This was such a fun one! I loved the cultural aspect but hated the white mother in law. I enjoyed the mystery, the food, and the writing style. The strain on her marriage was interesting. If my husband acted the way hers did, I would have come unglued! Overall I liked this delicious cozy mystery!

I never trust a place like Coral Shores.
Miriam Quinones-Smith shifts with her husband and son back to Florida where her husband's family resides. She hadn't even finished unpacking when a series of events have women near her dying, her best friend being arresting and her husband acting suspicious. Miriam has to juggle multiple roles in a society that views her as an outsider, a hostile mother in law and all the while raising her son to be bilingual.
Miriam is such a head strong character when she needs to fight and yet she showed a lot of patience with her situation. The mystery element was nicely woven in the society of Coral Shores and how when I look back, the author was giving a lot of hints as to what the police were doing. I love a fast paced book where the main character is sensible. My heart was pumping, I knew something is coming and I wasn't disappointed.
I enjoyed the cooking part of the book. It used Miriam's degree and her culture. She had to navigate her new environment on her own and with her background, I don't blame Miriam for jumping into extreme conclusions. This extended to her husband. Actions matter more than words; he applied this to his short term and long term plans. I was getting frustrated with a lack of communication.
My other favourite character was Detective Pullman and how he dealt with Miriam.
This mystery will have craving for food and answers.

Mango, Mambo, and Murder is a delicious murder mystery. Mirian moves to Coral Shores, Miami for her husband's new job. She reconnects with her best friend Alma but is also close to her judgemental and racist mother-in-law. Mirian attends a club dinner, where a socialite drops dead, followed by another person at the gym. When her best friend is accused of the murders, Miriam has no other option but to find out who the murderer is so that her friend is free.

I loved the touch of Caribbean food in this book. Miriam is a food anthropologist who took a break in her career to take care of her son. Miriam gets an opportunity to become a host of a cooking show for a Spanish channel. What kept me going in this book were the family dynamics, the relationship between Miriam and her husband and her mother-in-law. Identifying the killer was not a surprise, but several other elements in the novel make it an appealing read.

What a great read!!! I absolutely loved the bilingual writing, even though the English version was right after the Spanish, it stretched my knowledge of Spanish from growing up in New Mexico. I haven’t lived there in seventeen years, so my brain needed that workout. It was like being home and surrounded by family.
Miriam, her husband Robert, and their son Manny move into Coral Shores, FL from New York City, and it’s a huge change for Miriam, even though she grew up just a few miles away. You see, Coral Shores is where all the rich white people live in Miami, think trust funds and mega rich. Miriam doesn’t fit in and boy does her mother-in-law shove that in her face. Not only that, but her mother-in-law parades around with her son’s ex, trying to get the two of them back together. She doesn’t like Miriam because she’s from the wrong part of town, and the wrong skin color. She also doesn’t like the fact that Miriam and Robert are raising Manny to be bilingual and that he speaks more Spanish than English right now.
But when Miriam attends a Women’s Club meeting, the woman next to her collapses and dies. When the death is declared suspicious, for some reason Miriam’s best friend Alma, the realtor everyone in Coral Shores uses, is declared the main suspect and is arrested on suspicion of her murder. Then another woman collapses while Alma is under house arrest, Miriam decides that she is going to solve the case herself and clear Alma’s name.
That’s not all Miriam’s got going on in her life. Her cooking segment on the Spanish channel takes off and her segment is put on Youtube where it takes off. People around town are recognizing her.
Plus when she sees her husband’s new car at one of those “No Tell Motel’s” Miriam realizes that her marriage might be in trouble and she needs to figure out what’s going on with her family as well.
Even though Miriam has only been in Coral Shores for a few weeks, she has her finger on the pulse, makes lots of friends quickly and figures out who the killer is. She usually just one step, or ½ step ahead of Detective Pullman and the police department.
It was easy to figure out who the killer was and how, but not the why. I really liked that it was harder to figure out the why, I liked the recipes, I thoroughly liked the book. I can’t wait to read more in this series and more from this author.

