I love a good cozy mystery. It is a go to genre for when I need to relax. This is the fourth installment in the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series. The book follows Lila Macapagal and her extended family. Lila owns an adorable coffee shop/bakery. Her mom owns the restaurant to one side. Her godmothers are opening a laundromat on the other side. With all the assorted friends and relatives, it was a lot of people to keep track of. There was a lot of eating and drinking which made me hungry. The mystery was interesting. I didn't figure out the killer until near the end.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Another installment in the Tita Rosie's series. I absolutely love these books. They are some of my favorite cozy mysteries.

I always love following along on the invistigations that occur in Shady Palms. I have fallen in love with the characters and the setting. This one was a bit slower moving than the first three.

In the 4th book of the series Lila and her friends must solve the latest murder in Shady Palms. A fun cozy mystery that will leave readers wanting more of this diverse friend group!

Do you ever think you've absolutely written a review and it turns out you haven't? I am currently having this feeling about Murder and Mamon, because when I closed the book I felt so excited to write my review.

A huge thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for granting me access to this title. I became a fan of Mia P. Manansala when I listened to Arsenic and Adobo via PRH Audio. I then obviously had to listen to the other two. What I have always enjoyed about Manansala's work is that I learn a lot about a culture that is different and also feels similar to my own.

Murder and Mamon is the first book I read as an e-book and I enjoyed the book in this format. I am thinking I will go back and read the other three now, because you know now there will be a long wait before book #5!!

Lila Macapagal's business ventures are going well and her aunties (The Calendar Crew) are about to have the grand opening for their laundromat. However, things go sideways when they discover Ninang April's niece murdered in their shop. The Shady Palms Police Department seems to be focusing its attention in the wrong places and after Ninang April pleads with Lila to investigate, Lila knows she can't let her down. I really enjoyed watching Lila and Detective Jonathan working together in this book now that he's a civilian.

Lila drives me a bit crazy sometimes as a character. She's so adamant to do things on her own and puts herself at great risk in doing so. She also goes on several rants during this book that just show her in the wrong light. All. in all, another very solid installment in the series by Manansala! Can't wait for the next!!
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I adore Lila and all of the characters in Shady Palm. This mystery is so fun! With a great mix of humor, hi kinks and family drama, it is one of my favorites!

Another great novel by Mia P. Manansala within the Tia Rosie’s Kitchen universe. Although I didn’t love this one as much as I loved the other three, it was still a fun cozy mystery. I loved that all the favourite characters are back to help Lila solve a murder. I love how much each character has grown since the first book. Cannot wait to read more novels by Manansala.

Murder and Mamon is the fourth in Mia P. Manasala’s Tita Rosie’s Kitchen series. This one, though, is a little different from the other books, ones that introduce the Filipino-American food and culture. Although, there is still a good deal of food in this one, some of it is food from other nationalities as Lila Macapagal and her friends eat their way around Shady Palms, Illinois.

Lila and two of her friends are partners in the Brew-ha Cafe. She’s close to her family, including her three godmothers who are not really related. But, they’re family nonetheless. Lila calls the three women, April, Mae, and June, the Calendar Crew. Their latest venture is a laundromat, located next to Mae’s dry cleaners. They’re all set to open it in conjunction with the town’s Big Spring Clean. But, there are some in town not so happy. One woman has had a monopoly on the town’s laundromats for years, and she’s not used to competition. One couple blame the Calendar Crew for their divorce proceedings because the three women gossip (tell the truth, as they see it) after Mass. But, who hates them enough to vandalize the laundromat when Lila and her godmothers are at a Chamber of Commerce meeting one morning? Someone smashes it up, and graffities “Mind Your Business.”

The Calendar Crew seem to know everything and everyone in town. When April’s niece arrives from the Philippines, she’s a little splashy, and indicates she was in trouble at home, so her parents sent her to live with her aunt for a while. But, the women seem to find a use for Divina. They have specific errands they want her to run. It’s only on Opening Day, when there’s a body found in the laundromat that Lila and former police detective Jonathan Park learn what kind of errands the Calendar Crew hand in mind. Now, the two join forces to investigate a murder and a break-in that leaves one woman hospitalized.

