Body and Soul Food had an interesting set up with long lost twins Kobe and Keaton coming together to start a business. Kobe was raised in foster care while Keaton was adopted. Thanks to his foster brother Kobe finds Keaton and reunites with her.

As opening day approaches, the twins find themselves caught up in a grim turn of events. Kobe’s foster brother was murdered on the train Keaton was taking home and they are suspects in the investigation. The siblings decide to put their heads together to uncover the truth.

The story was cute and engaging but I was a bit surprised that Keaton wasn’t very good at piecing together clues. She’s the former librarian and supposed fan of Agatha Christie, so it seemed like she should have had a better idea of how to be observant. That kinda drove me up the wall!

I also found Kobe and Keaton’s views on social media to be odd. They’re supposed to be youngish adults opening a business so this and a few other details in the book made me feel like they were much older people. Regardless, I had a good time listening to this audiobook! If you’re looking for a cozy mystery with bookish vibes and comfort food, this one might be a good fit.

I wanted to love this! The characters are too young for the majority of my patrons, and they read young, despite the author being older.

**I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Keaton Rutledge and her fraternal twin Koby Hill are about to open their new bookstore/soul food restaurant. It’s a dream come true for them, who were separated at birth and found each other as adults. When Koby’s foster brother and Keaton’s friend is found murdered, the two feel the need to find out who the murderer is, especially since the police have Keaton and Koby as the prime suspects. But, as Keaton and Koby unravel what they know about the crime and about their brother/friend, they may become the next victims.

Collette writes another cozy mystery series I absolutely adore, the Ice Cream Parlor mystery series. This is the start of another winning series for me! Keaton and Koby have a back story that they begin to piece together in this book, and I hope Collette continues this exploration in future additions to this series. The combination of bookstore and soul food restaurant is very unique, and I could completely smell the amazing foods coming from the kitchen as Collette described Koby and his foster mom and others cook and grill and bake (there are recipes in the back, so you can try some of these at home!). As a former librarian, Keaton’s knowledge and love for books shines through in the bookstore, and Collette adds book titles throughout the story, so prepare to add more titles to your to read list. There is even an homage to Agatha Christie and The Murder on the Orient Express in the storyline!

A 4-star read for me! I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the overall cozy mystery featuring BIPOC characters. Collette has become a must-buy author for me, and I cannot wait for the next in this series to be published.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Separated at the age of two Koby Hill and Keaton Rutledge come back together to realize their dreams. For Koby, that means a soul food restaurant. For Keaton, it means a bookstore. They find the perfect place in Timber Lake not far from Seattle. Keaton had been adopted and Koby lived his life in foster homes. Because of that Koby has an eclectic group he calls family. His “family” and Keaton’s “mom” are very supportive of their new venture.

Working long days to prepare for their grand opening Koby is concerned about Keaton taking public transportation home until his foster brother Reef offers to meet Keaton and see that she gets home safely. But when Keaton boards the train to meet Reef she finds that the man has been murdered. Someone on that train had to see something . . . or is one of them the killer? Koby and Keaton intend to find out, putting their lives in danger right before they are set to have their dreams come true.

What a fun theme for this new series!

Twins Koby and Keaton are wonderful characters, each with their own strengths. Strengths that seem a little backward to me but they seem to make it work. Koby is very detailed oriented and observant. Things I would usually associate with a well-read librarian like Keaton. Her strength is that she has a keen sense of smell. Something you would expect a chef to have. They both do love mysteries so they willingly become amateur sleuths to find a killer.

My favorite character though is Mama Jola. She raised both Reef and Koby and many others. She is also the one who taught Koby how to cook soul food. A stylish black woman who speaks her mind and cooks like a dream. She steps right in and almost takes over the chef position at the cafe. I think I gained weight just reading about the food she was cooking and baking. She doesn’t hit it off immediately with Keaton’s adoptive mom but soon they are fast friends encouraging their kids and helping in any way they can. While being brought up in totally different ways, these moms raised remarkable children.

The mystery was complicated because of the way the author twisted all the different characters together. A random event was not as random as originally thought. Also, people are not exactly as they seem. That all adds up to a good number of suspects. I did hone in on one individual immediately just because of their general attitude about everything but couldn’t figure out their motive so I was following all the clues right up to the end. That ending was very exciting and ended up being pretty heartwarming too.

