Cat Lady Mysteries Books in Order

The Cat Lady Mysteries follow Lara Caphart after she returns to Whisker Jog, New Hampshire, for the first time in sixteen years. She hopes to repair her strained relationship with Aunt Fran, but soon finds herself helping Fran care for eleven cats and protect the older woman's home from an aggressive developer. Lara's return quickly becomes more permanent when she helps run the High Cliff Shelter for Cats.

This is a small-town cozy series with cats at the center, but the cats are more than background decoration. Lara is devoted to the shelter and its animals, while Aunt Fran brings plenty of determination and local knowledge. Their daily work, from adoptions to shelter projects, keeps them connected to the town's people and its problems.

There is also Blue, a blue-eyed Ragdoll whom Lara believes may be connected to a beloved cat from her childhood. Blue appears at important moments and seems to lead Lara toward useful clues. That gentle paranormal question runs through the books without taking over the central mystery.

Each installment gives Lara a new crime to untangle, usually when someone close to her becomes a suspect. In Escape Claws, a wealthy builder who wants Fran's property is found dead. Later books bring a retired Hollywood actress, a holiday cookie contest, a hostile health inspector, and trouble involving Lara's boyfriend Gideon's former girlfriend. The cases are built around personal stakes, not just curiosity.

Whisker Jog matters as much as the clues. It is the kind of New Hampshire town where old grudges linger, people remember each other's pasts, and a stranger cannot stay anonymous for long. Lara has to balance her renewed ties to home with the risks that come from asking uncomfortable questions.

Expect a warm, cat-filled mystery series with a touch of the uncanny, ongoing relationships, and a shelter community worth rooting for. Start with Escape Claws to meet Lara, Fran, Blue, and the circumstances that bring them all together.