When Lyndsay Murray convinced her family to open a bakery filled with the pastries, breads, and flavors of their native Granada, she knew it would be a lot of work. But she didn’t think it was worth killing for.
Spice Isle Bakery has been Lyndsey’s dream since she was a child. She wanted to open a place in Brooklyn, where she grew up, inspired by the spices, scents, colors, and flavors of the island where she had been born. In the part of the city called Little Caribbean, she has found a storefront and—with the help of her parents, grandmother, and older brother—she has set up the kitchen and the front just how they want it. The kitchen has all the equipment they need to bake the pastries and breads as well as a place to make savory breakfasts and lunches. At the front of the store are the pastry cases and several small tables where customers can sit and eat. Her grandmother has painted the walls in bright Grenadian colors, adding warmth and brightness to their small dining room.
Lyndsay’s MBA and the time she spent in the marketing firm taught her a lot about publicity and marketing, so when it’s time for their soft opening, there is a line outside the door. Customers come in, order their Caribbean delicacies, and move on, stopping to talk for a minute about how excited they are about the bakery. And then, Lyndsay looks up at the line and sees him. Claudio Fabrizi is there, again, to let Lyndsay know how he feels. Fabrizi is the owner of another bakery a few blocks away, and he has been by several times already to tell Lyndsay that he plans to shut her down. She tells him again that there is room for both bakeries in the area, and he should focus on making his customers happy and leave them alone.
And then he does leave them alone. Because someone kills him.
Lyndsay’s loud argument with him in front of all those witnesses makes her a person of interest, and two homicide detectives show up the next morning to question her. Her brother Dev, a lawyer, goes to the police station with her to help keep her calm. But days later, when they open the bakery, Lyndsay realizes that this isn’t going to blow over. Clearly, she had not killed Fabrizi, but she’s worried that the neighborhood talk will destroy their bakery. Her parents and her grandmother invested in the bakery, in her dream. She can’t let the bakery close. So she will do what she can—she’ll figure out who did kill Fabrizio, so that she and her family can concentrate on their bakery, on their future. But will going after the killer make Lyndsay the next target?
Against the Currant is the first in a new series from Olivia Matthews. The Spice Isle Bakery Mystery series focuses on the Murray Family and the way they share their Grenadian heritage with their New York neighbors with their delicious foods. Lyndsay and her grandmother bring the spice in the family with their feisty determination, and her parents and brother add some clear-headed logic and lots of support. It’s a charming place to hang out to taste the islands, hang out with friends, and solve crimes.
I really loved the idea of the family bakery opening up and finding success. These are interesting characters, and I could see why customers would be drawn to them and their bakery. However, I did find the story to be a little insular, with so much of the story being told in the bakery and the family being so close to each other. And I thought that the actions of the police were unrealistic, jumping to the conclusion that Lyndsay was the killer and not investigating much beyond that. That was disappointing. But I like these characters, and I think the idea of this bakery and the family have a lot of story possibilities, so I look forward to seeing how the next book comes together. And at the end there is a recipe for the family’s Currant Rolls, for anyone wanting to try out the Grenadian delicacy for themselves.
Egalleys for Against the Currant were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.
