This is book three in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries but it was the first one I picked up and I wasn’t lost. It’s one of the things I like about cozy mysteries, I find the series order to be more flexible than most. I also love that cozy mysteries have a special interest, this one was the Caribbean bakery and while I didn’t get lost in the amazing food descriptions, I didn’t expect to based on the title (I’m allergic to coconut which was in most of the descriptions), but if I could have tried them I imagine they would have been delicious based on the other descriptors. Lyndsay feels she has given up amateur sleuthing. She only solved her first two murders because she and her mother had been suspected of committing those and that’s not likely to happen again. But when her cousin’s friend and possible love interest is killed at the Caribbean festival Lyndsay is shocked when the detective that had suspected her of murder asked for her help solving this one. The story was interesting and I listened to the audiobook and really liked the narrator, I thought she did a great job bringing Lyndsay and the rest of the characters to life.

Book Title: Coconut Drop Dead
Series: Spice Isle Bakery Mystery #3
Author: Olivia Matthew
Narrator: Jenina Edwards
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Audiobook Pub Date December 26, 2023
My Rating: 3.6 rounded up
Pages: 288

This is my second Olivia Matthews however only my first in this series. I read and enjoyed
"Murder out of Character" which was Book #2 in the Peach Coast Library Mystery series. It was also narrated by Janina Edwards so I was sure I would like it as well.

In this story Lyndsay Murray, co-owner of the Spice Isle Bakery, is excited that her family will be participate as a vendor in this year’s Caribbean American Heritage Festival. When Camille, the lead singer of the band suddenly falls, there is concern that perhaps she was pushed.
Sure enough the gang from ”Spice Isle Bakery’ are involved in another murder investigation (at least no one in the family is up for top suspect this time).

Audiobook narrator Jenna Edwards did a fab job in performing all the characters as well as the Caribbean accent. Story did slow down a bit but her performance made the story enjoyable and kept me interested.

As most cozy mystery fans know if the story is about a bakery or a restaurant there will be recipes in the back – yep this does not disappoint!


Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for December 26, 2023.

Title: Coconut Drop Dead
Author: Olivia Matthews
Narrator: Janina Edwards
Pub Date: December 26, 2023

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for my #gifted copies of Coconut Drop Dead!

Coconut Drop Dead is the third book in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries series by Olivia Matthews. This was such a cozy mystery while this was the first book I’ve read in the series, I definitely plan to go back and read the others. With that said, I think this can certainly be read as a standalone!

When Camille, a lead singer of a reggae band, dies at an annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival, there is a lot of uncertainty around her death. Lyndsay Murray, co-owner of a bakery at the festival, and her cousin, Manny, who was close with Camille, knows someone cut her life short. Together, the two work together to find out who is responsible for Camille’s death.

Coconut Drop Dead was so descriptive and vivid and I felt like I was right there with the main characters as they were trying to solve the mystery. I especially loved learning more about the Caribbean culture. On top of that, I really enjoyed the focus on family.

I alternated between the e-book and the audiobook, narrated by Janina Edwards. This was my first time listening to a book narrated by Edwards and I felt like she just captured my attention so well and kept me hooked during the time I was listening. I will definitely seek out more books narrated by Edwards because I really enjoyed my listening experience!

If you love a cozy mystery, I hope you will check out this book, and the others in the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries series!

A fun, comforting, thrilling mystery. I really enjoyed it. The narrator is extremely talented. Full review on instagram

Coconut Drop Dead finds sleuth Lyndsay Murray investigating the death of a reggae singer to make sure the real killer faces the music.

Thank you Netgalley for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review! I thought this book was interesting and it was a nice,cozy story which is perfect to read during the holiday season. I didn’t read the first 2 books in this series but I felt like it read very well as a standalone book. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on any important information by not reading the first 2 books. However, I didn’t like this book very much. I felt like the story moved too slow at times and the ending felt rushed.

"Coconut Drop Dead (Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries #3)" by Olivia Matthews takes place just a little while after the 2nd book of the series. The predominantly sign of displeasure is still "he/she sucked his/her teeth." It wasn't as often as in the first books but still way more often than it probably should have been. After the first few times it was used it started to take me out of the story.

There also seemed to be more copy paste filler moments. Numerous times we hear about Lindsay's parents preparing for a lunch rush, her brother working somewhere in the building and her grandmother working on there lavender afghan squares. We also get to hear about her/her family wearing their uninformed while grandma is wearing a colorful head wrap, colorful dress and a nice apron to protect the dress. We'd probably loose two whole chapters with those extra times we read those things.

The mystery part is what really redeems these books. It's well thought out. It's different from other cozy mysteries because of the Caribbean culture added in (could use more Puerto Ricans, but I'm biased for that:-D). As far as the reveal went, I kinda saw that coming. Though, I was also expecting to maybe be wrong after being so certain it was this person. Sometime I find that a character I feel is obviously the killer gets flipped to the unknown suspect or someone adjacent to that character. Not the case this time. I was totally right.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I didn’t realize this is a book in a series but it could be a stand alone because I didn’t feel like I missed anything. Such a good mystery. Good storyline and the characters are great.

