"Hard Dough Homicide" by Olivia Matthews is a delectable mix of mystery, intrigue, and mouthwatering treats that will leave you craving more!

Matthews crafts a compelling whodunit that keeps readers guessing until the very end. The plot's twists and turns are as irresistible as the tantalizing aromas wafting from Spice Isle Bakery's kitchen. From the first page to the last, you'll find yourself eagerly turning pages, eager to uncover the secrets hidden within the bustling streets of Little Caribbean.

What sets "Hard Dough Homicide" apart is its richly drawn characters and vivid sense of place. Lyndsay is a relatable and resourceful protagonist, and her determination to protect her family and livelihood is inspiring and endearing. From quirky neighbours to suspicious suspects, the supporting cast adds depth and flavour to the story, creating a tapestry of personalities that will keep you invested from start to finish.

But the show's true star is the mouthwatering array of Caribbean cuisine lovingly described throughout the book. From savoury jerk chicken to sweet coconut bread, each culinary creation adds authenticity and charm to the story, transporting readers to the island's heart.

In "Hard Dough Homicide," Olivia Matthews delivers a delightful mystery as satisfying as a warm slice of pie. So, grab a cup of tea, settle into your favourite armchair, and prepare to be whisked away on a deliciously thrilling adventure through the streets of Little Caribbean. Trust me, you won't be able to resist this tempting treat of a book!

For lovers of unique and super cozy mysteries, this sounds like a book that would be perfect to read especially during the summer!

I wish I loved the first book more before reading the second. I wasn’t emotionally attached to the FMC simply because she wasn’t written in a way that was relatable to the plot. This kind of gives me Finley Donovan vibes but with a completely different setting, but similar in that it feels repetitive.

I gave this an honest try until 50%, and then I started skimming. It had all the elements of a cozy mystery- small business, amateur sleuth who needs to solve a murder to save her business, and a vague romantic event. But it didn’t do these things well. The MC didn’t start trying to solve the murder until 40% into the book, and she was just berating the police up to (and after) that point. She was ridiculous, heard what she wanted to hear (putting words in peoples mouths) and her solving the crime was rushed and far-fetched. And the romantic dynamic didn’t work at all. Completely forced and didn’t make sense. Very repetitive writing.

I enjoyed the first book in this cozy food mystery series set in a Caribbean bakery in Brooklyn. I'm sad to say that this was wasn't as good for me. The mystery felt more forced and the sense of community that I'd enjoyed in the first book wasn't as evident here. I'll give her another try though.

Lyndsay Murray has a lot more on her plate besides running the bakery she owns, she also plunges headfirst into solving a murder yet again. The last time her new bakery, located in Little Caribbean in Brooklyn, catered an event, a man died. This time around, she has been hired to cater a retirement dinner for a retiring school principal, Emily Smith. This does not please her mother as she worked under the Emily and they had a contentious relationship.

In fact, with only five guests invited to this dinner, it becomes more than apparent that none of them like Emily either. Dinner is served, and shortly afterwards Emily drops dead. Since it was more than apparent that Lyndsay's mother utterly disliked Emily, she becomes the prime suspect. Having had great success in solving a murder previously, she proves determined to prove her mother's innocence, and to find the killer herself.

Lyndsay's family has a lot of faith in her finding the means, motive and opportunity to commit the murder. Despite running headlong into the detective in charge, Bryce, Lyndsay is growing more fond of him as time goes on. This was an excellent second book in an already delightful series by Olivia Matthews.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, the family, Lyndsay really trying something new with her career, and learning about the different food and culture. I love it so much!

When Lyndsey's Spice Isle Bakery in Little Caribbean in NYC is hired to host a retirement party, the feelings are mixed. On one hand, it's a lot of money, and catering would be a great new avenue for the business. On the other, it's for Lyndsey's mom's old boss, the principle of a local school--and whom everyone despises. So when the vile woman drops dead at the dinner and it looks like poison might be the cause, everyone's a suspect. Unfortunately, including Lyndsey's mom. Lyndsey sets out to solve another case, clear her mother's name, and prove to the handsome detective that he shouldn't jump to conclusions--again.

I had somewhat put off reading this one because I didn't love the first book in this series, and there's lots of cozy mysteries out there. But I ultimately really enjoyed this one, mostly for the fun locked-room aspect of the murder. It gave us a closed world of suspects to consider, which I love, and lots of clues for the reader to figure out the whodunit. I think it would be interesting to listen to this one on audiobook, hopefully with a narrator who can capture the accents well.

The only thing I didn't like was the stereotypical representation of BigLaw. Lyndsey's brother is a lawyer at a large law firm, and it portrays him as constantly burn out and unhappy with uncaring supervisors. While that's certainly true at some places--perhaps even most places--it's a lazy stereotype that didn't need to perpetuated in this context. Why do no books ever include happy lawyers? It's the Hallmark movie paradox: no big city career woman can ever be happy. Alright, I'll step off my soapbox.

Thanks to St. Martin's for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 8/10

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC of Hard Dough Homicide! All opinions in this review are my own.

I like the combination of food and family in this cozy mystery series. Lyndsay is able to solve these mysteries because of the support of her family, even if they have the unluckiest bakery in the city. I always enjoy a closed door mystery and Hard Dough Homicide was no different! I'm glad the second book lived up to the first and I'm excited to read the third one now!

I loved this book, it gave me everything I wanted as a reader and more. I am a sucker for a cover and fell in love with the storyline and characters. Well written and kept me engaged :)

I am such a sucker for cozies but especially ones with food at the center! Before reading this one, I picked up the first book in the series and really enjoyed it. This book has a great setting, incredible food, and the family/characters are really amazing. A very cozy cozy indeed!

