At 40%, I am choosing to DNF. The premise of this book pulled me in, but the story fell flat for me. The flow of the story was distracting because it seemed like the author was trying to do too much (murder mystery, why did Lila stay away for those years and getting back into her community, her love of cooking, her love interests)...it just became too much! If the author stuck with the murder mystery, my attention would have held. This one almost felt similar to Dial A for Aunties, but that book at least kept to the storyline (as outrageous as it was) and I was able to finish that one.

Arsenic and Adobo is probably one of my most anticipated reads this 2021. With a catchy blurb and an offbeat title that appeals specifically to the Filipino in me, it’s hard not to get intrigued. To be honest, I was never a fan of mystery and thriller books just because they’re sure-fire anxiety bombs for me and I don’t normally let myself actively undergo that amount of stress. But after I finished the book, I couldn’t even care less: I can say that the anticipation to finally read it was all worth it. I was also introduced to a sub-genre I never knew I needed: Cozy Mystery.

In this story, we follow Lila Macapagal, as she and her family’s life was turned upside-down when his ex-boyfriend drops dead while eating in her family’s restaurant. There was something distinct with the whole tone of the book – how the dire circumstances were consistently being complemented by moments of friendship, familial bonds, and exploration of identity. Perhaps the highlight of my reading experience going into Arsenic and Adobo was how familiar it was and how it also paints a picture of what it was like living in the diaspora, wrestling to maintain identity while being surrounded by a plethora of cultures.

There were a lot of laugh-out-loud moments in this book that somehow offset the dark undertones that it has. Old-fashioned grandmothers, too much food on the table, nosy neighbors and relatives (hello, Calendar Crew), consistent questions about dating and marriage plans, and how news travels fast inside the clan/community. These are all things that were too commonplace, even in the local scene, to the point that it’s almost an inside joke. There were also a couple of hard-hitting topics touched upon, like the deep-rooted concept of “utang na loob” (which has always been a double-edged sword, personally) and the burden of familial expectations towards the young. These have always been a touchy topic in Asian households, not only for Filipinos, so I was glad that these were mentioned/explored (albeit briefly) as I feel like telling an Asian story is not complete without it.

And of course, can I even forget? The food! This book is sooo packed with all Filipino foodie goodness that it made me crave for a lot of the usual fare that we have at home (e.g., adobo, puto cake, coco jam, pandesal with coffee). Working too long in the city made me want to explore the more delicate coffee options but this book still makes me understand the charm and comfort brought about by instant coffee. Arsenic and Adobo made me feel so conflicted because reading about Filipino hospitality, in full display here, was so hard to reconcile with the foundation of this story (i.e., murder) because the thought of the former always just brings me warmth.

Between Lila’s penchant for baking and her amateur sleuthing, it was a joy reading the story from her perspective. The plot got too real and too dark by the very end. I loved that Mia P. Manansala kept me guessing as to who did it and the motive even at around the 90% mark. I was amazed at how Mia was able to wrap it all up in a very satisfying way while still keeping the reader engaged enough to want a sequel. I wasn’t aware that Arsenic and Adobo is part of a series going in but, now, I’m excited with the prospect of exploring more of Lila’s adventures in Shady Palms. Though I wasn’t fully in love with Lila as a character, I am excited to see more of her in the upcoming books.

There’s also something to be said in the way Arsenic and Adobo was written. I attended the Filipino American International Book Festival in San Francisco last October 2019 and I remember hearing one of the Fil-Am authors in a panel saying that one of the ways they try to own and honor their heritage is by simply not italicizing any Filipino words or terminology. I’m not sure if this is something intended by the author but that sense of normalcy in the flow and usage of Filipino words and catchphrases (and the implicit assumption of general familiarity with all these distinct cultural nuances) struck me as something special. This is a book that knows exactly who its audience is while also being open to other crowds by explaining them still in the same sentences. If you’re a Filipino reading this, you will be comforted with familiarity. If you’re someone coming in from another culture, this is really a worthy introduction.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Arsenic and Adobo. And I’m looking forward for more. 💛

3.5 Stars

Thanks to #Netgalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkleyBuddyReads for my complimentary eARC of #ArsenicAndAdobo at my request. All opinions are my own.

