I’m a mystery addict (and a fantasy addict, and a historical addict…I’m just a book addict) but every now and then it hits me when doing a review of a mystery that I might talk about it being a light and entertaining, etc. I’m using these words to describe a very violent act. The taking of a life. Now, I won’t stop using those words because many cozies have light and entertaining as very much a part of the entire story. In fact, I would love to spend time with many of these people and their friends even if there is a murder that has taken place. It just needs to be reminded every now and then that mixed in with the light and frothy is some aspects that are anything but.

In fact, that happens in this story. Not just is there a murder…or perhaps more. It deals with the mental illness that is hording, particularly when it is dealing with hording animals. Very often these people are doing it with the best of intentions but just as often the animals are not given the proper care and necessities that they need. It just isn’t possible when an overabundance of animals are crammed into a too small space.

The author deals with the issue with sympathy and tries to show different aspects of the condition. It was good information to know and shows just how difficult it is to run a rescue operation of any animal. There is so much more involved than just the care of animals.

Aside from more important issues, it is a solid mystery and a decent story. Today, however, I was more in the mood for something light and frothy—even if it does involve murder. This isn’t a depressing book but it just wasn’t quite what I was looking for. So take that in consideration when reading this review. I do like the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

Cozy mystery readers who are not cat lovers might be bored with this story. For the first half of the book, it's really not a murder mystery. Maddie James, the likable protagonist, owns a cat cafe on Daybreak island, and her beloved orange tabby, JJ (after whom the cafe is named), walks on a leash and goes almost everywhere with her. When her friend Cass begins teaching Tai Chi in a town on the other side of the island, he grows concerned about a student, Laurel, who might be a cat hoarder. He persuades Maddie to get involved, but when they arrive at Laurel's house, they find her dead--apparently the result of an accidental fall down the stairs. And sure enough, the house is overrun with cats--72 in all.
As I mentioned, the first half of the book focuses on the rescue operation. As a cat lover and volunteer for an animal rescue group, I stayed engaged. Sanitized appropriately for the cozy audience, the story provides a lot of information about animal hoarding and rescue. Not much attention is paid to Laurel's death since it was presumed to be an accident (most likely caused by her tripping over cats).
When a second death occurs, most definitely a murder, the police take a closer look at the mysterious circumstances of Laurel's death, and the pace picks up. Maddie works with her grandfather, Leo Mancini, retired police chief-turned-private investigator, and they team up with the local police to sleuth out the killer. Some of the clues were dropped earlier in the story, before the reader knows there will be a murder to solve.
This is the sixth book in a series, but it's the first I've read from the author. Although the story stands alone, there are a few characters who pop in without much introduction; I assume they appeared in earlier volumes.
Recommended for people who enjoy reading about cat rescue and life in a small town, with a little mystery on the side.

This is a great cozy mystery that hooks you on the first page. It's full of twists and turns and will keep you guessing until the end. Even while trying to solve the murder mystery the cat rescue continues. If you are a cat lover or love a great cozy mystery you don't want to miss this book.
I received a complimentary copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Cat rescues, a murder, a cat rescue facility, a restaurant - what's not to like?

Maddie runs a cat rescue business as well as a restaurant. And she finds time for tai chi. Her friend Cass is concerned about a cat hoarding situation and when they check up on the owner, they find not only cats everywhere in the house and yard, but a dead body in the house. Cass becomes a suspect in the murder. Maddie's grandfather is a retired policeman, presently working as a private investigator and he works with her to uncover the real killer. As yet another person is murdered, the window to solve the murders becomes smaller, before someone else loses their life.

Lots of clues, red herrings, side paths, and throughout it all the cat rescue continues. This is the sixth book in the Cat Cafe series, but the books do not have to be read in order.

Maddie James has a cat cafe on the island of daybreak. Her friend and local tai chi teacher tells her about a local cat hoarder situation. When they show up to the house they find both doors open and the homeowner dead at the bottom of the stairs. When the local police arrive at the scene they deem it an accident. But alarm bells are ringing for Maddie. So she decides to investigate.

I really enjoyed this book. This is the sixth book in the Cat Cafe Mystery Series and my first. But again not my last. I loved the characters and learning about the subject of cat rescues. The writing kept me hooked and especially the mystery. I had no idea who the killer was and was entertained by the finding of the clues.

