I started the series with this book and honestly it was super easy to follow along. The book was really engaging and fun! I really liked the MC and her family. The fact that the police was trying to work with an amateur was a bit of a stretch but it was still really fun!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, dreamscape media, and Olivia Matthews for giving me the opportunity to review this books. All opinions are my own.

What a little gem. A Caribbean Festival in NYC, lots of culture, quirky and wonderful characters, plenty of amazing food, recipes, and music. Toss in a possible murder and you can stick a fork in it, it's cooked. A quick read to get you through your post holiday slump.

I really enjoyed the latest installment in this series by Olivia Matthews. I can not wait to see how the characters develop in the next book.

Coconut Drop Dead is the third novel in the Spice Isle Bakery series. Though it is possible to read it as a standalone, I would recommend reading at least the first novel in the series as there are references in this latest novel to earlier murder investigations.

Like Matthews’ two prior Spice Isle series, the main character Lyndsay Murray gets immersed in a murder investigation with lead detective, Bryce Jackson. Only this time, Lyndsay isn’t a suspect but an assistant investigator. Together with Bryce, Lyndsay along with the rest of her family band together to solve the death of well known Calypso singer, Camille Abbey.

The characters are the mainstay of the novel with strong family values. And I loved how each of the characters have evolved since the inception of the first novel. They have all grown and have developed like fine wine — full bodied with character. And with this latest novel, the antagonism between Lyndsay and Bryce seem to be fading away. Is there a romance brewing? And, too, the rift between Jose’ the journalist and Lyndsay appears to be slowly coming to a close. Could there be a possible investigative team of Lyndsay, Bryce and Jose?

The plot like any cozy mystery follows a whodunit theme. But in a slow atmospheric pace. Clues slowly surface by a process of elimination until the perpetrator is revealed. And in the case of Coconut Drop Dead, it was somewhat of a surprise.

I really enjoyed Coconut Drop Dead. It was a quick read with a Carribean flair. And as a bonus, like Matthews’ other novels, there are a couple of Carribean recipes at the end to enhance that West Indian vibe. Five Stars.

I was invited to read the DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

3.5 stars, rounded up

Coconut Drop Dead is the third book in an enjoyable cozy mystery series featuring a family from Grenada who have opened a bakery in their Brooklyn neighborhood, Little Caribbean. The bakery is more than a traditional bakery because they serve traditional dishes such as “fish bakes” along with their Coconut Drop Cookies, Hard Dough Bread, currant rolls, and more. The stories are told from the POV of the main character, Lyndsay, the daughter of the family, who is not pleased to be referred to as “the Grenadian Nancy Drew.”

While it’s always good to read a series in order, I feel this one could easily be read as a standalone. There are references to her earlier crime-solving adventures, it’s not necessary to this story to have read about them. Unlike the second book, which was a kind of locked-room mystery, this one is far from that, as the death occurs in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park during a Caribbean Festival. At first the death is ruled accidental, but Lindsay’s cousin Manny had a “thing” for Camille, the lead singer of a locally popular reggae band, and he’s sure it was murder.

I loved how this book series highlights Caribbean culture and foods. The family members are a great support system, as they are all involved in the bakery - even Lyndsay’s older brother Devon, who is a lawyer but who was unhappy in his job. I was glad to see the growth in Lyndsay’s character; she has much more self-confidence now. Lyndsay’s grandmother is a terrific character, always sitting at a table in the bakery, crocheting, and joining in all the conversations.

One niggling annoyance for me - Lyndsay constantly refers to her parents as Mommy and Daddy; I don’t think there was a single sentence where it was simply “my parents”, for example. It just sounded childish to me, and Lyndsay is 27 years old. I had the same complaint in the first two books, so I guess the author is happy with it. The only other complaint is that there is too much description of what everyone is wearing, whether it’s relevant or not.

The author includes a couple of recipes at the end. Unfortunately it didn’t include the titular Coconut Drop cookies, which I had hoped for!

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, and why I flew through the story so fast. The audiobook was beautifully narrated by Janina Edwards, who did a great job with all the voices and accents.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

What a nice bakery. And they even have a food truck at the Little Caribbean festival. The music is playing and hips are swaying. Sounds like so much fun. Then one of the singer is at the bottom of the stairs...dead. Oh No!! How did that happen? Lyndsay and her family are concerned because she was her cousins new love interest. Read along as she helps the police find answers.......Accident or murder?
I read this was quickly. Like the cover, the food made me drool and the story held my interest. A good book.

This is the third book in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries but it worked well as a standalone.

Despite being set in one of the boroughs of the most populated city in the US, this story had a small town feel. It takes place in the neighborhood known as Little Caribbean, a place where I’ve had some memorable food experiences 😋

Even for being a cozy mystery, this story was a bit slow to get anywhere.

