Top Ten Tuesday - Cozy Mysteries Featuring Cats

Happy Top Ten Tuesday! This blog hop is brought to us by That Artsy Reader Girl. On her blog you will see links to the blogs of others who are participating in Top Ten Tuesday. If you are a blogger, feel free to join the party through the linky on her blog post.

This week's topic is Titles with Animals in Them.  This is purrfect for today because here in the U.S., today is National Pet Day! 

When I read my first cozy mystery, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen Mystery 1), by Joanne Fluke, I remember being so excited that this book had a cat in it. After that, I did a Google search to see if I could find other books like this that had cats in it. To my delight, it didn't take me long to realize that cats are very common in cozies.

Since my pets are cats, I am going to share with you ten cozy mysteries that feature cats. I have read at least one book in the first eight series listed here, but none yet in the last two.

His name is Smoky Joe and he is a gray tabby in Allison Brook's Haunted Library Mysteries. Carrie Singleton, an event planner at a library, is his cat mom and she takes him to work with her every day. He is a well-loved library cat that everyone wants to feed even though Carrie has asked patrons not to. If you follow his lead, Smoky Joe may lead you to some clues in solving mysteries. Can you find him in the picture of the book cover?

Deputy Donut is the name and the donut shop that Emily and the father of her deceased husband co-own was named after this cat in the Deputy Donut Mysteries, by Ginger Bolton. Deputy Donut (nicknamed Dep) is a torbie. A torbie is a mix of tabby and tortie. I didn't know this was a type of cat until I read this book. And after looking it up online, I am now thinking my Bell might be a torbie, not a tortie. Either way, they both have tortie in them, so Dep is close to my heart.

The name is Lovey, and Winnie is now the cat's mom after Lovey's previous owner passed away. Lovey is a brown and white tabby in the Emergency Dessert Squad series, by Laura Bradford. Lovey and Winnie have a complicated relationship. You see, Lovey hisses and seems generally unhappy to be around Winnie. Cool name for a cat that hisses, huh? Lovey rides in Winnie's newly inherited vintage ambulance, which Winnie uses to build her Emergency Dessert Squad business. I have only read the first book in this series, but I am planning to read the rest. Besides the overall entertaining and creative premise, I am curious to see how Lovey and Winnie grow. I have a feeling Lovey will warm up to Winnie. Sometimes it takes animals some time to feel comfortable with someone new.

Eddie is a gray and white tabby who reminds me so much of my Fiona. Do you see him on the cover of this book? Eddie is a sweet cat, but his cat mom, Minnie, doesn't always give him the respect he deserves. I am hoping she warms up to him as time goes on. This is a series I want to continue reading because I really liked most of the characters in book 1 of the Bookmobile Cat Mysteries. 

Isn't Gumdrop a cutie? Gumdrop is the catnip-loving cat who belongs to Jax in the Glass Bead Mysteries, by Janice Peacock. This was one of my favorite books from last year, definitely the funniest one I read in 2022! Gumdrop certainly contributes to the humor. 

Note: Gumdrop is not on the cover of the copy of the book that I have, but since I found this version of the cover, I thought I'd share it instead.

The Fairy Garden Mysteries, by Daryl Wood Gerber, features Pixie, the ragdoll cat who belongs to Courtney. Courtney works at Open Your Imagination, a fairy garden shop, and she brings Pixie to work with her every day. Courtney can see fairies and so can Pixie! It is so fun to read about the interaction between Pixie and Fiona, Courtney's fairy. I just finished reading A Hint of Mischief, the third installment in this series. Stay tuned for my review this week!

There are several cats in the Cat Lady Mysteries, by Linda Reilly, but most notable is Blue. Like Pixie, Blue is a ragdoll. Blue was Lara's childhood cat. Is Lara really seeing her childhood cat after so many years have passed? What's up with this mysterious Blue? And can Blue provide clues to help Lara solve a murder mystery?

Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen Mysteries is the only series on this list that does not show a cat on the cover of the books. However, there is most definitely a cat in the series. His name is Moishe and he is an orange and white tabby who is blind in one eye. Moishe does not go to work with Hannah. He either stays home or spends time at the home of his friend Cuddles. Moishe does not solve mysteries, but he is important to Hannah. He is her confidante. She tells him everything and he always seems to be listening when he answers back. Moishe does not like Hannah's mother, but he seems to like everyone else. I'm hoping Moishe's relationship with Hannah's mother improves in future books. I am on book 18 in this series. It's a long-running series that is still ongoing.
  

I had planned to start reading the Magical Bookshop Mysteries, by Amanda Flower, this week. However, I may need to put it off for another week since I have two other books to finish for book clubs. This series features a tuxedo cat named Emerson. While I don't know anything about his personality yet, his appearance reminds me of my beloved Qandi (pronounced "Candy") who was my constant companion for more than 17 years. She crossed Rainbow Bridge last April.

I recently won a copy of Ropes and Last Hopes, by Trixie Silvertale, and I am so excited to read this one. It is part of  a spinoff series from her Mitzy Moon Mysteries, which I have not yet read. I think the cat on the cover of this book looks like a caracal, which is quite different than any other cat on this list!

Do any of these cats "speak" to you?