A murder has occurred, and the Spice Isle Bakery is, once again, at the forefront of the excitement. Lyndsay's mother is one of the prime suspects, and Lyndsay doesn't feel that the police are working fast enough to remove her mother's name from the suspect list. As usual, Lyndsay inserts herself into the investigation and wraps things up for the detectives.

While the first installment of this series was entertaining, this second book now feels childish and campy. Lyndsay all but throws a tantrum every time she sees Bryce and accuses him of not working hard enough to clear her mother's name. She lashes out at Jose, the reporter, because he wrote a seemingly one-sided piece, even though Lyndsay refused to give a quote and say her mom was innocent. Over and above Lyndsay's outbursts, she consistently calls her parents "mommy" and "daddy," and she is in her mid-20s... it's just bizarre, seeing as her older brother calls them "mom" and "dad," as any other adult would.

I have the third book in this series but, if the prose goes downhill even more than in this second book, I don't think I will be continuing this series.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The Grenadian culture is so prevalent in this cozy mystery series and I absolutely adore that! I have learned so much just from reading the two books that I never knew and that makes reading them that much more fun! Lyndsey is a bad-ass in her own right, but all the help she gets from her family and friends just helps the story so much. On to the third book and hoping for more after that!

The Spice Isle Bakery and the Murray family are still recovering from their last brush with a murder investigation, when the unthinkable happens again: Lyndsay’s mother’s former boss collapses during a catered dinner in the restaurant’s dining room, and Lyndsay’s mother is suspected of murder.

Even though police detective Bryce is attractive, Lyndsay has no interest in him as long as he insists her mother is a person of interest. Lyndsay decides she’s going to clear her mother’s name to protect her mother and their business, both of which looks initially doubtful when people stay away immediately after the murder, and the police keep their sights on the family.

The more Lyndsay digs, the more she discovers about the character of the dead woman, and her professional relationships, all of which have been tainted by anger, manipulation and lies. Lyndsay discovers credible leads and narrows her suspect pool with her grandmother’s help, leading to the frightening reveal.

It’s pretty unlikely that a marketing professional struggling to keep her fledgling business alive would be such a good investigator, but that’s part of this cozy series’ appeal, as well as all the food that’s mentioned along the way. I look forward to Lyndsay’s next case.

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I really like Spice Islands Bakery - the vibe of the restaurant, the descriptions of the food, the neighborhood, the music, and the close family that runs it. It's a great setting for this cozy mystery series.
In this second book, a woman who is disliked by many, and used to be "Mommy's" boss, hires the restaurant to cater her retirement dinner. After showing how vile she really is at the start of the meal, the woman drops dead. Which, of course, makes Spice Island Bakery at the center of another murder.
I liked all of the family support, and also liked seeing how the neighborhood characters responded to the event. I did get a little annoyed that Lyndsay does not admit that the police are just doing their job when the investigate the murder. But she has grown as a character, and is a confident businesswoman.
I'd recommend this cozy mystery to lovers of the genre. Now to find some good Caribbean food.

Again the bakery is involved in a mystery. It is a great read there is some sexual tension between the police and one of the bakery owners, however it is a clean book. Acozy mystery and fun to read

*I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my honest review.*

Second in a series and I felt like it was just as strong as the first. A Caribbean bakery in Brooklyn, NY trying to find it's place amongst the other bakeries. Lyndsay has plans for the bakery as far as production and meals and catering down the road, but when a persistent caller asks for a dinner party at the bakery multiple times, Lyndsay and her family relent and take on the job. And then the guest of honor dies in the middle of the first course and the bakery is under suspicion for murder again.

I enjoy the dynamic between the family members and also the somewhat quirky customers. I enjoy the lightness of the cozy mystery and the danger that this series also portrays. I feel like the whole of it is not dumbed down like some of the cozies and I really appreciate that.

When I was approved to read this book, I went back and read the first in the series just to keep things in order and I am really enjoying the series and look forward to more stories by Olivia Matthews.

This is book #2 in a series and I read it before reading book #1, however I was not lost at all. I did go back and read book #1 and I have to say, I liked this one better! This has exactly what I want in a cozy - fun cast, good setting, food LOL, and is well written. I'm looking forward to more in this series!

While Hard Dough Homicide is the second in a series, I had no problem following the story, despite not having read the first book. There were a few things that lowered my rating:
1. Despite having been open only about 2 months, the bakery has been the scene of 2 murders. This seems awfully quick, and I question whether people would continue to patronize the business.
2. I don’t enjoy reading a portrayal of investigating police as incompetent.
3. Our main character, Lyndsay, seems rather immature for her age.

That being said, there were many things about the story that I really liked:
1. Strong family bond among Lyndsay’s extended family. They even prayed together in the morning before opening the shop, which I loved.
2. There were plenty of potential suspects in the death of the unlikable Emily Smith, which definitely added to my enjoyment

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is the second book in the Spice Isle Bakery series. I did not read the first one and I think that affected my opinion of this particular book. There were several things that kept me from enjoying the story. First of all, there was a lot of repetitiveness. I do not need to be told over and over that the bakery is blond wood. And are we still talking about being bullied in high school? I would think you would have moved on by this point in time in your life. Another issue that bugged me was the way the police were presented as incompetent. That just hit me the wrong way and turned me off from being able to enjoy the story and the mystery aspect.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Paperbacks for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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