Lila moves home to recover from a breakup and to help save the family restaurant. In addition, to serving up some delicious food and enduring the interference of three interfering and opinionated aunties, Lila’s ex boyfriend and food critic drops dead while eating one of Lila’s dessert creations at the family restaurant. Lila becomes a prime suspect and their landlord threatens to kick the family out. Out of desperation and with great determination, Lila sets out on her own investigation with the help of her best friend. For fans of romcom, there’s also a romantic triangle brewing. This is the first book in a cozy mystery series.

What is your favorite Filipino dish?

So Much Food: Delicious food is an important element in this cozy mystery. Not only is food involved in the murder, but a feast of food is common in Filipino culture. The Filipino dishes described here will entice you to order out for dinner (or inside dining if your area isn’t locked down)! Of course, recipes are included for making your own feast.

Arsenic and Adobo includes a variety of colorful characters (and suspects!). The grandmother and aunties (the Calendar crew: April, May, and June) form Lila’s support system along with her best friend and two (TWO!) dreamy love interests (a lawyer and a dentist). Suspects are plentiful and I was kept busy trying to guess who did it. Lila is a brave, clever, and stubborn amateur sleuth, and we have no doubt she will save herself.

Arsenic and Adobo moves along at a nice pace with witty dialogue, page-turning drama, and a few twists (I did not guess whodunit). The story is written in a casual style which includes a great deal of slang. It works for this story because our main character is a twenty-something. I could have easily read this in one sitting.

I recommend Arsenic and Adobo for fans of Asian literature and cozy mysteries, for readers looking for more diverse reads and “own voices” authors, for those who love Filipino food, and for book clubs (who will definitely serve one of the recipes!).

Arsenic and Adobo was my first cozy mystery! I’ve heard a lot about this genre, but haven’t tried it. I’ll break down the elements of a cozy mystery with my review in case it’s new to you too!⁣
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Amateur Sleuth Protagonist - I loved Lila. She was true to herself, honest and relatable. I loved her relationship with her family and the references to her Asian-American culture. She was so brave to try to solve the mystery and clear her name!⁣
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Small Community Setting - Shady Palms was full of eclectic characters. The community was literally a melting pot of flavors. Each family was involved in a restaurant featuring varying cuisines from sushi to BBQ. ⁣
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The Murder - Okay this was the section I was worried about. I love thrillers and horror, but cozies are meant to be light. There’s no gore or graphic elements. There’s also no senseless crime. The motivation of the killer is common human emotion such a greed, jealousy or revenge. I was surprised by how much I liked these elements! I didn’t feel like anything was missing. ⁣
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The entire feel of the book was great for me. The writing style is easy and allows for a quick read. I read the entire book in a little over 24 hours. I will definitely be reading more from this author!⁣
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So if you’re looking to try a cozy mystery and love good food definitely check out Arsenic and Adobo!

I seriously loved this book! I am a big fan of cozy mysteries, so I was so excited to read this one. I am so glad it lived up to my expectations! I seriously could not put this book down. I was glued to the pages, I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next!

This is such a quick, easy and fun read! There’s so much packed into this story, but you will fly right through it. Make sure you’re not hungry while reading this book, the descriptions of all the food will leave you starving! I figured out pretty early on who the killer was, but I still found the book to be enjoyable. I really liked all the characters in this book, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series to continue to follow along with them! If you’re a fan of murder mysteries and romance, I highly recommend checking this book out!

I'm starting May off with this excellent cozy mystery! I loved it. Whether you like cozy mysteries or not, I'm sure you'll be pulled into it. Lila's family is so entertaining and the story was so good. I enjoyed learning about the Filipino culture and definitely will be trying some of the recipes in the back of the book! The mystery kept me guessing and I didn't figurenit out until right before the reveal. I'm so excited that this is going to be a series because I can't wait to see what Lila gets into next!

This was a cozy mystery with the importance of family and community at the forefront.
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Lila moves back to her hometown to her aunt at her restaurant after she discovers she needs help. Her ex, Derek, has begun blogging about the town restaurants and has left some very bad reviews for many including for Lila’s aunts restaurant. One day he goes in to eat with his step-dad (also the landlord) and while eating he face plants into his food unconscious and later dies. What?! Not only that but drugs are found in Lila’s locker at work?. Who are they looking at? Lila! Lila along with her best friend, aunt, grandmother and god mother’s takes it upon herself to find answers. Let’s put our detective hats on!
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I loved getting to know all the characters. I did feel like at times some things were really obvious but the character still had a hard time piecing everything together. Could be because I love thrillers and Dateline? Idk. This would be a good book for people wanting to dip into some crime/ mystery books.
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✨I also want to highlight the authors Author’s Note. Not only does she provide TW but also explains some of her thought process on the book and some info her sensitivity reader gave her. She stated how some stuff was triggering because of how the president of Philippines has handled the war on drugs. Well this led me down a rabbit hole and looking up info on this. I urge you to do so also.✨
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Reading this might lead you to get really hungry! And as previously stated, the author provides some TW but just in case some are drug use, fat phobia.

