A Cat Groomer Mystery Books in Order

A Cat Groomer Mystery centers on Cassie McGlone, owner of Cassie's Comfy Cats, a grooming and boarding business in Chadwick, New Jersey. Cassie knows how to handle prickly cats, nervous owners, and the little emergencies that come with pet care. What she does not plan on handling is murder. But starting with The Persian Always Meows Twice, cat-related errands keep putting her near dead bodies, suspicious families, and people willing to do ugly things for money, status, or revenge.

The setup is cozy, but the books stay grounded. The cats matter because Cassie's work gives her access to homes, secrets, and people at odd moments, not because the animals magically solve the case. A boarded Persian, a missing show cat, a Bengal tied to illegal breeding, or a fight over feral colonies can all open the door to a very human crime. Watkins uses the pet world to raise real questions about animal care, hoarding, rescue, breeding, and neglect, which gives the series a little extra bite.

Chadwick is a big part of the appeal.

It is the kind of small New Jersey town where everyone seems to know somebody, local businesses overlap, and personal history sticks around. That makes Cassie's investigations messy in the best way. Suspects are neighbors, clients, or friends of friends, and solving a case can strain relationships as much as it clears them. The setting also lets the series move easily from groom shops, condos, and historic homes to cat expos, wooded edges, and a retro movie theater at Halloween.

Cassie works well as a series lead because she is capable without turning into a superhero. She pays attention. She knows animals. She can be stubborn when something feels wrong. Around her is a steady supporting cast, including her veterinarian boyfriend Mark, her assistant Sarah, and her friend Dawn, people who widen the world without stealing the focus. Across the books, part of the fun is watching Cassie balance her business, her relationships, and her repeated bad habit of poking into dangerous situations.

The tone stays mostly cozy, but not flimsy. Books like Feral Attraction, Gone, Kitty, Gone, Claw and Disorder, and Night of the Were-Cat mix cat-centered charm with cases that can turn darker than readers may expect, including stalking, theft, hoarding, black-market breeding, and drug trouble. Even then, the stories keep their small-town feel. The humor is dry, the affection for animals is real, and the puzzles give Cassie plenty to untangle.

If you like mysteries where the setting feels lived in and the amateur sleuth has an actual reason to notice trouble, this series is easy to settle into. Each book stands on its own, but read together they show Cassie becoming more confident, more connected to Chadwick, and more aware that trouble has a way of landing on her grooming table. Cat lovers will notice the details. Mystery readers will probably stay for the suspects.