Nine Lives and Alibis

July 1, 2023
Spooks at a Massachusetts Halloween festival turn out to be all too real. Determined to make Daybreak Island the next Salem, Maddie James has big plans for a Halloween celebration. Well, really her family does, but Maddie's happy to help her youngest sister, Sam, with her vision for the inaugural Haunted Halloween Festival, and she's excited that her cat cafe, JJ's House of Purrs, will be sponsoring the pet costume parade. With the help of her connections, Sam has even booked the hugely successful psychic Balfour Dempsey, whose mom is a local, to give some readings. The perfect setting for all these festivities is obviously the haunted Lighthouse Point hotel, even if its proprietor, Jacob Blair, is being a wet blanket about the whole thing. He's concerned about cheapening the hotel's image, which seems a bit rich after the many grisly deaths that are rumored to have occurred on the premises. Although Maddie's not typically one for psychic woo-woo, she gets involved when high-maintenance Balfour starts making demands in advance of his arrival. First he needs several handcarved pumpkins for his reading room; then he wants to anoint as the party's master of ceremonies his own cat, Balfour Jr., rather than a cat that's available for adoption. If only that were the end of Maddie's troubles, things would be grumpy but quiet. Alas, a murder and a missing feline mean that her problems have just begun. Paring down all those subplots could have streamlined interest.

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August 1, 2023

In Conte's seventh "Cat Caf� Mystery" (following Gone but Not Furgotten), Maddie James plans a Halloween festival for Daybreak Harbour to rival the events in neighboring Salem, MA. When the event's headliner, a psychic medium, is pushed over the cliffs near the (possibly haunted) inn where he's staying, and his black cat goes missing, Maddie and her family must solve the case to get the festival back on track. True to form, this cozy mystery is a fun, engaging read with lots of twists and false flags. Although the cast is sizable, Conte is comfortable with her characters, and readers won't get confused as she takes time to introduce the important players and gives each one a unique voice. Cat lovers won't be disappointed: Maddie's orange tabby JJ is featured heavily and gets to travel around the island with her to help unravel the mystery. VERDICT An excellent choice for readers who love cozy mysteries, cats, and/or Halloween. This book would be a worthwhile addition to cozy mystery sections, either to complete the series or as a stand-alone.--Jenny Shonk

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