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Arsenic and Adobo
- A Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery, Book 1
- Narrated by: Danice Cabanela
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
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Arsenic and Adobo
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Publisher's Summary
A RUSA Award-winning novel!
The first book in a new culinary cozy series full of sharp humor and delectable dishes - one that might just be killer....
When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She's tasked with saving her Tita Rosie's failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case.
With the cops treating her like she's the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila's left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block….
What the critics say
One of CrimeReads' "Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2021"!
One of BookRiot's "Most Anticipated Books of 2021"!
One of Bustle's "Most Anticipated Books of Spring 2021"!
"Even though I tend to write dark, hardboiled stories in which people get hit in the face with tools, I love to read a well-written and quirky cozy mystery. Manansala has created just that with her debut novel, a tale full of eccentric characters, humorous situations and an oh-so-tricky mystery. Check this one out for the poetic prose and the mouth-watering recipes that are integral to the plot." (The Washington Post)
“This book hits the exact right spot.... Mia P. Manansala manages to create a murder mystery where nothing is too horrifying and you know everything will be okay in the end. And because of that, you just get to go along for the ride of trying to figure out what really happened when Lila Macapagal’s ex-boyfriend Derek drops dead in front of her at her family’s restaurant. I’ve heard it described as a 'cozy mystery' and that’s exactly what it is, a perfectly cozy puzzle to solve. Also, it will make you very hungry for Filipino food - and then it delivers with recipes in the back!” (Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times best-selling author of Malibu Rising
"This breeze-right-through-it mystery mystery follows baker Lila Macapagal as she investigates the murder of her ex-boyfriend, the town's too-mean food critic, after he dies over a meal in her aunt's flailing Filipino restaurant. Finding out whether or not Lila can solve the crime and save the restaurant is as satisfying as it is climactic with just the right amount of drama." (Bon Appetit)
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What listeners say about Arsenic and Adobo
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Mae L.
- 2021-06-06
Filipino cuisine, culture, family and murder mystery
Loves
- Filipinx American perspective. The accent for the narration is on point (for both Tagalog and English).
- Author’s Note- I love the acknowledgment of the current situation to the drug war, as well as the sensitivity to those that may have been impacted because of this situation.
- I love that Lila’s dog’s name is Longanisa, named after a Filipino sausage.
- I love the titas, ninangs and lola, as they remind me of my family members/ family friends. It is very much part of Filipino culture to show love through food.
What I could have done without:
- I found it to be cheesy at times.
- I felt many things are said in Lila’s mind redundantly in reference to race and stereotypes. This would have maybe been more effective coming out in dialogue.
- Some parts towards the end dragged on a bit.
Overall, I think this story is more suitable as a YA series. This is something I would have enjoyed in grade school. The novel is not at all suspenseful. Some extreme events occur, but I did find some parts to be realistic. I liked the ending, as it was not completely predictable for me. I especially liked The Bruha Café idea. I think many people that are familiar with Filipino culture would find parts humorous, especially the scenes with family members. The things they say and do are so typical of Filipino families.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Molly Ritchie-Ross
- 2023-03-04
Cozy and intriguing
Only a minute in to listening this book had me curled up in my papasan. I went through this book in 2 days. A very cozy yet intriguing series.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Michelle Bee
- 2023-02-13
great cozy mystery with Filipino flavour
It's was a good mystery that kept me listening. I'm going to start the next in the series.
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