Cozy mysteries and cats have long had a fascinating relationship. Some would say that the trend of cat mystery books began in the 1960s with Lilian Jackson Braun’s The Cat Who… series, and it has since persisted. There are many choices for these kinds of mysteries and characters, including ones with bookshop owners, pet caretakers, and occasionally even ones with the cat acting as the investigator. You’re likely to discover one that you like because the pool is so large. Check out any of these cat mystery books if you’re searching for a spot to jump off from while reading!
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SANTA CLAWED
BY RITA MAE BROWN
She jokingly claims that her cat Sneaky Pie helped her write this series. The main characters are “Harry” Haristeen, her husband Fair, and their assortment of four-legged animals. The couple discovers the tree they intended to use to decorate the halls at the beginning of this tale. Sadly, it was already adorned with a corpse. Harry enlists the assistance of her animal companions to identify the murderer as more respectable guys start getting pushed aside before they decide to make this her final Christmas.
A MIDWINTER’S TAIL
BY SOFIE KELLY
Kathleen Paulson and her two supernatural cats, Owen and Hercules, are featured in this series. This “tail” starts at a charity function for Kathleen’s place of employment, the library. A visitor passes away while attending the gala to raise money for the Reading Buddies program. The victim is revealed to be a lady with many undiscovered links to various residents of the community. It is up to Kathleen, her boyfriend Marcus, and her unusual pets to identify the true offender.
CATS COMING HOME
BY SHIRLEY ROSSEAU MURPHY
In this series, Joe Grey, a cat, plays the role of the detective. At this character’s sixteenth outing, Joe teams up with Kit, Dulcie, and a lonely jail cat to investigate a Christmas murder in Molena Point. However, don’t be put off by the fact that a cat serves as the investigator in this case since there is a fun twist in this tale. Perfect for admirers of Rita Mae Brown and Lilian Jackson Braun, to name a couple!
COOKED GOOSE
BY G.A. MCKEVETT
Savannah Reid, a plus-sized former police officer turned private investigator, and her two black cats Cleopatra and Diamante star in another long-running cat mystery series. Savannah is having a hard time getting in the holiday mood given the 90 degree California heat. Her snobbishness may possibly be attributed to a rapist who committed his atrocities while masquerading as the merry old Saint Nick. Due to this, she manages to find a full-time job instructing self-defense to local women before becoming the daughter of her former boss’s bodyguard as the crime escalates to officer killing. Savannah needs to put in extra hours to make sure that everyone—aside from the criminal—has a nice holiday.
SIX CATS A’SLAYING
BY MIRANDA JAMES
In this series, our investigators are Charlie Harris and Diesel, his Maine Coon. Around this time, Charlie is busy getting ready for his first Christmas as a grandfather. Additionally, he is avoiding encounters with his antagonistic neighbor and the real estate salesperson. This combined with the unannounced birth of five kittens made this Christmas quite difficult. The situation becomes much more chaotic when his neighbor passes away. Before their holidays are spoiled, Charlie and his girlfriend must solve this mystery.
THE MOUSSE WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
BY H.Y. HANNA
In book 10 of this Gemma Rose series, the protagonist is stranded in a rural manor for a white Christmas. When a corpse is discovered in the library and there is a house full of suspects, things get a little less joyful. To save the occasion and ensure that everyone can still celebrate, it is up to Gemma, the Old Biddies, and her tabby cat Muesli to solve the murder.
SEVEN SWANS A’SHOOTING
BY KYRA DAVIS
Author of mysteries Sophie Katz and her cat Mr. Katz are featured in this series. The Christmas novella serves as the book’s “in-between” chapter. Leah, Sophie’s sister, is recruited to plan a Swan Lake flash mob as the narrative starts. That abruptly comes to an end when the lead dancer is discovered murdered and an engagement ring disappears. Before they end up in jail or, worse worse, die, it’s up to Sophie and Leah to figure out who the true killer is.
KILLING CUPID
BY LAURA LEVINE
The protagonists of this series are the independent writer Jaine Austen and her cat Prozac. Jaine is eager for the opportunity to play Cupid now that she has a new job creating brochures for the neighborhood matchmaker. To her dismay, she discovers that her new employer is a dictator, which makes things quite hellish on earth. She ends up dead at the neighborhood Valentine’s Day celebration, an unexpected turn of events. Even though there are several potential possibilities, Jaine makes it her mission to identify the killer of her new employer.
THE STOLEN VALENTINE
BY K.J. EMRICK
Darcy Sweet, her psychic cat Smudge, and the ghost of her great-aunt Millie all appear in this series. All of them are fast, brief novellas that focus on the activities of Darcy and her staff at her bookstore. the titular holiday is the focus of the story, and Darcy believes that figuring out what to gift her partner for the romantic occasion will be her toughest obstacle. When her brother-in-law suddenly vanishes, the family panics and scrambles to find him before it’s too late.
CAT GOT YOUR SECRETS
BY JULIE CHASE
The Furry Godmother, a pet store and organic treat bakery, and its owner Lacy Marie Crocker are featured in this first installment in a series. When a person is discovered dead after using one of her glitter glue guns, her grand opening is abruptly put to an end. She is now, of course, the main suspect as a result. Then a series of gem heists start to happen. To prevent her dream from being “defurred,” Lacy makes the decision to find out what actually occurred that evening.
There you have it, then! Hopefully one of these feline-themed mysteries will pique your curiosity so you can enjoy the “purr”fect reading session with a cozy blanket and hot beverage. Perfect timing for fall reading.
Excuse my cat jokes. I was unable to resist.
The Glorious Train Wreck Mom 
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