Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

The first book in a new culinary cozy series full of sharp humor and delectable dishes—one that might just be killer....

When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She's tasked with saving her Tita Rosie's failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case.

With the cops treating her like she's the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila's left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block…

 

 

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Audiobook (US)  ~  Paperback (US)
Berkley (PRH)

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆
3.5 stars of fun and intrigue in small town America

This is a fun story engaging all the senses, with plenty of description of tasty food and aromatic coffee drinks. Lila is an entertaining lead, with a large cast of friends and family, all working together to save Tita Rosie's restaurant and to right the wrongs in their town.

I enjoyed her visiting the other local eateries and uncovering the reasons behind the recent spate of fines and poor inspection results. Cultural differences are used to make some interesting observations on modern life and add extra richness in the book. At the same time, Lila is a woman getting over a relationship and returning home to help out, little does she realise how she will be drawn back into her hometown and find herself again.

I will definitely be looking out for the next installment.

 

 

MIA P. MANANSALA is a writer from Chicago who loves books, baking, and badass women. She uses humor (and murder) to explore aspects of the Filipino diaspora, queerness, and her millennial love for pop culture.

She is the winner of the 2018 Hugh Holton Award, the 2018 Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award, the 2017 William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grant for Unpublished Writers, and the 2016 Mystery Writers of America/Helen McCloy scholarship. She’s also a 2017 Pitch Wars alum and 2018-2019 mentor.

Connect with Mia

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Arsenic and Adobo (Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery #1) by Mia P. Manansala to read and review.