It’s always fun to catch up with the diverse group in Manasala’s mysteries. And, there’s always an unexpected twist, as there is in this one. Enjoy the mystery, and stay for the food.

Love this series. It has that small town, cozy mystery feel but also a feel of modernity with a twenty something female protagonist. I like the addition of multicultural elements and a new level of societal obligations and observances since the characters are Filipino and Latinx among other ethnicities and cultural backgrounds.

MURDER AND MAMOM is compulsively readable - I stayed up way too late to finish it because I just couldn’t put it down!

Lila is likable and relatable - trying to figure out her next steps as she juggles family obligations, being a new business owner, having a relationship, and being a good friend.

I love that family being important is a theme throughout the entire series. Even when they meddle or act outrageous, Lila is close to and supportive of her extended family.

So much diversity and inclusion! Asian, Middle Eastern, Latinx, queer, and Muslim.

The mystery was complex with several threads intertwined which kept me guessing til the end.

The food and drink descriptions are mouthwateringly delicious.

AAPI Heritage Month #12

rep: Filipino American, Korean American, Pakistani American

After finishing Blackmail and Bibingka, which was mediocre at best, I was wary to start this book. However, when best to read about Filipino Americans except AAPI month? And that cover? Obsessed.

So Lila and Jae’s relationship is moving along a little more. I complained during the last installment. It’s a cozy, so no sleepovers. But there aren’t even any off-screen sleepovers. *cries in Asian*

But I don’t even care about them anymore. I’m invested in Tita Rosie and former Detective Jonathan Park’s noona romance! Give me more. Why am I like this?

Oh, so, the mystery. Another unsavory character is murdered. I was already annoyed when she began the story flirting with all of the taken men. Please stop making all women look bad. It’s not a good look. I guessed the murderer pretty early on. It’s obvious if you read the trigger warnings.

What do I want from book 5? Can Lila and Jae move in together? And Rosie and Jonathan? Mostly the latter. I’d read a side series about them, but can we steam it up?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Murder and Mamon is book for in Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series by Mia P. Manansala.

I don’t even have words right now to describe how absolutely freaking fantastic this was.
It’s such a fun and wonderful cozy mystery series.
MaM was mysterious, fun and adorable, I was drawn in the entire time and it made for a totally worth it read.
The characters are so funny and the family dynamic is just incredible.
This crazy family is flawed, fantastic and honestly hilarious.
Such a fun, page-turning cozy mystery. Mia’s writing is stellar. I love her storytelling and writing style.
Being back in Shady Palms was a delight. Im a,ways excited to dive straight back to it with Lila and uncovering another fantastic mystery.
I was sad to reach the last page. It was such an enjoyable and flawless read that I never wanted it to end.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Berkley for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

As someone who loved the Tita Rosie Kitchen Mystery series, I was so excited to get the ARC of Murder and Mamom! The cast of characters is one of my favorite things about this series, and any time spent with them is a treat. That being said, I do think that part of this series is starting to feel repetitive, and I wish we got to see more of some of the other characters, like Jae! Overall, still a very cozy read, and one that I'd recommend pretty highly!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC of Murder and Mamon! Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries are so fun and cozy, and I love reading about Lila and the Calendar Crew making waves.

In Mia P. Manansala's latest, Lila is trying to solve a murder after Ninang April's niece, Divina, comes to town and starts stirring up trouble. It doesn't help that Shady Palms is fed up with the Calendar Crew's constant gossiping to the point where when their new laundromat is being targeted by vandalism. It's up to Lila and retired detective Jonathan Park (and her friends & family) to crack the case.

I thoroughly enjoy these cozy mystery novels, but they're not literary masterpieces. My favorite thing about these is the Filipino representation and how accessible Ate Mia is able to make these stories for her non-Filipino readers. She portrays the family dynamics and culture so well, which is what brings readers like me coming back for more.

Murder and Mamon is out on September 19!

