The day began as it always did in Killian Cove—with the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the sound of Bartholomew’s raspy voice critiquing my morning crossword. “Really, Candeedo? Seven across is ‘duplicity,’ not ‘decipher,’” he purred, perched on the edge of my oak desk with a smug expression only a Sphynx cat could muster. I grumbled, sipping my coffee, silently annoyed he was right again. The crossword was my morning warm-up, a habit cultivated from years spent decoding international secrets, though lately, it seemed Bartholomew enjoyed proving his intellectual superiority more than the puzzles themselves.
Mid-morning found me strolling into Norman’s Book Nook, the tiny bookstore at the heart of town and the source of much of my retirement entertainment. Norman had a knack for slipping coded messages into the dust jackets of old books, claiming they were puzzles from his eccentric uncle’s estate. Most were harmless diversions, but today’s message carried a foreboding weight—its ciphers more complex, its language sharper. “You’re overthinking it, old man,” Bartholomew remarked from his spot on the windowsill, though even he seemed intrigued. It was rare for a cipher to rattle me, but this one felt different, urgent.
The tranquility of the day shattered when I returned to the bookstore in the afternoon. The sight of Norman’s shop door ajar sent a chill down my spine, and the scene inside froze me in my tracks. Books scattered like leaves in a storm, a bloodstained bookmark lying ominously on the counter, and no Norman. My instincts kicked in as Bartholomew leapt gracefully onto the counter, sniffing the air with his usual aloofness. “Trouble, I’d wager,” he murmured, tail twitching. Trouble, indeed.
The rest of the day became a blur of questions, theories, and unease. I found myself back at my desk, deciphering the message with an urgency I hadn’t felt in years. Bartholomew watched intently, his eyes narrowing as I connected the dots and uncovered fragments of what seemed to be a mob code. “You’re in over your head, Candeedo,” he said finally, though there was a flicker of excitement in his tone. As night fell, I realized that the peaceful life I sought in Killian Cove had slipped through my fingers. Norman’s disappearance, the chilling clues—it was all leading to something far bigger than I’d anticipated. Retirement, it seemed, would have to wait.
Cipher, Mobsters & A Sphynx: A Candeedo Brewdinkle Mystery, Book 1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: February 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link
In *Cipher, Mobsters & a Sphinx,* retired cipher decoder Candeedo Brewdinkle seeks the peaceful life of Killian Cove after years of globe-trotting adventures. Alongside his witty, mysterious feline companion, Bartholomew, Candeedo settles into a quiet routine of crossword puzzles and decoding cryptic messages sent by Norman, the local bookstore owner. He anticipates a tranquil life in this charming seaside town, but things take a sudden dark turn.
A mysterious coded message leads Candeedo to Norman’s bookstore, where he stumbles upon a chilling discovery: a dead body, a missing bookmark crucial to cracking the code, and Norman nowhere in sight. As if that weren’t enough, a close friend is soon murdered, pulling Candeedo deeper into the shadows of Killian Cove’s secrets.
Reluctantly drawn back into the world of intrigue and danger, Candeedo and Bartholomew embark on a perilous quest to untangle the mystery behind the murders and Norman’s disappearance. What begins as a search for answers reveals a tangled web of mobsters, hidden agendas, and unlikely alliances that threatens the very fabric of the town.
With each cryptic clue, they navigate the dark underbelly of Killian Cove’s criminal underworld, racing against time to solve the puzzle before they, too, become targets.
*Cipher, Mobsters & a Sphinx* offers a delightful blend of wit, mystery, and cunning puzzles as Candeedo Brewdinkle and Bartholomew unravel the hidden secrets buried in the quiet town of Killian Cove.
About the author
Ileana Muñoz-Renfroe, Amazon Best Seller, dreamed of becoming an author for the longest time. Almost twenty years later, after raising two children and managing several businesses, she finally took the plunge. Born in Cuba and raised in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood, Ileana grew up in the vibrant community Lin-Manuel Miranda famously portrayed in *In The Heights.* It was a place where abuelas spied on the neighborhood from their windowsills, bodega owners greeted customers by name, and everyone was involved in everyone else’s business.
In 2020, while sitting in a Paris café, the idea of Rosa came to her, and the stories and characters began to take shape. Combining her love for the paranormal and high-end fashion, Ileana created *Rosa The Cuban Psychic Mysteries,* a series that blends her Cuban and American cultures into engaging cozy mysteries. *A Fashionable Fate* marked her debut novel.
Since then, she has authored several popular series, including *The Wisterious Bay Series,* *A Tarot and Vintage Caravan Series,* *Small Town Big Magic Short Reads,* and *The Holiday Corner Series.* Her children’s book series, *Gizmo Adventures,* has also been widely celebrated.
Ileana is currently working on two exciting new series debuting in February 2025: *Dr. Isabella Cruz Mysteries,* with *Book 1: The Hidden Tomb,* and *The Candeedo Brewdinkle Mysteries,* featuring *Book 1: Ciphers, Mobsters & A Sphynx.*
In addition to her novels, Ileana has created an array of coloring books, journals, crafting books, notebooks, and a unique book designed to help people keep all their essential information organized.
When she isn’t writing, Ileana enjoys traveling, reading, entertaining, listening to music, and spending quality time with her family.