Lila is back at it again solving mysteries and trying to keep her coffee house afloat. This murder in particular was engaging and kept
me on my toes. I like seeing favorite characters and growth in them.

I also enjoyed the care Mia took with some heavy subjects.

Mia Manansala has become an ultimate comfort read for me! She’s created characters that are so well developed now it feels truly immersive to get lost in the pages of her books. Thanks to PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook of Murder and Mamon. This is the fourth book in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen mystery series, and quite possibly my favorite so far! Despite the heavier themes (i.e. murder) this story felt slightly more buoyant than a couple of the others.

Murder and Mamon predominantly features her Calendar Crew godmothers–April, Mae
& June. The aunties have opened a new laundromat in Shady Palms, but the business quickly turns from dirty laundry to murder when the body of Ninang April’s niece, newly arrived from the Philippines, turns up in the shop.

Divanda has only been in town for a few weeks, but the chic niece had racked up more enemies than most in a lifetime, so Lila has her case-solving work cut out for her. Lila is in a much lighter headspace for this story–business with her besties is thriving, her relationship is growing stronger, and she’s repaired rocky familial relationships from her past. Now she’ll have to turn the tables on the Calendar Crew, prying into their lives as deeply as they’ve dived into others…

I’m not sure how Mia could top her delectable food descriptions for every book, but she exceeds expectations every single time. The fourth serving of Tita Rosie’s Kitchen series was just as satisfying as the first! I love that recipes are included. I’ve made some from the first books and plan to try out a few new dishes! Thanks Berkley and letstalkbooks for the gifted copy. The audiobook is 7 hours 47 minutes, narrated by Danice Cabanela, who did such a great job with it! The voice was soft and almost melodic, and kept me pressing play every chance I could get. The book releases 09/19!

Who doesn’t love a good cozy amateur sleuth mystery featuring yummy food and meddling Filipino aunties?! The covers in this series are incredible. Even though this is number 4 in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the other three books yet (I KNOW I KNOW I NEED TO!!) but the book does a great job at making every characters role and backstory clear in the book so reading the others first are unnecessary. This installment features an interesting twist with a satisfying conclusion which id what I love the most about cozy mysteries. Can’t wait to read more from this author soon!

Thank you so much to LTB Book Tours, Mia, Berkley, and NetGalley for the digital review copy!

This is the fourth book in the series and though I didn’t read books 2 & 3, I didn’t have any trouble reading this one or catching up with the characters from book 1, so I think that it could also be read as a stand alone. While you would benefit most from the series, it can still be enjoyed by itself.
It’s an extremely food centric cozy mystery and every other page mentions unusual coffees, teas, desserts, etc that the average person wouldn’t be familiar with but those from a Phillipine background may be familiar with.
This time Lila is investigating the death of her visiting cousin, Divina, who is the niece of one of the Calender Crew Aunties. The aunties have opened up a laundromat and it has been vandalized as well with the same message that was left at the site of Davina’s body, so it makes the investigation doubly personal for Lila.
Perfect for readers who like: books about food, amateur detectives and family drama.
Thanks to Berkley Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

🎉🎉🎉Pub Day Review: Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala🎉🎉🎉

Lila and the gang are back in this 4th installment of Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series. This time, the ninangs a.k.a. The Calendar Crew, are involved and take the centerstage. Don’t worry, the murdered victim is not one of them! Lila investigates again and tries to catch the killer with the help of her boyfriend and her BFFs. Reading this series of whodunnit murder mystery always makes me homesick but also comforted with all the constant get togethers and mention of yummylicious Filipino food!! What you read here is really what is typical in our Pinoy culture - we love to eat and feed people like there’s no tomorrow!!! That’s our love language!☺️ And yes, we always send people home with leftovers packed in tupperwares or reusable containers lol!😂

Murder and Mamon is not as action-packed as Blackmail and Bibingka (which is by far my favorite book in the series) but it is still entertaining to read as far as cozy mystery goes. I loved that the characters now have mostly “grown up” and developed romantic relationships (yes, even Tita Rosie!) Dare I hope that there will be wedding bells in the subsequent books?!?!🙏🏻 Longganisa is as lovable as always, while Brew-ha Cafe is still churning up with new and exotic drinks. I just love how the author keep on coming up with unique concoctions of desserts and beverages using local ingredients. Mia — you are a kitchen genius! I also appreciate that the recipes are included at the end of the book for us to try!💖

This book is out today. If you love cozy mysteries and you are a foodie, then definitely pick up this novel. Thanks again to @mpmthewriterm @berkleypub @getredprbooks and @letstalkbookspromo for my e-ARC and for having me in this booktour. I had major foodgasm just from reading all the food spread!

Nothing like the first chilly rainy morning of September for a cozy mystery! Especially a series I enjoy reading - Murder and Mamon is book four in the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series.

Lila ends up back on the case when her aunties' new laundromat is the scene of a murder right before the grand opening.

I love this Filipino family cozy mystery series! These books have you wanting to try Filipino food and cheering on Lila as she solves whatever issue is affecting her family in Shady Pines. There is a fun cast of family & friends and I always enjoy learning about Filipino culture.