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

This book had potential but the trite plot about a her husband's possible affair with tenuous proof and the rude behavior of the husband's mother turned me off. I wanted to like Mango, Mambo and Murder but those two factors made it less interesting. I think there is potential because I like the Cuban cooking aspect of the book, but I also struggled with the amount of Spanish with no literal translation. I rounded up to three stars, but it really is a 2.5 star book.

The author does an incredible job of getting the reader in Miriam’s head. We are looking at the world of Miami and Coral Shores so much through her eyes that at times it is easy to forget that we are just reading a book. Mostly that is good, but there are some dangers in that as well.
I was definitely halfway into the book before I realized some of the dangers of seeing so much from Miriam’s perspective. When Miriam feels helpless to deal with her rude and conniving mother in law, I felt helpless. When Miriam felt helpless in dealing with her secretive husband, I felt helpless. However, when Miriam finds her strength and stands up for herself in really clever and dignified ways, it feels like such a success! When Miriam starts making new friends and finding career success, it made me so happy. I squealed out loud when she name dropped María Hinojosa!
Oh and there is a mystery too. The mystery is fairly straight forward, but for me that was a good thing. I was happy to see the bad guys get theirs in the end. And I thought the way Miriam went about collecting clues and interviewing people was really well done and logical. There were several side characters that I loved meeting and I can’t wait to hear more from them next time.
There is a lot of Spanish used in the book, but there are lots of context clues around it. I can speak Spanish, so I loved the inclusion of the language. But even if I didn’t speak it, I think it is still understandable. There are several nods to Miriam’s Cuban culture as well. I thought that helped round out her character.
Overall, this book is heavy on character and lighter on plot. And that is just what it needed to be.
I received a copy of the book. This is my review.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters, they're well rounded. It does have a lot of Spanish in it so that kind of took away from the story as I can't read/speak Spanish. The bad guy was not a surprise but it was still enjoyable to read the reveal. #MangoMamboandMurder #NetGalley

A big thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. First time reading this author. I enjoyed this cozy mystery. It had some unique elements to it. First her career choice and then the bilingual aspect. Miriam was a bit whiny and insecure, and her husband Roberto needs to learn to communicate better. Miriam's mother in law was not nice. Overall, I found this interesting. Manny was adorable. 4 stars. Yes it had issues, but I liked it.

I am new to cozy mystery books, but loved this one!! I enjoyed the Spanish dialogue that was mixed into the book as well. I loved the well developed characters and can't wait to see what the author writes next!

I read this wonderful book in one sitting. I had no idea what to expect. The story of the Smith family moving to Muami was well written. Many of us can relate to mother in laws like that! Great mystery. Highly recommended.

Mango, Mambo, and Murder is the first book in the A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series. The story takes place in Coral Shores, a community in Miami, FL.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Miriam shined as the protagonist of the story. Her background in cultural anthropology is something that is not often seen in the cozy mystery genre so I enjoyed how Reyes tied Miriam’s education into the story line/her TV gig. It was also nice to read about Caribbean food history throughout the book because it added to the plot and character development.

Speaking of characters…can we talk about Miriam’s mother-in-law? That woman was a piece of work, let me tell you! I hope Miriam finds a way to give it to her in future books because *whew* Robert (Miriam’s husband) did little to stop his mother although he did comfort Miriam when insults were flung her way. As a matter of fact, most of Robert’s family did the same thing so at least she wasn’t completely alone. I loved Miriam’s relationship with her son, Manny, as well as her relationship with childhood friend, Alma! Reyes did a great job of using those relationships to bridge Miriam’s past and present together. It also helped in making sense of other relationships in the book, including fellow mothers navigating the Coral Shores social scene.

The mystery itself was good overall. It gave off “it’s about the journey not the end goal” kind of vibes because of the possible suspects, Miriam's involvement with law enforcement, and how the murder is ultimately solved. There was more of a focus on confirming who the murderer was based on the list of suspects as opposed to throwing out multiple red herrings to confuse the reader. I can appreciate a cozy mystery that takes that route because it gives the reader a chance to “enjoy the ride” so to speak.

