- AGAINST THE CURRANT is the first book in a new cozy mystery series, set at a family's West Indian bakery in New York.
- I immediately loved Lyndsay and her family and friends. It's such a loving and funny group, who all want the best for each other.
- I did find some of the dialogue repetitive: there's a lot of repeating the same information to new groups of people without really moving the mystery forward. However, the characters and the setting were such a joy that I definitely want to see where Matthews takes this series.

This is a strong start to a diverse cozy mystery series featuring supportive family members, a close-knit community, and detailed descriptions of tasty food (not to mention diversity--I love seeing cozies that subvert the white male gumshoe stereotype. Lyndsay is an intelligent and capable protagonist who can defend herself by quite literally kicking someone's butt, and the side characters are all likeable and fleshed out well. (I would have liked to see more of the Rocky-gym storyline, but hopefully Olivia Matthews will explore that in the sequels.) Matthews also establishes a few romantic prospects without making the romance pivotal to--or even a focus of--Lyndsay's story. Like many cozies, the police are stupid and made me roll my eyes, but that isn't totally unbelievable.

Can't wait to read the next installment in this series! (Also...could I have the recipe for those fish cakes? Please?)

Just reading this book will make you hungry! This was such a delightful mystery. I look forward to book #2. Lyndsay Murray has always dreamed of opening a bakery that gives honor to her heritage. She loves her little community of Little Caribbean, Brooklyn, New York. The bakery is aptly named Spice Isle Bakery and the theme is West Indian food and pastries which stems from her Grenadian ancestry. Her entire family is helping with the opening of the bakery. On opening day another baker from a few streets over makes a scene at her bakery. Claudio Fabrizi is not happy about having competition. He threatens Lyndsay and her family, as well as her business. Lyndsay decides not to allow him to bully her, and she throws it right back into his face in front of her customers. When his dead body is discovered the next day, you can imagine who suspect #1 will be. Lyndsay is determined to prove she is not the killer using her own intuitive investigative skills.

The author provides a multitude of suspects to choose from as you try to solve the mystery. This was a fun mystery to read. I LOVED the characters in this story. Their close relationship with their family was so heart warming to read about. She provides several twists right up until the end of the book. This was a pleasant book to read and the recipes were an added bonus! The currant rolls sound delicious!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Against the Currant follows Lyndsay and her family as they open their family bakery in the heart of their neighborhood. Fellow baker, and business owner, Claudio, is not happy with their new venture. He feels as though their bakery is competition and feels only one can exists. On Lyndsay's grand opening, Claudio makes a scene inside of the bakery. Lyndsay gives him a piece of her mind and he is escorted out by his son Enzo...Lyndsay's parting words sound more like a threat. Less than 24 hours after their heated exchange, Claudio is found murdered in his home. Who is to blame?

What I liked:
-a quick read
-not a typical mystery
-loose ends tied up in the end

What I didn't like so much:
-the MC was childlike...I can't imagine her as an adult
-so many repetitive references to Lyndsay's HS years, her personality or lack thereof
-wanted more between Lyndsay and Jose. I felt like there was some romance there

Overall, this book was exactly what it was supposed to be; a cozy mystery. I don't typically read these types of mystery, but I was invested in the story and wanted to know how it ended. The repetition was overwhelming at times and I felt like the story wasn't getting to the main point. The plot seemed rushed towards the end.

I think this is a cute read for someone who truly enjoys cozy mysteries and less gruesome storylines. I would recommend it to those who want a quick read outside of their preferred genre (for example : this may be perfect for someone new to mysteries or someone wanting a break from romance).

It was a cute story. I just saw that book 2 is coming out in May. I may read it, just to see how Lyndsay and her family navigate this next murder.

This was a fun start to a new culinary cozy mystery series!

I loved how our main character, Lyndsay, didn’t find the dead body. Normally our sleuths stumble upon them but in this one she had an argument with Claudio. And the next day the police come to her and ask questions about their fight.

