Lyndsay Murray and Spice Isle Bakery are sadly involved in another murder investigation. While this time Lyndsay isn't the accused nor is it a rival of the bakery thankfully. This one does have bigger consequences possibly and it creates a ripple effect that could jeopardize the entire bakery business as a whole.

Overall this book to me was even better than the first one. We are more established with the bakery and the family so we know the dynamics better, as well as knowing some of the regulars at the bakery. The mystery part itself is from the bakery having hosted a retirement dinner for her mom's old teaching jobs principal that no one seemed to like. This means anyone and everyone could be the person who did it to the principal. On the bright side though Lyndsay now has some sleuthing experience thanks to the first book and she isn't afraid to use it especially to protect her family.
Along with the mystery portion of this book which is a lot of it, we also get to know some of the regulars a little more and see how invested they are into the bakery now and making sure it stays around.
I cannot wait to see what Lyndsay and Spice Isle Bakery get into with the next book! This has quickly become my favorite cozy mysteries series!!

I do think you will need to read the first book to get full insights into Lyndsay and families dynamic with the detectives. You can read this one as a stand-alone though and be able to piece together anything that could have happened in the first book fairly easily.

(Quotes were taken from a finished copy.)

"The top motives are usually the four L.'s.
Four L's? What are those?
Lust, Love, Loathing, and loot."

"I didn't involve myself. You did by going after my mother."

"You don't seem to understand, Detective. Hope is all I have right now. Hope and leads you don't seem to be taking seriously."

"You're like the Grenadian Nancy Drew."

A entertaining tale with a spunky heroine, a murder mystery and a loving and interfering family! Why do the police keep bungling, and it falls to Lyndsey to, once again, solve the mystery and save her family’s bakery

Hard Dough Homicide was a little slow for me at the beginning, but I raced to finish it once I got about halfway. I would read the next in the series if presented with the opportunity.

Really enjoyed the characters in this one again, as well as the mystery and the stakes. I'm looking forward to the protagonist Lindsey doing more in-depth investigating in the future.

Am I reading cute cozy mysteries even when I am fully relaxed on vacation ? You bet I am, especially fun modern varieties of the cozy genre, The Spice Isle Bakery series is not set in a small town, it is set in Brooklyn‘s Little Caribbean neighborhood where the Murray family has opened a Grenadine bakery. Their success is hampered when a death occurs on their premises - a poisoning no less, to all Agatha Christie fans out there, yes, strychnine is involved. The dead woman is a local Highschool principal attending her own retirement party. As suspicion falls on the bakery and Lindsay Murray‘s mother in particular since she was a teacher at the high school in question until she retired, Lindsay knows she needs to take matters into her own hands and start investigating to clear the family name and bring customers back into the bakery. This book is well-plotted and fun. The mystery had me hooked from the beginning and I enjoyed my reading. It is the second book in a new series that is a fresh new take on the classic cozy mystery and I am looking forward to Coconut Drop Dead the third being released in December !

Another book about the bakery and another murder. It is fun and easy to read. You do not have to read the first Book to understand this.

Hard Dough Homicide by Olivia Matthews provides a delightful and flavorful introduction to the work of this talented cozy mystery author. As a first-time reader of Matthews' work, I found myself immersed in a world of delectable treats, engaging characters, and a compelling whodunit that kept me guessing until the very end.

The novel introduces us to Lyndsay Murray, the determined owner of Spice Isle Bakery, who reluctantly finds herself hosting a retirement dinner for a former boss with whom she had a strained relationship. However, when tragedy strikes and the boss dies after consuming curry chicken, Lyndsay's life takes an unexpected turn. As the police investigation threatens to tarnish the reputation of the beloved bakery, Lyndsay takes it upon herself to unravel the mystery and protect her family's legacy.

Olivia Matthews skillfully crafts a cozy atmosphere within the pages of this book. The descriptions of the bakery and its mouthwatering creations transport readers into a world filled with irresistible aromas and tantalizing flavors. Matthews' ability to evoke the senses through her writing is commendable, making the reading experience all the more enjoyable.

