Starred review from January 1, 2022
Lila Macapagal can't bring herself to tell her partners that she's not ready for the soft opening of her dream, the Brew-ha Caf�. She's still traumatized by a murder and being held by a killer several months ago. She ignores a police detective's suggestion to go into therapy; instead, she agrees to be a judge for the biggest local event of the year, the Miss Teen Shady Palms Pageant (Lila was a former winner). When she finds the body of the pageant sponsor, who's a fellow judge, Lila's cousin Bernadette is the primary suspect. Bernadette had just argued with the man over his predatory behavior toward a teen. Lila and Bernadette have always been rivals, but Lila is willing to look for the real killer, until, once again, she becomes a target. VERDICT While the follow-up to Arsenic and Adobo is a cozy mystery, it's darker, dealing with PTSD, predatory behavior, dismissive attitudes toward mental health, and other issues. Filipino American food and culture, as well as family and community, remain essential elements in the story.--Lesa Holstine
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February 15, 2022
Even while she is working with her business partners to open a caf� next door to her aunts' Filipino restaurant, Tita Rosie's Kitchen, Lila Macapagal takes on judging the Miss Teen Shady Palms Beauty Pageant. The pageant is a big deal in the downstate Illinois town, with several events leading up to the finals on Founder's Day. Before the first event, Detective Park tells Tita Rosie that a threat has been made on the pageant. Though there are some rough spots, the first pageant event goes smoothly. But while jogging the next morning, Lila finds the body of Rob Thompson, CEO of the firm sponsoring the pageant. In addition, Lila's cousin, who had been seen arguing with Thompson, is a prime suspect. The close-knit Macapagal family springs into action, using their penchant for ""tsismis"" (gossip) to find clues and feed them to Detective Park, usually over a meal. With mouth-watering descriptions of Filipino cuisine, a diverse cast of supporting characters, and an agreeably curly plot, as well as some romantic sidebars, this second in the series is another winner.
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