Utterly charming! Loving this cozy-millenial trend. Perfect for fans of Dial A For Aunties. A recommended purchase for collections where mysteries are popular.

Arsenic and Adobo is a cute cozy mystery with an ever-increasing body count. It stars Lila Macapagal who leaves the big city to return home to Shady Palms to help out at her failing family restaurant. The supporting cast includes her grandmother, Lola Flor, and many other members of an extended family plus those who are family by custom and/or acquaintance, like the Calendar Trio, three spunky women coincidentally named after months: April, May, and June. Lila’s best friend is a vegetarian Pakistani Muslim with a to-die-for brother, Amir, who Lila has had the hots for for years. The characters are genuine—with hints of those relatives you love, but who can sometimes be a bit possessive and restrictive.

There’s a bit of romance too—a failed one with Derek (one of the accumulating bodies), Amir, and a dentist, Jae. Conflict comes when Lila starts to like-like Jae, but his brother is the infamous Detective Park, out to convict Lila of murder and drug-running.

The descriptions of food are amazing and read as good-enough-to-eat, with recipes in the back of the book.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and partial review.

I love cozy mysteries but they are usually in small, predominantly white/Christian towns. This was a refreshing change and I am very excited to read more by this author! I also loved that the author used specific content warnings in their author's note. All fans of cozy mysteries should read this book!

A debut cozy mystery with a smart and complicated protagonist under the age of 30, a diverse cast, and mouthwatering descriptions of a variety of cuisines alongside the murder? Yes please!

A warning: don't read ARSENIC AND ADOBO unless you've already eaten, or you'll have to take a break to try one of the recipes in the back of the book (or if you're an indifferent cook like me, visit your local Filipino restaurant for takeout).

Other things I loved about this book: the fact that the killer (no spoilers) has a relatable and even sympathetic motive; Longganisa the dachshund (who, despite what the book’s cover might imply, is not an accessory to murder); and the teases of backstory the book gives about Lila, which make me glad cozy mystery series feature the same protagonist so we can learn more about her in the next book!

Oh no! I’m literally craving for more this fantastic Filipino family adventures! Why good things end so fast!!!

Let me introduce you the stars of this journey briefly:
The threatening, tough grandma Lola Flor, sweetest Tita Rosie, entertaining and smart Calendar Trio(sharp tongued April, negotiator May, smart June) our witty, brave, kind hearted, stubborn, tough heroine Lila who has impressive investigation and culinary skills and let’s not forget her loyal bestie Adeena who create hell of dreamy drinks and her love interests hot, sweet dentist Jae and charismatic old time crush lawyer Amir.

Riveting whodunnit cozy mystery, fantastically witty, adorable, genuine characters and lots of mouth watering foods including Japanese kitchen to American BBQ, Mexican dishes and to die for Filipino recipes: yes, I died and directly went to heaven ( which is impossible: not dying part, the latter) This book is dreamy combination of foodie, coffee addict and thriller fan like me!

Lila Macapagal’s story started like romcom cliche: cheated by long time boyfriend, summoned by aunt Rosie to return back to her hometown Shady Palms she ran from for bigger dreams in Chicago to save her family restaurant and her ex lover Derek turns into mean, vindictive food critic who does everything to destroy their business with his slandering reviews.

This part sounds like a romcom opening or Nora Ephron romance beginning, isn’t it? You think enemies to lovers theme help two ex lovers resolve their issues and fall in love again! Nope! You couldn’t be so wrong!

Because Derek passes out as soon as Lila serves him her special dessert and this is not usual pranks he throws at! He gets poisoned and wait for it : he dies at the hospital because of poisoning and Derek’s stepfather who is also their vindictive landlord blames the family to poison his son! Yes, see the transition from Nora Ephron story to Agatha Christie’s whodunnit page turners !

And Detective Perk, a skillful investigator takes the case and declare Lila as the main suspect! Lila is not only blamed to kill her ex, she’s also blamed on being the ring leader of drug trafficking in town! What???

