The Cat Café is serving coffee on Daybreak Island, New England, in the sixth book of the series. Maddie James runs the popular JJ's House of Purrs but does so much sleuthing, it’s just as well she has sidekicks ready to cook and serve. GONE BUT NOT FURGOTTEN starts amiably with Maddie making appointments to take a Tai Chi class and meditation retreat with her teacher Cass Hendricks.

Cass is concerned that he may know someone hoarding felines in their home. Another student of his, Laurel McKenna, is a lady nearing retirement in Fisherman's Cove, a small village across the island. Reportedly she has too many cats and the neighbours are unhappy. Through the cat café, Maddie finds homes for many adorable cats, so she offers to help and notifies the vet service. But she and Cass arrive to find the door ajar and poor Laurel unresponsive at the foot of the stairs. The obvious suggestion is that she fell – either slipped or tripped on one of the many cats. But Maddie can’t take it at face value. 

Sleuthing runs in Maddie’s blood, as her kindly Grandpa Leo used to be a police chief, and she asks him procedural questions. She can leave Grandpa with their friend Ethan to manage the café while Maddie and various helpers strive to find, trap and provide veterinary attention to the large number of unhappy cats in the house. Maddie hardly gets to see her boyfriend, Lucas; of more concern to her is that Cass may have been one of the last people to see Laura alive, so the police take him as a suspect. Cass lives for meditation and yoga and he won’t even drink coffee. Maddie is sure he couldn’t commit murder. She just has to prove it.

We get a look – but not too graphic – at pet hoarding, and see that it really is a sign of mental illness, but the householder may seem normal. Animals get stressed if there are too many confined together, and nobody can genuinely think the situation described is being kind. Yet the householder doesn’t see it that way. By contrast, we meet the lively ginger cat JJ who comes for walks on a lead, sits on Maddie’s lap and snacks on tuna under the table. Pet lovers will enjoy the story and have fun following the tangled threads of the mystery. We meet community leaders and bin operatives, boatyard staff and nosy neighbours. Just like anywhere, really. 

Cate Conte has done well with GONE BUT NOT FURGOTTEN, keeping the story tasteful and informational rather than over-the-top emotional. I will be coming back for more coffee at the cat café.