The third in the Spice Island Bakery series, Lyndsay continues solving crimes when young singer Camille is killed at the Caribbean American Heritage Festival. With her family's help Lyndsay works alongside Detective Bryce Jackson to solve the mystery. This is a good cozy mystery series complete with Caribbean recipes at the end. At first I questioned so many descriptions of clothes and food, but somehow it adds to the charm of the story. You can see the people and smell the food as you immerse yourself in a good story.
Thanks to #NetGalley#CoconutDropDead#StMartinsPaperbacks for the eARC.

This is the third book of the "Spice Isle Bakery Mystery" series and it is such a cute and cozy whodunit.

After solving two murders, Lyndsay Murray is known in her community as the "Grenadian Nancy Drew".
Her family owns a successful bakery in the "Little Caribbean" section of Brooklyn, NY (AKA Flatbush) and they are given a coveted spot at the annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival. While at the festival, tragedy strikes when the lead singer, Camilla, of the up and coming reggae group DragonFlyZ falls and dies.. Her death is ruled a homicide after investigators see that she was pushed forcefully and did not fall accidentally.
Lyndsay is determined to get to the bottom of what really happened, even if it means putting herself in danger.

So this was a cute and cozy mystery, and I loved that it took place in Brooklyn (I'm a born and raised Brooklynite!). I also went to school with a lot of kids who come from Caribbean backgrounds, so every time the author described someone speaking in a particular accent, I read it in that accent.
I also liked how descriptive the author was with describing Lyndsay's bakery. The smells and tastes I could just imagine; and I also really appreciated the recipes at the end of the book.

Overall, it is a book that I would recommend. It could be read as standalone, and not too much is given away from the previous two novels (which I really appreciated because I plan on reading the previous two books in this series).

I enjoyed this mystery, however, I do feel that I would have enjoyed it more had I read the first two installments. I was able to catch up and ultimately appreciate the story, but I do believe I’ll go back and read the first two and re-read!

The third installment of the Spice Isle Bakery series finds us at Brooklyn’s Caribbean American Heritage Festival, where the Murray family has a booth. When the lead singer of an up-and-coming Reggae band is found dead at the bottom of a stairwell, our girl Lyndsay is back in action and ready to help. I mainly read standalone books, so it was just delightful to pick up where the previous book left off and already know the characters. The Murrays continue to be a beautiful example of loving unconditionally. Although the mystery was pretty easily solved, I still enjoyed the ride the story took to get there. I’ll be anxiously awaiting book #4 for those vivid food descriptions, and (hopefully) Lyndsay and Bryce FINALLY getting together!

A wonderful read for all cozy mystery fans!

In the third installment of the Spice Isle Bakery mystery series, the Bakery is preparing its food truck for the Caribbean American Heritage Festival. The Festival is a complete success, until the lead singer of a popular local reggae band performing at the event is murdered. Co-owner of the Bakery, Lyndsay Murray, gets involved as her cousin Manny was dating the singer and her love interest, Detective Bryce Jackson, even asks for her help given her credibility in the Caribbean community.

On a positive note, I really liked this novel as we see Lyndsay coming into her own — both as a business-owner and amateur detective. I also enjoyed the developing relationship between Lyndsay and Detective Jackson (a/k/a “Detective Fine”). Kudos too for creating a cozy series involving non-white characters who are proud of their heritage.

On the other hand, I preferred the second novel in this series to this one. The pacing of the novel was slow as the majority of the book is spent looking for a motive within a small group of witnesses. That motive is only revealed in the latter part of the novel, at which point the murderer becomes obvious.
4.0 out of 5.0 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a courtesy advanced e-copy of this book.

Coconut Drop Dead written by Olivia Matthews, narrated by Janina Edwards, is a delightful and captivating cozy mystery that transports readers to the heart of Brooklyn's vibrant Caribbean American Heritage Festival. Set against the backdrop of the festival, with its lively atmosphere and tantalizing aromas, the story immerses you in the rich cultural tapestry of Little Caribbean.

