Cate Conte Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Cate Conte's Books

If you are new to the cozy, animal-loving worlds of Cate Conte, your best entry point depends on whether you prefer classic feline-themed whodunits or a touch of paranormal magic. For the ultimate introduction to her writing style, start with Cat About Town, the first book in her popular Cat Café Mystery series. It establishes her signature blend of small-town New England charm, animal rescue advocacy, and engaging puzzle-solving.

If you prefer cozy mysteries with a supernatural twist, you should begin with Witch Hunt, the debut of her Full Moon Mysteries. For readers who want to explore her earliest published work under her real name, Liz Mugavero, the best starting point is Kneading to Die, the Agatha Award-nominated first book in the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries.

The Cat Café Mystery Series Reading Order

The Cat Café Mystery series is Cate Conte's flagship cozy series. It follows Maddie James, who returns to Daybreak Island, Massachusetts, to help her family and ends up opening a cat café. Alongside a charismatic orange rescue cat named JJ, Maddie frequently finds herself untangling local murder mysteries. The series should be read in publication order, as the relationships and local subplots develop sequentially from book to book:

1. Cat About Town (2017) – Maddie returns to Daybreak Island and adopts a stray cat named JJ, who helps her clear her name when she is suspected of murder.
2. Purrder She Wrote (2018) – As Maddie prepares to officially open her cat café, a local developer is found dead, drawing her back into sleuthing.
3. The Tell Tail Heart (2019) – Maddie hosts a fundraiser at the cat café, but the event is disrupted when a prominent community member is killed.
4. A Whisker of a Doubt (2020) – The holiday season on Daybreak Island is ruined when a town council member is murdered, and Maddie's grandfather becomes a suspect.
5. Claws for Alarm (2021) – Maddie takes on a temporary pet-sitting job that turns deadly when the pet owner is found murdered.
6. Gone but Not Furgotten (2022) – A destination wedding on the island goes awry when a dead body is found on the beach.
7. Nine Lives and Alibis (2023) – Maddie investigates the suspicious death of a local real estate agent during a grand opening event.
8. Shock and Paw (2024) – A major winter storm traps Maddie and her friends on the island with a killer after a local contractor is murdered.
9. Claws Out (2025) – Maddie faces a personal and professional crisis when a high-profile guest at the café is found poisoned.
10. Purranormal Activity (2026) – The local historical society is plagued by spooky events and a very real murder that Maddie must solve.

The Full Moon Mysteries Reading Order

For readers who enjoy a light paranormal element, the Full Moon Mysteries deliver. Set in the town of North Harbor, Connecticut, the series stars Violet Mooney, the owner of a crystal and occult shop called The Full Moon. Violet discovers she comes from a line of real witches and must learn to balance her budding magical powers with solving local homicides. The series is currently a trilogy and should be read in order:

1. Witch Hunt (2020) – Violet Mooney's quiet life running a crystal shop is shattered when a local zoning board member is killed, and she must use both magic and logic to find the culprit.
2. Witch Trial (2021) – Violet is accused of a crime she didn't commit when a rival shop owner is murdered, forcing her to dig into the town's hidden history.
3. Witch Way Out (2023) – Violet must solve a mystery involving an old family secret when a long-lost relative arrives and a body is discovered near her shop.

Writing as Liz Mugavero: Pawsitively Organic Mysteries

Before writing as Cate Conte, the author published the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries under her real name, Liz Mugavero. This series features Stan Connor, a corporate PR executive who suffers a midlife crisis, moves to Frog Ledge, Connecticut, and starts an organic gourmet pet food bakery. Together with her Maine Coon cat, Nutty, Stan solves local crimes. The books follow this chronological order:

1. Kneading to Die (2013) – Stan relocates to Connecticut and starts her pet food business, only to be accused of murdering a local farm owner.
2. A Biscuit, a Casket (2014) – Stan investigates when a local dog walker is found dead, endangering her business reputation.
3. The Icing on the Corpse (2015) – A winter carnival turns chilly when a competitive baker is found frozen to death.
4. Murder Most Finicky (2015) – Stan goes to a gourmet pet food conference and finds herself investigating the death of a prominent industry competitor.
5. Custom Baked Murder (2016) – The opening of a new organic market is stalled by the murder of the store's primary investor.
6. Purring around the Christmas Tree (2017) – A festive holiday season is disrupted when a local volunteer is found dead under a display tree.
7. Murder, She Meowed (2019) – Stan must clear her own assistant's name when a cat show organizer is murdered.

What to Know Before You Start

Cate Conte's mysteries are celebrated for their strong focus on the human-animal bond and real-world animal advocacy. The author is a dedicated advocate for cat rescue, and this passion is woven directly into the fabrics of her stories. Maddie James's cat café frequently highlights shelter cats looking for forever homes, and the books promote responsible pet ownership.

While each book features a self-contained murder mystery that is fully resolved by the final chapter, reading the series in order is highly recommended. The overarching character development, Maddie's evolving relationships, and the changes in the Daybreak Island community build significantly across the volumes.

You may also see Cate Conte's name associated with the Cozy Case Files series. These are free mystery samplers released periodically by Minotaur Books and St. Martin's Press. They feature early excerpt chapters of upcoming cozy releases from various authors, including Conte, rather than containing exclusive or standalone stories.