothered me a bit at times, although I always understood where she was coming from. The main mystery is good with a few nice surprises on our way to the solution. The suspects could have been stronger, and I struggled at times to remember all of their relationships, but I was still invested in the story. The regular characters are strong and charming, as are the cats at the cat café where Maddie works. The Christmas setting adds an extra level of cozy. Fans new and old will enjoy this festive entry in the series.<br /><br />Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2020/12/book-review-whisker-of-doubt-by-cate.html" rel="nofollow noopener">Carstairs Considers</a>.

Maddie’s back in the fourth Cat Café mystery, “A Whisker of a Doubt.” Katrina, Maddie’s friend and the local animal control officer, has been accused of murdering one of the residents of a community where Maddie and other volunteers have been caring for a feral cat colony.<br /><br />I want to like this series more than I do. The writing style is good, and I love most of the characters. Rescues are one of my causes, as well. But Maddie is just exhausting. She namedrops her retired police officer grandfather and hospital executive father in attempts to get her own way. She thinks a lawyer has control over a client’s bail, and should chip in to pay said bail. She whines about how things aren’t fair and demands that people do things that clearly won’t work. When her friends try to give her a reality check, she lashes out, even admitting she’s a jerk, but she does it anyway.<br /><br />Other characters attribute qualities to her that she clearly does not possess. Her grandfather says that she would have made a good police officer, but Maddie is far too immature and her kneejerk reactions are all emotional. Her friend Cass says that Maddie can tell when people are lying, but Maddie mentions several times how she’s been lied to in relationships. <br /><br />Then there are the plot issues. There are several implausible scenes, and one that is only there to provide drama. No details, because of spoilers, but a local small-town cop is not going to have access to do a large-scale search in the records of jurisdictions in other states to find dirt on someone. Also, even assuming that you get only one phone call in jail, wouldn’t you have the sense to call someone who can handle things for you? It just felt contrived. <br /><br />The premise is good and, if Maddie would just grow up, the series would be enjoyable.<br /><br />I was given a free copy by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

Four and a half stars, but I'm rounding up because I enjoyed reading this book so much. Love all the characters in this series. Maddie James returned home after her grandmother's death and over the first few books in the series, she works to turn her grandfather's home into a cat cafe/adoption center. In this book, Maddie is helping to care for a feral cat colony in a ritzier neighborhood where the colony has become a neighborhood hot button issue. After she finds one of neighbors dead one night, her friend, Katrina, becomes the prime suspect. Maddie enlists friends and family in her search for the truth. One false note, I could not believe Maddie refusing to talk to her boyfriend for so long to find out why he had been missing for a month. Other than that, there were plenty of possible suspects and the mystery was fair and interesting. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

JJ’s House of Purrs is the happening place in Daybreak Harbor on Daybreak Island, especially for Christmas! Open only a short time, even in the winter the cat shelter and café have begun popular for people on and off the island.<br /><br />Maddie came back to the island for her grandma’s funeral after being away several years in California. She was followed home by the cat she lovingly named JJ when he decided she was going to be his person. Maddie lives with her grandfather now; her business partner and her sister later joined her. As a pet lover with a close friend in the pet rescue community, she and retired police chief Grandpa Leo converted part of his home into a cat café and shelter without cages for several cats.<br /><br />Maddie’s friend Katrina is an animal control officer under the supervision of the police chief, so in many ways, she has been like family to Maddie, her parents, and Leo. Maddie helps Katrina care for feral cat communities until neighborhood people are ready to take on the responsibility. In the woods behind one of the most exclusive neighborhoods on the island is one such colony. Katrina was told by the police chief to not go to that colony any longer as she upset a few of the neighbors when threatening with animal cruelty charges. Can you believe there were people there who wanted to poison the cats?<br /><br />Maddie, now the person in charge of the colony, is goes in to feed and set up water for the colony, getting to it through the yard of a family who allows access. She happened to see a dark blotch in the snow of the next back yard. Checking to make sure it isn’t an injured cat, she is horrified to find the body of the man who lives in that home, assaulted and now dead. He and his wife have been loudly against the cat colony, but that didn’t matter right now – getting the police there is priority.<br /><br />Katrina is arrested on Christmas Eve and will have to be in jail for the weekend until the court reopens. She was seen in the vicinity of the Proust home that night and didn’t deny being there or explaining why. As family and friends scramble to get her an attorney and raise bail money, Maddie and Grandpa Leo begin to ask questions and look into the death of Mr. Proust, learning that the Prousts and several neighbors had ongoing feuds. None sounded serious enough to kill for, but who knows?<br /><br />This mystery is very well plotted and executed, and the characters are engaging and almost come to life. The flow is a little choppy as there were several flashbacks to the couple weeks leading up to the murder. I love the ongoing focus on cat rescue, feral cat colonies, and the cat café. Plot twists continued to change my attention of who the best whodunit could be, and was I ever surprised! It is not somebody even as a last-ditch guess on my suspect lists! All loose ends are tied up, and the end is satisfactory. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves cats, New England Christmas holidays, and very likable, unique characters.<br /><br />From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.<br />