The characters in Hard Dough Homicide are engaging and relatable. Lyndsay's determination to protect her family's bakery and her unwavering resilience make her a protagonist worth rooting for. The family dynamics and the strong sense of loyalty among the characters add depth and authenticity to the story.

The mystery itself is well-crafted, with enough twists and turns to keep readers engaged. Matthews skillfully builds suspense and introduces a variety of suspects, creating a guessing game that will challenge even the most astute cozy mystery enthusiasts. The pacing of the investigation is well-balanced, allowing readers to unravel the clues alongside Lyndsay without feeling rushed.

As a first-time reader of Olivia Matthews' work, I found her storytelling style to be engaging and easy to follow. Her ability to create a cozy atmosphere, craft compelling characters, and construct an intriguing mystery is evident in this novel. While there may be room for further refinement in terms of pacing and plot development, it is clear that Matthews possesses a talent for crafting enjoyable and entertaining cozy mysteries.

Hard Dough Homicide is the second book in the Spice Isle Bakery mystery series. After requesting this book on NetGalley, I decided to read the first book in the series (Against the Currant) before reading this one. While you can read the second book without reading the first one (Matthews does a good job of providing a recap of the first book), I’m so glad I read the first book! It was great to watch Lyndsay Murray, the protagonist, grow into a more self-assured business owner and person. I enjoyed getting to know her family members (her grandmother is amazing!) as well as the locals who visit the bakery. The mystery was just right and provided enough suspects to keep things interesting without becoming overly convoluted. I loved, loved, loved learning about Grenadian/Caribbean culture…and the recipes were great! Overall, I would recommend this book for those interested in reading a cozy mystery that centers around family, a neighborhood with a great cast of characters, and delicious food.

This is the second book in the series and Lyndsay Murray is at it again because her bakery and family are once again under fire for killing someone. The bakery is an amazing place for all this to happen in her place. But the police are so rude about it all. and once again she has found the real truth. a very enjoyable read and fun. Looking forward to what happens next???!!!!

This series continues to evolve.. The lead character is a strong female, and she has a great supporting cast. While I do feel they fall into a bit of stereotypical type casting, I feel they are a great mix. I look forward to seeing how Lyndsay grows as the series continues.

Another wonderful book by Olivia Matthews! I had the chance to read the previous book, and wanted to read the next book. The book's cover is really cozy and artistic, encouraging readers to give it a try. It's a wonderful book and I recommend it to readers.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGallery for a digital copy of this book for my review. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!

I enjoyed this book for the most part. I liked the characters and the actual plot of everything that happened. I found the mystery to be good. I also loved that the main character kick-boxes. As another female who does this I love when I see a female character who also enjoys kickboxing! The only thing I would say is there came a point where I could not read “mommy and daddy” anymore. It drove me crazy, made it feel like the character was really young. Other than that great book!

This book is a light read! It has drama and intrigue without being overly stressful. Its a great, light beach read or rainy day in.

4 stars!

This is the second book in the Spice Isle Bakery Mystery series and although I did not read the first one, I was still excited to see what this cozy mystery had in store. Overall, I felt like it was definitely a cute, fun read and at times I did want a little bit higher stakes but I think this is what is to be expected with a cozy mystery. The elements I really enjoyed were the descriptions of the baked goods, the inclusion of Carribean culture, and the inclusion of the day to day running of a bakery. Overall a fun read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this second book in the Spice Isle Bakery mystery series, Lyndsay Murray and her family are again caught up in a murder investigation. When Principal Emily, a universally disliked school administrator, expires in the Spice Isle Bakery at her own retirement dinner, the bakery and Murray family come under suspicion. However, several others also have means, motive, and opportunity to dispose of Emily. Becoming frustrated with the investigation, Lyndsay and helpers go on the offensive and try to discover some information on their own, placing themselves in the line of danger.

I most enjoy the characters in this mystery series, and also learning about the Caribbean cultures. The food descriptions are delightful, and the book includes recipes at the end. Readers who like a lot of description about what people are wearing, their hair styles, and locations of the action will enjoy all the descriptions in this book. I skimmed over some of them. I also had some difficulty believing that locals could just walk into a school and go to the office without being stopped in the halls or at the door.

