Book review: ‘Purranormal Activity’
Purranormal Activity: A Cat Café Mystery by Cate Conte. Minotaur, 2026. Softcover, 304 pages.
If there is a suspicious death on Daybreak Island, cat rescuer Maddie James and her orange tabby JJ are sure to be in the thick of things as they search for clues. Purranormal Activity, the 10th installment in author Cate Conte’s always engaging cozy series, focuses on the murder of Maddie’s mother’s childhood friend Olivia, who has recently returned to Daybreak Island. The case has a possible connection to the long-ago disappearance of Olivia’s aunt.
Having been hired by Olivia to stage a cat-themed birthday party for her granddaughter, Maddie, her mother, and JJ show up at Olivia’s house to discuss details. But there, with the help of a mysterious gray-and-white cat, they find Olivia’s body in a hidden room.
Maddie and JJ already have their hands and paws full with running the cat café and their latest venture, a mobile cat café. But, as Cate Conte’s readers know, Maddie can’t help but try to solve murders. As she and JJ embark on their quest, they are often helped by the mysterious gray-and-white cat believed to be the ghost of a longtime island feline legend.
This 10th entry of the Cat Café Mystery series is just as enjoyable as its predecessors, wrapping up all the loose ends — with the exception of the island’s legendary ghost cat.
What I like so much about the series is the combination of a good “cozy” with information on cat rescue and adoption through JJ’s House of Purrs, an area adjacent to the cat café where cats and kittens are up for adoption. Integrating such material into a cozy filled with a familiar and likable cast of characters sets the Cat Café series apart from many other mysteries featuring an amateur detective and her cat, leaving me, along with other fans, eagerly awaiting Maddie and JJ’s next adventure.
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