Mango, Mambo, and Murder is the first Caribbean Kitchen cozy Mystery by Raquel V. Reyes

I enjoyed it because I like cozy mysteries, despite its having started as more of a women's fiction novel.

Once things got going, it became a fun read keeping me guessing until (almost) the end of the story. I look forward to getting to better know some of these characters in future books.

Side notes:

* I'm grateful for some Spanish knowledge because not everything was translated back into English within the text.

* I haven't tried any of the recipes, though they may be a bit too spicy for my wimpy palette!

This was a fun intro to a new series. I can't wait to read more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

An easy fun read complete with spicy (too spicy for me!) recipes!

This was a fun introduction to the series, although I wasn’t in love with this one I would definitely be interested in picking up the next book!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Miriam Quiñones-Smith was happy in New York. Then her mother-in-law bought her son and grandson a house in Coral Shores, Florida, 3 blocks away from her house. Miriam, a food anthropologist, had been in line for a professorship. Now her career is on hold and she is attending a Women’s Club luncheon at the country club, and Alma, her best friend, is trying to get her to accept a job on a Spanish-language morning TV show as a Caribbean cooking expert.

Well, the luncheon takes a tragic turn when socialite Sunny Weatherman, sitting next to Miriam, passes out and plants her face into her plate of chicken salad. She dies later at the hospital. Then another woman dies and it is thought the herbal remedies Dr. Fuentes is peddling may be the cause. The theory gains traction when he appears on a morning talk show and the host interviewing him crumbles on the set. But Detective Pullman is focusing on Miriam’s friend Alma. Miriam decides she needs to help her friend which makes the good detective a little crazy. Then he admits he could use her help. She has access to places he doesn’t and she speaks Spanish fluently.

Miriam may take the detective’s request too far even though knows she is getting close to the truth about the deaths. But due to her “investigation,” she may find herself in hot water with the killer ready to strike.

I liked Miriam, she is well-educated, a great mom to her son, Manny, and an excellent cook, but she allows her very pushy mother-in-law to walk all over her. Her husband really pushed my buttons as well with his secrets and not standing up to his mother for the way she was treating his wife. I felt sorry for the woman as she tried to deal with the abuse on her own. Alma is a good friend to her but she has a lot on her plate being a murder suspect. Miriam is a bit stronger at the end of the story which gives me hope for future installments.

The mystery was well-plotted with several suspects. Miriam is almost consumed with solving the murder mystery all while starting a new job, taking care of her child and home, and jumping every time her mother-in-law demands it. She asks good questions and ruminates on the answers and clues. She follows leads sometimes when she shouldn’t but it does get Detective Pullman’s attention. He quickly nicknames her Veronica Mars even though she has no idea who that is. All the clues came together for Miriam and she was delighted when the arrest was made. I solved the case before Miriam but the way everything played out was quite entertaining.

Miriam is a Cuban American and slips easily into Spanish. She speaks almost exclusively in Spanish to her son Manny while her husband speaks to him in English to raise him bilingual. This is great and I fully support how they live their lives but I am not fluent in Spanish. I do know some words but not enough to instantly translate. Fortunately, I was reading on my Kindle which allowed me to highlight and request the translation but that really messed with the flow of the story. I wish the translation had been right there in the text.

Mango, Mambo, and Murder has laid a great foundation for this series. I feel invested in Miriam and Manny and want to see how their lives in Coral Shores develop and grow. Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking is calling from my Kindle. I hope most of the translations are in the text or I may have to sign up for a Babbel course to learn more Spanish.

Gave this book a try but overall didn’t enjoy it. Wasn’t able to get into the story as much as I wanted to.

I really enjoyed this introduction to a new series and a great new character. The story was entertaining and I was guessing right up to the end on whodunit. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

A cozy mystery complete with a spicy recipes, warm weather and a New York transplant! What else do you need?


Thank you #NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this!

Finally! A good cozy mystery that I literally couldn’t put down. I loved that Miriam is a mom of a toddler. I loved her word-vomit and thought trains. I was about ready to divorce her husband for her but I’m glad they talked it out. I actually want to continue the series and a cozy hasn’t given me that reaction in a while.

I am starving! I need all the food! 😋 fantastic first book to the series. Definitely invested in the characters, side characters, and what happens next!

Super romantic mystery. I enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone that likes cozy mystery type books.

Cuban-American cooking show star Miriam Quinones-Smith becomes a seasoned sleuth in Raquel Reyes's Caribbean Kitchen Mystery debut, a savory treat for fans of Joanne Fluke and Jenn McKinlay.

Folks, I was so excited to stumble upon this series written by Cuban-American author Raquel V. Reyes about food anthropologist Miriam Quinones-Smith. Her little family has just moved from NYC back to Miami, and her life is stressful enough dealing with in-laws, tantrums, and her new job before a murder victim practically falls in her lap. The book is filled with Cuban food and culture, which I was absolutely thrilled to see in a cozy series. I look forward to more!