Foodies, Crime Novel Lovers, and Filipino Americans, rejoice. Arsenic and Adobo is a suspense-filled story about a college-aged Filipino woman named Lila who returns to her hometown to help her family’s restaurant business, only for her ex-boyfriend to die in said restaurant while interacting with her. Not an ideal situation. Since law enforcement is treating Lila as the only suspect, she and her best friend Adeena begin their own investigation into who killed her ex and why, in order to save her family’s restaurant.

Lila’s ex-boyfriend Derek also happened to be a food critic who was notorious for writing bad reviews of her family’s restaurant, as well as other local spots in her hometown of Shady Palms. Having moved back home after a horrible breakup, she has quite a bit to catch up on – for example, the fact that Derek’s stepfather is also Tita Rosie’s landlord and owner of the building that houses the restaurant, and the person in charge of leading the investigation happens to be a well-known drug buster. All evidence found during the investigations following the incident point to Lila being the murderer. If she doesn’t solve the case, she might go to jail and her family’s business will shut down for good.

This debut novel from Mia P. Manansala is well-paced, has relatable characters, and is heavily sprinkled with food references and recipes. Readers of any ethnic background will appreciate the overall vibe of Lila’s family dynamic and Tita Rosie’s restaurant. Arsenic and Adobo has nosy and match-making aunties, cooks who find comfort in feeding people, and name-dropping when it comes to food ingredients (I’m assuming anyone of Filipino descent will recognize most if not all of the recipes touched upon in the story). These familiar elements will resonate with anyone who understands family obligations and expectations. The food descriptions might even make your mouth water.

Manansala provides a pronunciation and translation guide at the beginning of the novel, and a few authentic Filipino recipes at the end. Not being very familiar with the Filipino culture, I appreciated these tidbits of knowledge to help me along (even if I became frustrated that I couldn’t eat the food I was reading about). Arsenic and Adobo fills the void of Filipino representation in literature through her use of Tagalog, family traditions, and food.

And yet, Manansala still somehow finds a way to satisfy those who love a good crime-solving novel. I tried to put the pieces together as Lila worked through her network of high school classmates, crushes, a possible new love interest, and fellow restaurant owners. Every interaction left me on the edge of my seat, hoping to find useful information that might lead to solving the crime. By the end, I wanted more of Lila, Tita Rosie, and the rest of her family – but I’m grateful that this novel is slated to be the start of a series.

It’s a family affair when a customer dies at your family’s restaurant, and when the accused stand to lose it all, it will take a community to absolve them of murder. Join author, Mia P Manansala in her delivery of this intense cozy-mystery, Arsenic and Adobo, the first book in, A Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series.

Lila Macapagal just moved back to Shady Palms, Illinois, to help her Tita (aunt) Rosie and her grandmother, Lola Flor, manage their failing family restaurant, when suddenly the unthinkable happens! An ex-boyfriend of Lila’s, now turned harsh and shady restaurant-food reviewer, has just suddenly died while feasting their delicious Filipino cuisine, and the devastating chain of events that follow, couldn’t have happened at a worst time. Now, having to temporarily close down the restaurant, while the investigation takes place, Lila and her family, must take it upon themselves to sort this out, before her family’s livelihood is lost forever. It’s a race against time, while accusations run rampant and hope seems lost.

This cozy ramped up the angst during the investigation process, where the stakes are high among the cultural differences. I was rooting for justice for the protagonist and her family. I am quite familiar with the heart-warming and welcoming Filipino community, (having worked for a Filipino doctor for twelve years), it was delightful to read about a familiar culture and maddening to read about them being slighted by their circumstance in this cozy-mystery.

Unsurprising, was their strong family bond portrayed and their caring and endless hospitality. The protagonist, Lila, was relentless in her pursuit to protect her family at all cost, even while remaining the main suspect in the investigation. Her strong and leading role was the catalyst to the absolution of her family’s name. Yet, stealing the scenes were her Tita Rosie and her grandmother, Lola Flor, along with her aunties and godmothers, aptly named “the Calendar Crew” for their names, April. Mae and June. These lovely ladies were instrumental in providing and extracting crucial information, sometimes from their unsuspecting contacts. Rounding up the supportive characters is Lila’s best friend Adeena and brother, lawyer extraordinaire, Amir.

