bookscoffeebrews Book Reveiw: Nine Lives and
Alibi---A Cat Cafe Mystery
Stars: 3.5 x 5
Author: Cate Conte @lizmugavero
Publisher: Minotaur Book @minotaur_books from
@mcmillanusai
Thank you @negalley for this ARC

This is a lovely Cat Cafe cozy mystery. The island of
Daybreak is getting ready for Halloween. So many
tricks and treats are occurIng. Maddie's young sister
Sam books a famous medium for Halloween, Balfour
Dempsey. They are hoping that Balfour Dempsey will
help the solve a murder and missing maid.
Apparently, once the medium arrives to do this
someone does not want him involved. It looks like he
has also brought a stalker with him. Another issue is
the hotel he is staying at is suppose to be haunted. It
seems that Balfour Dempsey is pushed off the cliffs
and falls to his death. This is where past and present
collide.
Maddie runs a cafe and who takes in stray cats.
Maddie has a cat named JJ and
"together" they try to find the murderer. There are quite
a few surprising twist and
turns in this story. Since this was the 7th book in the
series it took me a bit to learn
the characters but once that was done it was a cozy
read. By the end of the book both new and old
mysteries are solved.
I love anything Halloween since that is my birthday and
any mystery with a cat is even better.

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#booknerd ( )

Maddie James and her family are all involved in planning for Halloween events in her small New England town. When a renowned psychic is engaged as the star attraction, Maddie and friends never expected to be involved in yet another mysterious death at the Inn where the psychic is staying.

This book is part of the Cat Cafe mystery series, and readers new to the series (as I am) will have some quick catching up to do in the first chapters. More than 20 characters were introduced at the outset. (I had to make notes to keep up!) However, despite my initial skepticism, I quickly became engrossed in the quirky characters and the highly atmospheric Halloween setting. The descriptions kept me interested and I could picture the settings and events. Now I am anxious to read more in this series about Maddie and her eccentric family (especially Grandpa Leo and JJ the cat.)

Readers who enjoy a cozy and quirky mystery with a lot of atmosphere and some paranormal action will find this a fun and intriguing read.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. ( )

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. ( )

Nine Lives and Alibis is the 7th book and a great addition to this delightful series. Maddie James is part of the planning committee for the towns annual halloween festival. Her sister hires a famous psychic named Balfour as the main event . They book him. his pampered black cat. and his strange entourage into the local Haunted Inn where he will be giving private readings. An unsolved murder occurred at the Inn years before, as well as the disappearance of a local maid. Balfour is murdered shortly after he announces his plans to retire from his business. This is a good mystery with likeable character's, cute cats, lots of twists and turns and plenty of red herrings. This book had me hooked from page one. 5/5 stars! ( )

island-life, funeral-home, medium, family-drama, family-dynamics, cold-case, ghosts, small-town, festivals, tourist-town, Halloween, stalker, murder-investigation, local-law-enforcement, amateur-sleuth, innkeeper, cats, rescue-animals, series, cozy-mystery, psychics****

Seasonal entertainment read with cats in costumes, family, ghosts, and lots more! Publisher's blurb is a great hook but the story is even better than that. Loved it even though I haven't yet read the earlier in series.
I requested and received an EARC from St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thanks! ( )