Mango, Mambo and Murder by Raquel VC. Reyes is a first book in A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series.

A lovely cozy mystery set in a beautiful setting, full of delicious food and charming characters.
I have to say I really didn't like family relations in this book. The husband is not very supportive and not an ideal husband material. His mother is a horror show as well.
There is also a lot of Spanish dialogue in the book and sometimes it was difficult to follow.
Even though the murder happened almost at the beginning it took a long time for our heroine to take action and start investigating.
The culprit was obvious from the beginning but it didn't deter from the story.
I can't point out exactly why but the book couldn't hold my interest although I was so ready to really like it.

I enjoyed this book more than I expected. The first book in a new series can be sometimes get bogged down in learning all of the characters. However I thought Ms. Reyes did a great of keeping the story progressing as we met all of the new characters.

The mystery had twists and turns and kept me reading late into the night. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series! I also loved learning more about Caribbean Cooking.

MANGO, MAMBO, AND MURDER is the first book in the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series by Raquel V. Reyes. The appealing setting of Miami and the Cuban cultural theme made for a unique backdrop to the cozy mystery murder. With the protagonist, Dr. Miriam Quiñones-Smith, being a food anthropologist, the reader is treated to not only the tastes of the Cuban food on page, but also to some history of the dishes and ingredients. This added a layer of enjoyment for me personally. (Tip: don’t read while you’re hungry or have a snack nearby!)

I really wanted to love Miriam as a character – she’s super intelligent, a caring mother to her adorable 4-year-old son, creative, and an excellent cook – but, she doesn’t have much of a backbone… yet. She has a lot of internal dialog that indicates she’s fed up with how her utterly despicable mother-in-law treats her (and treats any person of color), but she chooses to suck it up and not rock the boat so to speak. Even Miriam’s husband seems oblivious to his mother’s prejudices or willfully ignores her barbs. I hope this changes in future books and that the character growth is swift. As other reviewers have stated, the amount of dialog in Spanish, without translation instantly provided, slowed down the pace for me even when I have a basic understanding of the language.
The mystery itself is well-plotted with plenty of suspects to keep the reader on their toes. Miriam does an admirable job of juggling her duties as a mother, as a brand-new cooking segment tv and YouTube host, and for snooping. I appreciated that the detective investigating the murder(s) recognizes her valuable insight and connection to the community. Mango, Mambo, and Murder is a solid platform for future books and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved it! I was so happy I got to read this and I loved all the twists and turns this book had, as well as all the side stories! Fantastic read! Cannot wait to read the next book in the series!

An interesting and fresh take on the cozy mystery genre. I enjoyed "Mango, Mambo, and Murder." Definitely looking forward to the second book in the series.

This cozy mystery inspired an unexpected moment of missing my life in Florida because the FOOD was so unbelievably enticing. The book takes us specifically to Miami. Cuban-American Miriam has moved "back home" from New York with her husband and young son, but with her parents now settled in the Dominican Republic and her new house in the white, wealthy neighborhood of her in-laws, it's not exactly a welcoming environment. Plus, there's a murderer afoot, which doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Miriam's husband is acting odd now that he's back on his home turf, her mother-in-law is a walking m̶i̶c̶r̶o̶ macro-aggression, and while she isn't working as a food anthropologist with her PhD, she is nervously dipping her toe into being a food personality on TV.

The first portion of the story especially, but really the whole book, is more about Miriam's life than the mystery at hand, and I found I liked the balance. I would have read an entire book just about Miriam's day-to-day drama and food adventures. The mystery was entirely secondary in terms of my enjoyment, although I was entertained by her amateur sleuthing and gathering of gossip all the same. I am always a big fan of Spanish in books, so that was another winning attribute.

In terms of things I didn't care for, Miriam's husband is the sort to call his wife "baaaaaabe," a universal red flag on top of his other questionable behaviors that had me mentally kicking him to the curb in cartoony fashion. Also, the mystery just didn't grab me in comparison to the rest of the plot; Miriam's role was pretty light on impact. Also, TW: I swear Harry Potter references are haunting me (happy Halloween? not my kind of spooky).

This story was different from many of the cozies I've read and I really liked it. For one Miriam Quiñones-Smith, our heroine is married and a mother. She and her husband have recently moved from NYC to his old hometown in Florida. It's not like Miami where she grew up and she's still getting adjusted. Miriam is a food anthropologist and she gets offered an opportunity to do a cooking segment for a Spanish language television network.

I like how Spanish was incorporated. Miriam easily switched from English to Spanish, sometimes mid-sentence and it felt realistic to how many bilingual Spanish speakers talk. And there were enough context clues to figure out what was being said. Not only was Cuban culture included but also Haitian culture which has a big presence in South Florida.

Her shady hubby got on my nerves the entire book. Had her out here thinking crazy for no reason! I really loved her relationship with her young son. And I wanted to slap her racist mother-in-law!

I can't say I was super invested in the mystery aspects but I enjoyed the fun ride of navigating Miriam's world.

Also the audiobook is amazing. I received an arc from Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.