And Detective Perk is so persistent to put her behind the bars which means Lila should conduct her own investigation to clear her name in two months ( till her court date) Thanks to Calendar Crew aunties’ suspect list: she starts talking with other restaurant owners who suffered the shitty reviews Derek has written to threat their business.

I don’t know you my friends but I would have a chance I could read at least three books belong to this captivating series at one sit. I became a true addict! As soon as I finished the book at record time and I started to cry like whining brat who craves more chocolate!

All of these characters in the book are like your own family members. Their genuineness warm your heart. They are so natural! You want to hang out with them drinking gallons of tea, munching snacks, having long conversations and observing their miraculous cooking!

I hope Ms. Manansala won’t let us wait too long for the sequel! I already started to miss this family as soon as I finished the last page!
I’m giving my five gazillion, family bonds, true friendship, mouth watering dishes, riveting mystery, best characters, perfect multicultural representation stars!

I’m telling you my friends, this is one of the best of best reads I’ve recently had! I highly recommend to all readers who are big fans of feel good fictions, laugh out loud dark comedy, unputdownable cozy mystery! This is FREAKING AWESOME!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing For sharing this fantastic digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions!

A debut cozy mystery, and throw in the added benefit of cooking Filipino. Lila's family owns a Filipino restaurant, and fills a niche for ethnic food. Lila, newly returned from Chicago; she went away determined never to come back to Shady Palms. Now she's back. The foods sounded yummy and the mystery and deaths could fill a book. Wait, they did! Lila can't leave a recipe alone - she has to make it her own. When a man dies in her family's restaurant, she and her family figure out there is a bigger story at hand. Think graft, shady contractors, drugs and murder. As the story progresses, we are reminded of the importance of home and family and the varieties of ethnic foods that some communities get to experience.

I think it's important to have more own voices (not diverse but actually written by by and about diverse authors - I am totally offended by white authors writing Asian stereotypes) so hooray to Berkeley for publishing this book! The actual mystery was so convoluted and made zero sense - the big info dump of whodunnit in the last chapter was kinda lame but otherwise I think this was a great first try!

An excellent cozy mystery that hits all the right notes and still manages to be modern and fresh. I hope this is the first in a series!

First of all, this book makes you hungry. All the descriptions of the food from Tita Rosie's Kitchen and all the other restaurants in Shady Palms were mouthwatering. The mystery, which I found to be a tad bit predictable and a little long, was still compelling and satisfying at the end. I think the strength here was the development of all of Lila's relationships.

A fun debut cozy mystery to help you get through the cold weather. Lila has returned home to help her aunt and grandmother with their restaurant. She can't figure out why an old boyfriend gives them bad reviews all the time, but eats in their restaurant numerous times a week. Then someone dies at the table she is serving. Lila knows she didn't do it, but who is responsible?

This was such a fun mystery! I loved Lila and her family, and felt her struggle between wanting to be true to herself and support her family was all too real. The voice is fresh and funny, and the food descriptions... well, don't read this book while you're hungry. I'm excited to spend more time with Lila and get to see the criminal underbelly of quirky Shady Palms (which, I admit, my brain consistently misread as Shady Pines - Golden Girls forever!).

This was my first time reading a cozy mystery!!

For one... I am obsessed with the cover. I absolutely loved the town of Shady Palms and Miss Lila Macapagal. This was quite the cozy mystery that stands out for the importance of family, full of heart, and tons of delicious food that I wanted to eat right out of the book.

What I absolutely loved? The Filipino culture!! And the cast of characters just absolutely loved. But, I have to say my most favorite is the dachschund Longganisa. Gahhh soooo cute!!!

Mia Manansala has a fresh voice exploring Filipino-American culture and food through a cozy mystery that made me laugh out loud so many times.

This definitely was a cute and fast read!!

4/5 stars

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 5/4/21
Published to GR: 6/4/21

This book had so much heart!!!!!! I loved the mystery, but I loved the people even more. The food, the club of aunties, that ohmygawwwd dog - this book was exactly what I needed on a cold, snowy day. Can't wait for more from Mia!!!!