For once, while reading a culinary cozy mystery, I wasn't eyeing takeout options in my area, and that's absolutely not a knock on author Raquel V. Reyes. In Mango, Mambo, and Murder, Reyes writes with obvious affection for food (especially Cuban cuisine), which is convenient since the main character, Miriam Quinoñes-Smith, is a food anthropologist. With rich descriptions that give all five senses something to think about, she could make even a napkin sound appetizing.

Fortunately for my wallet, Reyes is also equally gifted at crafting a mystery and, as tempting as sancocho or flan sounded, I was too wrapped up in the story to even consider putting the book.

In this series debut, Miriam has recently moved with her husband and young son from New York to a tight Miami community, Coral Shores. While struggling to find her place outside of academia, her friend Alma acts as a lifeline, allowing Miriam the chance to network around her new home. However, when someone drops dead at a Women's Club Luncheon and investigators begin suspecting Alma, Miriam realizes she'll need more than a perfect recipe to help clear her friend's name.

From only a brief synopsis, Mango, Mambo, and Murder reads like most cozy mysteries, and yet it feels incredibly fresh. Miriam is the perfect sleuth, willing to do anything to help her friend while also mostly keeping her cool, and Reyes finds ways of using her culinary knowledge to advance the mystery. The hook is much more than just window dressing, and it was genuinely thrilling to read how careful Reyes must have been in layering this story.

As satisfying as the mystery is, I was also taken by how much of Miriam's everyday life was stirred into the story. She struggles not just with a murder but also the offer of her own cooking show on a Spanish-language TV show. Along with family drama in the form of a secretive husband and a realistically vile mother-in-law, Miriam is being pulled in all directions. Other authors might struggle packing so much into one book, but Reyes finds the right balance and, in turn, Miriam feels like a real character juggling real problems—just with a dollop of murder on the side.

Ultimately, Mango, Mambo, and Murder is more than satisfying, and I'm definitely looking forward to seconds as the series continues. Though I might have to order a little something in first.

I love a great cozy mystery and this is exactly what this was. I loved the food aspect of this mystery was brilliant and enjoyed the character developments throughout the novel.

A fun cozy mystery set in Miami Florida where food anthropologist turned stay at home mom Miriam finds herself embroiled in a murder. She does some sleuthing while taking on a part time television cooking show gig, trying to determine if her husband is cheating on her and correcting her mother in law to use her sons proper name. I love the mix of Spanish and English in this book as I am learning Spanish right now. Couldn’t put it down.

I really loved this first book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

I absolutely loved this first in a new culinary cozy series AND Reyes debut book. It was refreshing on many levels from the educated academic mother who is married with a small child, to the Florida setting and all the Cuban culture and food to the Spanish words and phrases sprinkled in. (Florida might be my new favorite setting for cozy mysteries).

Raquel V. Reyes has written a cozy mystery that includes many of my favorite ingredients (pun intended). Therevare a cooking theme, lots of family (and their interference), a TV show, murders and more. Set in Miami and with a Cuban American protagonist, there are atmosphere, interesting characters and a good mystery within these pages. Cozy readers, take a look!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

This books was a wonderful quick read. The mystery keep me on my toes and the way food was described was perfect. I can't wait to rea more.

3.5 out of 5 stars

I love the blend of English and Spanish! Not to mention the recipes, yum! Miriam is a PhD food anthropologist who has recently moved back to her hometown in Miami. Trying to navigate her social life, work like, personal life, and her imposing mother-in-law, Miriam finds herself trying to prove that her best friend is NOT the most likely suspect for a string of suspicious deaths.

I like that this story does not focus heavily on romance (but it does have a sprinkling of relationship drama), but rather on Miriam, her food, and her friends. Manny is adorable and the recipes from the Caribbean make my mouth water. I will definitely be reading the next in the series!

Miriam Quiñones-Smith's young family moves back to Coral Shores, Miami for a better life. But Miriam is in a funk until her best friend Alma gets her a job as a Caribbean cooking expert on a Spanish-language morning TV show. Not the academic career as a food anthropologist that Miriam is working towards but it is a step away from her housebound life with their 4-year old son Manny. Her husband Robert is working long hours at an environmental consulting company. They also live too close to Miriam's dreadful mother-in-law Marjory. Miriam is cajoled into meeting the social elite at a Women's Club luncheon but the event is tainted with socialite Sunny Weatherman collapses face-first into the chicken salad. When yoga instructor Elliot also dies, suspicions point towards Cuban herbalist Dr. Fuentes and his healing teas. Detective Frank Pullman arrests Alma for Sunny's death but enlists Miriam to be his eyes and ears in the Spanish-speaking community.

This was a debut culinary mystery dealing with complicated family dynamics and some unique twists. I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. All opinions are my own.

While I really enjoyed the cultural and food aspects of this, the main character grated on me a bit so I never really connected with her. However, I would read the next book in the series to see if my feelings changed about her.