Koby and Keaton are growing closer every day and they both would like to find their biological mom so that subplot is left open to continue into future books in the series.

Body and Soul Food has given this series a marvelous start and I am looking forward to October when Soul of a Killer is released to the masses.

First off, can I say I'm jealous of the siblings' day job? A restaurant/bookstore.?! Count me in!

I loved reading about their newfound relationship. The book is a cozy mystery, so it wasn't over the top in any way. It was fun trying to figure out whodunit (I didn't) and how.

I.look forward to learning more about Keaton and Kobe by in future books, as well as their friends.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are mine and given freely.

I really enjoyed Body and Soul Food. The connection between twin siblings, Koby Hill and Keaton Rutledge was dynamic and I enjoyed getting to know them. The author did a wonderful job with their backstory and how they were orphaned as toddlers, separated, one being adopted into a wonderful and loving family, the other bouncing through the foster care system.

When Keaton and Koby finally reunite, they become entrepreneurs and open a bookstore / soul-food café in Timber Lake, Washington. As the siblings continue to get everything in place for their grand opening, tragedy occurs. One of Koby's foster brothers is found dead. Murdered is seems. Now, Keaton and Koby find themselves adding amateur sleuth to their list of talents.

Body and Soul Food is a wonderful first book in the Books & Biscuits Mystery series. The murder victim wasn't who I expected the author to go for since the person had potential to grow throughout the series. Instead, his life was cut short, causing intense sorrow for both Koby and Keaton. What a twist! I was saddened for Koby who lost a brother and Keaton, who lost a friend. The path the author took Koby and Keaton on to find the killer was fresh and exciting though.

Neither twin has experience in sleuthing out a murder mystery but their use of a couple very popular mysteries as a reference was great. Keaton makes mistakes as she tried to flesh out who would benefit from, or had the best motive, to murder Koby's foster brother. In the end, I was surprised at who the murderer was, the motive, and how the murder was pulled off. Bravo to Abby Collette who masterfully crafted a murder mystery with realism, emotion, and believable family dynamics.

I love mysteries, especially cozies. It’s what I what most often. I was excited to get this book because there aren’t many books in this genre with black main characters and It’s nice to read and see characters that look like me. It was a good, quick, fun read. I enjoyed it and look forward to more.

Twins Koby and Keaton, who have been reunited after years of separation after one is adopted and the other was not, are set to open their bookstore/cafe Books and Biscuits. When only a few days prior to its opening Koby's foster brother is killed, can chef Koby and librarian Keaton put their heads together and use their twin intuition, to solve Koby's foster brother's murder when some on the Seattle PD think all the evidence points back to them? Pick up Body and Soul Food and find out.

Despite an EXTREMELY slow start, I ended up enjoying Body and Soul Food once it got past the 45 percent mark. It is the first book in the series so it is normal for it to be a bit slow. Another drawback is that I am not 100 percent sure if the leads read all the time as if they are in their twenties, but the overall plot was solid and the subplots like two twins separated getting to know each other were really interesting. I will definitely be picking up book two of the series. 3.25 stars

Keaton Rutledge was the fortunate twin who got adopted by estabished and well-to-do parents. Koby Hill, her fraternal twin, wasn't as lucky and went through the foster care system. He finally found Mama Zola as a foster mother and he flourished, never forgetting he had a twin out there to find. Mama Zola, Koby's foster mom, is the break-out character I loved. Imogene, Keaton's adoptive mother who is a psyhchologist, gets out of her head a little and shines as well. Reef Jeffries, the murder victim, was flirting with Keaton and seemed an all around good guy who clearly liked her a lot. Reef was also why Koby knew he had a twin because Reef (six years older) told Koby that a girl had come into the first group home with him. Georgie Tsai, tattoed cooking assistant, and Pete Howers are the only employees. Homicide Detective Daniel Chow suspects Keaton and Koby and pushs them a little but comes through in a pinch.