This series caught my attention from the first book as the subject is a cause close to my heart, feline rescue. Maddie has returned home to Daybreak Harbor and lives with her grandfather since her grandmother died. He is the former police chief and Maddie, it turns out, is pretty good at solving crimes. Together they maintain a cat shelter/cat cafe. Her business partner is also dating her sister. Cats are dear to their hearts and now Maddie is maintaining a feral colony in a very posh community. Not everybody is a cat lover and soon a dead man is found in his back yard, murdered and dumped in a snow bank. Was he done in over the feral colony or was it a neighbor trying to keep a secret? Maddie's friend, as an animal control officer, had a run-in with the community and was banned from further contact. Maddie took her place but who would have imagined that it would lead to homicide and her friend behind bars for the crime. (I know who I wanted to put behind bars in that neighborhood)<br />Feral cats are seen by some as pests and disposable. Others see them as animals who deserve the best we can do for them. I am firmly in the camp that supports trap/neuter/release programs and giving the cats the chance to decide if they want to hand in their feral card to become a pampered companion. Given the chance, many do go from feral to a loving family companion.<br />As for the mystery, it's well crafted and complex enough to keep me guessing. The characters of Maddie, her grandfather, Leo and Maddie's cat, JJ are fun to hang out with. If I had a cat cafe nearby I would be there every day both as a customer and as a volunteer to care for the cats awaiting adoption. <br />My thanks to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.<br />

A good mystery that also brings awareness to a real problem. Maddie operates a cat cafe and also volunteers with a cat rescue that works with helping feral cats. The newest colony is in the woods adjacent to a well-to-do neighborhood and opposing views about the cats cause problems, maybe even murder.<br /><br />This story has an interesting group of characters and some funny moments too. You do not need to be a cat lover to enjoy this book but if you are you will love the story. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

A fun cozy mystery that is Christmas themed. This lively New England set mystery kept my attention with it's attention to bringing awareness to homeless cats and cat colonies and improving their lives with care taker Maddie James. I was so pleased to see cat's getting the help they need. Rescue agencies work so hard trapping and spaying-neutering feral cats,giving them vet care and trying hard to socialize them to make them adoptable.<br />Small-town mystery has Maddie trying her best to prove her accused friend is innocent of the crime.<br />I'll admit I enjoyed reading about the cats more than the mystery itself.<br /><br />Pub Date 01 Dec 2020 <br />I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.<br />All opinions expressed are my own.

It’s Christmas time in New England and Maddie James’ cat cafe is thriving. Running her cat cafe isn’t the only thing she does, she also assists her friend Katrina in feeding the feral community. Unfortunately, the feral colony happens to be located in the area of the town’s wealthiest community. The residents are complaining. In fact, they are threatening drastic measures to get rid of the cats.<br /><br />Maddie and her friends are not going to stand quietly by as the community accuses them of everything including stealing their Christmas decorations. When one of the wealthy is found dead, Maddie’s best friend is accused and arrested for the crime. Maddie isn’t going to let her close friend sit in jail for a crime she didn’t commit. Maddie vows to find the truth.<br /><br />This is the 4th book in this series and another great book. While you don’t have to start with book #1, I think it’s much better to start at the beginning to get to know the characters and their motivations. I’ve read them all and have enjoyed them.<br /><br />I did think Maddie was a bit annoying as far as her boyfriend, Lucas, goes. She wasn’t very understanding and had a bad case of tunnel vision. Although it’s great how loyal she is to her friend, Katrina, I didn’t think Maddie was very fair to the police. I guess that’s what happens in cozies, though, and it all worked out in the end, of course.<br /><br />This particular mystery is intriguing with clues given throughout the book. There were so many different possibilities. They all kept this reader guessing until the end.<br /><br />Just as a side note: I need more of JJ, Maddie’s cat. As a cat lover, I can’t get enough of the kitties, but that’s just me. I look forward to reading more in this series.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.