The standout feature of this series, among many wonderful attributes, is the complexity of the characters. So often in cozy mysteries over a long series, characterization is sacrificed for plot. Manansala's characters are allowed to grow and change from book to book, a remarkable feat in a genre that can value sameness across titles, and I say that as a lover of cozies. This time we meet a murder victim who is very gray morally, instead of the typical everyone-hated-them-because-they-were-awful trope. Readers are allowed to feel sad about the loss, even as we learn about the past mistakes that led to their death. Another pitfall this series avoids is copaganda. The police department is mostly a joke by this point, and the people we met and liked who were initially affiliated with the authorities have all since left because of the way the department is run. Lila and her friends rely on themselves to solve the cases that come before them now, and the series is better for it. Last but certainly not least, the vivid descriptions of food are, to borrow a phrase, icing on the cake. The way the community of Shady Palms connects over foods from their various cultures is a joy to read about. I am so thrilled by the author's note indicating that we will be seeing more from this group, and I look forward to reading whatever else Mia P. Manansala decides to write.

When murder mars the grand opening for Lila Macapagal's aunties' new laundromat, she will have to air out all the dirty laundry in Shady Palms to catch a killer... Lila Macapagal's godmothers April, Mae, and June-AKA the Calendar Crew-are celebrating the opening of their latest joint business venture, a new laundromat, to much fanfare (and controversy). However, what should've been a joyous occasion quickly turns into a tragedy when they discover the building has been vandalized
-and the body of Ninang April's niece, recently arrived from the Philippines, next to a chilling message painted on the floor. The question is, was the message aimed at the victim or Lila's gossipy godmothers, who have not-so-squeaky-clean reputations? With Ninang April falling apart from grief and little progress from the Shady Palms Police Department in this slippery case, it's up to Lila and her network to find justice for the young woman. The Calendar Crew have stuck their noses into everybody's business for years, but now the tables are turned as Lila must pry into the Calendar Crew's lives to figure out who has a vendetta against the (extremely opinionated yet loving) aunties and stop them before they strike again.

Mia P. Manansala is my favorite cozy mystery writer! I love the representation in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series, especially the representation of Filipino Culture! This series gets better with every book. The author gives just enough clues, that makes you feel like you’re solving the mystery alongside Lila and her crew of family and friends. I didn’t want to put this book down and finished it in a day. I can’t wait to read about Lila’s next mystery!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm addicted to this entertaining cozy mystery series, which follows the adventures of Lila Macapagal and her godmothers, known as the "Calendar Crew": April, Mae, and June. Of course, the mouthwatering, delicious food described in the books is another reason for a foodie like me to devour each chapter. I wish I were a more talented cook to apply the recipes at the end of each book, but at least I have a husband who can practice his culinary skills.

In this new adventure, Lila faces both good news and bad news. The good news is that her family members are not murder suspects in this new installment, but the bad news is that someone is targeting the Calendar Crew and their business. Unfortunately, a young woman's brutal killing affects the entire crew more than they can admit.

As the Calendar Crew plans to celebrate their new business venture, a new laundromat that will play a big part in the Big Spring Clean, some members of their town committee target their store before it even opens for service. They vandalize the place and leave threatening messages written with paint sprays.

Ninang June's posh niece, Divanda, who recently graduated from art school, is sent to Shady Palms by her family to work at the laundromat, even though she doesn't know how to do her own laundry. Her arrival in town raises questions about her involvement in a school scandal, and her flirtatious behavior around every man, including Lila's boyfriend Jae, raises alarms as well. Then, the poor girl is found dead before the laundromat even opens. After spending only two weeks in town, how could she have gained so many enemies? Could she be the victim of a threat targeted at the Calendar Crew, or could her death be related to the scandal she was involved in at school? Could the Calendar Crew's biggest rival, Ultima Bolisay, have gone too far to prevent them from opening a new business?

Lila finds herself reluctantly delving through the secrets to find the perpetrator, even though her boyfriend Jae doesn't want her to put her life in danger again. Lila has every intention of protecting her family no matter what it takes.

It's another entertaining, smart, and delicious journey that made me crave sweet and salty treats during my reading. I consumed gallons of coffee, and I'm sure they are just as good as the drink described in the book. I'm addicted to the series and can't wait to read the next book as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this wonderful book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.