Arsenic and Adobo (A Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery)

The journey to identifying the murderer was somewhat boring. I kept waiting for the storyline to pick up. It never sparked for me. I was suspicious of the “bad guy” already, so the big reveal didn’t make much of a splash. The story was decent, but a little too sleepy for my taste.

As the first in a new series, this book set up the characters and setting well. I enjoyed the quirky relatives, especially the older aunts (the Calendar Crew) and the relationships among the extended Filipino family. Lila tried to solve the murder because the police focused on her, although I do agree with another reviewer that their evidence was unrealistically flimsy. The plot was good enough to be entertaining, although there were a few times when I wanted to yell “Don’t go in there!”. My only complaint was that the unfamiliar Tagalog terms interrupted the flow of the story for me. Either I had to stop and consult the glossary or the author had to stop and describe the dish. Not sure what the solution for this might be, except maybe that as I read more by this author I will familiarize myself with the terms. All in all, the book was worth the two evenings it took to read and offered an interesting glimpse into a culture I am not familiar with.

If you could combine some Nancy Drew sleuthing with an early 2000s kilig rom com with your favorite Filipino food in the best way possible, it would be this book. Manansala's writing is hilarious while also touching on more serious themes, including the unique experience of diasporic Filipinos and other second generation immigrants as well as the opioid crisis. In addition, her food imagery is mouth watering. I'm definitely craving adobo, pinakbet, and mamon after reading. My one criticism is that the dialogue occasionally feels like it's filled with the witty comebacks and banter of a sitcom cast, rather than what someone would say in real life. Alas, it is fiction - and very fun fiction at that. A great light read that you can finish in a cross country plane ride. I highly recommend 👌 and I look forward to the sequel.

I really wanted to like this book, I really was looking forward to it. I loved the idea of the plot. It sounded like it was going to be really fun and cool to read. While reading, I enjoyed the food elements and learning about the culture. They being said, I just couldn't get into it and I ended up not finishing it. I kept on trying because the idea was so intriguing and I wanted to get the whole story, but I just couldn't do it because of the issues below.The writing was too much of telling not showing and the conversations (especially with strangers) weren't realistic. Some days off the story were overly descriptive, while others parts were barely described before quickly moving on to the next thing. It was fairly obvious in the beginning who the murderer was, so chasing down false leads became frustrating quickly. It's like Lila never stopped to actually think about things she had seen/heard and heard from others about that day. She just ran with whatever thought popped into her head or was suggested to her. A lot of the time, it felt like decisions, actions, and issues were thrown in just to move the story forward, but didn't actually make sense. Also, the action was very clunky and choppy. Like characters would leap from one action to another almost impulsively and it was hard to follow the rationale.A lot of the evidence was too flimsy for my to suspend my disbelief. Same with some of the actions and statements by the lawyer and police. I think one of the most frustrating things is that HIPPA was mentioned and then quickly violated.I like murder cozies a lot, but with this book, it felt like someone wrote down the formula for a murder cozy and then tried to use too many elements at once and it just wasn't enjoyable. I want to try to give it another shot in a few weeks and see if I can finish it. If I can't I'll just skip around and enjoy the recipes. I'm hoping that with some editing and feedback, the second book from the author is better because I really wanted to read this story and the second one also sounds intriguing. Mia has an amazing idea, the execution just needs a bit of work.

This debut brings polished style and verve to the pot of cozy expectations: a determined heroine turned sleuth; a dazzling torrent of food; complicated personal relationships; a tight small-town community, and even a cute dog. I liked the centering of Asian American culture and the sweet ties binding Lila to her sassy circle of female friends and family. Can't wait for volume two in this series!

I am not a huge fan of crime novels or hardcore mystery. I do however like a funny, light mystery in which a smart woman gets thrown into the role of amateur detective! This book was filled with Filipino food, facts and funny Filipino family! Throw in a little love triangle and a small town and this book becomes a fun read! The focus on food and family gives the story heart. It took me a while to figure out who murdered Derek. If this is book one then I am excited for another!

I read this book for my book club and loved it!! A story that kept you guessing on who did it? I loved all the references to food since I myself am a foodie….was hungry all the time..lol. This story set with Filipino tradition, showcased a family that did whatever they need to do for each other and the unconditional love they showed to one another was solid. The main character Lila seem to have a lot of conflict with not only others but within herself so hard lessons had to be learned along the way for her. Some of the characters touched my heart and some were just downright upsetting to me. Overall, the book was a good page turner for a food crime mystery I look forward to the second book!!

Loved this book. Really great read. Highly recommend!

If you love culinary and mystery, this one is for you.. this suspense / murder with friendship goals, diverse read, oh love the calendar crew 😄 Get to know philipino dishes and thanks for recipes attached.

Good read, enjoyed the scenery, the characters and could not put it down because it was so nicely written. Already preordered the next one. Only downside: be prepared to get really hungry due to the mouthwatering food descriptions

Personnages attachants, intrigue bien ficelée, situations cocasses. J'ai passé un très bon moment. En espérant qu'il y aura une suite!

Loved this !