This was my first entry into this series and it was delightful. The plot works perfectly well as a standalone and introduction to the ensemble cast of wonderfully loopy/eccentric characters. Main protagonist Corinna is an artisanal baker who is also a hedonist, deeply ethical, artistic, loyal, passionate, and kind. Her extended synergistic non-biological family, who live in an eccentric (putting it mildly) community/landmark building called, appropriately 'Insula' help or hinder her in the solving of mysteries which come her way.
This is a cozy series; there are even recipes for baked goods at the back of the book. This is, however, not a book for pearl clutchers. I found it absolutely delightful, but fair warning, the language is rough (used in context, not gratuitously), there is a witch wandering around dispensing misty wisdom and amulets, there is sexual content (again, in context and beautifully written), there are also lovingly depicted non-traditional relationships: a married gay couple, a filial reformed junkie with a passion for baking and reading, a classics professor who might be pushing 100 years old having a physical and emotional relationship with a lady who also lives in the building, some tantalizing glimpses of a mistress leather/bondage/discipline practitioner, as well as Corinna herself, a self described fury/Venus, fully capable of dispensing rough justice on those who would harm her or hers. They make a wonderfully weird mix and Ms. Greenwood is a capable enough writer to pull it off (and make it look easy).
I really liked this book. I went immediately after finishing it and legally acquired the rest of the books in the series (Yes, Virginia, I bought them).
I have not tried any of the recipes in the book, unless you count the couple of Gins&Tonic during the reading. (Corinna's also a fan of G&Ts).
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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