I thought this was a lovely and exciting start to a new series, although crude at times with the cultural indifference by other characters towards the Filipino community. Overall, gripping in its deliver and an edge-of the-seat mystery.

~ Patricia

After a disastrous breakup with her fiancé, Lila Macapagal has moved back to Shady Palms, Illinois, and is trying to help her aunt save her Filipino restaurant. One issue the restaurant is having is Derek Winter, Lila’s high school sweetheart who has becoming the local food critic and has written several nasty reviews of Tita Rosie’s Kitchen. When he comes back for yet another meal, he winds up dropping dead in his meal. Now the police are looking at Lila as a murderer, Tita Rosie’s Kitchen is closed until further notice, and Lila feels like the only hope of a happy ending is figuring out what is going on herself. Can she keep herself out of jail?

This is a solid debut. The mystery starts off quickly, and Lila learns plenty of secrets on her way to uncovering what really happened. The climax is suspenseful and creative. The characters are all strong. We even learn a bit more about Derek that makes him a little sympathetic although not completely likable. The rest of the cast is strong. A few supporting players blend together, but that is done on purpose, and we see glimpses of their individual personalities. We do have the beginnings of a love triangle here. Some of Lila’s friendships are so strong already, they help make those characters more real for us. I did feel a few of the themes of the book weren’t quite as well developed as I would have liked. Hopefully they will be explored more in further books. If the descriptions of food make you as hungry as they made me, you’ll be happy to see the four recipes at the end of the book. This is a strong debut, and I already can’t wait to find out what happens next to the characters.

In short: Lila has returned home to help out in her aunts Filipino restaurant. Derek, her ex, is now a food critic known for giving very negative reviews. Their restaurant is his newest target but on his latest visit he ends up dead while dining with their landlord.

My thoughts:
I loved this cozy mystery! Unlike many cozies the majority of the book focused mainly on the mystery and solving it. There were several other events that happened, lots of suspects, many motives and the start of a love triangle. At the heart of it all was a loving, crazy Filipino family and their food. I can’t wait to see how this series develops

3.5⭐️

Even though there is a murder right from the get go, this was a fun read. In typical cozy mystery fashion, it’s set in a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business. What’s not so typical is the inclusion of so many diverse characters and the different types of cuisines! The MC, Lila, is helping out at her Tita Rosie’s Filipino restaurant when things take a turn for the worse and the small town gossip ensues. After being accused of killing her ex-boyfriend, Lila starts doing her own detective work to find out what really went down and prove her innocence.

I enjoyed trying to figure out whodunnit right along with Lila, and there was certainly enough going on to keep me guessing and throw me off. Lila was witty, clever, and funny, but her bestie, Adeena, was my favorite character! She is the type of friend you’d want in your corner, and I’d try one of her coffee creations any time!

I loved learning about the Filipino culture and cuisine, and the descriptions of the different types of ethnic food made my mouth water! I was happy to discover the author included recipes in the back of the book. I really want to try Lila’s ube crinkles! If only I had one of Adeena’s spiced lattes (“The Desi answer to PSLs”) to go with them!

Pick this one up if you’re a fan of mysteries (cozy or otherwise) or if you’re looking for a light read centered around food! It’s the first book in a new series, and I will definitely read the next book when it comes out!

“If there were an Olympic event for avoidance, I probably wouldn’t bring home the gold, but I’d sure as heck place.”
— 𝒜𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓃𝒾𝒸 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒜𝒹𝑜𝒷𝑜, Mia P. Manansala

Lila Macapagal moves back to her hometown of Shady Palms for two reasons: one, help her aunt save the family restaurant from utter ruin, and two, heal from a terrible breakup. The restaurant side of her life means putting up with a nasty food critic (who also happens to be an ex-boyfriend) a lot of the time. When that food critic suddenly drops dead into a bowl of desserts at the restaurant, Lila becomes a prime suspect. Weird things continue to rock the tiny town, and Lila continuously finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. In order to clear her name and save her family’s livelihood, Lila takes it upon herself to try and solve the case. But the closer she gets, the more dangerous it becomes, and it could end up costing her everything.

This was such a good cozy mystery! There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but I loved how all of their stories tied together in order to further the plot. Due to the number of characters, the list of suspects was incredibly long, which made trying to guess who was at fault a fun endeavor.

