Cat Rescue Mystery Books in Order

The Cat Rescue Mysteries blend Amanda Flower’s love of felines with her knack for small town whodunits, following a young woman who never saw herself as a leader until a murder and a house full of cats leave her no choice.

Kinley Remington is in her twenties, stuck in what feels like a dead end job at a local bank. She is competent and careful, but too timid, in her own view, to push for something better. The one bright spot in her workday is elderly heiress Penelope Slope, a sharp witted bank customer who supports a sprawling cat rescue from her old mansion.

In Caturday Crime, Kinley’s whole life tilts. She is fired after leaving Miss Penelope briefly alone in the vault, and not long after, Penelope’s priceless diamond necklace goes missing. Horrified, Kinley rushes to the mansion to apologize and discovers that Penelope herself removed the necklace and fully intends to straighten things out with the bank. Any hope of a quick fix vanishes when Penelope is murdered in her own home, with only her many rescue cats as witnesses.

Because Kinley was the last person to see Penelope alive and because of the earlier accusations, she becomes a natural suspect. At the same time, responsibility for Penelope’s cats and the rescue operation lands squarely on her shoulders. The local mayor has his own ideas about what should happen to the property, some neighbors would be happy to see the cats gone, and not everyone in the late benefactor’s circle is thrilled at the idea of Kinley inheriting anything.

Forced by circumstances to toughen up, Kinley starts asking questions Penelope herself might have appreciated. Possible suspects range from greedy relatives to officials who wanted the rescue shuttered, to people hiding long standing grudges behind polite smiles. The cats, with their varied personalities and inconvenient habits, add both chaos and charm as Kinley tries to work out who can be trusted.

Flower uses this series to touch lightly on real world issues around animal rescue, donor intent, and how much work it takes to keep a sanctuary running. The tone stays cozy, with humor and affection for the cats and townspeople alike, but Kinley’s personal growth gives the story emotional weight. Readers who are already fond of the author’s frequent cat cameos in other series will likely enjoy seeing the animals move to center stage here.