Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala

 Murder and Mamon

Book Summary

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.

My Thoughts

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala takes us back to Shady Palms where there is controversy surrounding the opening of the Calendar Crew’s laundromat.  The highlight of the story is the characters.  The characters are complex and relatable.  I like that they continue to develop as the series progresses.  I like Lila, her friends, and her extended family.   The murder of Divina, Ninang April’s recently arrived niece from the Philippines, shocks Lila, her friends, and her relatives.  When the police do not make progress on the case, Ninang April asks Lila for her help.  Lila must turn the spotlight onto the Calendar Crew.  She will need to ask some uncomfortable questions, but Lila knows that the tiniest detail could be important to discovering the identity of the killer.   Readers can join Lila as she asks questions and gathers clues.  There are a several suspects and a red herring or two.  There was a detail I caught early in the story that sent me on the trail of the killer.  Other clues along the way solidified my decision.  I liked the action in the story that kept things lively.  There is a good wrap up at the end.  

I enjoyed learning about the Filipino culture and their food.  There are some interesting flavor combinations.  The rich descriptions of the food will have your mouth watering.  I do feel that there is too much detail at times as the ingredients of each drink and food item are listed.  Murder and Mamon is the fourth A Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series.  Lila and Jae’s romance is moving along at a leisurely pace which is my preference for cozy mystery romances.  Tita Rosie and Jonathan are a cute couple.  I think Jonathan’s post-retirement career will prove helpful.  I found the pronunciation guide very useful and there are recipes for some of the dishes mentioned in the book.  Murder and Mamon is a cute cozy with an imaginative niece, a defaced laundromat, delightful Filipino fare, an intimidating message, a senseless slaying, and thoughtful family and friends.

Murder and Mamon is available from Amazon*.  You can find the other A Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries here.  If you follow Mia P. Manansala on Amazon, you will receive an email when she has a new book release.  The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan, Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany, and A Splendid Gift by Barbara Elle Prisceaux were also released today.  Thank you for joining me today.  Tomorrow I am a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicki Delany. It is the sixth A Year-Round Christmas Mystery. I am off to work on my closet.  I am slowly getting it organized.  When you have minimal storage, every inch counts.  I hope that you have a joyful day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

 

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

 Arsenic and Adobo

Book Summary

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala has Lila Macapagal back home in Shady Palms, Illinois after discovering her fiancé was cheating on her and receiving an SOS call from her Tita Rosie.  Tita Rosie’s restaurant is not doing well, and she wants Lila to save it.  The biggest problem is Lila’s old high school boyfriend, Derek Winters who is a food blogger and critic for the local newspaper.  For the last month, Derek has been coming in frequently, devouring different dishes, and then writing unfavorable reviews.  Mr. Long, their landlord, enters the restaurant with Derek one day for lunch.  Derek, as usual, is wolfing down his food and pushing Lila’s buttons until he collapses into a bowl of ginataang bilo-bilo.  Detective Park is quick to arrive and quickly narrows his focus onto Lila.  He believes Lila killed Derek and is intent on proving it.  The family is in danger of losing the restaurant with it currently closed.  Lila teams up with her best friend, Adeena to find the killer and prove her innocence.

My Thoughts

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala is the first book in A Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series as well as the author’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 fiancé is cheating on her.  Her family can use her assistance with their restaurant, Tita Rosie’s Kitchen.  They are having financial difficulties which is in part due to local food blogger and critic, Derek Winters who happens to be Lila’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 “aunts”. 

They are eager to match Lila up with a fella and see her settle down.  The “Calendar Crew” 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 Lila’s reaction to Derek’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. 

Arsenic and Adobo publishes Tuesday, May 4 and it can be pre-ordered from Amazon*.  This is Mia P. Manansala's debut novel.  If you like A Noodle Shop Mystery series by Vivien Chien, then you should check out Arsenic and Adobo.  Thank you for reading my review today.  The pictures I used today are of pork adobo, ginataang bilo-bilo, and a Filipino restaurant.  I am sharing my thoughts on Banished by Linda Byler next time.  It is first book in The Long Road Home series.  I hope that you have a day filled with sweet treats (chocolate is my favorite).  I am off to do a little yard work.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.