Today I'm showcasing, Nine Lives and Alibis, #7 in Cate Conte's Cat Cafe Mystery series.
Enjoy!
ISBN-13: 9781250883933
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: 8-22-2023
Length: 336pp
Cat Cafe #7
Buy It: Amazon/ B&N/ IndieBound
ADD TO: GOODREADS
Overview:
In Nine Lives and Alibis, the seventh in Cate Conte's Cat Café beloved cozy mystery series, Daybreak Island is gearing up for Halloween—but this year it seems like it'll be all tricks and no treats.It’s October in Daybreak Harbor, which means everything Halloween. The town is going all out for the holiday, hoping to one-up the festivities in neighboring Salem, Massachusetts, and Maddie James is delighted to be part of the planning for the annual happenings.
But trouble brews when Maddie’s youngest sister, Sam, books a famous medium, Balfour Dempsey, to come to town for the celebrations and stay in the local haunted inn—along with his equally famous black cat. The town busybody books a secret reading with Balfour and doesn’t want anyone to know why. Maddie’s best friend Becky is hell-bent on getting Balfour to help her solve two 40-year-old mysteries—a murder and a missing maid. And the psychic has a stalker who’s followed him here to the island, demanding he connect with her dead husband.
When Balfour is pushed off the cliffs behind the inn to his death and his beloved cat goes missing, it throws the whole town into a frenzy. And Maddie and her family find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery straight out of a Halloween movie.
Read an excerpt:
Chapter 1
From the Daybreak Island Chamber of Commerce website
Haunted Spots on Daybreak Island
While Daybreak Island has a ghostly history with its long parade of sailors and sea captains and the tragedies that naturally come with a life at sea, the Inn at Lighthouse Point in Daybreak Harbor is the only truly haunted residence on the island. It was built by Captain William Swain in 1850 for his bride. Sadly, Captain Swain died at sea shortly after his wedding, and his bride of ten days, Louisa, never recovered. She was said to have become a recluse in the house, leaving only at night to walk the cliffs, staring out to sea. Some said she was searching for her lost husband. Others said she was contemplating suicide on those nightly walks.
Until finally, she leapt from the cliffs on the one-year anniversary of her wedding.
The house sat empty for ten years, eventually falling into disrepair, since Swain had no other family and no children. It was purchased by the Blair family in 1861, and they restored and renovated the home and turned it into an inn. It’s been in the Blair family ever since.
Louisa Swain has kept the family company in her prior home from day one. She is said to walk the cliffs at night in her very best blue dress, the one she wore waiting for her husband to return from sea. Guests have reported seeing her roaming the property, watching for her husband, though they’ve only seen her from behind—she never turns to face anyone.
While Louisa is the first ghost to have graced the property, she’s been joined by other spirits over the years. Guests have reported ghostly happenings, including furniture being moved around, the sounds of a child laughing, lights turning on and off, and music playing in the middle of the night. On the fifth floor in particular, guests have reported feeling violently cold air sweep through the room and have woken to find a woman standing at the foot of their beds.
If you’re visiting the island and love ghost stories, this is the place to stay! The fifth floor is no longer open to guests, but there are plenty of haunted happenings on the other floors to experience. Make your reservations today.
Copyright © 2023 by Liz Mugavero.
From the Daybreak Island Chamber of Commerce website
Haunted Spots on Daybreak Island
While Daybreak Island has a ghostly history with its long parade of sailors and sea captains and the tragedies that naturally come with a life at sea, the Inn at Lighthouse Point in Daybreak Harbor is the only truly haunted residence on the island. It was built by Captain William Swain in 1850 for his bride. Sadly, Captain Swain died at sea shortly after his wedding, and his bride of ten days, Louisa, never recovered. She was said to have become a recluse in the house, leaving only at night to walk the cliffs, staring out to sea. Some said she was searching for her lost husband. Others said she was contemplating suicide on those nightly walks.
Until finally, she leapt from the cliffs on the one-year anniversary of her wedding.
The house sat empty for ten years, eventually falling into disrepair, since Swain had no other family and no children. It was purchased by the Blair family in 1861, and they restored and renovated the home and turned it into an inn. It’s been in the Blair family ever since.
Louisa Swain has kept the family company in her prior home from day one. She is said to walk the cliffs at night in her very best blue dress, the one she wore waiting for her husband to return from sea. Guests have reported seeing her roaming the property, watching for her husband, though they’ve only seen her from behind—she never turns to face anyone.
While Louisa is the first ghost to have graced the property, she’s been joined by other spirits over the years. Guests have reported ghostly happenings, including furniture being moved around, the sounds of a child laughing, lights turning on and off, and music playing in the middle of the night. On the fifth floor in particular, guests have reported feeling violently cold air sweep through the room and have woken to find a woman standing at the foot of their beds.
If you’re visiting the island and love ghost stories, this is the place to stay! The fifth floor is no longer open to guests, but there are plenty of haunted happenings on the other floors to experience. Make your reservations today.
Copyright © 2023 by Liz Mugavero.
Series in Order
About the author:
Cate Conte writes the Cat Cafe Mysteries and the Full Moon Mysteries. As Liz Mugavero, she writes the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, the first of which was an Agatha Award nominee for Best First Novel. She lives in Connecticut with her rescue pals.
I'm hoping to read this one soon.
ReplyDeleteit looks good
DeleteSounds like there's a lot going on with this one. The premise sounds good though.
ReplyDeleteit does
DeleteThis sounds perfect for fall.
ReplyDeletewith a pumpkin latte ;-)
Delete