I was always a bit of a weird kid.
I don’t say that in a disparaging way. I kind of love that I was weird. Maybe more now than back then, sure, but still. Most kids did not have my fascination with crime and solving mysteries, even if they did read some Nancy Drew. Mine was way beyond that, and I couldn’t get enough of reading, watching and trying to solve mysteries.
As I got older, I delighted in scaring my parents a little bit with my obsession. My dad couldn’t understand why I had a poster of Freddy Krueger had the prime real estate on my wall, right next to one of Johnny Depp from his 21 Jump Street days. My very first true crime book was about the serial killer Ted Bundy. And my first real research report was about Charles Stuart, the infamous Boston murderer from my own backyard.
My fascination with a life of crime stemmed from my grandfather, who was a detective. He retired the year I was born, but he had stories for years to come. All G-rated, of course. But I LOVED them. My grandfather could really tell a story. I could listen to him for hours.
One of my favorites was about Nick Maluff, the guy who owned a local store and apparently had a crotchety dog who liked to terrorize my grandfather when he went into the store, which was probably once a day. It was one of those stories that made the adults in the room roll their eyes because they’d heard it so many times, but I loved it. If I could have one more dinner with my grandpa, I would ask him to tell me the story again.
His stories were my first forays into crime and mysteries and puzzles, long before Freddy, Ted or Charles were ever on my radar. And even though I’d been reading books since I was tiny, the way my grandpa told stories stuck with me. I credit my mystery writing career to his influence. Even though he never (to my knowledge) wrote any of these stories down, the telling of them was enough to give me something to aspire to. So much so that when I chose my pen name, I used my grandpa’s name, Conte. My first book’s dedication was to him, and how I wished he were able to read it.
In another twist, I recently took a side gig working with an investigative firm. I figured, what better way to arm myself for my novels than to have some experience with real life investigations? I do wonder what he would think about my path in life. If he would appreciate the stories I’ve written. What tips he might have for me as I look into real life cases, with real impacts.
I like to think he’ll be proud. And I like to think he’d get a kick out of knowing that Nick Maluff’s famous dog finally made it into print.
About Cate Conte
Pseudonym for Liz Mugavero.
Liz Mugavero/Cate Conte is a bestselling mystery author, creativity coach, and devoted believer in all things magical. As Liz Mugavero, she writes the beloved Pawsitively Organic Mysteries. As Cate Conte, she writes the Cat Café Mysteries and Full Moon Mysteries. Her 20th novel, Purranormal Activity, will be out in July 2026.
When she’s not plotting fictional murders, she helps writers find their voice and bring their books to life through her membership community, The Creativity Lab, and her podcast, Get Writing.
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