Masterminds and Deadly Finds

McBlack's Treats Cafe Cozy Mysteries #2

by A.R. Winters

A Missing Caterer. A Murderous Genius. A Deadly Game of Cat and Mouse.
Tiffany and Rosie expect a routine catering job when they step in for a missing local chef. Their clients? A group of brilliant, eccentric minds gathered for an exclusive event. But before the night is over, one of them is dead.

Now, with a killer lurking among a room full of geniuses, Tiff and Rosie are facing their most dangerous case yet. How do you outsmart a murderer who’s always three steps ahead?

With Stone, Jan, and Nanna diving into the chaos, the mystery takes an even darker turn—because the missing caterer might be more than just a victim. As the clues stack up, so do the bodies, and Tiff and Rosie begin to realize one chilling truth…

This isn’t just a murder case. It’s a game. And the killer is playing to win.

A gripping, fast-paced cozy mystery packed with suspense, humor, and twists you won’t see coming. Grab your copy now!

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Praise for A.R.
"The perfect balance of being lighthearted, but still a serious page-turning mystery." - Jaycie D, Amazon.com

"A fun cozy mystery with engaging and entertaining characters" - lq, Amazon.com

"For fans of Janet Evanovich, Rhys Bowen and Jana DeLeon, this is a funny, clean mystery." - Clara B, Amazon.com

This is a light-hearted story featuring a strong female protagonist, some unusual friends and family, and a mystery that needs solving! It has no graphic gore or love scenes, or bad language and is a standalone novel.

Genres: Mystery

299 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 20, 2025

About the author

A.R. Winters is a cozy mystery writer who loves writing about crazy characters and vibrant locations. And food, lots of delicious food!

When not writing, A.R. Winters is usually busy eating too much cake...

You can also find her on Facebook

Reviews

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using Their Brains . . .

When hired caterer for the “Brainiac” event, Gwendolyn Hong, goes missing, Tiffany and Rosie’s new business, Treats, is offered a last-minute job to cater the “Brainiac” event instead. But when rude and pushy Waylon Minchin, who hired Treats, keels over dead from poison, Tiff, Rosie, Stone, Jan, and Nanna become involved in tracking down the killer so that Police Chief Birdie Zaragoza wouldn’t be thinking the catering crew caused his death… although it seemed she was convinced she would prove that if she kept looking!

Since Waylon was poisoned, Chief Birdie asked Tiff and Rosie if Waylon ate anything different from the rest of the guests and was told that he had his own special aioli dip in the refrigerator. Everyone ate the catered food that Treats’ provided and were fine. So the poison most likely came from the dip. And if the aioli was poisoned, then it was either done by the missing caterer… or someone else who knew that he would be eating his own special dip. Tiffany didn’t even know about it until he rudely demanded it be brought to him while they were eating. Will Tiffany and Rosie be able to find out what happened to the missing caterer, and can they discover who killed Waylon? Are they matching wits with the alleged genius-level (rude, obnoxious) guests who would have no doubt that they could fool everyone, assuming the killer was one of them? After all, Waylon leaving the Brainiacs the temptation of a substantial contribution in his Will was probably not a good idea (and definitely a waste of good money)! Grab your copy and find out what’s going on here!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tiffany and Rosie are offered a last minute catering job at a nearby spa when the former caterer, Gwendolyn, goes missing. They may be out of the PI business, but their sleuthing instincts are still active. It definitely looks like trouble is afoot as they learn about their assignment. Their contact person, events planner Waylon Minchin, is condescending and overbearing, and the Brainiacs group that the event is for are not much better. When Waylon dies after eating a meal they served, they know they need to solve the case to protect their reputation despite Chief Birdie’s disapproval. But can they outsmart a killer among a group of geniuses?

After their rocky start in book one, TREATS is up and running smoothly. Tiffany and Rosie are looking at hiring more staff and possible expansion of services. A catering gig seems like a perfect match. But the Brainiacs are more like a nest of vipers with the manipulations and in-fighting among the leaders. Tiffany and Rosie have a multitude of suspects for Waylon’s murder. Maya proves to be the standout character in this book as her kitchen skills and business savvy keep things on track despite the chaos. I look forward to seeing her thrive in the upcoming books. Stone is his usual wonderful presence and I love how he backed Tiffany against the genius snobs. And Nanna is always a welcome addition as she stirred chaos amongst the backbiting Brainiacs. Another excellent installment in the adventures of Tiffany and company.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A.R. Winters delivers another charming and witty mystery in Masterminds and Deadly Finds, the second installment of the McBlack's Treats Cafe Cozy Mysteries series. With an intriguing murder, quirky characters, and just the right amount of humor, this book is a delightful treat for cozy mystery lovers!
Rosie and Tiff are back, ready to whip up delicious dishes—only this time, their catering gig turns into a full-blown investigation. When a local caterer vanishes, they step in to fill her shoes, only to find themselves surrounded by a group of intellectuals—and one of them ends up dead. But with a genius for a murderer, this case is trickier than most, and every clue leads to more twists and turns.
I loved the dynamic between Rosie, Tiff, and their ever-entertaining crew, including the no-nonsense Nanna. The banter is sharp, the sleuthing is engaging, and the suspects keep you guessing until the very end. Winters masterfully blends suspense and humor, making this mystery as fun as it is intriguing.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries with strong female leads, lovable side characters, and a well-plotted whodunit, Masterminds and Deadly Finds is a must-read. It’s the perfect balance of lighthearted fun and an engaging, twisty mystery!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – A delightful and clever cozy mystery with a dash of humor and plenty of heart!.