Author Raquel V. Reyes kicks off her brand new Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series in this instalment, Mango, Mambo, and Murder in style! Set in Coral Shores, Miami, it features Miriam Quiñones-Smith who has moved - along with her four-year-old son, Manuelito (Manny) and her husband, Robert - to Robert's home town as he has secured himself a new job. Miriam is a Caribbean food expert and is offered a role as a cooking demonstrator on a Spanish-language morning TV show. Miriam is attending a lunch for a Women's club when someone ends up face first in the chicken salad and later dies.

I found Mango, Mambo, and Murder a fun, thoroughly enjoyable, humorous and extremely well-executed mystery with great possibilities. I'm already hotly anticipating a return to Coral Shores and being in the pockets of Miriam. I recommend Mango, Mambo, and Murder very highly. This is one very happy reader!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

A fun and twisting cozy mystery.


There are so many good things about Mango, Mambo and Murder. First, I absolutely love Miriam. And seeing things through her perspective definitely allowed me to get wrapped up and lost in this book. She is definitely a strong character that is going on a crazy roller coaster ride. Second, the cast of characters for the story. Such a mix of personality and culture. Some will make you crazy and some you can’t help but to love. Third, the cooking and recipes. Being someone who loves to cook, this story helped open my eyes to something new. Miriam goes from the happiest of highs to the lowest of lows in a matter of chapters. Moving to a new place, reacquainting with long lost family members, a best friend he’s got herself on shaky ground and a husband that she’s not quite sure what is up to. Miriam handles all of this with the cutest little toddler in tow.

Mango, Mambo and Murder is a fun read. Even with the twists I did figure out the who done it. Yet I do feel like author Raquel V. Reyes does a fantastic job letting the reader get to know her characters and setting up the series. Ms. Reyes uses quite a bit of Spanish within the text of the story and does a very good job of giving clues around what is being said. However I did have to translate a few of the phrases because I was not sure yet that did not take away from the story for me. It just took me a little longer to read just so I knew what was going on. This is a fun and unique start so what I’m thinking is going to be a very fun series.

There's a lot I liked about this book: the focus on Cuban food and culture, the relationships between Miriam and her friends and family, the writing kept me engaged without bogging me down with too much information. The author does a fantastic job of placing you in the Miami area and making you really feel like you're there, enjoying the food and meeting the people. The investigation doesn't start until halfway through so Miriam spends her time getting her house together, making friends, and getting treated terribly by her husband and mother-in-law. I really felt bad for her for most of the book but am so glad everything worked out in the end.

With that being said, there was something that really bothered me with this book. When a book is written about a particular culture, it is understood that some things might be said better in language other than the one the book is written in. This book is about Cuban people and food. I would expect names of dishes to be in Spanish as well as a few phrases that would lose too much in translation if said in English. However, full conversations without translation should be left out. A simple, "I explained to my son, in Spanish,..." would have worked better and left readers less confused. And "I could finally get a big ola (sp?) de presion for making frijoles negros"- really? We're familiar with pressure cookers in the English speaking world; you can call it that. A little bit of Spanish sprinkled in here or there goes a long way. Yes, I realize this is how people talk but we don't write the way we talk . No need to overdo it. I will read the next one in the hopes that there will be significantly less.

Miriam Quinones-Smith has just moved from New York City to upscale Coral Shores, Miami. Putting her career as an academic on hold (Miriam has a graduate degree in food anthropology), she is staying at home taking care of her young son when a friend helps her land a job as a Caribbean cooking expert on a television cooking show. Meanwhile, Miriam’s husband is getting too friendly with his ex and her opinionated mother-in-law is driving her up the wall. As if Miriam doesn’t have enough stress in her life, while attending a Women’s Club luncheon, a woman at her table falls over dead into her entree. When a second woman dies, Miriam decides to add the job of amateur detective to her resume and sets out to find the killer, much to the chagrin of the police detective who is officially investigating the deaths as suspected homicides.

Reyes is highly adept at creating characters who are colorful and unique but also highly believable. She has also created an interesting and plausible plot. I’m not normally a fan of cozy mysteries with a “foodie” theme, but this book was an exception. When I began reading the book, I had almost no knowledge of Caribbean food or Cuban-American culture. I honestly wasn’t at all sure when I started reading it that I would like this book, but I’m happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

3.5 stars

A new series in the cozy mystery genre, this one features Miriam Quinones-Smith, a food anthropologist-turned-television cooking show host.  As with many first books in a series, this one focuses more on character development with the mysterious deaths being more of a secondary plot line (not that it's a bad thing).  This checks off most of the standard cooking cozy checklist, including the ride or die best friend, supportive husband, meddling in-laws, and seemingly tough-as-nails detective (and don't forget the delicious recipes!).  While I enjoyed this book overall, I had issues with the "caper climax."  I felt that after 300+ pages, the criminal conclusion scene was a bit of a let-down for me as it felt abrupt and almost like an afterthought.  I couldn't help thinking "That's it??"  Even with this personal  disappointment, I would still recommend giving this new series a try and I am looking forward to checking out the next one.

Murder, drugs, and food, what more could you ask for?