I was always the type to stick my nose up at cozy mysteries, but this book is has made me see that I was crazy to dismiss them. I picked this book because I love the cover and I am always looking for a mystery book written by a BIPOC. I did not expect to fall in love with every character. I loved learning about the Filipino culture and their love of food and I need to try some right now! I cannot wait for more stories about Lyla and crew!

This is the perfect book to curl up with when you want to put everything else on hold and get swept into a great cozy mystery featuring a cast of characters you wish you could have dinner with.

I was hooked from the very beginning. It's an utterly charming page-turner and I'm REALLY hoping it's part of a series because I'm not ready to say goodbye to Lila or her family.

Fair warning: you will want to read this with plenty of delicious snacks handy because this book will make you very hungry.

What a fun foodie mystery! Manansala does a great job of infusing humor, mystery, and deliciousness into this book. I really love all the aunties and the interwoven culture as well.

The novel’s fast pace had me flipping the pages at a rapid pace. The only pause this novel lent me was the darker topics introduced (good thing there was an author’s note in the beginning). I’m also not sure how I feel about the ending being not totally tied up, but it was an authentic take on things. There’s definitely bravery in tackling these tougher issues.

A great start to a new cozy series filled with serious eats and culture.

Arsenic and Adobo caught me from the first line, and it only got better from there. Manansala's fun, fresh voice spins an enchanting fusion of Filipino-American food and culture, artfully and seamlessly woven into a smart, satisfying mystery that made me laugh out loud.

How could I not love this book? First, look at that cover! The dachshund and food got me right away. And a book focused around Filipino food and culture, with a little murder added in? Yes! I was hooked from the premise and the book did not disappoint. I loved the main character Lila and her little hot dog Nisa. All the food descriptions had me wishing I was there eating all the food Lila and her family were cooking. And then throw in the murder and I wanted Lila to find the real killer so that she and her family didn't take the fall. That twist at the end - loved it. Highly recommend this warm, funny, food-filled mystery!

It's been days since I finished a digital galley provided by the Berkley team and I still can't find the right words to finally craft a decent and honest review.

Disclaimer: The main character in this book is a diaspora Filipino-American who was born and raised in the United States so even though I can relate to the Filipino culture, foods, and history mentioned in this book, I can not say that I am a full ownvoices reviewer.

Now, where to begin?

Synopsis
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 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 Jennifer Crusie romp to an Agatha Christie joint.

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.

The hits
✔️Filipino foods
I can say that Mia Manansala knows quality Filipino food since the book did not stutter in including authentic local delicacies and dishes in almost every chapter.
Being mostly set in Tita Rosie's Kitchen, a Filipino family-owned restaurant in the small town of Shady Palms, it is not a surprise that the book will flood the pages with delicious and mouth-watering kitchen delights.
My gluttonous belly feels grumbling every time I come across a dish that I know I already tasted. Get out of the way, bland foods! Tasty Asians dishes are here!
What I really love about the inclusion of the foods in this book is how accurate the depiction of how Pinoys value foods and feeding visitors at all times. I may have snorted every time Tita Rosie and Lola Flor prepare a feast enough to feed an entire barangay when all they expect to have are 10 visitors at most. Kudos to that, my mom will surely love this book.

✔️Filipino culture
It's no new news for you that I'm a sucker for books featuring Asian characters and culture especially if it's Pinoy since I love reading stories that truly hits home so I literally screamed when I received the best news from Berkley that I am one of their early reviewers for this book.
Though the actual setting of the story took place in Shady Palms, IL in the US, most of the events happened either in Tita Rosie's Kitchen or in the Macapagal's house so I still consider it a win since Filipino culture is explored all throughout.
From the never-ending relative gossips to the infamous hospitality, the author delivered the goods when writing about how it feels to be a Filipino. Mia managed to balance the good and the bad sides of it by not only focusing on the winning traits but also showing the downside of being a Filipino.
I love how the Ninangs April-Mae-June, also known as the Calendar Crew, are Lila's primary source of ridicule when it comes to her personal choices but we're also the ones to catch her during the entire Derek Winter circus. At some point, I guess we all have relatives like them.
Lola Flor is a solid spitting image of my Lola. Equally hardworking and strict with extra scoops of love for gambling, I may have mostly attached to Lola Flor because she gives off this Lola vibe I used to experience back when my granny's still with us.
Lastly, I'll highlight that part in the book when the Macapagal's did not hesitate in opening their home to Mrs. Long and Cate (Derek's remaining loved ones) even though the late Mr. Long is one of the many masterminds behind the things that happened to Lila's family because that's a concrete example of our world-class hospitality.

