It’s a typical morning in the restaurant – Lila is serving customers, her aunt and grandmother are cooking in the kitchen, her godmothers are gossiping in the kitchen…and her ex just showed up to cause trouble. The ex, a local newspaper food critic, has been wreaking havoc all over town for the mom-and-pop restaurants. Bad reviews spurring visits from the health inspector have taken their toll on businesses all over town. So when he falls face forward into his plate of food, Lila thinks it’s just another stunt to hurt their business, but when he fails to sit back up, she knows it’s just the beginning of the trouble that’s coming their way.
Mia P. Manansala released her debut publication Arsenic and Adobo, the start of the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series, in 2021 to raving reviews and nominations for several awards, including the Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery & Thriller that year. A woman of color from the Chicago area, Manansala brings diversity and her personal experiences to her writing, giving the narrative a very unique viewpoint. This novel pulls on the writer’s Filipino family history and love of food, as well as her sense of humor. While the book is publicized as a murder mystery, this is really a book about community, diversity, and the power of food to bring people together.
I give Arsenic and Adobo 4 out of 5 stars. I was surprised at the humor and lightness to this murder mystery that really pulled me into the story. In researching Manansala for this article, I discovered she grew up in a multigenerational setting watching shows like “Matlock” and “Murder, She Wrote” with her grandparents, much like I did, which is why it felt so comfortable and familiar for me. I also found myself caught off-guard by the sheer amount of organic diversity included in the characters and their food creations. The inclusion of family customs from several cultures created delightful glimpses into these characters’ backstories that felt real and genuine. I did find myself struggling with the motivations of the main character and her best friend towards the middle and end of the book – the writer spent so much time setting up their backstories only to add in items change the storyline slightly in a way that left me confused as to who they really are. With that said, I was sad to end this book and can’t wait to pick up the second in the series soon!
If you are looking for a cozy mystery or a book set in a food service world, this is a great choice! With discussions of murder, drugs, and other crimes, this book would be best directed to more mature audiences over 13. I do think this would make a great book club selection, or a great read for a girlfriend getaway. I would also suggest this book if you’re interested in Filippino culture or food – this was a great example of family dynamics and had me looking up recipes mentioned to try myself!
I chose Arsenic and Adobo for the US States reading challenge prompt Illinois. Set just outside of Chicago, this fit the bill well. I’d been seeing this book pop up in my book club discussions and Facebook groups for over a year and am so glad I finally got a chance to read it. If you’re looking for other great reads set in the area, check out Meg Kissinger’s memoir While You Were Out I reviewed last year, or hop over to the weekly agenda for some other great suggestions, too!
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