Overall, this is a great start to a new cozy mystery series and I’m looking forward to reading the second installment when it comes out. There are not a lot of non-white protagonists in cozy mysteries so it’s great to add Miriam to the list!

Mango, Mambo, and Murder
A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery
by Raquel V. Reyes
Crooked Lane Books
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date 12 Oct 2021 | Archive Date 17 Aug 2021

Not one of my favorite cozy mysteries and I don't know if I even liked it enough to read the rest of the series.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This was not a thumbs up for me.

2 star

Mango, Mambo, and Murder is a fun and entertaining read. For someone who has never experienced Cuban culture, it was educational. Reyes brilliantly intertwines multiple cultures throughout, including multiple languages. Fortunately, iPad has a “Look Up” feature. Although, most of the time I did not need it. The author does a good job of explaining the conversations, even when they are in Spanish.

Miriam is a relatable character. From the overbearing mother-in-law to her loyalty to her friend Alma and her worries about her marriage, Miriam expresses real concerns to which anyone can relate. She sees changes in her husband since moving back to the Miami area near his parents, including a rekindled relationship with a woman who seems to want to flaunt her childhood relationship in the face of Miriam.

Miriam, trying to fit in to her new community, finds herself in the right place at the wrong time. She is the witness to two separate mysterious deaths. Neither has anything to do with Miriam until her best friend Alma is arrested for murder in connection with one of the deaths. When Miriam learns that the only evidence is a trace of the drug that killed Alma’s brother, Miriam knows something is not right.

Mango, Mambo, and Murder is something akin to Miami Vice meets Murder She Wrote. Miriam takes it upon herself to play detective to try to clear Alma of the murder charges. Local law enforcement is less than thrilled about Miriam’s intrusion until they figure out a way to use her for their good. Like any self-proclaimed detective, Miriam looks at rules more as suggestions. It makes for fun, heart-racing, entertainment.

In addition to playing detective, Miriam gets her own cooking show. The dishes she makes are so tantalizing that the author really should put out a Mango, Mambo, and Murder Cookbook. A nice surprise at the end of the book are a few recipes that this reader will be trying.

The ending of Mango, Mambo, and Murder provides closure while at the same time leaving the book open for a sequel. One can only hope that the author will continue Miriam’s story, allowing her to utilize her expertise in cooking and investigating.

Unfortunately, I could not get into this book and in some parts, it was really hard to read.
I do appreciate Crooked Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this.

This was a cozy mystery twist that I hadn't seen before let alone read before. But I enjoyed it. I just don't know if I enjoyed it enough to continue the series.

From the publisher:
Food anthropologist Miriam Quiñones-Smith's move from New York to Coral Shores, Miami, puts her academic career on hold to stay at home with her young son. Adding to her funk is an opinionated mother-in-law and a husband rekindling a friendship with his ex. Gracias to her best friend, Alma, she gets a short-term job as a Caribbean cooking expert on a Spanish-language morning TV show. But when the newly minted star attends a Women's Club luncheon, a socialite sitting at her table suddenly falls face-first into the chicken salad, never to nibble again.

Thoughts:
I absolutely loved this debut cozy mystery! I liked how there was Spanish mixed into the dialogue of the book and there is enough surrounding context to figure out what is being said with having to directly translate. I really liked the character dynamics and relationships. This is a wonderfully written debut, I highly recommend this book!

