Arsenic and Adobo

By: Mia P. Manansala

Narrated by: Danice Cabanela

A RUSA Award-winning novel!

The first book in a new culinary cozy series full of sharp humor and delectable dishes—one that might just be killer....

When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She's tasked with saving her Tita Rosie's failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case.

With the cops treating her like she's the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila's left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block…

Loved this Book

I have to say I really enjoyed this book. It captured my interest from beginning to end. I really enjoyed learning a little bit about Filipino culture and I also liked the fact that Ms. Manansala had many different cultures and life styles represented in the book with well fleshed out characters.
I love Cozy Mysteries, but there are times I can guess the "bad guy" fairly early on but this mystery kept me guessing until almost the end and even then, I only knew who it was but not the reason or the how.
The only issue (very minor) is that the reveal and climax happened fairly quickly compared to the rest of the book. I am not saying this was terrible, I would not have wanted it to drag on either, but it felt a bit fast for me.
I am looking forward to listening to the next installment!

perfect cozy mystery for an autumn day

4.5 stars on the story, super strong start to a series. protagonist isn't the smartest person in the room and that's a refreshing change of pace. she also isn't the bimbo of an evanovich novel. she's spicy and sweet, knows what she'll do to uncover the mystery to protect her family. this book makes you super hungry though. solid first entry to a cozy series. no groundbreaking twist. if you're a sleuth, you'll know who did it, but it's still fun to watch her get there.

Omg YES!

I love murder mystery and love how this is based with a Filipino family! I can relate to the aunties, Lola, and everything else! I especially love how the author/ narrator introduces phrases and titles in Tagalog in the beginning for those who don’t know the language. This needs to happen more often! And the recipes at the end that are mentioned in the story line 🤌🏽 chefs kiss!

A Whodunnit with a Filipino Twist

If you’re in the mood for a mystery with a tinge of Filipino tsismis, humor and native fare, then this book is for you. It’s a fun and unique take on the cozy mystery genre, given even more depth by the wonderful portrayal of narrator, Danice Cabanela. Can’t wait for the next book in the series!

You don’t want to miss this one!

I loved this book! It was a great balance of plotand character development. The mix of small town murder, charming characters, and mouth watering foodie moments is just right. I'm a life long mystery lover, but I haven't really enjoyed the genre in recent years, (probablya me problem, lol) but I really got into this one. The first thing I did when i finished this book was to pre-order the next book in the series. I can't wait to see the next series of hijinks and shenanigans Lila and her friends and family get into! Also - I am definitely going to be trying the recipies in the back of the book! The excitement is real!