Cinnamon and the Clue in the Cardamom: A Cozy Cat Mystery With a Hint of Magic

What is she thinking?

If you’ve ever looked into your cat’s eyes and just knew they had something to say—but wouldn’t—you’re not alone. That very feeling is what sparked the inspiration behind my upcoming cozy mystery, Cinnamon and the Clue in the Cardamom, book one in The Catmint Chronicles, arriving in late 2025.

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Our own cat is a total chatterbox. She’s constantly meowing, chirping, and trilling as if she’s narrating her inner world. But no matter how expressive she is, we can never quite understand what she’s trying to say. Like many pet owners, I’ve often wished I could talk with her—really talk. But let’s be honest: even if cats could talk, would they? Probably not. As the sign in our house perfectly sums it up: “If cats could text you back… they wouldn’t.”


That cheeky cat attitude led me to the cornerstone of the story: magical herbs. In Cinnamon and the Clue in the Cardamom, our heroine Rowan Thorne inherits a crumbling English café and herb shop from her eccentric Aunt Betty. She also inherits Betty’s cat, Cinnamon—a sleek feline with a snarky gaze and mysterious past. When Rowan learns that Betty’s prized recipe book—said to contain unique herbal formulations and local lore—has gone missing, she knows she has to find it. And Cinnamon, of all creatures, might be the only one who knows where it is.

Here’s the twist: Cinnamon can talk—but only when he’s in the presence of cardamom. The herb loosens his tongue for short periods of time. Rowan is determined to unlock his speech and enlist his help in solving the mysteries surrounding Aunt Betty’s missing recipe book before he lapses back into purring silence.


Set against the charming Cresswell-on-Wyrd—a village stuck somewhere between folklore and modernity, Cinnamon and the Clue in the Cardamom blends mystery, magic, and mischief. With cryptic clues and a carefully steeped cup of tea, Rowan unravels more about her aunt’s hidden life—and the strange connections between local herbs, ancient stories, and a selectively vocal feline.


The Catmint Chronicles is a three-book series blending cozy mystery with folklore, horticulture, and feline mischief. Each installment features a standalone mystery, while slowly revealing the deeper truth behind Aunt Betty’s past, the missing recipe book, and the peculiar power of certain herbs… especially when consumed by cats.


If you love cozy mysteries with tea, sass, secret societies, and talking cats (occasionally), then Cinnamon and the Clue in the Cardamom might just be your next cup of herbal brew.
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Keep an eye out for updates as we get closer to the late 2025 release—and maybe give your cat a suspicious look the next time they meow at you. They just might be trying to tell you something. Or not. Because, well… cat.