Solving a murder mystery is harder when you don’t trust your partner…or their taste in beverages.Sassy city girl Tandy Brandt moves to the small town of Grace Springs to start a coffee shop, never imagining she’ll be competing with local beauty queen Marissa Alexander and her dream of running a tea house. Unfortunately, the current store owner dies before selling the location to either of them, … either of them, and they both become murder suspects.
The unlikely pair team up in an attempt to discover the real killer, though with the secrets in Tandy’s past and Marissa’s infamous clumsiness, they could be their own worst enemies. Despite their differences, they follow clues to question a sweet, apple pie baking antique store owner, a GQ Santa in the retirement center, and a hipster millionaire with no social skills. Will they be able to figure out whodunit and prove their innocence before one of them goes to jail…or worse?
more
I really enjoyed this whimsical, cozy mystery. The characters are quirky and, you can’t help but wonder what they are going to do next.
I’m selective on the books I purchase but I kept hearing about this one. I snagged a Kindle copy and I am delighted I did. A Caffeine Conundrum is funny!!! Marissa and Tandy are two of the zaniest characters I’ve had the pleasure of reading in a long time. Marissa’s antics and Tandy’s thoughts kept me entertained and laughing almost the whole time. Two women—one loves tea, one loves coffee—start out as business rivals. I mean…Come On. How are they ever going to get along?? Their journey to becoming friends is nothing less than pure ingenuity on Strong’s part. She has brought a whole new dynamic to this contemporary genre of cozy mystery.
This was a fun small town mystery with a dash of romance. There were so many leads and everything was so convoluted as you tried to figure out who could be the culprit and why. It was fun to follow both women through the experience.
This is a chick lit meets suspense plus girl meets boy again. What is fun about this book is the fact that clearly the two main characters are as different as the coffee and tea that they prefer that they will never be able to move past being enemies to even acquaintances to become friends. A beauty queen and a suave girl of the world? How could they possibly both run their businesses in the same area? Add the queen’s ex-boyfriend to the mix, her tendency to be clumsy, and the result is quite the story. What is fun about this book is the fact that it is definitely unpredictable. While it would be all under a cozy mystery, it also has many elements of a comedy. A great start to a new series by an enjoyable author!
The first book in author Angela Ruth Strong’s new CafFUNated Mysteries didn’t disappoint and it left me waiting for Book 2.
Tandy and Marissa get tossed together to do some unwanted sleuthing. Well, it was unwanted for one of them. Disagreements over coffee and tea, one “conundrum” after another, and a former boyfriend who possibly can’t be trusted all add to a rollicking good time.
A humorous cozy mystery with lovable quirky characters, I highly recommend it!
This was a fun read!
A Caffeine Conundrum is the first book in The CafFUNated Mysteries by Angela Ruth Strong. In it, two very different young women form an unlikely friendship as they try to solve a murder mystery.
This book was filled with snarky banter, quirky characters, slapstick comedic timing and Christmas cheer! I am a huge fan of stories set in small towns filled with busybodies, and this absolutely fit the bill!
A Caffeine Conundrum was a clean read and positively the definition of a cozy mystery! I’m looking forward to more of this series!
I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. A review was not requested. Opinions expressed are my own.
(I received this as an ARC for review.)
I absolutely loved this cozy mystery! It was great! The characters were quirky, with lots of unexpected twists and turns throughout the story. And the ending was completely unexpected! This was a great read and a definite page turner!
This book is full of twists and turns from beginning till the end. If you like “who-done-it” stories that will make you laugh out loud, you will love this book. This is a new-to-me author and I loved how she wrote this story. I look forward to reading more of her books. I highly recommend this book.
Angela Ruth Strong brings us a quirky cozy mystery about giving and receiving grace.
Marissa and Tandy,the main characters are hilarious.
They are like Yin and Yang and remind me of other Angela Ruth Strong characters.
I highly recommend this book to all who love chick lit and cozy mysteries.
I eagerly await the next book.
Angela Ruth Strong adds an element of fun and humor to her latest cozy mystery. When two young women who want to buy the same antique shop for very different purposes find themselves suspects in the murder of the shop owner, they decide to team up to find the actual murderer. What ensues is a laugh-out-loud tale of blunders, delightful dialogue, and a host of unlikely suspects. As the unlikely pair of detectives work together, they might just have more in common than they thought – if they can stay alive long enough to find out.
I very much enjoyed this amusing novel that kept me entertained from beginning to end. Not only was it humorous but the mystery was well plotted and had me stumped for quite awhile. The story couldn’t have ended more perfectly as far as I am concerned. I look forward to the next book in this series!
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
Caffeine Conundrum is such a fun book! I enjoyed the relationship of the two girls as they become unexpected friends. It is a light-hearted fast read and great for a night in by the fire 😉