My Thoughts: The plot was interesting and took some unraveling. I liked that the victim wasn't the usual horrible person but a good guy making his way (sad, too). The fraternal twins having been separated at birth added a lot of depth to Keaton and her twin brother Koby. The food descriptions are mouthwatering. The climax had some great tense moments as Keaton and Koby realize who the killer is at nearly the same time. The writing is comfort food itself and enveloped me. This is a new favorite series and I look forward to many books to follow.

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

This one was quite a bit darker than most cozy mysteries and I didn't love it as much as I had hoped for. The foster care and over protective brother story line felt forced and overdone. That was pretty distracting and pulled me out of the story. Other parts of the story were a little bit off too. Keaton, who I liked, seemed pretty oblivious and did things that seemed to be simply plot devices. Overall this one wasn't really for me.

This is the first book in the Books & Biscuits Mystery series. It’s a cozy mystery that is perfect for this time of year. Abby Collette is a new author for me but after reading this I definitely want to check out her other series called An Ice Cream Parlour Mystery.

Fraternal twins, Koby and Keaton are in the midst of opening their new bookstore & cafe called Books and Biscuits. I love the idea of having a bookstore and a cafe together. I am sure I would never leave if there was one here.

Back to Koby and Keaton. When they were infants they were abandoned by their young mother. Sadly the twins were separated. Keaton was fortunate to get adopted but sadly Koby did not and he grew up within the foster care system. It was only as adults they were able to reconnect. Keaton had no idea she had siblings until Koby showed up on her doorstep. Koby has convinced Keaton to start a business with him. With their experiences, Keaton as a librarian and Koby as a cook.

Koby is very protective of Keaton as you can see throughout the book and especially when it comes to his foster brother Reef and his flirting with Keaton. He fears that this flirting will only progress.

One evening Koby and Keaton are heading home and Koby doesn’t like the idea of Keaton traveling on her own, but thankfully Reef is in the area and is heading in Keaton’s direction so he says he will make sure she gets home. As Keaton is boarding the subway she finds Reef and before they can talk he falls over. She quickly pulls the alarm but it’s too late Reef is dead.

What happened and why was Reef killed? Did Reef know he was in danger beforehand? Can the twins figure out this mystery?

I have to say I had a hard time with the first chapter because of the way it started. I was slightly confused with the interaction of all three of them but after taking a minute to write names down and connections I was able to get into the book and from that point, I had a hard time putting it down. I don’t read a lot of cozy mysteries but the ones I have read I really needed pen and paper close by to joint names and events down to look back on and since this was an ebook I had to have one close by to keep track of things.

Overall I did enjoy it and looking forward to reading future books in this series.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

I found this to be a solid, exciting first in a new series! As a barely passable cook, I have very little in common with folks like Koby who excel at cooking. As someone who loves to read, even escapes into reading, I did, however, feel a kinship with Keaton. One of her T-shirts says it best for me: “Once Upon a Time There was a Girl who Really Loved Cats and Books”. This cozy invited me in from the first page and held my attention throughout. The main characters are people I would want to hang around with, the setting is charming, and the mystery seems hopeless.

Koby and Keaton were surrendered the day after their second birthday. Koby stayed in the group home in between foster families. Keaton was adopted by wonderful couple. She had no idea that she had a twin until he showed up at her door. Koby had been reminded of her existence by Reef, a friend and foster brother. Six years older than they are, Reef told Koby that a girl had come in with him. Koby began looking for his twin when he was thirteen, as well as searching for their birth mother. A dream began in his heart that he and his twin would one day own a business. After learning to cook at the side of Mama Zola, one of his foster mothers, he wanted to have a soul food café, and that his sister, wherever she might be, would like books as much as he did, and that café would include a bookstore.

Fast forward almost a decade and Koby found Keaton, a recent graduate with a master’s degree, whose adoptive father had just passed away. Within three years, his dream of the soul food café and bookstore are about to be realized at Books & Biscuits. Reef has been family to Keaton for most of his life. They are the closest of friends, and he is frequently at the café to “taste test” the foods. He has been flirting with Keaton a lot lately, and she has begun to like it. He finally got up his courage to invite her out Friday night to hear him play sax at a jazz club, and she was looking forward to it.