The author, Olivia Matthews, skillfully integrates the festival's spirit into the narrative, infusing the story with the colors, flavors, and sounds of the event. As the co-owner of Spice Isle Bakery, Lyndsay Murray's enthusiasm for the festival is palpable, and readers will feel a genuine connection to her passion for sharing West Indian pastries and finger foods.

The sudden tragedy that strikes the festival with the untimely death of Camille, the lead singer of a reggae band, propels the story into an intriguing murder mystery. Matthews masterfully crafts a suspenseful plot that keeps you guessing until the very end. As Lyndsay's cousin, Manny, seeks her help in uncovering the truth behind Camille's death, readers are taken on a thrilling journey filled with unexpected twists and turns.

What truly stands out in Coconut Drop Dead is the seamless blend of mystery, cultural celebration, and familial bonds. This charming mystery not only entertains but also celebrates cultural diversity and the power of close-knit communities. (I received an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.) Olivia Matthews has crafted a story that is as flavorful and satisfying as the delectable treats featured in Spice Isle Bakery, leaving this reader eager for more of Lyndsay Murray's sleuthing adventures in the delightful world of cozy mysteries.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. This is the 3rd in the series.

Lyndsay Sands and her family are enjoying Spice Isle Bakery's first year as a vendor at the Caribbean Festival. Everything is going great until Camille, the lead singer of popular local band, DragonFlyZ is found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs. At first, it appears to be an accident. Then Lyndsay's cousin, Manny, who was dating Camille, presents compelling evidence otherwise and convinces her to investigate.

I love this series, and this outing did not disappoint. The mystery was compelling. Lyndsay and her family continue to grow and develop. I just love the atmosphere of these books. The food and culture come off the page and make you feel like you're there.

I look forward to many more books in this series! All opinions are mine and freely given.

Coconut Drop Dead the third installment in Olivia Matthews' wonderfully modern cozy series Spice Isle
Bakery Mysteries.
This book is set during and right after Caribbean Heritage Month - June, so this is most definitely not a Christmas mystery but the baking and all the wonderfully yummy sounding treats more than made up for it and led me to take a break from my seasonal reading.
This book yet again highlights the wonderfully diverse cultural heritage the Little Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn NYC. After investigating when she herself and when her mom are suspects Lyndsey - the marketing whiz, baker and sleuth - gets promoted from nuisance to handsome police officer Bryce to being his consultant - stay with me here, if you want to read cozies and not police procedural you need to be able to live with the fact that the author needs to come up with a semblance of a reason why this sleuth keeps stumbling into murder cases in an otherwise safe environment and it is pretty well done here - Lyndsey and to some extent her family act as community liaisons. A death occurs at the Caribbean heritage festival, the lead singer of the biggest band on stage, since she wanted to leave the band to return to gospel as a solo singer, her relationship with the lead guitarist had recently ended and she had fought with the band manager there were suspects galore and leads to be investigated - this was fun to read and I'll be making the coconut drops soon, the recipe sounds delicious.
This is a fun modern, diverse and culturally sensitive take on the classic cozy - if you are looking for a fun entertaining book, this may just be the ticket!

The day's festivities are cut short when Camille, lead singer of an up-and-coming reggae band, dies. The police think it may be a tragic accident. But Lyndsay’s cousin Manny was close to Camille, and he believes someone cut her life short. Now Manny needs Lyndsay’s help to make sure a killer faces the music.
This is a perplexing mystery. It is filled with twists and turns.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

The Spice Isle Bakery Mystery series by Olivia Matthews is a cozy mystery series set in Little Caribbean, Brooklyn, New York and centers around Lyndsay Murray and her Caribbean American family. Lyndsay co-owns Spice Island Bakery and does a little bit of detective work on the side. Coconut Drop Dead is a perfect blend of culture, warmth, and mystery and I loved learning about the traditions and cuisine of the Caribbean community!