Murder and Mamon comes out on Tuesday. Definitely check out this series if you haven't!

What a fun cozy. Lila and her godmothers- the Calendar Crew- find themselves not only looking for a vandal but also investigating a murder! I liked this for the diversity, the recipes, and the nicely twisty plot. I'd not read the earlier books in the series and found it just delightful as a standalone. thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm eagerly awaiting the next one.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Mystery, Contemporary Fiction, Cozy Mystery
Representation: Filipino, Hispanic—there's a nice feel to the blend of races. LGBTQ relationship with secondary characters.
Gore Level: Low (Cozy)

The first thing I learned is that "mamon" is a Filipino cake (sponge or chiffon). Second, this is a book that will make you hungry! I do love books with food, but I wanted a little bit more crime solving and clue hunting in addition to the food descriptions.

I enjoyed Lila and her relationship with her boyfriend, family, and friends. She's authentic to herself, and they all wanted to work together even if they didn't agree. I also liked seeing how different characters are in different stages of life and how they're reinventing themselves as they age. It feels authentic to families and close communities.

It was also fabulous to see how the gossiping of the Calendar Crew did an about face to get them in trouble. Did they learn their lesson? I sorta doubt it.

I did not guess who was responsible for the murder. That means one of two things: either the author was incredibly crafty & I didn't catch the clues. OR the clues were sparse. Because I'm good at guessing the ending of a whodunnit, I felt like I wasn't given enough information to connect the dots. I'll be interested to see what other readers think.

I enjoyed the book and the cultural deep dive into Filipino life in Illinois. And I recommend this for mystery readers.

Happy (sleuthing) reading!

We are once again back at it with this bunch of characters for another mystery to solve. The author does a great job of making them relatable and the mysteries interesting while framing them within a community that anyone can live in.

The coziness of the story adds just the special touch and I love reading about the Calendar Crew and all the mayhem that seems to linger around. It adds more and more layers to this series as I learn more about not only Lila, but the surrounding characters/family members in her life.

I have really enjoyed the Tita Rosie series, however I think that they have become too predictable and similar for me. I just struggled to get into this one - it reminded me too much of the others. The characters and their issues do not change much from story to story and the mysteries have become too alike. It’s not that I disliked the book, I just wished there was more change from the previous ones. I feel like I have just had enough from the series and want something new from the author.

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

While I probably won't ever become a fully fledged cozy mystery connoisseur, I really like the series I like, and that includes the TITA ROSIE'S KITCHEN MYSTERIES by Mia P. Manansala. The newest entry is MURDER AND MAMON, in which we once again join coffee shop owner and amateur sleuth Lila Macapagal and her small town of Shady Palms. I still really enjoy the eccentric characters of Shady Palms, and the focus on the various cuisines that our players produce and consume (and yes, there are recipes again). This time Lila's god aunts, the Calendar Crew, are at the center, as their new laundromat is found vandalized and April's visiting niece is murdered. The formula is still basically the same, which isn't uncommon for cozy mysteries, though I'm hoping that as the series goes on perhaps Lila will have reasons to investigate beyond her family getting entangled in and accused of murders. The mystery was fine, I kind of figured it out quickly but I was still fairly into it. I think I had a harder time with this one in part because I've always had a hard time with the Calendar Crew and how catty they can be, and how it feels like it's played off as endearing instead of toxic and mean. But that is probably a your mileage may vary situation.

I'm still very into the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries, and i hope that Lila can branch out as the series goes on and she continues to solve mysteries in her quirky town.

This series has been an absolute rollercoaster for me full of ups and downs, but I think Mia has found her stride with Murder and Mamon. Lila was my favorite character to follow so far.

triggers, addiction, chronic-illness, Filipina, family-dynamics, small-town, small-business, Illinois, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, murder, murder-investigation, relatives, cultural-differences, cultural-exploration, cultural-heritage, family-drama, LGBT, Dachshunds, cafe, catering, gossip, vandalism, local-law-enforcement*****

Lila's aunties are attempting to open a laundromat, but it gets vandalized and the threats are made. Lots of gossip and spirited anger among the family and other businesses. And then the visiting young textile artist is found murdered in the laundromat and Lila winds up sleuthing.
I had so much fun learning about other ethnic foods and cultures as they are a major part of the story.
There is a glossary of characters, food and words in general with pronunciation, and don't forget recipes at the end!
I requested and received an EARC from Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley via NetGalley. Thanks!

Mia P. Manansala has done it again with another fun mystery mixed with cultural and gastronomic fun. Mystery is one of my favorite genre and I read a lot of them. I have been recently drawn to those with a diverse cultural background, especially Asian. A good mystery built on an interesting and different (for me) cultural platform is very attractive for me. I can step into another culture / country and learn about it while enjoying a good narrative. I learn somethings about another culture and way of thinking / behaving.. Look forward to the next book in the series.
This series had a good cast of characters that attracts me. I like the mixture of people from different cultures and backgrounds living, working and interacting with respect for each other's culture. We need more of this in our world today.
I found this book a bit less engaging that the previous ones. Not clear why or what caused that. A couple of thoughts on that - maybe it was a cast of main characters I have gotten to know so there is less character building and new information about the characters. Maybe it was that the core mystery was not as engaging or well constructed. Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to more from Mia P. Manansala.

