HARD DOUGH HOMICIDE - Olivia Matthews
Spice Isle Bakery Mystries (Book #2)
St. Martin's Press
BUY
Wayne Jordan (A)
COZY MYSTERY
Spice Isle Bakery Mystries (Book #2)
St. Martin's Press
BUY
Wayne Jordan (A)
COZY MYSTERY
REVIEW: HARD DOUGH HOMICIDE by Olivia Matthews, the second book in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries, continues the adventures of amateur sleuth Lindsay Murray. Starting just after the events of the first book, this story tackles another murder mystery which impacts the family and the newly opened bakery. Lindsay agrees, reluctantly, to host the retirement dinner for local school principal Emily Smith, but during the dinner, Emily convulses and drops dead. Unfortunately, Emily is Lindsay’s mother’s former boss and the two never really got along well, so it is not surprising when the police come knocking. Yup. Lindsay’s mother is the prime suspect. Of course, to clear her mother’s name, Lindsay investigates and uses her amateur skills to discover the identity of the real murderer.
My immediate reaction to this new murder was to wonder how the new bakery was going to survive the scandal of another murder. Of course, the bakery starts to lose customers. But Lindsay, our amateur sleuth, is up to the task. She must solve the case because the detectives seem to be focused on Lindsay’s mother. In this book, Lindsay has grown. She is no longer the cautious, unsure individual of the first book but seems stronger and more confident. I love how her family continues to support her; even with the investigation to clear her mother’s name.
The mystery plot is well thought out with enough twists and turns to keep the avid reader engaged. There were several times, I thought I knew who the killer was, but I was wrong. Ms. Matthews kept me guessing until the very end.
In HARD DOUGH HOMICIDE, I loved all the elements I enjoyed in the first book and more. I love the strong sense of the Little Caribbean community. The Marshall family is vibrant and boisterous but there is no doubt they love each other. I love Lindsay’s grandmother. She embodies the island of Grenada, and her memories of the islands add a richness to the story. HARD DOUGH HOMICIDE is a worthy addition to this series. I recommend it to readers who love a great cozy mystery.
1st June 2023 | romcol@caribsurf.com
My immediate reaction to this new murder was to wonder how the new bakery was going to survive the scandal of another murder. Of course, the bakery starts to lose customers. But Lindsay, our amateur sleuth, is up to the task. She must solve the case because the detectives seem to be focused on Lindsay’s mother. In this book, Lindsay has grown. She is no longer the cautious, unsure individual of the first book but seems stronger and more confident. I love how her family continues to support her; even with the investigation to clear her mother’s name.
The mystery plot is well thought out with enough twists and turns to keep the avid reader engaged. There were several times, I thought I knew who the killer was, but I was wrong. Ms. Matthews kept me guessing until the very end.
In HARD DOUGH HOMICIDE, I loved all the elements I enjoyed in the first book and more. I love the strong sense of the Little Caribbean community. The Marshall family is vibrant and boisterous but there is no doubt they love each other. I love Lindsay’s grandmother. She embodies the island of Grenada, and her memories of the islands add a richness to the story. HARD DOUGH HOMICIDE is a worthy addition to this series. I recommend it to readers who love a great cozy mystery.
1st June 2023 | romcol@caribsurf.com
(A)