Her family is so fun — Grammy, parents, and her brother. So protective and super close knit. They just want to help Lyndsay and also want their new business to thrive. Man, I wish I could go to that bakery! The food they made sounded so yummy! 😋 But there are two recipes in the back of the book for: currant rolls and coconut bread.

I’m looking forward to more in the series! I really enjoyed this one!

[Thank you to the publisher & netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own!]

Super cute Caribbean baking themed cozy! Lindsay opens her own family bakery to backlash from a competitor and the mystery starts from there. Don't expect a huge mold breaker of a cozy mystery. There's a sweet family dynamic. Bob Marley music references. Yummy food. Of course, a mystery to solve. Lyndsay is likeable and relatable as our protagonist. Perfect start for a series. I love that she's not a cookie cutter protagonist. She has more depth to her. I hope we see a lot more to her in future books!

Recommended for fans of Hannah Swenson mysteries

Thanks for the arc!

Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews
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Lyndsay Murray and her family are opening Spice Isle Bakery in their Brooklyn Community. They have the support of most everyone except for one Claudio Fabrizi, who owns another bakery in the area. The day after causing drama for Lyndsay, Claudio is murdered. And now Lyndsay feels obligated to investigate to clear her name.
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Ok this was probably the best cozy mystery I have ever read!
-I loved that the Murray family has West Indies roots and incorporates them into their lives in New York. I am dying to try these currant rolls that are mentioned throughout the book and with the recipe at the end I’m tempted to try my hand at them.
-The murder was a tricky one to solve and there were some great suspects.
-I love that Lyndsay had to push herself outside of her comfort zone to keep herself and her family safe and their dreams intact. She had great growth.
-But I think my favorite thing about this was the suspense! I was desperate to see how Lyndsay could clear her name and several times I wanted to give those detectives a piece of my mind!!!!
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic cozy mystery and a great start to this being a series. I would love to read more from the Murray family and visit their bakery again.

A cute but predictable cozy mystery with the fun setting of a Caribbean bakery staffed by a family from Grenada. If you have read a lot of cozy mysteries, there will not be a lot of surprises here, but the characters were likable and I loved reading about the bakery treats and the way the family worked together to make their business succeed.

A good murder mystery! I haven't read anything from this author previously. I enjoyed this series starter. I liked Lyndsay and her family. Lyndsay is a good heroine and a great amateur detective. There are a lot of family members that I expect will be included in future stories. I liked the dynamics in the family and the neighborhood. This mystery had a good number of suspects and had a satisfying resolution. I will watch for more in this series. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

On Lindsay Murray’s first day opening up her Caribbean bakery, a rude fellow bakery owner comes into her establishment causing problems. Lyndsay and he get into a big argument in front of lots of customers. The next day, he’s dead. And Lyndsay is the chief suspect. Now she must work to prove her innocence, and potentially find the real killer!

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery! It had interesting characters, I really enjoyed Lyndsay and her whole family! The mystery kept me guessing. And I loved the infusion of Grenadian culture!

The only thing I didn’t like about the story was that I couldn’t keep up with all the side characters & suspects. I got names and backstories mixed up frequently. While I’m writing this review, even though I just finished the book a few minutes ago, I couldn’t tell you half of the side characters’ names. Maybe having a character list in the book would help. Or just making the characters names different enough to where I can’t get them confused.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait till more books in the series come out!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this arc! All opinions are my own.

TW: bullying and suicide mentioned

This is the opening entry in the Spice Isle Bakery Series. Lyndsay Murray and her family are realizing Lyndsay's childhood dream of opening a bakery in Little Caribbean in Brooklyn.  Things are going well until the owner of another bakery threatens to run then out of business then storms in on opening day and argues with Lyndsay in front of everyone.  He is found murdered the next morning, and Lyndsay is the main suspect!  She is desperate turn the detectives' attention to other suspect so starts her own investigation.


I absolutely loved this book.  Lyndsay and her family are fun, loving, and complex.  My favorite has to be Granny.  The mystery is engaging as well.  I appreciate the culture of the West Indies that is part of the story. The recipes included sound amazing.  


