Against the Currant is the first book in a new shopfront cozy mystery series, by Olivia Matthews. Released 24th Jan 2023 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's imprint, it's 304 pages and available in mass market paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
The author is prolific, talented, experienced in her craft, and most importantly genuinely readable. This is a breezy fun shopfront cozy with a confrontation avoiding introverted young baker who nevertheless has to put on her big girl pants and deal with a competing baker who's a bully and owns a bakery just across the street. When the bully winds up dead a day after a public confrontation, Lyndsay is the prime suspect.
As with most cozies, the emphasis is on the characters and the puzzle mystery. This is a well constructed and easy to read cozy, with clean language and no over the top violence. The addition of a likable protagonist and her family with roots in the West Indies gives the whole a Caribbean flair. It's nice to find a new series with well written PoC in central roles with positive representations. Lyndsay's family are adorable and fun to read.
The author/publisher have even included some recipes for yummy baked goods in the back of the book.
Four stars; a promising start to a new series. Book 2 released from the same publisher 23rd May, 2023. It would be a good choice for a mini-binge or buddy read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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