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!

Lyndsay's bakery is finally open. After years of hard work and dedication Lyndsay's dreams have come true, only to be put in jeopardy when she becomes the center of a murder investigation.
I enjoyed reading Against the Currant. Despite being about an actual murder it was kinda comforting— but I guess that's why it's considered a cozy mystery. Lyndsay was a little boring at times but the overall dynamic between her and her family was nice to read. The bakery was also really cute but I like reading about food in books so I'm biased.
The book could be repetitive at times and the pacing was slow in the beginning, but it got better towards the end when the mystery was solved. Overall, I thought this was a cute book and I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.
This ARC was provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a sucker for cozies with close families, and this one was incredible! Lyndsay was absolutely someone I'd read a whole series of books about, and I loved Dev, Mom, Dad, and Granny. It was also so nice to see a family be supportive of her investigation, and I had so much fun watching them all come together.
I also felt completely absorbed in the world. Matthews is a fantastic storyteller and I will absolutely be coming back to these characters for book two!

This was a cute, cozy mystery. I don’t read a ton of cozy mysteries, but I did enjoy this one. Some parts fell a bit flat for me, but I would enjoy continuing on with this series.

Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews introduces the Spice Isle Bakery series. The West Indian background of the family opening their bakery and the story of their journey to get there, is a welcome addition to the cozy mystery series.

I finished Against the Currant on New Year's Eve and loved rounding out my year with this title. It's been a week since then and I truly wish I had the sequel to continue my time with these characters.

Lyndsay just opened her dream bakery with her family in the Little Carribbean neighborhood of Brooklyn. The family's Grenadian roots are woven through everything they do and every baked good they share. Well, this is a cozy mystery so of course the neighboring bakery owner ends up dead. Guess who just had a very public confrontation with the very rude dead guy? Yep, Lyndsay is the main suspect in the investigation. She sets to work looking for other suspects to clear her name because her entire family's hopes, dreams, and finances are in the bakery. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and can't wait for more from the author!! Cozy mystery lovers, add this new series to your list!!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my early copy of Against the Currant! This book releases January 24th!

A nice start to a new series. Claudio might have threatened Lyndsay on the eve of the opening of her new bakery but she wasn't the one who killed him and she's determined to find out who did. Unusually for a cozy, this is set in Brooklyn rather than a small town but there is still a small town feel because of Lyndsay's family and friends who are devoted to helping her. Fans of the genre know that Claudio was rotten to many and that there will be multiple suspects (I didn't guess the villain). As is to be expected with a first installment, there's some room to learn more about the characters, although Lyndsay is vibrant and entertaining. The Grenadian angle added so many atmospherics (and I learned a bit too!) Thanks to netgalley for the ArC. Looking forward to the next one. AND- recipes!

The enticing scent of cinnamon and nutmeg filled the kitchen as she removed the pastries from the oven. The smell transported her to her native island of Grenada and her heart warmed at the feelings her homeland stirred. A line of customers patiently waited for the fresh desserts and she was so thankful that she was able to give a piece of her heritage to these patrons.

Against the Currant is a cozy mystery following Lyndsay who has just opened a bakery with her family in the heart of Brooklyn. When a rival bakery owner threatens to get Lyndsay’s bakery closed, she stands her ground… but then he winds up dead and she’s the first suspect. Lyndsay is determined to clear her name… even if that means diving into the middle of the investigation.

As with a lot of cozy mysteries, you have to suspend your disbelief a bit when it comes to the police work and the investigation aspects of this story. It was a fun, cute mystery though. I did love the close knit family dynamics, but I wanted more exploration of Lyndsay’s Caribbean heritage. This book will make you want to eat all the Caribbean food!

If you’re a cozy mystery fan then I recommend picking this one up.

Lyndsay Murray's lifelong dream of opening a Caribbean inspired bakery with her family is near to coming true. But Claudio Febrizi is harassing her because he feels she is deliberately trying to undercut his own bakery a couple of blocks away. They have a loud argument in front of many customers when he attends her soft opening.

When Claudio is found dead in his home, stabbed with a bread knife, and with Lyndsay's charm bracelet on the scene, it looks like a slam dunk for her high school crush, now turned homicide detective and his partner. But Lyndsay is determined to clear her name and her reputation because she has put too much of her own money, hopes and dreams and those of her family too into her new business.

There are a number of suspects other than Lyndsay. Claudio was not at all well-loved. His son might have wanted him out of the way. Then there's the blogger who is convinced that Claudio scammed her mother out of a fortune. And a woman whose relationship with Claudio's son was sabotaged by Claudio.

Despite the bidding of the police and her own family, Lyndsay begins her own investigation of Claudio's death which puts her in some danger.

I enjoyed the Caribbean culture, the delicious sounding treats (with recipes at the end), and the strong relationships in Lyndsay's very supportive family.

Lyndsay's dream of opening a bakery with her family is finally coming true, and she could not be more thrilled. This will be a place where she can share her Caribbean heritage with her beloved community. Everything seems to be going great until a fellow bakery owner is murdered, and Lyndsay becomes suspect #1. Now she must do everything in her power to prove her innocence so the bakery does not go under, even if that means conducting her own criminal investigation.

I also come from a Caribbean family, so I enjoyed all the references to our culture, food and family dynamics. I could practically taste the food descriptions, and hear the music that was being described. I really enjoyed Lyndsay and her family, because they reminded me so much of my own. The other side characters fell slightly short for me, and I did not find them that memorable.

I also think the pacing needed some work. It felt like the story was dragging on a bit, and some of the concepts were being repeated throughout several chapters.

Overall, I enjoyed the representation, but I wish the story was a little shorter.

I’m always a fan of cozy mysteries and books with food, so when you put them together, fun things happen. The story was fun but kinda slow until towards the end.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for providing this ARC to review. ~I was given this book and made no commitments to leave my opinions, favorable or otherwise. ~