✔️Writing style
I'll say it first before any of you misinterpret me, I am not a huge mystery reader. I only read books from this genre when it's a book of the month or needed for a discussion so I can't fully vouch for this book as a mystery-thriller rec but I highly recommend this book if you want a wild rollercoaster ride involving food, murder, and a whole lot meddling relatives (with sprinkles of a good ol' romance.)
Mia's writing style feels like a spontaneous talk with your bestfriend over a cup of coffee. I feel like Lila's character as a personal friend narrating me her previous misadventure and it was really fun because you'll swiftly flip the pages until the end. Thanks to the author's unique portrayal of Lila Macapagal plus the ability to balance the humor without sacrificing the thrill is just amazing.

✔️The characters
Lila may have questionable choices during her investigation but one thing I can surely say is how strong and independent she is. I can not fathom and wishing I will not be able to experience what happened to her in the book but I know that it's truly hard to be framed up for a crime you did not commit since it's a common story here in the PH and reading a book patterned with it is empowering. Maybe because I believe every people accused of something is innocent until proven by the court.
Amir and Dr. Jae are two of the characters I actually enjoyed reading in this. Their mini-rivalry is so fun to read and I hope that there'll be more of them in case a sequel is in progress.
I may sound repetitive but I also adored the Macapagals including the gossiping Calendar Crew to kitchen geniuses Lola Flor and Tita Rosie.
Adeena is also another character that I think needs longer exposure in the future especially now that Elena's in the picture as well.
The other characters that appealed average to me are Janet, Marcus, Terrence, Derek, and the resto owners. I know it's hard to squeeze all their backstories within a small book but Mia managed to offer at least most of them a decent development.
But the most-loved character from this book is none other than our adorable Dachschund, Longganisa.

The misses
✖️Too many background characters?!
I think Mia's reason with adding a LOT of characters is for readers to not have a hint of who the mystery killer is and as a genre noob, Mia successfully managed to confuse me by pooling in side characters who were all suspects in my mind some point during the reading.
But I guess the downside of it is this overcrowded cast made the thriller vibe less present because I became more invested on what their importance in the story will be instead of being thrilled to crack the case.

✖️That particular twist
I don't want this part to be LONG so I'll cut it short by saying that I didn't like it when one of my primary suspects, which turned out to be a correct guess, got killed by the real mystery killer. Let me say that he did not deserve to be free off the shackles that easy because I believe that he owed the resto owners some jail time for all the shady deeds he committed.

And that's it for me.
I read this book for four days since I still do a full-time job during weekdays but that's an achievement since this genre is not my cup of tea, as mentioned earlier.

So, if you love a good murder mystery involving food, family, and small town drama - then this book is the right fit for you.

RATING: 4.5stars

P.S. Please take time to read the author's note with trigger warnings and a peek of what's happening here in the Philippines.

I loved everything about this. I was hooked from the very beginning with the way Mia wrote and described things. For me there was an ease with her writing and it had a good flow. The Filipino family dynamic was spot on for me. I liked that she had the respect for her family but also had that rebellious side of her. I loved her friendship with Adeena. There were so many twists and turns. I enjoyed ALL of the food talk and there’s even recipes in the back of the book!! Definitely going to try them all! I really hope Mia writes another Filipino cozy because this was just too fun! I have so many notes thinking it was this person or that person, but I didn’t see it coming. 5⭐️