chymerra
Shock and Paw initially caught my attention because of the title. It was a charming play on Shock and Awe. When I read the blurb, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this series was centered around a cat cafe. So, I decided to read it. And I am glad that I did. This was a mystery that kept me on my toes.
Shock and Paw is the eighth book in the Cat Cafe Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone, but to avoid the confusion I encountered while reading, I recommend reading the first seven books before picking this one up.
The main storyline of Shock and Paw revolves around Maddie, the Christmas competition, the murder of the town paper’s owner, and fliers that promise designer cat breeds by a backyard breeder. It is up to Maddie to control the Christmas competition, solve who killed the paper owner, and determine who is responsible for breeding designer cats.
Shock and Paw did rub me the wrong way at the beginning of the book. I was slightly turned off by how preachy the author was about not breeding and adopting only. Listen, I rescue cats myself and fall into the adopt when you can category. I have seen the effect that cat overpopulation has. I have also seen what happens when irresponsible owners don’t spay/neuter their pets. But I agree with responsible breeding (aka breeding to breed standard with breeders who are checked often). So, to repeat myself, I was turned off by the dialogue between Maddie and her friends in the first chapter. Thankfully, I don’t judge a book based on what I initially read.
The storyline with Maddie and the Christmas competition was amusing. I felt for Maddie being pulled into it against her will. I also felt for her mother having to deal with someone who was not only new to the island but also new to the committee. Thankfully, Maddie was able to help smooth things over for the competition.
The storyline with the flyers advertising the breeding of designer cats was interesting. I won’t go into my feelings (see above), but I liked seeing Maddie’s commitment to discovering who was breeding and hoping to educate them. I will say that I was shocked at who it was and how it was tied into the murder.
The storyline of the newspaper owner’s murder was interesting. I did kind of figure out who the murderer was, but the motive wasn’t clear. Maddie’s best friend’s red herring was just that—a red herring—but it did add some extra context to the storyline.
The end of Shock and Paw was exciting. I liked how Maddie tied everything together, and I was truly surprised at not only who the murderer was but also how it was tied to the flyers. I also liked that the author ended the book on a positive note.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Cate Conte for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Shock and Paw. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
