Review: One of the most popular requests that I get at the public library from patrons are for mystery recommendations. I have a really hard time recommending mysteries because I am such a picky mystery reader. I get so annoyed when I can solve a mystery before the detective/investigator and then I get bored. I'm so tired of the unreliable drunk/drug addled/mentally unstable female character trope in the latest slew of popular mysteries (i.e. The Girl on the Train, The Woman in the Window, The Silent Patient). A couple of coworkers suggested that I look into cozy mysteries, a subgenre of mysteries to rekindle my love of the genre. Arsenic and Adobo is a favorite staff pick at the library and I thought I would give it a shot.

  Arsenic and Adobo is my first culinary mystery and I really enjoyed it. Though I could have guessed the culprit, I was actually more delighted by its large cast of diverse characters. I also really liked that it took place in a fictional Chicagoland surburb.

  In this debut mystery, Lila Macapagal has returned to her small hometown of Shady Palms, Illinois, after being burned by her ex in Chicago. When Lila’s aunt asks her to help at the family’s Filipino restaurant, she’s happy to do so—until another one of her exes shows up. Derek Winters, a food critic, is the last person Lila wants to see, especially since a bad review from him could ruin the family. Lila does not have to deal with Derek for long because he actually drops dead at the dinner table, and Lila is the prime suspect. The suspect list grows as Lila begins to investigate and uncover secrets that Derek was hiding. Lila is funny and smart though she fumbles as being an amateur sleuth. I really liked how the mystery grew and following the complex clues. I definitely would not read this book on an empty stomach with its constant mouthwatering food descriptions. There is also a possible love triangle with two great love interests that I am excited to follow and I am curious to see how it develops. 

   As a Muslim, I really appreciated the added consideration that Lila makes sure there were food alternatives for her best friend and her brother who both happen to be Pakistani Muslim. Speaking of diversity, the book is not heavy handed about it but it felt completely natural. Characters are who they are without any megaphones about identity. I will definitely continue this fun series and look for other cozy mysteries to read.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for teens and adults.

If you like this book try: Aunty Lee's Delights by Ovidia Yu, Homocide and Halo-Halo by Mia P. Manansala (Feb 2022)