Against the Currant Earns 5/5 Island Treats…Engagingly Delicious Cozy!

Claudio Fabrizi, owner of Claudio’s Baked Goods, has been the sour in the milk for the Murray family, but Lindsay knows as the majority partner in the bakery, Spice Isle Bakery, she needs to accept the complaints as well as the successes. Claudio’s Bake Goods is an established business in the neighborhood, but Mr. Fabrizi isn’t really a member of the neighborhood; he lives elsewhere and rarely joins in community affairs or the lives of his neighbors. Today his complaint is both public and threatening waving in Lyndsay’s face a handful of notices she’d posted announcing her bakery’s opening. He is angry about the impending competition, despite their menu’s being vastly different, and demands she open up somewhere else, a tactic he’s tried on other bakeries and succeeded. Of course, Lyndsay’s response is “…you move,” and her grandmother is proud of how she stood up to the man’s threats. Buuuut, it doesn’t end there. Fabrizi shows up at the opening, spewing more threats, and vowing to shut them down. Lyndsay defends the family vehemently, but who will defend her when the homicide detectives arrive wanting to question her about Claudio’s death?

Olivia Matthews has baked up a spicy cozy mystery as her first book in a new series, Spice Isle Bakery Mystery. She introduces a young woman who, although struggles with her confidence, finds her voice. She is supported by a close-knit family, proud of a fascinating culture, and not bad at investigating a clever murder mystery. The crime actually occurs later in the book than I like, but being the first book in the series, the introductions, conflict set up, foodie talk, and extraneous events were quite enjoyable. The investigation turned out to be engaging and complex with several avenues to follow from greedy schemes to broken relationships, illegal intentions to plain ol’ revenge … all fascinating motives entangling a diverse group of suspects. Even an additional victim and a bit of personal peril adds some “nail-biting” excitement. Lyndsay’s methods of investigating are realistic for an amateur seeing beyond official inquires with her insights into the community, loads of gossip, and connections her family has with the locals, yet her involvement causes a riff with childhood friend and, now, detective in charge.

Olivia’s writing is descriptive and entertaining illustrating the environment and the multi-generational characters, and providing a delightful backstory tale of an immigrant family making a success of their second home. The family dynamic was realistic, something with which every reader can identify: Lyndsay’s parents are supportive, of course, but protective and overly cautious; her brother is supportive, literally lending a helping hand; her grandmother is supportive as well as encouraging and definitely has her granddaughter’s back with her own insights as well as baking lessons. But, what about romance? Lyndsay has been quite the introvert and bonding over murder is not the best relationship starter, but there might be an opportunity to consider.

Recipes, Please! It’s not complete until the recipes show up, and straight from Spice Isle Bakery, you can enjoy a taste of the Caribbean with “melt in your mouth” Currant Rolls and Coconut Bread! Yum!

This is a fun start to a new cozy series! I love the bakery setting, especially since I haven’t heard of a lot of the baked goods. Something I haven’t seen a lot of in cozies is a neighborhood setting in a large city and I really loved it. I wish more folks would do it! The deep bonds of family were clearly written and spread throughout the story. The mystery itself was really fun, with plenty of red herrings and potential suspects. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series!

What a wonderful new series from Olivia Matthews. I am already looking forward to the next in the series.

Lyndsey Murray immediately won me over as a reader. How many of us could or would take a leap of faith to open a bakery without being a good baker? Lyndsey followed her life-long dream and had the support of her family in improving her skills. The family aspect of this story is outstanding.

In fact, the family even becomes involved, as Lyndsey allows them to help, in clearing her name as the killer. Their love and support of each other is my favorite part of what is sure to become a new favorite series for me.

I can’t forget to mention the food and culture in this book. I learned so much about the West Indian Culture. Now I want to try all of the food mentioned!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the copy of this book. All views are my honest opinion.

Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews is a really cute cozy mystery that takes place around a West Indian style bakery. I love to bake myself so the setting for this book was perfect to me. Lyndsay and her family have recently opened a bakery and while Lyndsay herself isn’t the best baker, she is the one that really made this achievement possible for her family. I thought the blend of Lyndsay’s family dynamic and culture made this story seem very comfy and homey as we also try alongside Lyndsay to figure out who has framed her for murder, and while the incompetent cops continue to point their finger at her. I thought the story flowed nicely and I loved how Lyndsay starts off in the the story not super confident in herself, but as it becomes more pressing that she solve this crime that has been put on her shoulders, her confidence slowly builds until not only does she solve the mystery, but she learns to be confident in her baking. My only complaint about this book is that I found there were times when we are given details that I felt were unnecessary to the story such as every single outfit Lyndsay’s cousin and grandmother wear but other than that I really enjoyed this read and look forward to reading the next one! Thank You Netgalley and stmartinspress for the EARC of this book.

Against the Currant is the first in a new series from Olivia Matthews. While Lyndsay and her family are engaging characters, and the mystery worked well, the book fell a little flat for me. What didn't work was that Lyndsay has a crush on the police officer that is busy finding staged ways she is guilty of murder. I'm hoping that changes in future books because why would I believe a strong, capable woman would be totally into a guy who doesn't demonstrate any smarts or ability to do his job? She's doing it for him while opening a brand new business!
There was no shortage of suspects yet Lyndsay and her grandmother did all the work of finding out about them. I know that with cozies the sleuth often does a better job of solving crime than the police but the attraction just soured it.

Lyndsay Murray is about to open her long-dreamed of Caribbean bakery with her close-knit family. The only hitch is another bakery owner who comes to the store to make a fuss. Lyndsay confronts the man only to have him turn up dead the day murdered. Lyndsay is, of course, one of the main suspects and watching her beloved dream and the investment of her family being damaged by the the suspicions against her makes her all the more determined to find the real killer. If the killer doesn't get to her first...

I really enjoyed Lyndsay, her family and the strong community she lives in. The only drawback of being an adult in the community you grew up in is that it isn't easy to get away from and overcome the insecurities you had growing up. That comes through very clearly in this book.

Lyndsay's investigation into the mystery starts slow but it plays well because she doesn't were to start and she believes this is something the police do. It is only when it seems that the police are taking too long and focused on her being the prime suspect that she feels she has to do something. Also, this is the first book in the series and there always has to be a build up of the characters, the community and the business involved in a cozy.

It is a solid mystery and provides some needed diversity in the cozy writer universe. The food descriptions will definitely make you hungry. Enjoy.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

Such a fun, entertaining cozy mystery! This book was fast paced and kept my interest throughout. I was so thrilled to see some much needed diversity in this genre. I definitely recommend the audiobo0k. Excited for future installments in this series!

Against the Currant is the first book in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries by Olivia Matthews. This book is set in the Little Caribbean area of New York as Lindsay Murray is in the process of opening her dream bakery along with the rest of her family. The book opens with a couple of conflicts between her and Claudio Fabrizi, the owner of another bakery in the area. When Claudio is discovered murdered the morning after the bakeries soft opening, Lyndsay becomes a suspect based on the confrontations that had happened previously.

Within the twists that the author provides in the story, the reader is treated to a unique glimpse into the rich cultural heritage that this family brought with them when they came to the mainland from their home in Grenada. As the story continues, Lyndsay is drawn deeper into the mystery as evidence continues to mount up pointing to her involvement but soon becomes clear that there is a definite effort to frame her for the murder which leads to a revelation of motive and culprit that will seemingly stop at nothing to have things go their way. This is an excellent first book in series and I hope to see many more installments that continue to build on the foundation put in place here for Lyndsay and her entire family and circle of friends.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press and am leaving this review voluntarily.

A mouthwatering new cozy mystery series starts with Against the Currant, featuring Lyndsay Murray and her family-run Grenadian bakery in Brooklyn's Little Caribbean. When Lyndsay is framed for the murder out of a rival local baker, she takes the investigation on herself in order to clear her name and the cloud hanging over her new business.