Good addition to this series. Cat hoarding is one of the themes and the author handles this in a realistic manner. A favorite aspect for me is the wonderful relationship between Maddie and her grandfather who is now a PI after retiring as a police chief. Thanks to #NetGalley and #Gonebutnotfurgotten for an advanced digital

Maddie has come a long way since starting her cat cafe on Daybreak Island. Not just a cute cafe with resident cats available for adoption she now has found her niche in animal rescue on the island. Living with her grandfather in the house that also house the cafe sounds wonderful. Her grandfather retired from the police force and now works as a private detective. Between them they make a great sleuthing team.
Cass is a tai chi instructor, owner of Jasper's Tall Tails and one of Maddie's friends - she's also one of his students. When one of his students, Laurel, fails to come to a class, Cass asks Maddie to go with him to check on her. Maddie would be a good choice because, in this case, animal hoarding is suspected. Unfortunately they find that Laurel has fallen down the stairs and died. Was it an accident or was it murder? As for the hoarding - sad to say there are now 60 cats in dire need of furever homes, a huge challenge for Maddie and her helping friends. What didn't expect? That Cass would become prime suspect #1. Time for Maddie and her grandfather Leo to track down the real killer.
This series has it all. The setting of Daybreak Island is a place the reader wants to visit. While there every day would include a visit to JJ's House of Purrs and to meet Maddie's lovely marmalade kitty sidekick, JJ. The mystery itself is well developed and has the reader guessing wrong every time. At least I always guess wrong. This is one series that has earned its place on my "never miss a book in this series" list.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Clever cozy mystery. A good addition to the series. A difficult subject (cat hoarding) was handled well. Obviously, lots of cats. A few suspects, too. It kept me guessing and turning the pages. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

"Gone but Not Furgotten" is the sixth book in Conte’s Cat Cafe series. In it, Maddie James is dealing with a cat hoarding situation and suspicious death of owner of the house. A lot of the book covers Maddie's issues trapping and caring for the cats, as well as getting them homes through her cat cafe.
The mystery heats up when another member of the small town is killed and one of Maddie's friends becomes a suspect. I did find the ending/killer reveal a bit abrupt, but I still enjoyed the story.

I would love to have an animal rescue facility and a cat café. That is my dream. I love how the people in this story love these animals. While they mostly have cats, there are a few dogs thrown into the mix also. I loved the storyline. I mean getting to work with the animals and your family. I especially love the relationship between Maddie and her grandfather. How special! Who wouldn’t want to have a best bud like JJ? I can’t wait to go visit on Daybreak Island again. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Maddie didn't know what they would find when her friend Cass asked her to go with him to check on his student Laurel but it sure wasn't Laurel's body! Maddie, who runs the Cat Cafe on Daybreak Island with her friend Ethan and her Grandpa Leo (the former Chief of Police) is fond of Cass. who has been teaching meditation and Tai Chi and she doesn't think he had anything to do with the murder- why would he ask her to go with him? And, Laurel had irritated a lot of her neighbors and others with her hoarding of cats. Leo, Ethan, Maddie, Cass and the rest look for answers - especially after there's another murder. It's classic cozy territory but notable for the sensitive treatment of the hoarding. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read that will be fine as a standalone.

This is my first exposure to Cate Conte's A Cat Cafe Mystery series. It is a little farfetched for me to get the concept, however the characters are delightful. I love the author's Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, but I am not a cat person and had trouble identifying. I'll try to go back and pick up the prior books in the series and see how I do with them.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

a very enjoyable book. Maddie is very clever in how she digs to find the answers in this mystery. It was a relaxing read. Maddie brings her retired grandfather Leo in to help her find the answers.

"Gone but Not Furgotten" is the sixth book in Conte’s Cat Cafe series. This is my favorite of the series. I have read the entire series and highly recommend the series to all who adore cats and mysteries. Cate Conte has a knowledge of understanding cats that makes this series such a pleasure to read. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

In this exciting next in series our favorite protagnist Maddie James is dealing with a cat hoarding situation and a murder. Maddie co-owns JJ’s House of Purrs, a cat cafe on Daybreak Island. The setting is atmospheric and beautifully described by the author. The cats are wonderful and a part of each book.

Maddie has a her Zen friend, Cass who is teaching her the art of meditation. He ask her help with a cat hoarding on the island . Maddie and her friends do not hesitate to help after the owner is found murdered and the cats are in need of rescue. This was a interesting look at the true work behind the scenes that rescues put into saving cats from hoarding situations. The mystery was well crafted to conclusion. I enjoyed each aspect of this book from the rescues to the mystery. The regular charcters are back and are wonderful. Well done to the author.

I cannot, and never will, resist a book that celebrates cats! I pounced like a kitten on Gone but Not Furgotten.

The Good: Charming characters who interact in interesting ways. I genuinely liked Maddie, Cass, and Grandpa Leo. My heart ached for Laurel, a woman with heaps of problems but unable to accept help. And then there were all those cats! For me, this was a compelling storyline all on its own. Will all the cats be rescued? Will they be okay? I cared more about this than I did about solving the murder.

The Bad: The Big Reveal of who dun it was a complete surprise - and to be honest, unnecessarily so. I felt a bit cheated. I'd been closely following along, staying alert for all clues, motives, and opportunities. But near the end we were suddenly given a heaping helping of new information and character motives as the reason for murder was explained. These clues should have been dropped more organically throughout the book.