This is the third book in the Spice Isle Bakery Mystery series and I think it is easy for readers to start with this book even if they haven’t read the others. I thought this was the best yet in this series and Matthews does a wonderful job of building the characters and community around the West Indian bakery.

The Murray family has been attending the Caribbean American Heritage Festival for years, but this will be the first year their business Spice Isle Bakery will be a food vendor at the event. This is a great investment in their business as they’ll reach even more people, though one or two of their most loyal customers are a bit put out that the bakery will be closed for one day (luckily Lyndsay smooths this over with a few freebies).

Lyndsay’s booth is busy all day and people are enjoying the food and live music. But the festivities are cut short when Camille—the lead singer of a popular reggae band and Lyndsay’s cousin Manny’s girlfriend—falls to her death. As if the death weren’t tragic enough, Manny is convinced Camille was pushed and the fall wasn’t an accident, it was murder. Lyndsay and her family agree that she should do her best to help, especially since the police don’t seem to be investigating Camille’s death as quickly as they’d hoped.

Lyndsay is a wonderful main character. I find her to be confident, humble, slightly stubborn, and kind. Throughout the book there are tons of tidbits about the food, culture, and heritage of the Murray family and the people in Little Caribbean. Lyndsay is very close to her family and I thought it was interesting to learn that they discuss decisions such as helping to investigate Camille’s death as a family. The characters aren’t over-the-top as some cozy mystery series tend towards. They feel authentic. For instance, I could picture Lyndsay’s grandmother crocheting Afghan squares in the corner all year long because she wants to make sure everyone in her life gets a handmaid gift for Christmas (the book takes place in July so this quirk was particularly funny). The customers at the bakery felt like the sort of community members that are nearly extended family because of their shared culture (and tendency to overstep boundaries on occasion).

The mystery is interesting and there were plenty of suspects for Lyndsay to try to get information from. She has an attraction to Detective Bryce Jackson, who went to school with her and is quite attractive, though she hasn’t warmed up to him since he investigated some of her family members in recent cases. Bryce is clearly interested in Lyndsay and it was a fun side story that didn’t detract from the main mystery.

The food and culture are the stars of this book. I have a little bit of experience eating Caribbean food, but there were many dishes in Coconut Drop Dead that I hadn’t heard of or tried. I’m going to need to try a few of the recipes and find a good local restaurant to go to after reading this mystery! I loved the characters, the humor that Matthews brought to her book, and the vibrance of the story, settings, and community.

Coconut Drop Dead was a fun cozy mystery with a heavy focus on police procedural. A crime occurs and they focus on characters one by one to eliminate suspects and find out “whodunnit”. The banter between the characters was fun and the setting of a small town bakery was fabulous. The twists, however, weren’t as surprising as I hoped they would be and the detailed descriptions of every character’s clothing for every new scene was odd and, unfortunately, what stuck in my memory most upon completion of reading this book.

I have posted this review on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1dOJo2rHvz/?igsh=Z2t5d2tvc2dlNjBu

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6066016736

And Amazon

Olivia Matthews takes readers on a flavorful journey through Brooklyn's Caribbean American Heritage Festival in "Coconut Drop Dead," a cozy mystery that intertwines culture, family, and a captivating whodunit.

The festival excitement is palpable as Spice Isle Bakery, owned by the Murray family, eagerly participates as a food vendor. The author skillfully sets the stage, immersing readers in the vibrant atmosphere of the event, making it a delightful backdrop for the unfolding mystery. The West Indian pastries and finger foods from the bakery add a charming touch to the narrative, creating a rich sensory experience.

The story takes an unexpected turn when Camille, the lead singer of an up-and-coming reggae band, meets a tragic end. The police dismiss it as an accident, but Lyndsay's cousin Manny, who was close to Camille, suspects foul play. This is where the true essence of the narrative comes to life – familial bonds, loyalty, and a determination to seek justice.