It's a pretty weak mystery, as plots go, but I liked the cast and premise, with plenty of quirky characters to fill in the ensemble and give a sense of community, one of the book's stronger elements. It feels like good setup for a series centered around Spice Isle Bakery and the Murray family, and in fact I was unsurprised to learn the sequel is already scheduled to come out this spring. Have some snacks on hand when you read this one...

Thanks to St. Martin's for the advance review copy.

A great start to a new series. There was a good amount of characters/suspects and mystery. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read and review this book.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the free book.
This was a fun, cozy bakery mystery. I am used to the structure of these stories, and enjoyed the author's take on a Grenadian family's bakery getting tied up in a murder. The food descriptions left my mouth watering. I loved the familial closeness here. Each character was written with depth, and I was surprised by the big reveal. If you're a cozy fan, this would be one to check out.

I enjoy the work of Olivia Matthews. Her Peach Coast Library and Sister Lou Mysteries are among my favorite cozy mysteries in recent years. AGAINST THE CURRANT, Book #1 in her Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries Series, is a solid beginning to this delightfully promising new series.

Lyndsay Murray has dreamt about opening her own bakery and has finally achieved her goal with the help of her parents, brother and grandmother. At the soft launch, a few days before the official opening, things are going quite well until Claudio Febrizi spoils the event by confronting Lyndsay and threatening to shut her bakery down. His bakery is in the same neighborhood, and he sees Lyndsay’s bakery as competition, despite the fact, that the menus are vastly different. Lyndsay stands her ground challenges his claims in front of the whole neighborhood. Things get complicated and deadly when Claudio turns up murdered and, of course, Lyndsay is the prime suspect. Lyndsay sets out to prove she is innocent. Who murdered Claudio and why?

AGAINST THE CURRANT is a great cozy mystery with just the right number of twists and turns to keep me engrossed. There are several viable suspects and I kept trying to work out ‘who done it?’. Ms. Matthews’ forte is her characterization. Her characters are not perfect and sometimes flawed, but they are well-fleshed out, memorable characters. I loved Lyndsay, our kickboxing protagonist and I enjoyed seeing her develop from, an individual with dreams who isn’t strong and confident at first, but by the end of the story finds her voice and strength.

I loved this story and what took it to another level for me was the references to Ms. Matthews’ country of birth, Grenada. There is a sense of nostalgia when Lyndsay is referring to the spice island. One of my own island, Barbados' closest neighbors, the references to island culture felt familiar and homey. The island become one of the book’s characters, always hovering in the background through Lyndsay’s grandmother’s vivid memories of island life. The story highlights pastries and delicacies of Granada and of course, Ms. Matthews includes a few mouth-watering recipes. There is also an overwhelming sense of community and family in the Little Caribbean, Brooklyn setting, a familiar element of cozy mysteries.

AGAINST THE CURRANT is all I expect from a book in the genre and more. It is a great mystery with all the expected conflicts and quirky and interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Matthews has in the oven for us next. Fortunately, we don’t have long to wait. HARD DOUGH HOMICIDE, the next book in the series, is out in May 2023.

So here's another cozy mystery set in a bakery.

Bonus points:
- it's a Caribbean bakery owned and run by people of color
- the main character is a kick-boxer. That's unique in my experience.

Deja vu (cozy mystery bingo squares):
- there are recipes - although the one I wanted to see wasn't there. (I'd love to know details about the fish bakes.)
- despite a rocky introduction the hot cop shows signs of being the love interest, even though the way he was introduced would have put me off any kind of relationship forever.
- the main character (Lyndsay)'s family is quirky and often interfering
- the police are kind of stupid

Really, the only thing missing from the Cozy Mystery Checklist™ is a quirky pet. And I'm not sure if there's a potential love triangle, as I would expect.

Small things annoyed me, like characters "kissing their teeth". If it had all been the grandmother, I could have gone with it, but other characters did it too, so it became an annoying repeated tic. And the murder victim's character was such that there was a large pool of suspects who had great reasons to kill him - all of which were better than the astoundingly lame excuse for a motive Lyndsay was seen as having. Which wasn't really a motive at all.

