Book Review: Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

Arsenic and Adobo (Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery #1). Mia P. Manansala. Berkley (2021). 336 pages. Genre: Cozy Mystery.

First Line: "My name is Lila Macapagal and my life has become a rom-com cliché."

Summary:  After moving to Chicago for college, Lila Macapagal has returned to the small town she grew up in.  When she discovers her fiancée has been unfaithful, she breaks the engagement and returns home.  She has been working at her Tita Rosie's restaurant and trying to figure her life out.  Part of figuring things out involves reconnecting with some old friends.  One of which was her first love, Derek Winter.  Derek is now writing restaurant reviews for the local newspaper and has caused several restaurant owners to despise him.  He writes scathing reviews that often lead to health department inspections and loss of business. 

When Derek becomes deathly ill after finishing his meal at Tita Rosie's restaurant and toxicology reports are showing he was poisoned, Lila is the top suspect.  She served him the dessert that was laced with poison.  Lila is completely mystified and can't imagine how the poison got in the dessert.  Unless she can prove someone else put it there, she will be going to jail.  Her pack of godmothers puts together a list of restaurant owners who would have reason to kill Derek.  As Lila begins asking questions, she discovers there is a lot she doesn't know about the people of her hometown.  As she works to try and uncover what happened to Derek, she also discovers who her real friends are. 

My thoughts:  Lila Macapagal was raised by her grandmother and aunt after her parents died.  Her family hales from the Philippines and have a love of good, traditional food.  Besides her grandmother and aunt, Lila has a bevy of godmothers and cousins she calls family.  I loved learning about the customs and culture of Lila's family.  This was accomplished in the telling of the story as well as the author's note and glossary at the beginning of the book.  

Lila is a wise young women who loves and honors her family.  However, she is trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs in the world.  Some of her family members and friends have been offended by the choices she has made.  In their opinion, family comes first, which means you think about what is best for the family, not what is best for you individually.  While this frustrates her at times, she does her best to honor those she loves. 

Her family and friends are great.  Most of them are well developed, with a few being less so.  Hopefully in future books we will get to know them better.  Lila doesn't think she has many friends, but through the course of the story she connects with some old friends and make some new ones.  I am looking forward to seeing them in future books.  There is the beginning of a love triangle going on.  I will not be sad to see that resolved. 

The mystery is multi-layered with several good suspects.  Derek Winter has become a very unlikeable person.  From the beginning we know that he has been writing negative reviews about local restaurants.  However, as the story progresses, we learn more about him and what has been going on in his life since Lila left for college.  He has made many enemies, so the suspect list is long.  This was made especially interesting because Lila didn't know most of the other restaurant owners, so we had just as much information as she did.  I had an idea who the killer might be, but was completely surprised by how it all turned out.

There is some fascinating and delicious food prepared in this story.  I was reminded of an Adobo Chicken recipe I used to make.  I need to pull it out again!  Not only is there the delicious food always being made by Tita Rosie, there is also the mention of some delicious hot drinks made at Java Jo's where Lila's best friend works.  The author has included several recipes at the end of the book.

Arsenic and Adobo contains a fine cast of characters, a strong sense of family and community, some great food and a compelling mystery.  The story wrapped up with some exciting changes for the future.  I look forward to where that takes Lila in the next book.

Quote:

"I sat in the driver's seat, tears rolling down my face, embarrassed by my overly emotional reaction.  I guess it was just so reassuring that this complete stranger believed in us.  Believed in me. Nice to be reminded of all the kindness there still was in the world."