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Readers say *Arsenic and Adobo* is a fun, lighthearted cozy mystery that beautifully weaves Filipino culture, family dynamics, and culinary delights. ...
Full disclosure: some may consider this review biased because I saw myself and my family in this book. So take that as you will. I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. However, I do think others will too!
Growing up, the only time I ever read anything with a Filipino character was a very troubling True Crime book about a mail-order-bride that I’m not sure how it got on our bookshelves and I was probably way too young to be reading it. Big yikes.
Over the past few years, I have made a concerted effort to consume more works by Filipino authors. My focus was on non-fiction and some poetry. Manansala’s novel is the first fiction written by a Filipina starring a Filipina that I’ve read! Ah, let me tell you, it made me so incredibly happy!
Not only was the depiction of Lila’s family so painfully accurate (the comments on appearances and always making sure everyone is well-fed!), the murder mystery was exactly what I’ve come to expect with cozy mysteries featuring food such as the Hannah Swensen Series by Joanna Fluke and the Ice Cream Parlor Mystery Series by Abby Collette. Fans of cozies will find this to be right on par with others in this genre. Some other notable things in this book are-- the appreciation of food from all different backgrounds and cultures, a very interesting love triangle, a badass best friend, a delicious restaurant and accompanying recipes, and a very cute puppy! I cannot wait for what’s to come with this series.
Full review can be found on my blog: here
Growing up, the only time I ever read anything with a Filipino character was a very troubling True Crime book about a mail-order-bride that I’m not sure how it got on our bookshelves and I was probably way too young to be reading it. Big yikes.
Over the past few years, I have made a concerted effort to consume more works by Filipino authors. My focus was on non-fiction and some poetry. Manansala’s novel is the first fiction written by a Filipina starring a Filipina that I’ve read! Ah, let me tell you, it made me so incredibly happy!
Not only was the depiction of Lila’s family so painfully accurate (the comments on appearances and always making sure everyone is well-fed!), the murder mystery was exactly what I’ve come to expect with cozy mysteries featuring food such as the Hannah Swensen Series by Joanna Fluke and the Ice Cream Parlor Mystery Series by Abby Collette. Fans of cozies will find this to be right on par with others in this genre. Some other notable things in this book are-- the appreciation of food from all different backgrounds and cultures, a very interesting love triangle, a badass best friend, a delicious restaurant and accompanying recipes, and a very cute puppy! I cannot wait for what’s to come with this series.
Full review can be found on my blog: here
A fun and engaging read on a whodunnit, this book was a lighthearted murder mystery read blended with a vibrant touch of Filipino culture. I really enjoyed the flow of the story and the ease of the read. I would read this author again. This book would make a great read for AAPI week, a book club or vacation.
Arsenic in the Dobo tells a story of a mid 20s filipino woman who comes back to her hometown after several years of being away following a nasty break up with her boyfriend.
Lila is trying to find herself again and mend her broken heart while working at her aunts, restaurant and reconnecting with her aunties and her cousins and her grandmother. Things aren’t easy as her ex-boyfriend, now the small towns food critic, Derek, is targeting her family restaurant for, it would seem, no good reason.
But one day when he visits the restaurant he ends up, passing out while eat and is sent to the hospital. Later Lila finds out that he has passed away, and that the main detective on the case is targeting her and her aunt’s restaurant for wrongful death charges.
As Lila tries to get to the root cause behind Derek‘s death, she finds out that not only was her restaurant being targeted with nasty reviews, but a whole slew of other restaurants in the town were also targeted.
She dives deep into Derrick’s life to figure out where to figure out why he was doing all of these nasty reviews around town. And who was actually behind his death to save her aunt’s restaurant and clear her name. There’s a lot of lies, secrets, and insidious intentions that are connected to Derek’s death. And Lila is just beginning to scratch the surface of them.
Reading this book, I really enjoyed the character development, the way the friendships and family characters storyline is woven into the main story.
I love that Lila is trying to find herself after coming back to her hometown and re-integrating with her family and extended family. I was cautious about giving this a full five star rating just because Detective Park was so annoying and he really did harass Lila and her family. It wasn’t really just about the case.
He had her as his main suspect and did everything he could to twist all of the other situations that happened following the death of Derek against her and her family. But things that happened outside of his investigation really cinched it for me, as a cozy, mystery reader. I found the narrative to be intriguing, funny, mysterious, and it’s a great book for other foodies and food lovers.
I loved Lila and Adeena’s enthusiasm when it came to food and trying out new recipes. That was something that I really could relate to as a novice Baker and cook myself.
Lila is trying to find herself again and mend her broken heart while working at her aunts, restaurant and reconnecting with her aunties and her cousins and her grandmother. Things aren’t easy as her ex-boyfriend, now the small towns food critic, Derek, is targeting her family restaurant for, it would seem, no good reason.
But one day when he visits the restaurant he ends up, passing out while eat and is sent to the hospital. Later Lila finds out that he has passed away, and that the main detective on the case is targeting her and her aunt’s restaurant for wrongful death charges.
As Lila tries to get to the root cause behind Derek‘s death, she finds out that not only was her restaurant being targeted with nasty reviews, but a whole slew of other restaurants in the town were also targeted.
She dives deep into Derrick’s life to figure out where to figure out why he was doing all of these nasty reviews around town. And who was actually behind his death to save her aunt’s restaurant and clear her name. There’s a lot of lies, secrets, and insidious intentions that are connected to Derek’s death. And Lila is just beginning to scratch the surface of them.
Reading this book, I really enjoyed the character development, the way the friendships and family characters storyline is woven into the main story.
I love that Lila is trying to find herself after coming back to her hometown and re-integrating with her family and extended family. I was cautious about giving this a full five star rating just because Detective Park was so annoying and he really did harass Lila and her family. It wasn’t really just about the case.
He had her as his main suspect and did everything he could to twist all of the other situations that happened following the death of Derek against her and her family. But things that happened outside of his investigation really cinched it for me, as a cozy, mystery reader. I found the narrative to be intriguing, funny, mysterious, and it’s a great book for other foodies and food lovers.
I loved Lila and Adeena’s enthusiasm when it came to food and trying out new recipes. That was something that I really could relate to as a novice Baker and cook myself.
I love a good cozy mystery and Arsenic and Adobo didn’t disappoint. The characters were very likable and every time I thought I had it figured out or thought I knew what was going to happen I was wrong. The ending was rather surprising! And who doesn’t love a book that has recipes included?
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