This series is as much about families and togetherness as it is about murder investigations. I'm finding myself more and more drawn to cozy mysteries with strong families and character development. This one is still relatively new and has a way to go toward having completely well defined characters but it's showing promise. Main character Lyndsay Murray/Lynds began the series as a likable but probable push over, bullied as a child and not accustomed to standing up for herself in most circumstances.

The circumstance that kicked started her willingness to step forward involved her family, as it does here. Her family has invested their hearts, time and money, not to mention their energy, in making the Spice Isle Bakery a success. Despite this, she is reluctant to book a retirement dinner for an old nemesis of her mother. It's a family decision to accept it when the outrageous fee quoted to discourage those trying to book the dinner is accepted. Little did Lynds know it would lead to her involvement in another murder investigation when her mother's past history with the victim makes her a person of interest.

So, who killed retiring school principal Emily Smith? Quite frankly, simply based on her arrogance and sense of entitlement even before the meal begins, it could be any of the invited guests. Tensions are high and that isn't helped when it turns out one of the male guests once had a crush on Lyndsay's mother. To complicate things, it turns out a hefty sum of money may have gone missing from school funds. How was Emily poisoned? Could it be the assistant principal, eager to take her spot? Emily's assistant, who is downright nauseating playing up to Emily, seemingly to gain favor? One of the others? Who had the opportunity and, more importantly, how did they do it?

Through it all, the Murray family stays strong, even when Lynds is crushed to hear her bakery will not be included in that year's Caribbean festival due to the murder there. How will that impact their quite young business? Will the threatening messages sent to Lynds detour her? Oh, come on. Of course not. Read this one to find out how it all plays out in the end. There's even romance brewing.

Thanks #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress - #StMartinsPaperbacks for letting me revisit Lyndsay's Spice Isle Bakery. Looking forward to where the end-of-the-book developments take us.

This Spice Isle Bakery series, featuring West Indian bake shop owner Lyndsay Murray, is quickly becoming a favorite mystery series (and that's after only two books).

Delightful recurring characters, including Lyndsay's family, her mother and father, her brother and her grandmother, along with other assorted relatives. Even the two Brooklyn cops add the the enjoyment of the mystery though Lyndsay's ex-high school classmate/crush infuriates her.. Plus another interesting plot as the Spice Isle Bakery caters a small retirement party for a much-hated high school principal who, up til the year before, was Lyndsay's mother's boss.

The murder of one of the retirement party guests threatens to damage the Spice Isle Bakery business and it's up to Lyndsay and her family to protect one of their own from ill-founded accusations in this murder.

Absolutely love this series!!

this was a great sequel in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries series, it had what I enjoyed about the first book and continued to be well-written. I loved the concept of this mystery and the characters within this world. Olivia Matthews does a great job in keeping me invested and I'm excited to read more.

"Granny gave up her pretense of crocheting and joined us at the customer counter. “Dev’s a lawyer and he’s exceptional. No one’s denying that. I’m glad he was there at the precinct. But you’re the one who caught the killer last time. Tell us what you think we should do, nuh?”

Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley, and St. Martin's Press.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

It’s one retirement party that ends up deadly.

Our chef finds herself catering an retirement party for a school principal but it turns into a murderous event when the principal takes a bite of her curry chicken and keels over. She’ll become a suspect when it is known that the principal was once her mother’s boss and they never got along.

Will she be able to find the real killer and save her reputation and that of her mother’s? Another a delicious addition in this newish cozy series.