Lyndsay sits down for a question-and-answer session with dru’s book musings.

What is your full name?
Hi! I’m Lyndsay Catherine Murray.

How old are you?
I’m 27. Cancer. “Loyal, practically psychic, caring, ambitious and imaginative.” I think that’s a fair description of me.

What is your profession?
I’m a baker and entrepreneur. My family and I just opened Spice Isle Bakery in Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean neighborhood. You should stop by. Our baked goods and entrees are exceptional. We’re especially well-known for our currant rolls, hard dough bread and coconut drops.

Do you have a significant other?
Ummm, … No. Well, not yet.

What is their name and profession?
Well, listen. We’ve just started dating. I think it’s too soon to consider him a “significant other.” But I’ve been going out with Bryce Jackson. He’s a homicide detective with the NYPD.

Do you have any children?
No. I barely have time for dating. It will be a while before I even think about starting a family.

Do you have any siblings?
Yes, a bossy older brother, Devon Vincent Murray, who works for me. Ha! He’s 32 and dating this wonderful woman, Joymarie Rodgers. My family’s already planning their wedding.

Are your parents nearby?
Yes. Actually, my parents – Jacob David Murray and Cedella Therese Bain Murray – and my maternal grandmother, Genevieve Anne Bain, are never far away. We’re a very close-knit family.

Who is your best friend?
My best friends are my brother, Dev, and my cousin Serena Marie Bain. Reena is the middle child of my mother’s older brother, my uncle Al, and his wife, my aunt Inez.

What town do you live in?
I don’t live in a town. I live in New York City. I was born in Grenada, West Indies, but I grew up and still live in Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean neighborhood.

What type of dwelling do you own or rent?
I live rent-free in my parent’s house, but I share all of the bills with them. It’s only fair.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
My bed, but I don’t spend nearly enough time there.

What is your favorite meal and dessert?
Oh, that’s so hard to answer. For today, I’ll say curry chicken, macaroni and cheese pie, and sweet potato pudding.

Do you have any hobbies?
I exercise. I especially enjoy kickboxing. In fact, I’m going to compete in my first kickboxing exhibition this fall.

What music do you listen to?
I like a lot of different types of music, but my favorite is reggae. I love the classics as well as a lot of emerging artists.

What is your favorite color?
Yellow. It’s such a happy color.

What is your favorite vacation spot?
Grenada. We still have a lot of family and friends there. I love visiting, especially for carnival.

Are you a morning or night person?
Yes.

What is your idea of a really fun time?
Cooking and baking with my family. We enjoy each other’s company. We laugh and talk about our days, our plans. OK, sometimes we vent. But it helps to talk about our problems with people who really know you.

If you were to write a memoir, what would you call it?
It’s Got to be Exceptional. Ha!

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I am an amateur sleuth and I work with my family.

What is a typical day in your life like?
I get to the bakery pretty early although not as early as my parents. My brother and I close the bakery. We’re open 7 am to 8 pm, Wednesday through Saturday, and 10 am to 6 pm, Sundays. We’re closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Usually, I spend Mondays and Tuesdays catching up with our bookkeeping, preparing our marketing, ordering supplies, and deep cleaning the restaurant. We fit our investigations around the bakery’s hours. If I need extra time for snooping – I mean, sleuthing – then my family covers for me at the bakery. It’s been great chatting with you. Thank you so much for your interest in me and my family. If you have some time, I hope you’ll drop by the bakery.

Coconut Drop Dead, A Spice Isle Bakery Mystery Book #3
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: December 2023
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

The case in Olivia Matthews’s Coconut Drop Dead is going to be a tough nut to crack.

Brooklyn’s annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival is finally here, and Spice Isle Bakery is thrilled to be one of the event’s food vendors. After all, the Murrays have been attending the festival for years. Co-owner Lyndsay Murray hopes their West Indian pastries and finger foods draw people back to the bakery in Little Caribbean. She’s looking forward to having fun, connecting with customers, and celebrating with her family.

The day’s festivities are cut short when Camille, lead singer of an up-and-coming reggae band, dies. The police think it may be a tragic accident. But Lyndsay’s cousin Manny was close to Camille, and he believes someone cut her life short. Now Manny needs Lyndsay’s help to make sure a killer faces the music.

About the author
Olivia Matthews is the mystery pseudonym of national best-selling author Patricia Sargeant. Patricia’s work has been reviewed in national publications such as Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Kirkus Reviews, Suspense Magazine, Mystery Scene Magazine, Library Journal and RT Book Reviews. For more information about Patricia and her work, visit PatriciaSargeant.com.