A lighthearted cozy mystery
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala is the first book in A Tita Rosieââ?¬â?¢s Kitchen Mystery series as well as the authorââ?¬â?¢s debut novel. Arsenic and Adobo is a lighthearted cozy mystery with a unique premise (A Filipino family and their restaurant). Lila Macapagal is a Filipino American who has come home to Shady Palms after finding out that her fiancÃ?© is cheating on her. Her family can use her assistance with their restaurant, Tita Rosieââ?¬â?¢s Kitchen. They are having financial difficulties which is in part due to local food blogger and critic, Derek Winters who happens to be Lilaââ?¬â?¢s old high school boyfriend. His nasty reviews turn tourists off from dining at their Filipino restaurant. When Derek dies after eating at their restaurant and having a disagreement with Lila, she becomes the prime suspect. The author set the stage for the series with her descriptions of the main characters, the town, and the local businesses. Lila has a large family that includes three interfering ââ?¬Å"auntsââ?¬Â?. They are eager to match Lila up with a fella and see her settle down. The ââ?¬Å"Calendar Crewââ?¬Â? as Lila has deemed her interfering aunts are entertaining and helpful when it comes to whodunit. There is a large cast of secondary characters in this tale. It can be hard to keep track of them along with the murder suspects. The mystery was straightforward with its suspects, clues, and misdirection. Identifying the guilty party is duck soup. Two pieces of information gives it away. It takes longer, though, to find out why. I did like that there was action that helped propel the story forward. I was let down by the twist. I was surprised by Lilaââ?¬â?¢s reaction to Derekââ?¬â?¢s death and some other incidents. She is very nonchalant. I did not know if the author wanted Lila to be indifferent or it was an oversight. Other characters are just as detached. I also question some of the police actions. They were not realistic (I cannot say too much, or it will be a spoiler). When I finished Arsenic and Adobo, I had more unanswered questions. I also thought some of the scenes could have been edited (less dialogue and descriptive sentences). There are many cozy moments with Lila, family, and her friends that are sweet. The food prepared and eaten is described in detail (foodies will love it). There are recipes at the end of the book. I am glad there was a dictionary at the beginning to explain the various words used in the story along with how to pronounce each one. Arsenic and Adobo is an upbeat multicultural cozy mystery with fabulous food, a mystifying murder, a determined detective, prying relatives, shifty suspects, and a devoted dog.