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

A local caterer has gone missing so Rosie and Tiff of Treats step in to cater for a group of brainiacs of high intelligence but when one of the group’s members is murdered ,it’s with much urgence that needs some mighty intelligent sleuthing from the two. Is the missing caterer involved in the death? Well their colleagues are not even bereft of the death and their missing co-worker. Stone , Jan and Nanna are back too to help solve the case, they’re on a race to move along the case and solve it. The closed off kitchen and venue is a challenge when Treats is urged to continue their work and for the convention to continue on. What a carry on ! But there’s work to be done on all fronts so confront it they shall and do it well. Excellent writing as usual by A.R. Winters , a perfect escape into the pages that didn’t take ages to devour. Immensely enjoyable light hearted mystery book

[Alice Hazelbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosie and Tiffany, who own and operate the TREATS cafe/bakery in Mariposa, wind up filling in last minute as caterers for the Brainiacs of the SW conference, when Gwendolyn, the original caterer goes missing. Luckily, they talk their friend Maya into helping, and she has a lot of meal planning and cooking experience! When the leader who hired them, Waylon, is poisoned, they start investigating to save their reputation. It’s a twisted mess, especially when dealing with people who look down on you as inferior. One of the Brainiacs, Root, a computer whiz, winds up helping them out. This is complex and quite entertaining, and will keep you guessing until the end! I received a free copy and write this review entirely voluntarily.

[Margery · Rating 5 out of 5]

A missing caterer and a poisoned events planner? TREATS is asked to jump in and cater the 'Brainiacks" gathering. With only hours notice, Tiffany, Rose and crew manage to get the cafe covered and do this catering job. Dealing last minute with picky eaters is hard, but the 3 women are up to the challenge. The warning not stabbed with a blood covered knife does not scare off our ladies! They need to step into double drive when a eber of the brainiacs is murdered, the rest demand their convention continue. They figure a way around the closed kitchen and venue hall with a little help. The paths to figuring out who the murderer is takes us thru a masterfully woven web of leads.

[Aimee Worth · Rating 5 out of 5]

From pastries to catering,Tiffany & Rosie are making their new business work. A mystery involving brainiacs takes this story to another level. There was plenty of smart sneaky characters, mixed up clues and too many ulterior motives to count. So who was the murderer? This story slowly unravels and I didn’t realize who the murderer was until the very end. This was another fun Tiffany Black book. I enjoyed how the new characters are nicely helping Tiffany & Rosie and showing up in each book. It helps create a new sense of community. I can’t wait for their next adventure.

[LizJ. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterminds and Deadly Finds Book 2 in McBlack's Treats Cafe Cozy Mysteries by A.R. Winters is a funny, quirky cozy mystery. Tiffany and Rosie have just opened their cafe, Treats and so far things are going great. They are offered a catering job after the original caterer goes missing and of course they jump at the chance. This is a complex mystery that will keep you guessing until the end and along the way we meet some really great "characters" and have some laughs. This is what cozy is all about!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deborah Ortega · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really fun McBlack's Treats has decided to take on a catering job. The previous caterer has gone missing and they are hired to cater to a group of Brainiacs. The man who hired them is rude and then ends up dead after eating. The previous caterer had prepared the food they served as there was no time to prepare it. This was a fast paced story with lots of suspects. I enjoyed this book and I recommend it.

[Martine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this book. Nice characters, writing style, setting and story line. I’ve read the first five books of the ’Tiffany Black Travel Mystery ’ series but for some unexplainable reason I enjoy the McBlack series more. So this is a big thumbs up for me.
I received an advance review copy via Booksprout and I’m leaving a voluntary and honest review.

[Alison Ramsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodness gracious I sometimes wonder about this author’s mind and how they manage to come up with such convoluted but entertaining mysteries. Tiffany and Rosie certainly outwitted the Brainiacs at this convention with help from Stone, Nanna and Jan. Very enjoyable and keeps your interest from start to finish.

[Cyndi Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

You really can't go wrong with this author. Each of the stories I've read have been chock full of engaging characters and interesting mysteries. This story is no different. Tiffany and Rosie make a great team worth Nana bringing in the humor and wisdom, it's a wonderful match up.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

New free KU subscription and I immediately got book 2. Biting off more than they can chew, I really did not like the catering angle on top of a newly opened cafe. But the mystery is a good one, with a lot of red herrings. McBlack's and Mariposas is a good town, so far.. just a hmmm on the growing store staff.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

It should come as no surprise that if a lethal occurrence is tied to an opportunity, it is standard that Rosie, Tiff and the gang might be involved.

A whodunnit tangled with genius twists, humor, and the special chemistry this bullt and chosen family thrived and survives by.

[Joanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Characters, Challenging. Story

Once again, A.R. Winters has developed a crazy cast of characters to revolve the story around. There were a few too many switchbacks and red herrings for me to give it 5 stars, but perfectly enjoyable, none the less.

[Iris hames · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

These books are great. I have read all of Tiffany Blacks books. Have enjoyed every one. There are three sets of books and they keep getting better and better. I highly recommend these books. I love all the characters.

[Annette Cross LaCook · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a crazy, zany, fun story!

I'm not saying it's a believable story, but it was so much fun to read and try to solve the murder. I considered the real killer at one point, but this author's solution was something else entirely!

[Tanvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second installment of McBlack's Treats Cafe is witty and charming. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Tiffany and Rosie handling the last minute catering business along with the sleuthering.

[Deborah K DeLaVina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mastermind

I thoroughly enjoyed this! It kept me intrigued from start to finish. Tiff & Rosie can truly get themselves involved in all sorts of escapades.

[jessica figueroa · Rating 5 out of 5]

can’t get enough!

i could read A.R Winter books all day everyday! they are great reads and just fun! highly recommend to anyone.

[Thomas F. Marsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brainiatics

Great read, the girls take on a catering job but also have to solve the murder of the person who hired them