Book 5 Arsenic and Adobo

 

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala fulfilled the category “Book with a Recipe” for the PopSugar 2022 Reading Challenge. This one had the recipes at the end of the book, instead of the middle. They were much easier to find. As an audiobook person, I could skip listening to the lengthy descriptions of ingredients and baking times.

Once again, I read multiple titles for the category. The Hannah Swenson culinary mystery, Cherry Cheesecake Murder, seemed rather dry and repetitive. Not that I don’t like the series, I do. They are great for a quick, comfort story, but not for the blog. I also checked out Dial A for Aunties. I liked this book, except (SPOILER) the heroine and her aunties kill someone. They are completely negligent, and a man dies. I couldn’t stomach that. Cozy mysteries mains are not supposed to commit murder. I started Lemon Tart until the author dissed romance books. (She had her heroine say she read romance books before she was a real woman.) I returned that one immediately.

But Arsenic and Adobo filled the bill for the prompt nicely. In this cozy, Lila moves home to help her aunties run the family restaurant. Her ex, the town food critic, visits and dies right in the restaurant! Lila must find out what happened, clear her name, and get their business back on its feet.

I loved the wonderful culture in the novel. (Dial A for Aunties had fabulous culture too, but murder by the protagonist so…) In Arsenic and Adobo, the author took her time describing all the amazing food available in town and the heroine’s home. Some critics complained that there was too much food love, but it’s a culinary mystery! What do you expect? Our heroine had to eat at almost all the diners, restaurants, bakeries, food carts in town. Each meal was divine. I could smell all the savory ingredients. (I gained only three pounds though, phew.)

I read so many cozies, and it was nice to have a unique voice, different culture, original characters in a mystery. Most of the cozies I’ve delved into are from white American or British culture. I loved the diverse characters and learned something new. (By the way, Lila and her family are Filipinos.)

Ms. Manansala gets the story right. The pacing, the red herring, the suspense are perfect, not to mention the humor. I loved this book from beginning to end!

I give Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala Five Little Sausage Doggies.