Cinnamon and the Clue in the Cardamom: The Catmint Chronicles Book 1

by Amanda Sterczyk

A cheating boyfriend. A British inheritance. And a cat who demands turkey with gravy—but only speaks when the spice is right.
The Fresh Start Data analyst Rowan Thorne is done with New York. After catching her boyfriend kissing another woman in front of the Eiffel Tower, she is more than ready to trade her spreadsheets for a fresh start. When she unexpectedly inherits her aunt’s business in the quaint English village of Cresswell-on-Wyrd, it feels like destiny.

The rude awakening But "quaint" comes with a catch. The village has a strict ban on cell phones and the internet, and the business—Black Thumb Betty’s Café & Herb Shop—is drowning in debt. To make matters worse, the shop is in the crosshairs of Clive Smeaton, a local butcher determined to force a foreclosure so he can expand his meat empire.



The Mystery Rowan has exactly thirty days to turn a profit and save her family legacy. Her only hope lies in Betty’s Steep Secrets, a legendary book of herbal formulations that made the café famous. There is just one the book has vanished.



The Twist Rowan’s only witness is the shop’s resident feline, Cinnamon. He is fluffy, opinionated, and entirely unhelpful—until Rowan spills a jar of cardamom. Suddenly, Cinnamon isn't just meowing; he’s talking.



The Investigation Now, Rowan must partner with her sarcasitc four-legged critic to track down the thief. But Cinnamon’s help comes with a midnight walks on a leash, bowls of poultry with gravy, and absolutely no belly rubs.

Can this American expat and her magical mouser sniff out the missing book before the "Cuppa Comeback" grand reopening? Or is Rowan’s fresh start about to go stale?

141 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2025

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rowan Thorne thought her life belonged in New York City with her job and her boyfriend. However, two things occurred on the same day which changed her mind. She caught her boyfriend cheating on her and she found out she inherited a tea shop (and a cat) in England from an aunt she didn’t even know existed. Rowan packs her bags and heads over the pond to begin her new life. When she gets there, she discovers that the shop is behind on the mortgage, her aunt’s special recipe book is missing and the cat has some mysterious qualities. Rowan is determined to find out who took the recipe book and save her shop.

I think this book has a lot going for it. The setting is a quaint English village, the residents are quirky and the mystery is intriguing. I related to the main character who is somewhat of an introvert and needs some space at times recharge her social battery. The story line is easy to follow and the author did a nice job of wrapping up the mystery and the motive. I felt that there is room for this author to grow in her storytelling. There are parts of the story that feel a little forced and did not flow smoothly. That being said, I feel that this is a solid 3 1/2 stars and I do look forward to reading more from this author.

*I was gifted a copy of this book and all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Chere Gruver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will Rowan even be able to keep her inheritance?

On the same day she finds out her boyfriend has been cheating on her, Rowan also receives a letter from a British solicitor stating that she has inherited a property from her aunt. An aunt she didn’t even know she had. However, when she quits her job and leaves everything behind to go to the UK, she finds out that her aunt ‘s book of recipes has been stolen and she may not be able to keep the shop. I really did enjoy this story, however, everything just fell into place a bit too easily. Amanda Sterczyk shows great potential and I look forward to seeing her develop it.

I received an advanced reader’s copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Dave Measner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Start of a strong new series
Rowan Thorne is ready to leave big city and cheating boyfriend behind and when the aunt she never knew leaves her Black Thumb Betty's Cafe and Herb Shop, she jumps at the opportunity. It means crossing the ocean to the village of Cresswell-on-Wyrd in the English countryside. The new home comes with many caveats, including near foreclosure on her business, a talking cat, an interested suitor, among other things. Many positives for this interesting debut for this book, good plot, back story, and strong interesting characters make me look forward to the next outing.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book. Rowan who lives in New York, gets a letter from a from an English lawyer. She has inherited a cafe in England. Cresses-on-Wyrd which she decides to call COW. When she arrives in England she is met at the airport & the next day taken to COW. There she finds she also owns a magical cat. By chance Rowan opened a jar of Cardamom & Cinnamon, the cat, spoke to her. One thing Rowan must do, besides reopening the cafe, is find who stole her late aunt’s recipe book. I really enjoyed this book.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 1 of The Catmint Chronicles series. A FANtastic start to the series and I cannot wait for more. 'A cheating boyfriend. A British inheritance. And a cat who demands turkey with gravy—but only speaks when the spice is right.'

The characters were so very appealing and likeable and quirky and fun. The plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building was excellent and impressive. Enjoyed immensely and thoroughly and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

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

[Martine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unexpected inheritance with strings attached, a new beginning, a mystery to unravel, a fluffy feline, and a cozy little town. These are the perfect ingredients for an enjoyable and entertaining read. I simply didn’t want to stop reading. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series. I’m definitely going to follow this author. Highly recommended!
I received a reveiw copy and I'm leaving a voluntary and honest review.

[Ingrid Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars upgraded to 5.

A fun start of a new series by a new author (to me).

Some expressions and ideas about England feel a bit strange or off to me, but seeing the author is Canadian, I can imagine different views would mingle together. At times the writing style seemed to be for a younger audience, but as you are only as old as you want to be, I thought it was a fun read and I would love to see how this evolves.

So I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

[Sheila Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't your normal storyline but the main character was clearly dealing with a lot of her own issues. And the fact that you had a very wacky town thrown in on top of a cat that only talks when around/ingesting cardamom is very different.
The story was enjoyable enough that I will likely get other books in the series.
I received a free ARC copy of this book and these are my comments.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful cozy mystery.  Rowan leaves her life in the US behind to reopen a coffee shop she inherited in England.  She quickly discovers she needs to find the missing recipe book of she wants to reopen the shop.  There is quite the cast of characters including a funny feline with since interesting abilities.  I can't wait for the book in this series. 

[Engrid Eaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

sarcastic cat cozy!

Cinnamon’s my kind of feline—snarky, sarcastic, and so deliciously adorbs. Filled with cozy vibes, a page-turning plot (no spoilers ahead), and compelling characters, I highly recommend. Make extra time because once this one sucks you in, you won’t want to stop until the end.

[Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it !! a great start for this new series !! love Cinnamon and Rowan... this is their story... a fun fast paced mystery... a new start... inheriting her aunt's tea shop.. must turn a profit in 30 days.. and no cell phones ... no internet... and the cat... Cinnamon... talks... so good !! so funny !!!.

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

[Tess Ailshire · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story line here, but the writing was sophomoric, the dialog stilted, and the characters one-dimensional. The premise is there, but it's more a first draft than a finished novel, particularly one that introduces an entire series. Not only did it not entice me to the next book; it made me resolve *not* to read further.

[Ladnamal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story with a mystery. Some questions were left unanswered and it looks like the series will continue with an overarching plot. Overall it was a fun and lighthearted read.

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

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st time reading this author. I was pleasantly surprised. It's a cooky story and a fun read. Looking forward to where the story goes next.

[Rashelle Steiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short story

This was a very cute and interesting story. Can't wait to read the rest of the series! What other powers does Cinnamon have??

[Jacque Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cinnamon and the Clue in the Cardamom

What a fun read. I could not put it down after a couple of chapters. It keeps you guessing all the way. Never a dull moment.