Lyndsay Murray steps into the role of an amateur sleuth as she joins forces with Manny to unravel the mystery surrounding Camille's demise. The family dynamics add depth to the characters, and their involvement in the investigation gives the story a personal touch. The author succeeds in blending the cozy mystery genre with cultural elements, creating a narrative that feels both familiar and refreshing.

Matthews's descriptive prose skillfully brings Little Caribbean to life, from the delectable treats of Spice Isle Bakery to the rhythmic beats of reggae music. The cultural richness is evident, making the setting an integral part of the narrative.

While the mystery is well-crafted and keeps readers engaged, there were moments when the pacing felt a tad uneven. However, the overall storytelling compensates for this minor hiccup, and the resolution is both satisfying and unexpected.

In conclusion, "Coconut Drop Dead" is a delightful addition to the cozy mystery genre, earning a solid four stars. Olivia Matthews successfully blends cultural celebration, familial bonds, and a compelling mystery, offering readers a captivating escape into the heart of Brooklyn's Caribbean American Heritage Festival.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This was a good cozy mystery that keeps you guessing until the end!

A classic whodunnit with clues slowly revealed throughout the story until the final suspect remains. The characters were all likable and I absolutely adored the grandmother. I loved that it was a book that highlighted diversity- spotlighting Caribbean culture.

It moved a little too slow for me and it did have too much fluff/unnecessary extra descriptions in my opinion. The extra descriptions would’ve been okay if it happened once or twice in the beginning, but the more it just kept occurring throughout the whole book and just continuing to repeat the same exact descriptions, it started to annoy me where it took away from the enjoyment of the book. I really did not need to know the colors of everyone’s aprons every time they were in the bakery or what the guests in the bakery were wearing…

This is book three in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries, but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone as I did and wasn’t lost. There are references to the other two books, but it isn’t necessary to have read them to be able to follow this story along.

This one is out now! Pub date was 12/26!

Thank you @minotaur_books for this #gifted eARC!

Thanks so much to @minotaur_books for the eARC of Coconut Drop Dead, book three in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries by Olivia Matthews. This is such a fun cozy mystery series–I’ve listened and read copies and both forms are wonderful.

Lyndsay Murray is co-owner of the Spice Isle Bakery with her family. They are looking forward to serving as one of the food vendors at Brooklyn’s annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival. Their food truck is a success, but the glow of that success quickly subsides when Camille, lead singer of an up-and-coming reggae band, dies. The police think it may be a tragic accident. But Lyndsay’s cousin Manny was close to Camille, and he believes someone cut her life short. Now Manny needs Lyndsay’s help to make sure a killer faces the music.

There’s so much to love about this series, but I think my favorite is the closeness of Lyndsay’s family. I especially love her grandmother who pushes Lyndsay to trust her intuition and step out of her comfort zone. Lyndsay’s romantic interest develops at just the right pace for a cozy mystery, and I found myself anxiously awaiting the next clue to solving the mystery. The celebration of Caribbean culture and food is delightful and the recipes at the end had my mouth watering.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Coconut Drop Dead is the third book in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries. In this book, the storyline is about a singer who dies during a Caribbean festival. Lyndsay, the main character, is great, and so are the other members of her family. One of the highlights is the sense of family in each book, which I find pleasant. Another highlight is the Caribbean culture. I find it interesting to read about other realities than mine, it makes for a richer reading experience. The mystery is solid and the storyline unfolds smoothly. Highly recommended!

The book opens right as the Caribbean Heritage Festival is getting started and Lyndsay and her family at Spice Isle Bakery are super busy preparing and keeping up with demand. There's a new band that is taking the festival and the community by storm and Lyndsay's cousin Manny just happens to be their producer and possible love interest of the lead singer Camille. The festival ends on a sour note when Camille is found dead and Lyndsay and her family are once again trying to figure out the who in the whodunnit.

This was a really entertaining and interesting read. I liked the conflict and hesitation her family felt about getting involved in the mystery and there was some thought about potentially ending up in a dangerous situation. As well, I loved Lyndsay's drive for finding the truth as she had been wrongly suspected of murder and didn't want it to happen to anyone else. I love all the food mentions and wish we had better Caribbean restaurants and bakeries here as I would love to try so much of the food that Lyndsay talks about.