Koby and Keaton spent the day before their opening in Seattle. Koby was going to go with Keaton to her little town of Timber Lake to make sure she was home safe, then return to Seattle where he lives. En route, he heard from Reef, who offered to meet Keaton and see her home. Koby was hesitant, a protective brother, while Keaton was happy she would see him. They waited at the platform of the train she would meet Reef on and she boarded upon arrival. Reef didn’t turn to greet her; he fell off the seat. After seeing him, she grabbed the emergency brake pull and screamed. Only then did the other five people on the car figure out something was wrong. She looked up and saw Koby running to get in before the driver locked the doors. It was the beginning of a long night and an even longer week.

Doing the grand opening of Books & Biscuits was hard amidst their grief. It was even more challenging when Koby and Keaton learn they are the primary suspects. Koby has only ever trusted one police officer who has retired. He believes they need to find other suspects. Keaton would rather let Detective Chow do his job, but she is the one who finds suspects and confronts them. I almost laughed at some of her thoughts whenever she flew into panic mode because I understood. Keaton, Koby, Mama Zola, and the changes in Keaton’s relationship with her mom have set an excellent tone for this novel and series.

I didn’t think Reef would be the victim and was so saddened by it. Koby had been stunned to learn some of Reed’s secrets. While none were bad, they were surprising. For a man who had done so much to help others, Koby and Keaton did find a handful of possible suspects. I was surprised at who the killer was, after guessing throughout the novel. The end was satisfactory, and I am looking forward to the next visit to Timber Lake. I highly recommend this impressive start to a new series.

What a wonderful start to a new series that I can tell will be a favorite. I instantly loved twins Keaton and Kolby. The vivid descriptions of Timber Lake and their new bookshop and cafe, Books & Biscuit, really make me wistful that I could visit. Keaton and Kolby have such an interesting history and I love so much that they are reunited twins and learning about how they were brought back together and have started this dream venture together. I appreciate how realistic the process of opening a new business is portrayed and I hope so much that they succeed and can't wait to see more of their marketing ideas. The description of the food from the cafe side had my mouth watering and I love how Kolby's foster mother Mama Zola's love language is feeding people. My heart absolutely broke for them when Reef is killed and I completely understand their drive to find his killer. There are some very unlikely suspects involved in this mystery and I was very shocked by the reveal and the dangerous circumstances that unfold at the ending. I cannot wait to read more about both the twins and their new business.

Body and Soul Food is the first book in the Books and Biscuits Mystery series and was an enjoyable read by a new-to-me author. I liked the premise of the café and have actually eaten in several restaurants that have also had books for sale. It’s a satisfying cozy mystery with likable characters and clues galore set in a small town in the Northwest.

Keaton and Koby are twins who have only reconnected recently after having lived apart since they were young. Koby was raised in foster care and group homes, and a family adopted Keaton. Koby was able to search for Keaton when he was older, with the help of his friend, Reef. Now Koby looks out for Keaton, and he was the one who suggested they go into business together so they can remain close. Keaton was a librarian and will take care of the book side of the business. Koby loves to cook and will run the restaurant side. Koby’s foster mother, Mama Zola, plays a significant role in the story, cooking up a storm, and some of the others Koby lived within group homes are woven throughout.

When Reef dies, and it’s determined he was murdered, Koby and Keaton become amateur sleuths. Koby’s all about attention to detail, and Keaton’s very outspoken and tells it like it is—even if it’s not the best time to be doing so.

There are twists and turns to the story as the twins identify more and more potential murder suspects while they could be in the crosshairs of the police investigating the murder. There are lots of clues spread throughout as we try to solve whodunnit.

The story has a good flow but is sometimes choppy at the start of a chapter. The descriptions of the food, their tastes, and their smells made me feel like I was there. I liked the relationship between Koby and Keaton and Keaton with her mom and Koby with his foster mom. I also liked that the four of them did things together and felt like a family unit.

The murder is ultimately solved with the help of the twins. The epilogue was a nice touch, but the book still ended very abruptly to me. I can only hope that it could be leading us into the next book in the series, which I look forward to reading. I love the playfulness and details in the cover and the cute business name of the café.

An excerpt from the first book in the Ice Cream Parlor Mystery series, A Deadly Inside Scoop, whet my appetite for more!

With compelling characters, yummy soul food, a solid mystery, and authentic relationships, Body and Soul Food makes for a fun and entertaining read.