For me the biggest annoyance was that every character’s clothing was described in full detail every time they were mentioned – even the jackets they had hanging from the back of a chair.

🔹️ Summertime setting
🔹️ Single POV
🔹️ Tight knit family dynamic
🔹️ Lots of banter
🔹️ Caribbean heritage rep

Posted to IG @rolandreviews on 12/14/2023
Posted to Goodreads on 12/20/2023

love that this cozy/traditional mystery takes place in Brooklyn. So often books in this genre take place in small Midwest locales. What fun to be in an urban setting and still have a good story and one without excessive violence.

This book is part of the Spice Isle series, one of, but not the only, series by this author. It features Lyndsay, a woman who runs a delicious Caribbean bakery. She is excited about her pastries and a big, upcoming festival. All should be perfect except, of course, there is a murder; a reggae singer is killed. Readers will have fun (and be hungry) as they wait for the pieces to fall into place in this enjoyable read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for this title. All opinions are my own.

“Coconut Drop Dead”, the third book in Olivia Matthews's Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries, finds bakery owner Lyndsay Murray investigating yet another murder when cousin Manny’s girlfriend is murdered at the Caribbean American Heritage Festival.

If there was ever a series where I wish I could jump into the book, stand in line at the bakery, smell the smells, eat the food, dance to the music this is it! I love everything about this series – Lyndsay (who grows stronger as a character in each book), all the members of her extended family especially her grandmother, the bakery customers, Lyndsay’s growing relationship with Bryce. The mystery is well done if a bit sad (I felt really bad for the victim’s family) and I did have to suspend belief a bit regarding Lyndsay working so closely with the police to solve the murder. The mystery was well plotted with plenty of suspects – again I had to suspend belief when the killer was revealed – no spoilers but Lyndsay is too smart to act the way she did. Still, that aside, I really enjoyed this book.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Lyndsay Murray, otherwise known as the Grenadian Nancy Drew, is excited for her family’s bakery to participate as a food vendor at Brooklyn’s annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival. However, the fun is cut short when the lead singer of a local reggae band is found dead. Although it seems to be an accident, Lyndsay’s cousin has other suspicious about his friend’s death and begs Lynds to once again investigate a murder.

This is a fun cozy mystery set in the Little Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. Lyndsay has a very close-knit family. I especially appreciated Granny and her stories as well as her faith in and support of Lyndsay’s efforts. The mystery itself was interesting, especially since Lyndsay was able to work a little more directly with the detectives this time around. I loved all the little things that built a sense of culture and community into the book like the reggae music, West Indian food, and the bakery regulars.

Note: This is the third book in the Spice Isle Bakery cozy mystery series and can be read as a standalone.

Coconut Drop.Dead is the 3rd book in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries and it is just as enjoyable as the others. This is a Caribbean themed cozy mystery featuring Lyndsay Murray, her family and their bakery, Spice Isle Bakery The characters are very likable and the mystery kept me guessing. Spice Isle Bakery is lucky enough to be a vendor for Brooklyn's Caribbean American Heritage Festival. Their food truck is very busy. Lyndsay's cousin Manny introduces them to Camille, the lead singer in the popular band DragonFlyZ. Unfortunately Camille is found dead. Often in cozy mysteries it is someone not very well liked but in this book Camille is very popular which makes it sad especially for Manny. Lindsay of course needs to seek justice for Camille. The interesting part is Detective Bryce Jackson asks Lindsay to work with him on the investigation. Bryce definitely likes Lindsay and she likes him but is still upset with him for suspecting her family in previous books. Farfetched but it works for this story. Naturally it is focused on Caribbean food, values, and culture. This is an enjoyable cozy mystery. #CocnutDrooDead #SpiceIsleBakery #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

When Camille, the lead singer of a reggae band, falls and dies at the annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival, Lyndsay Murray and her family suspect foul play and start digging into who might want Camille dead and why. Their search uncovers plenty of suspects with plenty of motives for wanting the singer permanently gone. But can they narrow the list down to figure out exactly who the guilty party is and get justice for Camille and her family?

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Coconut Drop Dead is third in the Spice Isle Bakery series and I am still loving it! I love Lyndsay and her family so much. They bring so much life, love, and their culture to the pages of these cozy mysteries. The chemistry between Lyndsay and Bryce is also keeping me reading this series. He's been close to arresting Lyndsay and her mom for murder so I get why she is hesitating to date him!! I continue to enjoy these mysteries by Olivia Matthews and I will continue to read them!

Coconut Drop Dead is out December 26th! Thank you Minotaur and Netgalley for my e-arc!