Another heartfelt cozy mystery from Mia P Manansala that features amazingly delicious recipes and a close-knit Filipino American family set in Shady Palms. This books sees Lila’s godmothers opening a new laundromat only to have it marred by a dead body of one of the women’s nieces, recently arrived from the Philippines.

Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Jennifer J Chow and Jesse Q Sustanto. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The cozy Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series is fun and suspenseful while chocked full of meddling aunties and delicious Filipino recipes. While this is the 4th book in the series (and I have only read Book 1), these can be read as standalone cozy mysteries. The author does a fantastic job ensuring the reader understands the extended relationships and connections within the suburban Illinois neighborhood of Shady Heights. In this installment, Lila’s three aunties are experiencing vandalism at their soon-t0-open laundromat in the community for airing neighborhood gossip and ‘sabotaging’ someone’s marriage. To further escalate the suspense, one of the auntie’s recently arrived niece is found murdered in the laundromat on opening day. Lila and her cousins, boyfriend, and local friends begin their own amateur sleuthing after the police seem to dismiss the murder as an accident. I adore amateur sleuthing investigations because I would be doing my own digging as well! There are a variety of leads and suspects worth checking into that create a fast-moving pace, and interesting twist, and eventual buttoned up conclusion. Cozy mystery lovers will adore these family dynamics and as owners of a restaurant, bakery/coffee shop, and winery there are plenty of food highlights as well (and recipes at the end of the book!).

Thank you to Mia P. Manansala, Berkley Publishing, Get PR Books, and Let’s Talk Books Promo for my digital arc in exchange for my review.

This cozy mystery series is a must read!
Murder and Mamon is the fourth book in Tia Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery. Yet, it’s the first book I read in the series. From my personal experience, it can be read as a standalone. Mia P. Manansala does a wonderful job of explaining each character and the scenarios for the first time.
Going into this series, I expected to be engrossed in a cozy murder mystery, and an adorable dachshund. I didn’t know that I would also instantly fall in love with Lila Macapagal’s friends, family, and meddlesome aunties! I look forward to reading another adventure in Tia Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series.

What I love about this book:
🕵️‍♀️ Amateur Sleuths
🔎 Murder Mysteries
😋 Yummy Food
😍 Meddlesome Aunties

Lila Macapagal's godmothers, April, Mae, and June (affectionately known as the Calender Crew), are opening a laundromat, and to add to the excitement, April's neice Divina is visiting from the Philippines. But things take a turn when Divina is found dead, and the laundromat is vandalized with a message painted on the floor. But was the message for Divina or the Calender Crew, who are known to gossip? With things hitting so close to home, Lila decides to help the police solve the case.

I have read this series since it first came out and look forward to each new installment! Mansala's writing style draws you in immediately, and her storytelling keeps you engaged until the end. Her characters are memorable and diverse. I love the representation of Filipino culture in these books. Spending time with Lila, her friends, and her family in Shady Palms is always fun.

Lila has sharpened her investigative skills across the series, and she's now more confident as a sleuth. The mystery is cleverly plotted, with enough clues, misdirection, and twists to keep you guessing right alongside her.

And this culinary cozy's food and drink descriptions are utterly mouth-watering. Food and family always play a big role in these books. One of the things Manansala does so well is to show food as a means of connection—the characters bond and care for one another through food preparation, presentation, traditions, and sharing. And many of the characters, including Lila, make their living through food. Lila also often bakes or experiments with recipes while thinking over a case. And the books close with several delicious recipes.

An entertaining, food-filled (and fueled) whodunnit mystery lovers will want to add to their tbr! And what a great cover!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the gifted ARC!

4.5 ⭐️ Growing up in a Filipino family, I am very familiar with all the judging and busybody relatives, the delicious Filipino dishes and desserts, karaoke, language, and the family craziness in this book (minus the murder). I kind of missed those days in the Philippines.

Although I have most of Tita Rosie’s Kitchen mystery series in my TBR, I’ve only read this book.

I find the book entertaining, enjoyed the banter between the Ninangs, reminds of my own Titas. Now I’m craving for the delicious food mentioned. I think I’ll have that for dinner this weekend. Loving the dog named Longganisa.

The pacing was great, fast, and engaging till the last page. This cozy mystery is a must read and I’m here to support a Filipino author.

Ninang April, Ninang May, and Ninang June are opening a laundromat, rival to a previously existing laundromat already in town. On top of this, the Calendar Crew, as they are known, have also been gossiping, spreading truths that broke up a marriage. When Ninang April’s niece, who is visiting, is murdered, Lila, her family, friends, and boyfriend must figure out the connections and if there are more threats on the horizon.

I love this cozy mystery series so much. The characters are just wonderful, the setting is fantastic, and the culture is so well explored. The relationships are so great as well, and the food and drink are so well described they make me desperately hungry and thirsty. I not only highly recommend this book, but this series.