I put up with small annoyances for the sake of a unique setup and some decent writing ("She moved further into the bakery, swinging her hips as though she was already at the club. Her dress with its black V-neck bodice and tie-dye skirt in blue, gold, green, and white swirled around her, picking up the music in her mind." I <I>like</i> that.) I enjoyed the fact that the family eventually banded together and helped with the investigation. Lyndsay had no business investigating anything, but if she had to do it I liked that the rest of them worked together. "I'm not trying to catch a killer. I just want to identify better suspects so the detectives will stop looking at me." OK.

But ...

"I remember in high school, you were timid and quiet. You've developed a temper since then."
He remembered that about me? It blew my mind that he'd noticed me at all back then.

This, frankly, really annoyed me. I was the timid, quiet one in high school, and I have proof that unless I was actually friends with someone in high school, they have no memory of me. This was pure ... what is it called? Fan service? Mary Sue-ism? Just really really unlikely?

I think my biggest problem with the book was the entire thread that started with Lyndsay and her cousin being shot at.

"You found the bullets."
..."They were found in the opposite direction from which Lyndsay and her cousin claimed they were walking."
..."Meaning they could've fired those shots themselves."

The latter sentence is apparently supposed to be an indication that the police thought the girls made up being under attack in order to throw suspicion elsewhere. Because they were seen to be focusing on Lyndsay as the killer, and no one else - even though that was really stupid. (I kept hoping that the main character just *thought* they were focusing on her ... but no, they really seemed to be.) But ... I don't understand the sentence. How can the bullets have been in "the opposite direction" of anything? A shooter could have been literally anywhere - it - - I - - it doesn't compute. And this could all have been settled very easily if the cops on scene had, oh I don't know, tested for gunshot residue. Like, you know, doing their jobs.

The mystery wasn't great - but it is, after all, a cozy, so I don't expect a great mystery. The writing was fine. The characters were fine. The setting was good. But one sentence near the end of the book should, in a more reality-based book than most cozies will ever, ever be, scotch the idea of this turning into a series:

"So many times during this investigation, I've been more afraid than I'd ever been before."

And yet I expect that in a year or so there will be another murder investigation into which Lyndsay flings herself, without even the slender motivation of saving her reputation.

(Also, I expect that in any future books Lyndsay will be dating the hot detective, despite the fact that he apparently legitimately held her as a prime suspect.)

I enjoyed almost every part of this book.....except our MC. She was too timid, too wishy washy, too hypocritical; too everything not great. The rest of her family and all the other characters were great. Also, I greatly want a currant roll and a hot ginger tea now. But seriously, I'll definitely read book 2 to see if she gets better as the series goes on.

In this book we have a close knit family who is opening a bakery and Lyndsay the majority owner and daughter of the family is now suspected of murdering the owner of a rival bakery. After the police decide to focus on her instead of looking at all suspects Lyndsay and her grandma decide to take matter into their own hands and solve the case themselves. Granny is truly the best part of the book and was my absolute favorite. I would say this book is a great cozy mystery and though its not my favorite genre it was a nice change of pace.

Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews is the first book in the Spice Isle Bakery Mystery cozy mystery series.

I really enjoyed this book.

The characters were well written and authentic.

The mystery was great, with many suspects.

Looking forward to the next book in the series.

This novel is the start of a new cozy mystery series, Spice Island Bakery, for Matthews. Lyndsay should be celebrating the successful opening of her bakery with the strong support of her family, but instead she quickly becomes a murder suspect in the killing of her immediate competition in the neighborhood. The story is full of twists and multiple possible suspects while at the same time, potential relationships seem to be blooming for various family members as they all work to support and try to clear Lyndsay's name.

I did struggle with some of the plot twists in the book, and that made me a bit skeptical while reading. However, the potential relationship tension among multiple people in the book, including most likely Lyndsay, is enough of a draw to bring me right back to reading the second book in the series, whenever Matthews decides to write it. Hard as I tried to resist, I did end up caring about what happens to Lyndsay's family and her bakery. And I do plan on trying out the currant rolls in the near future, since Matthews included the recipe in the novel

Against the Currant

A Spice Isle Bakery Mystery

By: Olivia Matthews

Publish Date: 24 January 2023

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Mystery and Thrillers

#AgainsttheCurrant#NetGalley

100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to than both NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

Goodreads Synopsis:

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?

