Synopsis

When her long-lost cousin comes back to town just in time for the holidays, Lila Macapagal knows that big trouble can’t be far behind in this new mystery by Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo.

It’s Christmastime in Shady Palms, but things are far from jolly for Lila Macapagal. Sure, her new business, the Brew-ha Cafe, is looking to turn a profit in its first year. And yes, she’s taken the first step in a new romance with her good friend Jae Park. But her cousin Ronnie is back in town after ghosting the family fifteen years ago, claiming that his recent purchase of a local winery shows that he’s back on his feet and ready to contribute to the Shady Palms community. Tita Rosie is thrilled with the return of her prodigal son, but Lila knows that wherever Ronnie goes, trouble follows.

She’s soon proven right when Ronnie is suspected of murder, and secrets surrounding her shady cousin and those involved with the winery start piling up. Now Lila has to put away years of resentment and distrust to prove her cousin’s innocence. He may be a jerk, but he’s still family. And there’s no way her flesh and blood could actually be a murderer . . . right?

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Review

This is the third book in the series, which I didn’t realize before I picked it up to read. While you can read it without reading the first two, I think you will understand the characters better starting at the beginning.

The series centers around a Filipino family, and I loved the closeness of the family and how they supported each other but also didn’t let anyone get anyway with anything. And the food! It seems like they were eating 24/7. I have had some of the dishes that were mentioned and have even made the date bar called Food of the Gods…and it is really delicious.

I felt like the story dragged for the first half or so of the book. I think this goes back to not knowing the characters and the family dynamics. There was a lot of talk about food and cookies that Lila was making for her cafe that went a little overboard, in my opinion.

The mystery and murder did keep me guessing, and I couldn’t get a handle on who the guilty party might be. I was quite surprised when all was revealed, but once the reveal unfolded, it made more sense.

There are many likable characters, and the Ninangs were a hoot. They all take respect for family seriously, which was good to see. Of course, Ronnie was usually the brunt of it since he had been gone for some time, and he had some secrets that were revealed at the end of this book.

Overall, this was a good book, and we give it 3 paws up.

About the Author

Mia P. Manansala is a writer from Chicago who loves books, baking, and badass women. She uses humor (and murder) to explore aspects of the Filipino diaspora, queerness, and her millennial love for pop culture.

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