Things are busy at Spice Isle Bakery. It's the annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival and the bakery is participating as a vendor. Lyndsay Murray is looking forward to the festival, the customers, and the music. But then tragedy strikes when Camille, a well-known singer of a reggae band, dies suspiciously. It is soon confirmed that she's been murdered. Despite getting ready for the festival, Lyndsay is also looking into the murder because her cousin Manny was dating Camille.

This is a fun cozy starring the Murray family and their very outspoken customers. It is great fun to watch every aspect of the case be discussed in detail at the bakery counter, whether Lyndsay wants to discuss it or not. The book is also filled with delicious descriptions of wonderfully spicy baked goods and a tempting recipe at the end. The mystery is interesting, even if it is not too hard to figure out. The special treats in this series are the family, their wonderful community of customers, and the way they interact with each other. Highly recommend to Cozy Mystery fans.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

This is the third Spice Isle mystery, and the last one was so charming, I was thrilled to read this one.

The Caribbean American Heritage Festival is going well, and Lyndsay's family's booth is doing a brisk business when tragedy strikes. A well beloved singer is found dead after what seems to be an accidental fall. Lyndsay's instincts are telling her something else happened, and she is intent on getting to the bottom of it.

So I want to start with something that I absolutely adore about this whole series. Lyndsay's family, and her relationships with them are such an intrinsic part of the story. They are such a wholesome family, and it is a delight to read the teasing and encouragement throughout all members.

I also love how Lyndsay's previous experiences with the police is now the leading motivation for her continued investigations. This murder doesn't directly implicate anyone in her family, but she knows the stresses and hardships of being accused of murder, and she uses her compassion and empathy to prevent the same thing happening to someone else.

In addition, this particular mystery has solidified a realization for me about cozy mysteries in general, Usually, the victim is either unknown, or just an absolute jerk, so we don't really feel grief over the death. But in this one, not only do we get to know Camille a little before her death, but we also know her through Lyndsay's cousin. This made this particular cozy mystery a lot more emotionally investing than usual for me.

I find myself, however, much less interested in her relationship with the detective. She is well within her rights to be standoffish towards him, especially after two previous murder investigations into her and her mother. And up until almost halfway through this book, he hasn't apologized for trying to fit the crime to the suspect. And he hasn't learned better either, because he continues to do the exact same thing throughout this book.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this arc.

This book was just okay for me. I found the writing repetitive and I kept wanting the story to move along more quickly. I think fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy it, but it was almost too cozy for my liking. And too much baking, if there is such a thing (and I think there is!).

Thank you for the ARC to review, and best of luck on its release!

Great continuation to the series, and this is another great mystery. If i can't figure out who did it by the time the murderer is revealed then it's a good mystery! It's all about family at Spice Isle Bakery and when Lyndsay's cousin feels that a murder was committed and it wasn't an accident that the lead singer of a band is dead. Lyndsay works with Detective Bryce Jackson to determine if it's murder or not and who might have wanted Camile dead. Great story!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

The third Spice Isle Bakery series finds Lyndsay investigating the murder of a singer that happened during the Caribbean Festival. The singer was her cousin's love interest, so she is especially determined to find her killer.

Another great entry in this series! I do feel like the ending of this one felt abrupt in terms of investigating and then finding out who the killer was. Besides that, this mystery was just as good as the first two in this series!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Coconut Drop Dead is the 3rd book in the Spice Isle Bakery Mystery series. Lyndsay and her family are preparing to participate in their community's annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival. Lyndsay's cousin Manny has been spending time with Camille, a member of a popular local Regge band. The festival is turned upside down upon the sudden death of Camille. Lyndsay immediately believes the police are incorrect when her death is ruled an accident. She is later enlisted by the police department to help investigate due to her close community ties.

This was another winner from Olivia Matthews! I have really enjoyed the other books in this series. Lyndsay is a really fun and smart main character. Her family is loving and supportive. I love learning about Caribbean heritage and food in these stories. I also enjoyed getting some further insight in one of the prior cases Lyndsay solved. I can't wait to see what comes next!

Book review of this adorable whodunit!
Coconut Drop Dead by Olivia Matthews

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress
@minotaur_books for this early release.
Grab yourself a present with your Christmas money because this comes out December 26th.

This is the third book in her Spice Isle Bakery Mystery series, but you won't be lost if you jump in here.

Our main setting for the book is The Spice Isle Bakery in Brooklyn, and the reader can just smell the goodies coming off the page! Lyndsay and her family own the bakery and are participating in the annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival as a vendor.
While Lyndsay and her family are enjoying the festival and listening to the music from a local singer, Camille, with her band, everything seems right with the world. Tragedy strikes when Camille dies by a fall down stairs. Lyndsay's cousin Manny just knows it's not an accident and asks super sleuthing Lyndsay to help.
Loved the characters and all references to the sights and smells of the Bakery.
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