The Advice: I enjoy this author's style and vision. I just wish she'd take more time to plot out her story arc and be more mindful of the clue trail, and the work her readers are putting into following them. I'd give her one more chance with another mystery.

I want to like this book but I’m afraid that I don’t feel that it’s very well written. I know that typos and grammatical errors will be picked up prior to publishing, and I wish those kinds of things were the only problems. A lot of annoying little writing quirks - how many times can we say Daybreak Island in the first pages? And why don’t we know where it is?? I had to get almost halfway through before I found out it was near Boston, and not (as I assumed) Florida. And the end? All of a sudden there are characters that were never introduced in the story. There should have been more information spooled out over the course of the book; this isn’t a surprise party. Some overused cliches - thrown under the bus, for one. But for all of my complaints, I like the premise of the story - a cat cafe and a cat hoarder. The plot involves a woman who runs a cat cafe who happens to be present when a woman, who turns out to be a cat hoarder, is found dead. The plot unfolds as the killer is sought but here’s the thing - the police ask the cafe owner and her grandfather, a retired police chief, to help. How is it that the cafe owner is allowed to be involved in police work? I know, this is a cozy mystery and things must be taken lightly, but this book goes a step too far.

This book was provided for free from the publisher and NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

This sixth Cat Cafe Mystery is an intriguing entry involving cat hoarding and murder. The visit to JJ's House of Purrs finds Maddie and JJ in great form. For my complete review, please see www.reviewingtheevidence.com.

Maddie is known for her cat cafe and her willingness to help any cat in need. Nevertheless, when a friend asks Maddie for help to speak with a person suspected of having a cat hoarding problem, she discovers that it is much more complicated than she imagined.

This story did a good job in not only pointing out the problems with people hoarding animals but also the difficulty of getting people who are aware of the problem to address the situation. My thanks to St. Martin's Paperbacks and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

4 stars for Gone but Not Furgotten by Cate Conte!

Gone but Not Furgotten is the sixth book in Conte’s Cat Cafe series and my first cozy mystery. I’ve been wanting to read a cozy mystery since learning of the genre, and this novel did not disappoint! Despite being the sixth offering of a series, Gone but Not Furgotten is easily read as a stand-alone book, thanks to brief explanations within the novel about the characters and their backgrounds.

Main character Maddie James co-owns JJ’s House of Purrs cat cafe on Daybreak Island with her Grandpa Leo and friend Ethan. In this sixth installment of the series, she is trying to learn the art of meditation from her Zen friend, Cass, when he enlists her help to deal with a cat hoarding situation he’s discovered on the other side of the island in Fisherman’s Cove. Maddie and her friends spring into action to help the cats and soon find themselves involved with a police investigation into a suspicious death.

Maddie and her friends and family are all appealing characters, with the quirks and humor I would expect from a cozy mystery. There’s not a lot of character development in this book beyond Maddie, but I assume the first five novels of the series introduced each character more fully. Feisty, animal-loving Adele, in particular, is a character I want to go back and learn more about, as well as Grandpa Leo and Maddie’s considerate boyfriend, Lucas, too. So while you can read Gone but Not Furgotten on it’s own, I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series if you want to know all of the characters well.

The plot is diverse, with plenty of potential suspects and motives that kept me guessing about the murderer until the very end. Despite the serious subjects of murder and animal hoarding, the descriptions are vague enough for readers who dislike gore or emotionally dark stories. It feels a bit like Murder She Wrote, with a younger sleuth and a focus on pets. Cat lovers will likely enjoy this series more than others, but I think anyone who likes cozy mysteries will give Gone but Not Furgotten two thumbs up. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the rest of Maddie’s story in books 1-5 of the Cat Cafe series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for providing an advance copy of Gone but Not Furgotten by Cate Conte in return for my honest review. The expected publication date is June 28th, 2022.

Maddie James has her hands full running JJ's House of Purrs but when her friend Cass Hendricks tells her about a potential cat hoarding situation, Maddie agrees to try and help. She gets more than she bargains for – when they arrive they not only find dozens of cats but the dead body of the cat hoarder. Things get even worse when Cass becomes a suspect and the police don’t seem to be that interested in looking for any other suspects. Maddie, along with the help of her grandfather, is working to clear Cass’s name when a second murder occurs. Can Maddie clear Cass’s name and find the real killer before someone else gets hurt?

“Gone but Not Furgotten” is the nicely done sixth book in Cate Conte's Cat Café cozy mystery series. I love this series – especially the cat café setting. I also like the characters – Maddie is a great main character and her grandfather is a great partner. The cat hoarding plotline is sad but all too realistic – I felt like I was there alongside Maddie and her friends as they tried to trap and help the cats. As for the mystery plotline – besides the main murder mystery there are several smaller mysteries and all are done well. There are plenty of suspects in the murder and a few twists and turns – I was left guessing until the end as to who the killer was. Well done!

“Gone but Not Furgotten” is a nicely done cozy mystery.