Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews

Series Name: Spice Isle Bakery Mystery #1
Genre: Cozy
Release: January 24, 2023
Format: Print, Digital, and Audio

In Olivia Matthews’s Against the Currant, the first Spice Isle Bakery Mystery, investigating a murder was never supposed to be on the menu…

Little Caribbean, Brooklyn, New York: Lyndsay Murray is opening Spice Isle Bakery with her family, and it’s everything she’s ever wanted. The West Indian bakery is her way to give back to the community she loves, stay connected to her Grenadian roots, and work side-by-side with her family. The only thing getting a rise out of Lyndsay is Claudio Fabrizi, a disgruntled fellow bakery owner who does not want any competition.

On opening day, he comes into the bakery threatening to shut them down. Fed up, Lyndsay takes him to task in front of what seems to be the whole neighborhood. So when Claudio turns up dead a day later—murdered—Lyndsay is unfortunately the prime suspect. To get the scent of suspicion off her and her bakery, Lyndsay has to prove she’s innocent—under the watchful eyes of her overprotective brother, anxious parents, and meddlesome extended family—what could go wrong?

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Dru’s Short Musing:
With the bakery on the line, Lyndsay must find a killer to save both the business and her reputation.

I was immediately immersed in all aspect of this well-baked whodunit, and I couldn’t put this book down until all was said and done. A disgruntled bakery owner and having words with Lindsay, later is found murdered and who is the primary suspect, yes, you guessed it, Lindsay. Determined to prove her innocence and with help from her friends, she begins an investigation and with help from the author who gives us plenty of suspects, tossed in a few clues with bonus of several red herrings to keep me in the game. When I thought I had a handle on the person responsible, the author changed directions all to the betterment of the solidly wicked plot and to enhance my reading pleasure. It was that “aha” moment that put a smile on my face and I enjoyed watching it all play out with key characters having pivotal roles in the apprehension of the killer. What I liked best was the generation of family coming together and the warmth and love that spilled onto the page. Overall, a delightfully appetizing series that I hope is her to stay.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.