I enjoyed this story a lot. It was a fun little mystery, that was quite cozy. I especially appreciated the focus on how the death in the book affects the community of people that character was a part of.
The main character is very sweet and fun to read, and her interactions with everyone were delightful. I like the setting of the book a lot, I frequented places like it when I lived in Brooklyn and could picture the families and friends that gathered in them while reading.
This is a great cozy read.

5 Stars! I really love this series. This would make a great TV series. I love the stories AND the description of food. Eat before you read or you will get hungry.
The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

I did not realize this was part of a series, but I will definitely go back and read the first two installments. I love a good cozy mystery series, especially one that involves food! It reminds me a lot of the Tita Rosie series which I equally adore.

As a standalone, it was fine, and I was not confused at all, though I bet I would grow to appreciate the characters more if I read the first two in the series so I am suggesting reading the first two before this one (even though I did not).

The descriptions of food were the highlight of this book and the mystery itself was a lot of fun to read!

Will definitely be reading all future works in the series.

I always love glimpses into different communities and their cultures. Learning more about Caribbean American heritage and customs has been fascinating and the descriptions of food make me hungry for lunch (which never quite lives up to what they’re having). Olivia Matthews has found the perfect blend of working (yes, Lyndsay goes to work!) and sleuthing; I found the police inclusion of Lyndsey into their investigation an interesting move that helped to move the story along. The mystery is interesting and I had no idea who the murdered was until the reveal. I can’t wait for the next in this series.

Coconut Drop Dead is the third book in a fun cozy mystery series following baker Lyndsay Murray and her family as they get roped into another murder while trying to run Spice Isle Bakery. Set in busting Brooklyn, this series still has the small town feel of most cozy mysteries as it focuses in on the Caribbean American neighborhood of the area. Lyndsay’s grandmother, the frustratingly handsome detective who keeps trying to ask Lyndsay out, and some favorite regulars at the bakery are all back. This time a member of a neighborhood favorite band dies in the middle of a festival. Until Lyndsay can convince the police it wasn’t a tragic accident, she’ll have to get to the bottom of the mystery on her own.

I like how these series focus on the strong family dynamics between the Murrays. It’s so good to feel the love and support, even when there are murders going on and people are trying to cause problems for them. Plus, the books each have a good amount of clues dropped for readers and suspense while maintaining that good cozy feeling.

Like any good cozy mystery, it is possible to start the series with this book. It doesn’t give away prior case results and introduces each major character. However, I would highly recommend starting with the first in the series as they do build character relationships and major plot points remain from prior stories. Plus the first two books are just as much fun as this one.

Quick Summary: A beautiful tapestry mystery

My Review: Coconut Drop Dead by Olivia Matthews is associated with the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries. It is installment #3.

About the Book: When the lead singer of a community favorite reggae band is murdered, the police decide to partner with a local sleuth in order to solve her case.

About the Characters: This cozy mystery was so incredibly rich with colorful characters. The description of the sights and sounds were woven into the story so effortlessly that it made it easy to get into. I loved the Caribbean/West Indian vibe, the Murray family, the minor players, and Lyndsay, Murray, most especially. The tie in with faith, family, and culture was a hit in my book.

My Final Say: Being able to read about the Caribbean American Heritage Festival celebration, the fantastic food profiles, the cultural etiquette, and the family dedication to one another made this reading experience even more amazing than I expected. I am hooked! Because I enjoyed this novel as well as I did, I plan to go back and read the previous books in the series ASAP.

Other: I think fans of this genre will love the Murrays and will heartily embrace Lyndsay Murray, amateur detective. I believe they will love the dynamic between Lyndsay and Detective Bryce Jackson. I am also convinced that they will appreciate the community camaraderie.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Series: Yes
Status/Level: 👍

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley. Thank you so much for granting access to a digital ARC of this work in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience and look forward to reading more in the future. The words I have shared are my own thoughts and opinions.

This cozy mystery is the third in a series but it can stand alone. I liked the setting, the Caribbean neighborhood in Brooklyn, and the details of Caribbean culture, especially Granny's story. The mystery was easy to follow with no real red herrings, so it was not a surprise. I must say I found the idea that a homicide detective in NYPD would welcome the help of a civilian or share evidence with a whole family. Overall is was a decent example of the cozy mystery genre. I thought the narrator did a great job with all of the different Caribbean accents!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC!

3.5 rounded up for warm, cozy family dynamic - just what I want during the holiday season!

Premise - an amateur detective in Brooklyn sets out to solve the murder of a local singer with the help of her Caribbean-American family.

I loved that the family members were fleshed out and felt real! Even though there’s one clear detective, this was an ensemble story in terms of how alive the supporting cast was. I particularly liked her mother and granny!

I also loved getting to know a bit about the Caribbean-American community in NYC. It was fun to learn about their culture.

That said, this cozy mystery fell short with the actual mystery part for me. The murder case was very straightforward and we knew pretty early on who did it. There were no twists and I’ve been spoiled by mysteries (even cozies!) with delicious twists lately.

Still, I think cozy fans will enjoy how this story reads like a warm hug.

Thanks, NetGalley, St Martin’s, and Dreamscape, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.