I am looking forward to more books in this series.  These are my opinions only and are freely given.  Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity!

Against the Currant is a new cozy mystery series and it was very exciting.
Set in Little Caribbean, Brooklyn NY, Olivia brings all the sights, sounds and smells to her Spice Isle Bakery.

Lyndsay has worked very hard to realize her dream of opening her own bakery. She is not going to back down when Claudio comes around threatening her and her family. Will one remark made in haste be her undoing? When Claudio turns up dead after this latest encounter the detectives only have eyes for her.
Drawing on the love and strength of her family, Lyndsay is out to prove she is being framed.

All the supporting characters are likable and I see a few romantic potentials being possible in the future. I like how Lyndsay stands up for herself and enjoys her kickboxing in an attempt to build her confidence.

One line that stood out and it is sad, but true---
"Because they don't expect the NYPD to put much effort into the homicide investigation of a Black woman who'd been suspected of murder."

Some cozies are really light on the action, but not this one. I was actually scared something was going to happen to Lyndsay! I am looking forward to reading more of this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my eArc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Opening a Caribbean bakery has been a dream of Lyndsay for a long time. Now that Lyndsay and her family are actually doing it in their longtime Brooklyn neighborhood, it seems to have angered a local bakery owner. Claudio is not shy about letting them know he is not okay with the new competition. The day after a very public argument with Lyndsay, Claudio is found murdered, and she has become a suspect. This is the start of a new series, Spice Isle Bakery, and it is a great start. I liked the community that the author has created. We are introduced to not only Lyndsay's family, but many of the people with whom they have known for years. Lyndsay is a good investigator and I liked how the story unfolded. I didn't guess who the real murderer was or the reason for the murder, but the ending was wrapped up well and was satisfying.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced readers copy of the book.

This cozy mystery featured a family who came from Grenada. Lyndsay was the main character, but I loved that all of her family was involved in the new bakery that she had just opened. Family, food and mystery are always a great combination.

Lyndsay has a bit of a tiff with another bakery owner on the day of their soft opening and quickly becomes the only suspect the police are looking at when the gentleman is killed that night. Lyndsay quickly realizes that she needs to become proactive in doing an investigation herself or she'll probably end up in jail. There's plenty of who-dunit in this book.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

Just think about opening a Carribbean bakery in Brooklyn. The cozy was so enjoyable because Lyndsy had the support of her whole family in this endeavor. Loke CM's that have a food theme.

"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?"

A tight-knit community, a bakery, and murder? Second helping please!

I had a hard time getting through this book. The characters and plot beats are familiar and good, but I found the main character immature and really annoying. I had a hard time rooting for her when she seemed so unformed.

A very creative and compelling story! I loved the plot and how it snaked its way to the end. I really enjoyed this book and how it was laid out. I couldn’t believe the ending! I found it slow at times, but overall super good. Can’t wait for the next book in the series!

What a fun, cozy mystery. This story was so enjoyable, mainly because of the characters here. Lyndsay and her family were so sweet and it was lovely to see their connection and how incredibly supportive they were to each other both in work and in their personal lives as well. I thought this author did a great job at creating a sense of community and showing how a community can band together to support local culture and local businesses. The murder/mystery plot was interesting and kept the story moving while also introducing different characters and personalities to contrast against Lyndsay's family. Also, the descriptions of the food in this book were amazing and kept me hungry almost the whole time reading. The added bonus of recipes for the mentioned baked goods at the end was everything, and I actually plan on attempting those currant rolls.

I was surprised by this books in the most pleasant way. It was heartwarming in a way I wasn't expecting and I just really found myself connecting to it.

Many many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Publish date for this lovely story will be on 1/24/23, so make sure to look for it!

I know cozy mysteries require the reader to suspend your disbelief but this was tough. The dialogue was stilted, the plot full of convenient coincidences, and the characters weren’t particularly memorable. The best part of the book was definitely the food writing. I would like a currant roll asap!