Small negative - I didn't love how Lyndsay treats Bryce. I like both characters separately but together it just doesn't feel like Lyndsay has much respect for Bryce and I kind of wonder why he puts up with her. Otherwise, this is a fun cozy mystery with fantastic characters and an entertaining community.

It was a cute cozy mystery. The food aspect was great as well as the actual murder. Some parts felt very repetitive. But it never felt weird being the third book in a series and not read the first two

I was rooting so hard for Lyndsay and the Murray’s to solve this one! I loved seeing the festival that they have been talking about! The mystery was very well done and pulled hard on my heartstrings. The investigation was a bit unreasonable, but it was a good development considering the previous two books. The romance has been creeping along, but I liked it because it had a touch of realism that I liked. I figured out who did it and why pretty early on, but I wanted to see justice done, so figuring it out early didn’t ruin my enjoyment.
There are lots of upcoming events like the kickboxing tournament that I want to see! So I can’t wait to see what is next.

3 1/2 stars. Another good entry in the Spice Isle Bakery Mystery series which celebrates Caribbean food and culture (and of course there are some murders to go with your order of pastries). You can read this without reading the other volumes in the series but I like to see the growth in Lyndsay and the light romantic development over the books. I also enjoy how much the rest of the family is involved in solving the mysteries. Sometimes one or two other members of a family are involved in solving the mysteries but not usually as many as this group. There is a lot of love in this family and it comes through.

Give it a try for a good mystery and of, course, the wonderful description of food--and some recipes too.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Coconut Drop Dead is book 3 in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries series. I read book 1 Against the Current but somehow missed book 2 Hard Dough Homicide. Even if you haven't read the first two books, you can start the series with this book with no problems. We are repeatedly reminded of what happened in the previous books.

A couple of months ago, I mentioned while reviewing Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal by Raquel V. Reyes that at first I confused it with another series. This is the other series that I was confusing it with. If you enjoy the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series then I'm sure you will enjoy this series.

I like the characters of the Spice Isle Bakery series and the unique cultural flavor of the series. There is definitely a lot of diversity in the book.

Overall I enjoyed the story. There is a lot of repetition in the book though that got on my nerves. I lost track of how many times were are told that both the main character Lyndsay and her mother had been the focus of murder investigations. And I really wondered if we needed to be told every time Lyndsay inhaled that she smelled stew, jerk, and curry along with cinnamon and nutmeg. And what is up with the detailed description of clothing. No one wore khaki shorts, it had to be sand or taupe or stone colored. I found myself skimming a lot of the book because there was so much unnecessary detail provided.

As I read more cozy mysteries, I'm finding that I don't care as much for the ones that have incompetent police people. So while I do like when the amateur sleuth and the police detective work together, having the amateur sleuth show up the detective (and everyone point it out constantly) is a tired trope that I'm liking less and less. Right now how Bryce acts - jumping to conclusions, going with the easiest explanation even if it doesn't all add up - I'm not sure why Lyndsay would want to be in a relationship with him. I'm not saying that he can't occasionally be wrong or make a mistake, but repeatedly making the same mistake is not good, particularly if you want me to see him as a potential love interest.

The clues to the case are dribbled out so you can't really solve the case before the characters do. I think it is ironic that I've read two books recently that had the victim falling down stairs and they both used the way the victim landed as proof of murder but in each book the victim landed differently and the reasons the characters in each book gave for why it proved murder contradicted each other so now I want to look up whether how someone falls down the stairs can be used to indicate murder.

If you are looking for a book with colorful characters that is quick but fun read, then you should try this novel. If you are interested in Caribbean cooking be sure to check out the recipes. I've been looking for a sweet potato pudding recipe since I had it in Jamaica and so I'm looking forward to trying that recipe from the book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/12/coconut-drop-dead-by-olivia-matthews.html