Publication Dec. 26, 2023
Family. Family ties. Family and the bond of love. That's what keeps me coming back to this series. While the mysteries are intriguing and well written, Lyndsay/Lynds' bond with her extended family and friends, not to mention customers of their bakery, is what makes this series unique. Well, aside from the fact that I always feel like I need to call up some reggae when I read and bask in the virtual sunshine of the Caribbean. Other mysteries have close knit families but this one seems to operate as one, making decisions and acting only when the family as a whole agrees to act. On the surface that may sound great but, of course, it isn't always simple. In this case, when the woman Manny has been fallen for is killed, he's bound and determined to find not just answers but find them right now. Immediately. Lynds is caught up in his emotional determination, of course, and the investigation begins after a family meeting.
I won't detail the plot as the blurb handles that just fine, but will note that I found myself saddened at the death of DragonFlyZ's lead singer, Camille. I wanted to know who killed her. Even though we only interact with her briefly before she is murdered, she comes across as one of those special human beings we'd all like as a friend. The more we find out about her from Manny, her family, and band-mates, the more this feeling sinks in. I'll leave it to the readers to see if they agree. Lynds' family is tight knit and loving, fair yet cautious, if that makes sense. I love the bluntness of the grandmother which tones down what might be the too-sweet-for-words sense the family's togetherness might otherwise leave us feeling. Let's just say she suffers no fools. Dev has left his law practice to be a part of the family bakery and we learn a bit more about him this go-round, too, as we do Manny. As for Lyndsay, her almost-relationship with Detective Bryce Jackson seems to be simmering along nicely, at least based on the ending. I've lost count of how many times she's turned him down for a date. Come on, Lynds, he's a keeper! Grin.
Bottom line, while the focus is on finding out who killed Camille, the side-stories are satisfying and keep your interest. You'll even get to know some of the regulars at the bakery, even the cranky ones. Lynds may have earned the unwanted nickname of the Grenadian Nancy Drew but there's much, much more to her. She is learning to step out of her bubble, so to speak, this go-round, and learn to protect herself.... though it's nice to know Bryce probably isn't far away with his gun. Seriously, I don't know much about kick-boxing but it sounds like a great self-defense technique. True, Lynds is sometimes too blunt and manages to unsettle Camille's devastated family but, well, even families have their secrets. Band-mates aren't always lovey-dovey, either, and broken relationships have been known to turn violent, so there are several suspects. You'll enjoy watching Lyndsay sort it all out. Thanks #NetGalley and StMartin'sPress - #StMartin'sCozies for letting me bask in a virtual Caribbean aura for a bit. Lyndsay and her family are a fun bunch to know and I look forward to my next visit.
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