Disclaimer: I was given an eARC by Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of the best books I have ever read, the only fault there was a bit too much spanish.....
And a translation would have been appreciated.
My rating 4 stars

Cuban-American Miriam has just moved from NYC to Miami with her husband and young son. They are both originally from Florida, and decide to relocate when he’s offered a better job, despite the fact that she has a PhD, and university jobs in her field, food anthropology, are unavailable. His mother, who is bigoted nasty, and interfering, lives right down the street, much to Miriam’s dismay. Her best friend from grade school, Alma, a successful local realtor, takes her to a boring luncheon with women from Coral Shores but someone dies there. Was it murder? Is there a cocaine connection? Miriam starts to wonder about others she meets, including a Mambocise instructor, a quack who is peddling herbal remedies for everything from weight loss to infertility, and an unpleasant woman who seems too interested in Miriam’s husband. I liked Miriam’s foray into broadcast TV with a cooking segment on a Spanish language station (recipes are included), and look forward to reading future installments of this cozy mystery series. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Food anthropologist Miriam Quinones-Smith's move from New York to Coral Shores, Miami, is traumatic enough without having to deal with her son's toddler tantrums and her husband's midlife crisis. Her best friend, Alma, adds some spice back into Miriam's life when she offers her a job as an on-air cooking expert on a Spanish-language morning TV show. But when the newly minted star attends a Women's Club luncheon, a socialite sitting at her table suddenly falls face-first into the chicken salad, never to nibble again.

When a second woman dies soon after, suspicions coalesce around a controversial Cuban herbalist, Dr. Fuentes--especially after the morning show's host collapses while interviewing him. But then, Detective Pullman learns that the socialite's death resulted from a drug overdose--and an anonymous tip fingers Alma as the pusher.

Pullman persuades Miriam to ply her culinary know-how and her understanding of Coral Shores's Caribbean culture to help find the killer and clear Alma's name. While her hubby dallies with his ex-girlfriend, Juliet, Miriam quizzes her neighbors for answers and researches all manner of herbs.

As the ingredients to the deadly scheme begin blending together, Miriam is on the verge of learning how and why the women died. But her snooping may turn out to be a recipe for her own murder.- Goodreads

The one thing I loved about this book was the food references. I love love love seeing recipes, people cooking and bonding over food. It is really comforting to me. However, I didn't particularly enjoy this book.

Miriam was annoying. She whined a lot about her situation and even when she started actively changing things or investigating she just whined about it. I couldn't bring myself to like her. The other thing about her that bothered me is that she knew her mother-in-law was hecka racist and then acted surprised when she moved near her. Do not get me wrong you can get sheltered in NY but you married into that family so you already knowing that information. You also married a man who did not have that much of a backbone when it came to his mother.

Despite all of this the pace of the novel was good. I enjoyed the build-up and the range of characters and their backstories. But although I love some cozy mysteries, this one just wasn't hitting like I wanted to i.e. this book just wasn't my cup of tea,

Overall,

2 Pickles

Miriam has moved back to the Miami area of Coral Shores with her husband and young son after years of living in New York. She is happy to be back where she grew up and to see her best friend again. But her parents no longer live there while her new house is within walking distance of her disapproving, interfering mother in law. Her friend attempts to get her involved in activities and one of the first is lunch at the Women's Club. After a woman sitting at the same table ends up dead things begin to get a little crazy for Miriam. Her friend is arrested and she has no choice but to figure out what's going on.

I really enjoyed the setting and Miriam's background. Her family is Cuban and this background is essential to her character. She is a food anthropologist and with her friend's help gets a job on a cooking show. There are a lot of delicious food descriptions. Some of the dialogue is in Spanish without being fully explained. But I don't feel as I missed anything and even understood some of it and maybe learned a few words. I really enjoyed the awkward family gatherings/situations. They felt real.

Even though a death occurs early on the mystery doesn't start for a little while. When Miriam begins to actively investigate, the tone changes a little. Miriam is a little chaotic in her thoughts and she thinks this way about a lot of things. There's something going on with her husband as well and I wished she had reacted differently. It was a lot at once.

I'm not sure if she makes the best sleuth as some of her tactics weren't the best. But this was her first time and things might have been more interesting or challenging if the mystery had been stronger. The murderer is a little obvious and I didn't really consider them because of it. The reason behind the murder too was underwhelming for me. Some of the elements involved as Miriam questioned things were interesting and bring up some things to think about. Overall it was an interesting read.

3.5/5