I loved Lila as the narrator. She was a flawed woman afraid to confront her family about their wishes for her, and also hellbent on keeping her deepest darkest secret hidden from all of the people she loves. In the end, everything she does is for them. Given the fact that there wasn’t actually any real romance in this book, I’m surprised at how addictive it was. I absolutely could not put it down. I don’t typically read “cozy” mysteries, because I tend to gravitate towards mysteries that scare the crap out of me, but I loved this. I think it’s great for a wide audience.

I highly recommending it for a quick, fun, cozy mystery read.

This book has all the trademarks of a cozy mystery: amateur sleuth, crime in a small community, crime occurring off stage. The amateur sleuth is the main character, Lila Macapagal. She is a twenty something returning to her family’s restaurant to help with the business after going away to college. Upon her return, an unexpected event occurs when her ex-boyfriend dies after having a meal at the family’s restaurant. Lila is accused of killing him and swiftly goes from serving food to sleuthing.

The small town setting of the book is a placed called Shady Palms. The town has a population of 20,000 and everybody knows or thinks they know everybody’s business. The author does a great job setting the story in this highly connected small town. She also skillfully keeps the crimes in this mystery from being front and center. The crime scenes are seen more from the view of the characters’ reactions instead of a graphic description.

In addition to the cozy mystery elements, this book highlights Filipino culture and food. The author uses and explains many terms used in Filipino culture. The food in the book is deliciously described and recipes are included in the back of the book for adventurous food lovers.

Those who are fans of cozy mysteries, stories set in small towns or Filipino stories will enjoy this book.

I was sent a copy of this book by the author's publicity team for review.

ARSENIC AND ADOBO by Mia P. Manansala is a cozy culinary mystery written in the perspective of Lila Macapagal, a 20-something-year old foodie who had just moved back to her hometown to help with the family restaurant Tita Rosie’s Kitchen. Suddenly, her ex-boyfriend/high school sweetheart drops dead at Tita Rosie’s Kitchen and Lila is the main suspect. The family restaurant is closed because of the ongoing investigation. ARSENIC AND ADOBO follows Lila’s determination to clear her name, reopen the family restaurant, and find out who the real killer is.

Here are some scattered thoughts while reading:
1- The way Mia Manansala describes food is an art in itself. I felt nostalgic, craving the food I grew up with, finding myself ready to schedule a trip to Seafood City. I can vividly smell the food (and the aroma in the air? lol) from start to finish.

2- It’s hard to say no to a search (or require a lawyer to be present, or ask if there’s a warrant) if you were raised in a culture, grown up in a household ~or under a government~ that has reinforced obeying authority figures and looked down on those who express dissent.

3- My impression of Lila: early 20s, possible future pastry chef and business owner, sometimes quirky, sometimes tsismosa pero who can blame her she’s back in her hometown under uncontrollable circumstances

4- I had to remind myself this is a ‘cozy mystery,’ because half the time I wanted the characters to tell me more about their past traumas.

5- Brown People Time is annoying 😂Just arrive on time.

6- People here express grief very weird but I’m guessing that’s part of an element of this genre.

7- I cringe at the thought of yt people ransacking my family’s fridge and then, asking for regular milk?? Get outta here 😂

8- I really want to try making an ube crinkle and I might have to buy coconut jam and pandesal ASAP.

I highly recommend this one if you are a foodie, like quirky characters, and like to laugh when there are macabre events happening in a book. Though most dishes are not vegetarian/vegan, there are scenes that cater to a character who’s vegetarian.

Lila Macapagal is back in Shady Palms from Chicago to recover from a horrible breakup. While there, she helps out in the family run restaurant. She’s a great asset to the business, since that’s what she went to college for, and heaven knows that her family needs the help, at least with the books. They seem to be doing pretty good business, but they’re not able to pay their rent and the landlord is wanting to collect. In addition to that, her high school ex, Derek, is the town’s food critic and boy oh boy does he absolutely destroy the restaurant every time he writes a review. It doesn’t help that his stepdad is their landlord. One morning the pair of them come in for a meal, but things take a deadly turn. Derek leaves the restaurant in an ambulance, and later dies in the hospital, with the coroner calling it a homicide.
This is the setup for Arsenic and Adobo, the first book in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series by Ms. Manansala, and it’s a great start. Lila, and the rest of the Macapagal’s are Filipino, so there’s a lot of Filipino food discussed, as well as a good mix of Tagalog words interspersed. But don’t worry if you don’t speak the language, definitions are always given. I was constantly hungry based on the delightful descriptions of wonderful sounding dishes. The writing and storyline kept me engaged and wanting more. I hit the end and wanted another story. A great cozy mystery with wonderful characters, and engaging storyline, and amazing writing. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