Body and Soul Food is the first book in the Books & Biscuits Mystery series by Abby Collette. Fraternal twins Koby and Keaton track down a killer while preparing to open their new bookstore and soul food café, Books & Biscuits. (I need this place in real life!)

Introducing Koby Hill and Keaton Rutledge! Twins with different last names?! Orphaned at age two, they were separated but their bond lingered. Years later, they reunite and decide to open a business capitalizing on their shared interests: books and soul food. But with just a week to go before the grand opening, Keaton finds Koby's foster brother murdered.

I love new cozy mysteries and this new series fed my soul! Matter of fact, I am going on the record to say Koby and Keaton are my new favorite storybook siblings in a series. Of course they have twin vibes but their chemistry is strong! Collette writes their dialogue in a way that strengthens their character development. Readers can learn a lot through conversations and less setting the stage in lengthy paragraphs. Well done!

The thing with cozy mysteries are they literally fall into the character's lap (or kitchen). The main character either owns the restaurant (scene of the crime) or is the main suspect. But in Body and Soul Food, it is different than the norm. The victim is family. The murder takes place on public transit. The police are more useless than useful. And the main characters—though they are possible suspects—are trying to solve the murder for reasons other than clearing their name.

I've read a lot of Abby's books so trust when I say this series is her best...so far. Treat your body to a little soul food and pre-order this new cozy mystery featuring characters of color. I am sure you will enjoy it, Bookhearts.

Happy Early Pub Day, Abby Collette! Body and Soul Food will be available Tuesday, November 9.

~LiteraryMarie

I really like Abby Collette's series about Bronwyn Crewse and her family ice cream shop, but I was pretty meh about this first entry in a new series. I like the premise a lot - Keaton and her twin brother Koby were separated when she was adopted as a young child and he wasn't. They just found each other again and decided that they wanted to open a new business together - a combo bookstore and soul food café in a suburb of Seattle. As they're preparing to open, Koby's foster brother/best friend Reef is murdered and they literally stumble onto his body and into the case. I think the issue for me was that I was expecting Keaton to be more like Bronwyn from the other series, but she's much more sheltered and naive, so she lets herself be led by her more worldly brother and they make a lot of weird choices while investigating Reef's murder together. She seems to defer to him a lot and it just didn't feel quite authentic. I think this would be a fun read for cozy mystery fans who don't mind a main character who is a bit on the naive side.

I enjoyed this fast-paced drama that quickly grabbed my attention. I was immersed in all facets as the author plotted out this tale from the introduction of the main protagonist to the murder to clues sprinkled throughout to the motive and the killer’s identity. This was nicely executed mystery with elements I look for: a comfortable tone, engaging dialogue, visually appealing narrative, and an eclectic cast of characters. The pacing was on par with how well the story was being told and the food description augmented the appeal of this cozy whodunit. Overall, this was a terrific debut and eager to read the next book in the series.

BODY AND SOUL FOOD by Abby Collette is the first in her new cozy series, Books and Biscuits Mystery #1. I loved the unusual premise, fraternal twins opening a joint business venture, Books and Biscuits, a combo bookstore and cafe, are the amateur sleuths. And I’m glad to see another diverse entry in a very white lady genre.

Koby and Keaton, were abandoned as children by their mother. Keaton was adopted but not Koby who grew up in foster care. They reconnected as adults and have decided to go into business together. As a librarian, Keaton’s in charge of the bookstore side and Koby, who learned to cook from his foster mom, Mama Zola, is running the cafe.

They’re supposed to meet Koby’s foster brother, Reef, on the light rail but when Keaton gets in the car, Reef’s dead. A detective confirms that it’s murder. And that Keaton and Koby are suspects.

Keaton and Koby juggle opening their business with trying to figure out who murdered Reef and why. As if that’s not enough, they’re also trying to figure out what happened to their mother - is she even still alive? Do they have more family? Which feels like it’s one mystery too many.

This is a quick, fast-paced read. There’s fun banter between Keaton and Koby as they try to develop their twin connection. The food descriptions were delicious and had me craving a soul roll and a biscuit. This looks like it could be a fun series - giving cozy lovers both the books and the food with Books and Biscuits.