Cat and Mouse Whodunits Books in Order

The Cat and Mouse Whodunits follow veterinarian Zoe Stephenson, a woman who is very good with animals and not especially thrilled to keep finding human bodies. In A Tail of Murder, Zoe comes back to her hometown to help care for her sister after a car accident, only to get dragged into the death of her cheating ex-fiancé, the local vet who vanished when people needed him most. By the time the police find Zoe with blood on her shirt, she is already in trouble.

These books take animal people seriously.

Zoe's job matters here. She is not a hobby sleuth who just happens to like pets. She is a veterinarian used to making hard calls, reading people under stress, and stepping in when something living needs help. That gives the series a practical, hands-on feel. The cases often grow out of everyday town life, pet owners in crisis, animal care, shelter connections, and even strange local rules about animals, so the mysteries feel rooted in the world Zoe actually moves through.

The ongoing story also gets bigger with each book. Of Mice and Murder throws Zoe into a case involving a gunman targeting pet owners. Barking Up the Wrong Tree traps her in a blizzard with hungry dogs, a dead body, and six suspects who all have reasons to kill. Catastrophe turns personal fast when a newly discovered half-sister goes missing during a brutal Michigan winter. In A Rash Decision, Zoe is trying to be a steady parent to a teenage girl while deciding whether helping solve a client's murder is the responsible thing to do, or the worst possible idea.

What keeps the series moving is not just the crime. Zoe is carrying a lot before any murder happens. She has spent her life trying to prove she is nothing like her convict mother. She worries about the people she loves, makes impulsive choices for good reasons, and keeps getting pulled between self-protection and compassion. There is also a thread of romance and family change running through the books, so reading in order lets you see how her life shifts as much as the cases do.

The tone sits comfortably in cozy territory, but it has a sharper edge than the title might suggest. There are adorable animals, quirky side characters, and plenty of small-town friction, yet the danger is real and the puzzles are twisty. Emily James keeps the books clean and readable, but she does not make Zoe's choices feel weightless.

If you like animal-heavy mysteries with a capable heroine, a little snow on the ground, and just enough emotional mess to keep things interesting, this series is a good place to start.