Listed here is a list of cozy mysteries books featuring cats. The mystery books series are listed in order of the author’s last name.
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“The Black Cat Bookshop” by Ali Brandon
The Black Cat Bookshop mystery series features a former aspiring actress named Darla Pettistone who inherits her great-aunt’s bookstore in Brooklyn and a huge black cat named Hamlet who becomes her companion and helps her solve mysteries.
The series has six books, starting with “Double Booked for Death.”
“The Cat Who” by Lilian Jackson Braun
“The Cat Who” is a cozy mystery series written by Lilian Jackson Braun. The series follows the adventures of Jim Qwilleran, a journalist who moves to the small town of Pickax in Moose County, located in the northern United States. Jim is accompanied by his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, who have a knack for solving crimes alongside their human companion.
Throughout the series, Koko and Yum Yum help Jim solve various mysteries in the small town of Pickax, ranging from thefts and burglaries to more serious crimes. The cats often provide important clues and insights that help Jim solve the case, making them essential partners in the investigations.
In addition to the mystery-solving cats, the series is also known for its charming setting and engaging characters, many of whom are recurring throughout the series. The town of Pickax and its inhabitants are depicted as quirky and endearing, with a strong sense of community and small-town values.
The “Cat Who” series consists of 29 books, starting with “The Cat Who Could Read Backwards,” which was first published in 1966.
“The Mrs. Murphy” by Rita Mae Brown
This cozy mystery series features Mary Minor “Harry” Harristeen, a postmistress and amateur sleuth, who lives in the small town of Crozet, Virginia with her pets, Mrs. Murphy, a gray tabby cat, and Tee Tucker, a Welsh Corgi.
Mrs. Murphy is no ordinary cat – she has the ability to communicate with other animals, including the other pets in the town. Together with Harry and Tee Tucker, Mrs. Murphy helps solve various crimes that occur in their small Virginia town.
The series features a wide cast of quirky and interesting characters, including the human residents of Crozet and the many animals who inhabit the town. The series often explores the complex relationships between animals and humans, and the many ways in which they can communicate and help each other.
Throughout the series, the animals often play a central role in helping Harry solve crimes, and their unique perspectives and insights are integral to the investigations. The stories are known for their engaging plots, witty dialogue, and charming small-town setting.
The “Mrs. Murphy Mysteries” series currently has 30 books, starting with “Wish You Were Here,” which was first published in 1990.
“The Cat Cafe Mysteries” by Cate Conte
This series features Maddie James, owner of a cat cafe named JJ’s House of Purrs, and her Maine Coon cat, JJ. They solve murders in the small town of Daybreak Island, Massachusetts.
Throughout the series, Maddie becomes involved in various mysteries and crimes that occur in Daybreak Island, and her cat JJ often provides important clues to help solve the case.
The “Cat Cafe Mysteries series“ has a total of seven books, starting with “Cat About Town.”
“Cat in the Stacks Mystery” by Miranda James
Mild-mannered Charlie Harris and his sidekick, a rescued Maine Coon cat named Diesel set out to solve multiple murder mysteries in this long-running series my Miranda James called Cat in the Stacks. So far, 14 books in the series have been published.
Charlie is a semi-retired librarian living in Athena, Mississippi. He finds Diesel as a kitten in a parking lot and names the cat after his very loud, engine-like purring. Each book features Charlie front and center in the investigation after each murder is discovered.
“The Magical Cats Mysteries” by Sofie Kelly
The “Magical Cats Mysteries” is a cozy mystery series written by Sofie Kelly (who also writes as Sofie Ryan). The series centers around two magical cats named Owen and Hercules, who live in the small town of Mayville Heights with their human, Kathleen Paulson.
Kathleen is a librarian who moved to Mayville Heights to start a new life after a breakup, and she discovers that her cats have magical powers that help her solve mysteries.
The cats have the ability to disappear and reappear in strange places, they can communicate with Kathleen and other cats, and they have a knack for finding clues that help solve the mysteries. Each book in the series features a new mystery that Kathleen and her cats must solve, and the mysteries are usually tied to the history of the town or its inhabitants.
In addition to the magical cats, the series also features a cast of quirky and charming characters, including Kathleen’s friends and neighbors in Mayville Heights. The town itself is depicted as a cozy and welcoming place, with a small-town atmosphere that is familiar to many readers.
The “Magical Cats Mysteries” series currently has 15 books, starting with “Curiosity Thrilled the Cat.”
“The Cat Rescue Mysteries” by T.C. LoTempio
This series features a former actress turned cat rescuer, Sydney McCall, and her orange tabby cat, Toby, as they solve mysteries in the small town of Deer Park, North Carolina.
Sydney runs a cat rescue shelter called Friendly Paws, which she inherited from her grandmother, and is passionate about finding loving homes for her feline friends.
Throughout the series, Sydney becomes involved in various mysteries and crimes that occur in Deer Park, and her cat, Toby, often provides important clues to help solve the case.
There are two books in the series, starting with “Purr M for Murder.”
“The Joe Grey” by Shirley Rousseau Murphy
“The Joe Grey Series” is a cozy mystery series written by Shirley Rousseau Murphy. The series features a talking cat named Joe Grey who lives in the small coastal town of Molena Point, California. Joe Grey is no ordinary cat – he has the ability to talk and think like a human, and he often uses his unique abilities to help his human friends solve crimes.
The series follows Joe Grey as he becomes involved in various mysteries in Molena Point, often teaming up with other cats in the town to solve crimes and catch the culprits. Along with the cats, the series features a cast of human characters, including police officers, journalists, and business owners, who work together to uncover clues and solve crimes.
“The Joe Grey Series” currently has 21 books, starting with “Cat on the Edge.”
“Chapter and Curse” by Elizabeth Penney
This brand new cozy mystery series by Elizabeth Penney doesn’t seem to have a name yet. The first book in the series, Chapter and Curse, introduces the central character Molly Kimball. Molly has arrived in Cambridge, England with her mother from Vermont to pursue a new life helping her great aunt manage the bookstore that has been in her family for centuries.
On the night of the murder of one of her aunt’s longtime friends, Molly rescues a male black cat that she names Puck, inspired by the line in Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, “I am a merry wanderer of the night.” Molly, along with her mother, great aunt, and her great aunt’s friends set out to clear her great aunt’s name and figure out who the murderer is.
“The Second Chance Cat Mysteries” by Sofie Ryan
This “Second Chance Cat Mysteries” series features Sarah Grayson, owner of a secondhand shop, and her cat, Elvis. They solve murders in the small town of North Harbor, Maine.
The “Second Chance Cat Mysteries” has a total of ten books, starting with “The Whole Cat and Caboodle.” Sofie Ryan has published other cat mystery series under the name Sofie Kelly.