This is a clean mystery without explicit violence, sexual content, or swear words. I am looking forward to future books in this series, and with connecting again with the Murray family (especially Granny!)

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Cute family mystery story about Lindsay trying to solve another murder that centers around her families bakery. The circumstances are unfortunate when someone gets poisoned during their retirement dinner. Lyndsay has a list of subjects and she’s determined to find out so did it to eliminate her mom as a person of interest. Will she be putting herself at risk again?

I love the strong sense of family in this series. I love the way the characters grow and develop and change, something you don't always see in a series, especially so early. I'm excited to see more of Lyndsay's brother at the bakery in future books. This was a fun read and kept me guessing till the end. Very enjoyable!

Lyndsay Murray owns Spice Isle Bakery with her family. But she already regrets agreeing to host the retirement dinner for local high school principal Emily Smith. The tyrant used to be her mother's boss and they did not get along. Emily starts convulsing―right after eating the curry chicken―and dies soon after. She must put aside her reservations about investigating another crime, because the Murrays refuse to go down without a fight.

This is the second book of Spice Isle Bakery mystery series. I have not read the first one yet, but is no problem for me to following the characters and mystery. I like this kind of big family mystery series. The love interest is cute and believable. And of course the food, Caribana food is amazing. I try to solve the mystery, there is a little bug for me, that's why i gave tis book 4 stars.

I will pick up the first one and can't wait for the 3rd one.

Dear Fellow Reader,

In my last note, I mentioned that I usually don’t try and solve mysteries when I read them. At least I don’t usually think about trying to solve them. One of the books that I saw on a summer reading list is the new book by Donna Leon, So Shall You Reap. I have read all her Guido Brunetti books (32 of them!) and have enjoyed them. I was surprised when I picked this one up from the library because it was uncharacteristically short. I can’t say that all of hers are long but I think they are fairly substantial books. The new one is under 300 pages. Anyway, the point here is that I knew “who done it” several chapters before the end. It was so clear to me that I thought I must be wrong. But I wasn’t. A good story and great if you like to guess the ending of a mystery.


Today’s, book is Hard Dough Homicide by Olivia Matthews. I didn’t realize before I started reading the book that it was the second in a series. Even though I had not read the first book, I could follow along without an issue.

Spice Isle Bakery owner Lyndsay Murray is trying to grow her business. She owns the bakery with her parents. Lyndsay really didn’t want to have Emily Smith’s retirement party at her restaurant but after being asked several times, she gave in and said that she would have the party at her restaurant. Emily Smith was retiring from her position as Principal at the school where Lyndsay’s mother had taught. Lyndsay’s mother did not like Emily nor did anyone who worked with her. But Lyndsay’s mother had not seen Emily in three years and thought it would be alright to have the retirement dinner at the restaurant.

Well, that didn’t work out. Emily started convulsing early in the party, right after eating a small portion of curry chicken. While she wasn’t there long, Emily had had plenty of time to be rude to her five guests. Lyndsay was stunned by how mean the woman could be to her staff. No wonder there were only 5 at the retirement party!

Emily was taken to the hospital and died.

This was not what the Murrays needed. The restaurant had only been open a year and this was the second murder associated with the restaurant. You know it isn’t good when you are acquainted with the police that show up to investigate.

The police seem to think that Lyndsay’s mother should be the prime suspect. Lyndsay is furious and starts to look into the murder to make sure the police get on the right track. In the meantime, the business in the restaurant plummets. Lyndsay has to find the answer and fast.

The book was well written and the pace was good. I am not completely happy with the book and while I wouldn’t suggest you not read it, I would suggest that you put it on your reading pile for someday.

Thanks for reading!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

Published: 05/23/23

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Paperbacks for accepting my request to read and review Hard Dough Homicide.

Enjoyed reading this cozy. This is the second in the series, and good things do come from accidents. I picked this up based on its own merits, and was surprised to find I had read book one (wasn't a fan).

This cozy has most of the tropes. I liked the characters and I liked the story.

I was impressed with the main character and the lead detective relationship. While there was flirting, it was not over the top. I also liked that the author didn't have the detective cross the line. He stayed true to the profession. I would like to see more of those type of relationships with professionals.