Book Review:

I gave this book 4 stars. I enjoyed how the family pulled together to help Lynds in her time of need. I really enjoyed how the grandma had it all together and even pushed her to ask for the help she needed. There were a lot of characters in the book, and you had to keep them in the back of your mind as you read. Since this is a mystery book, I won’t go into it too much. The Goodreads synopsis gives you plenty information on what happens. I will say Lynds tends to go off half cock into things she shouldn’t. There were several times she could have been hurt because of her temper and her memories of how she was bullied as a high schooler. I like how she started to have more confidence in herself as the story came to an end.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. I liked this cozy mystery. It was nice to read one that had a different feel to it even if the story line was similar for many cozy mysteries with food and bakeries.

🦇 Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

❝We love this country we've adopted as our home. Sharing our culture and our customs is a way of expressing that love. It's our way of giving back.❞

❓ #QOTD What dish connects you to your roots? ❓

🦇 It's finally happening: after years of saving and planning, Lyndsay Murray is ready to open Spice Isle Bakery. Located in Little Caribbean, Brooklyn, New York, the West Indian bakery pays homage to Lyndsay's Grenadian roots and community. On the day of the restaurant's soft launch, however, competing baker Claudio Fabrizi storms in, threatening to shut her down if she doesn't close her doors. After being bullied in high school, Lyndsay isn't about to stand down now. She gives Claudio a piece of her mind in front of an audience, who are equally amused and appreciative that someone finally stood up to him. One person, however, uses it as the perfect opportunity. When Claudio is found dead in his home a day later, Lyndsay becomes the prime suspect in a murder. Can she prove her innocence and ensure her restaurant's success before the scandal scares away customers?

💜 As a big fan of the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series, I had high hopes for this "cozy culinary mystery." It's always fun to delve into a rich culture through its cuisine. Lyndsay Murray is a smart, determined woman finally coming into her own, ready to prove she's not as meek as her high school bullies once thought, only to have a grumpy baker revive those old insecurities. It's easy to cheer Lyndsay on as she stands up for herself, and we see her confidence grow with every page. The novel's strong familial ties are refreshing and sweet, while the aromatic description of every dish practically wafts off the page. Lyndsay's grandmother is a treat (though I hoped to hear a bit more sass from her). Olivia Matthews also takes care to provide plenty of suspects and ongoing conflict to keep the story rolling. As the first book in the Spice Isles Bakery Mystery series, there's promise here.

🦇 Unfortunately, many descriptions, phrases, and even explanations get repeated too often. There's also the issue of Lyndsay's age; though she's 30 and thriving, she's still hung up on bullying that occurred in high school. As someone who was bullied as well, I know that pain never fully fades, but it's repeated ad nauseam as if to reduce Lynsday's character into a damsel in need of saving—and she's anything but. She also calls her parents "Mommy" and "Daddy," further making it sound like she's an adolescent. There are areas where the dialogue is awkward and unnatural as well. While her cousin is positioned to act as a successful, cool, same-age foil to Lyndsay, the verbiage makes her sound outdated; like she's desperately trying to sound cool and failing miserably. One of my biggest pet peeves, however, repeats at the start of every chapter. We're told the day of the week constantly, even though the end of one chapter usually continues into the start of the next. Facts that were previously stated are repeated only pages later, as if we'd already forgotten. The amount of "tell," rather than "show" makes it seem like the author doesn't trust her readers to make sense of what's right in front of them, even though the killer is fairly obvious long before the ending. With so much build-up, the reveal and motive were a bit disappointing as well.

🍲 I'm eager to see how the series continues (and what new dishes are featured, because reading this definitely made me hungry). If you love the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series, definitely give the Spice Isle Bakery series a try.

🔪 Cozy Mystery
🥊 Kick-boxing badass
💜 Family First
🍲 Delicious Dishes

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.