*I was given an ARC of this story by the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

After a bad relationship break up, Lila Macapagal moves back to her hometown of Shady Palms, Illinois. Her aunt needs help in running her restaurant. Lila is more than ready for a change and only too happy to help out. When her former boyfriend, who is also a restaurant critic, writes nasty things about their restaurant, Lila has a huge public argument with him. He happens to die while eating there and all eyes turn toward Lila as the killer.

It’s obvious that the police don’t want to look past Lila as the culprit, so she has to figure this out herself. With a little help from her friends, Lila does her own investigating. She discovers many people in her small town have secrets. It’s up to Lila to discover a killer and clear her name.

What a surprising delight this story turned out to be. I have to admit, I was attracted to the cover and being a huge fan of the cozy mystery genre, I couldn’t resist reading this one.

I immediately fell in love with Lila and her wacky aunties. The author did a great job of bringing the characters to life. I really cared about the good guys, while hating the bad guys. Lila has a couple of opportunities for romance, but she’s taking things slowly. This means the mystery takes center stage as readers try to figure out whodunit.

I didn’t figure things out until near the end. There were several different possible suspects - all with a good reason to do away with this baddie. I was totally captivated with this storyline. It kept me on my toes.

The story has everything from humor to mystery to much family drama. I’m impressed that this is the author’s first book as she did an excellent job of bringing this story to life. I’m more than ready to read the next book in this series and re-visit Lila and her family.





FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

“What a surprise! Kumain ka na ba? Have you eaten?”

When reading book I always note down quotes I enjoy. For a book that is a murder mystery you might wonder why this was the quote I picked to start me out. But here’s the thing… this is so relatable to me. It’s completely genuine to the Filipino experience—Food. As a Filipino American, this book in particular hit me in such a personal way. For readers hoping to learn more about the Filipino culture while reading this you are definitely in luck!

Arsenic and Adobo is the very first cozy mystery I think I have ever read. Is it okay to call a book where a murder happens, fun? This was fun and lighthearted. It was steeped in culture and yummy food descriptions. I am actually glad that not every mystery book has to be a heavy, dark read. This had me laughing and enjoying myself the whole way through!

Our main character, Lila Macapagal is back to her hometown after her life plans in Chicago get upended by her cheating (now-ex) boyfriend. And although she sees this as very rom-com, things go completely the awry the moment her high school ex-boyfriend keels over into his soup at her family’s restaurant. Taking matters into their own hands, Lila and her best friend Adeena try to solve this murder all while Lila remains the prime suspect the whole time.

There is a whole wonderful cast of diverse characters populating Lila’s hometown. I’m hoping to see much more of them in future books as I’ll definitely be following this series closely. There was also a light touch of the possibility of romance in the future and let me tell y’all—I. Am. Here. For. It.

I am certain the town of Shady Palms has a lot more mystery (and food) to offer us and I sure am looking forward to it.

I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book from the publisher and Caffeine Book Tours as part of my participation in their tour.

This was a fun, lighthearted mystery, and I loved it! Even if you don't love cozy mysteries, give this one a try. The quirky cast of characters are partly what makes this novel so strong. I loved Lila (and her dog!) and her family and friends and all the descriptions of Filipino food (and every other type of cuisine) had me salivating! This is definitely a cozy series that I'm going to continue to read. More Lila books, stat! Thanks, Netgalley, for my arc.

Thanks to Berkley & Netgalley for an advanced copy of Arsenic and Adobo!

Arsenic and Adobo was such a fun cozy mystery that has you wanting to try Filipino food.

Lila has just moved back home and is helping out at her family's Filipino restaurant. When her ex-boyfriend drops dead as he's eating at the restaurant she's treated as the main suspect and needs to solve the case to clear her name.

I loved the glossary at the beginning of the book, and as someone who hasn't had Filipino food there are a few dishes that sound amazing! The close knit family with the gossipy aunties were so much fun. There was a lot of people mentioned in this book and I'm excited to see what characters we get to see in the next books in this cozy series!

If you're a cozy mystery fan or love food descriptions you'll love this book!