Miriam, a food anthropologist, moved from NYC back to the Miami area of Florida with her husband and young son. They moved into a house around the corner from her mother-in-law. She has a key to their house, a horrible taste in friends, as well as a, nack for some always saying the most racist comment. It would be a lot better if Miriam's parents were close, but unfortunately, they moved out of the area. Her husband is gone a lot, "working", acting weird, and hanging out with his high school girlfriend. Leaving Miriam to deal with the unpacking, random furniture showing up, and acclimating to the rich white area of Miami. In between all of that, Miriam is also reconnecting with her high school best friend or at least trying to, until she has to help acquit her BFF from being accused of murder.

I loved reading this book. It felt like I was really there with Miriam as she dealt with the murder, her husband's potential affair, as well as the ups and downs of moving to a new place. I loved learning about the different recipes and the behind-the-scenes of the cooking segment that Miriam is now the star of. I did like that the author included Spanish throughout the story. I don't know Spanish, but I either figured it out or continued reading on.

I definitely recommend reading this if you're a fan of Joanne Fluke or any other small-town murders.

ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

#MangoMamboAndMurder:

“We’d thought love and good cooking could conquer all of life’s inconveniences and unpleasantness”

Y’all, this was such a good and mouth watering cozy! There’s a lot of Latinx references that really just spoke to my soul and had me grinning ear to ear. When Walter Mercardo’s was mentioned, I cried laughing a bit. Also, we got talks of despojo baths, which I can still smell from here. If you’re not fully immersed in some of Latinx culture, you may not get some of the small nods to amazing pop culture, but it reminded me of my childhood and for that, I am so thankful.

The mystery itself is great. Can I just say that I love that Miriam was jokingly called Veronica Mars AND Jessica Fletcher? My husband used to love Murder She Wrote with his Mimi, and it truly just brought this book home for me. This was your fun cozy with your MC getting into all kinds of hijynx trying to solve the case, and I loved it. I figured part of it out beforehand, but the red herrings and clues along the way were so entertaining. I also loved that Miriam was so smart and caring. I adored her and I want more of her and Alba and Yoli!

There’s a lot of discussion in regard to xenophobia, bilingual discussions, social status, and I was here for it. While Robert wasn’t my favorite, I am glad in the end he made up for it and his butterflies. Also, I loved hearing Miriam with her segments. I want more! Give me the real YouTube channel por favor!

This is such a fresh take on a cozy that I absolutely adored it. This brought me to a different kind of home and just had that so special feel of being able to be related to and feel seen in a book. (Especially with the family fun socks, I got you girl) A million thanks to Kaye for knowing how much I love cozies and sending this my way. My bisabuela lived in Miami until she passed, so I was truly transported back to her home while reading. Mango, Mambo, and Murder is out today 10/12, and it’s probably my favorite cozy of the year.

#AndThatsTheWayTheCozyCrumbles

What a wonderful read. Well-developed characters, realistic problems with in-laws, prejudice, female friendships, an adorable toddler and a strong sense of Caribbean-American culture elevate this above the normal cozy. While many cozies center on food in some flavor or another, I haven’t run into a food anthropologist before which adds depth and cultural association with the recipes and ingredients (plus they sound scrumptious).

While the culprits are a bit obvious, overall, the story is strong. There is a lot of time setting the scene and introducing the characters with their background, but that is not unusual in the first book in a series. I enjoyed it. It moves a long without feeling bogged down by an info dump. It is also interesting seeing the behind-the-scenes of a making of a food segment of a morning show. When you are finished reading this, it doesn’t feel like one of the million of other cozy series out there.

If you are looking for a good story and something beyond the usual cozy, grab this. You won’t be disappointed. I look forward to reading more about Miriam and her family and friends in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in return for an honest opinion.

Mango, Mambo, and Murder by Raquel V. Reyes is the 1st book in A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series, and my first book by this author. Miriam Quinones-Smith has a Cuban-American cooking show in Coral Shores, Miami, FL. Miriam has her hands full with her show, toddler son, husband's midlife crisis, and a nasty mother in law. When two women suddenly die at a a Women's Club luncheon, Miriam begins her sleuthing Once I started this book I could not stop reading it. It was a quick read that kept me guessing. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I recommend this book for all cozy mystery book lovers, you will not be disappointed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Miriam Quinones-Smith and her husband Robert are moving back to Florida. They met while they were both students in NYC. Miriam is Cuban from Miami so while it's Florida, they're moving close to his family in Coral Gables. She's going to be a stay-at-home mom for their adorable son.
Her best friend Alma helps her get a job as a fill-in for the Spanish channel's morning show food segment.
Miriam is a food anthropologist which was a detail we haven't seen before in the typical food themed cozy's. (they're usually chefs, bakers or caterers) She not only goes over recipes but discusses the history of the origins for the various ingredients. It was interesting to learn those specifics. Caribbean food is the focus of the book.

The characters are appealing & relatable for those of us who are from diverse backgrounds so it kept my attention but the actual mystery doesn't begin until about 1/3 way in. It was very obvious who the bad guy was.

I think b/c this was the first in a series, the writer was establishing the locale & characters so that element of the story was weak. There was humor. I loved the chemistry b/w Miriam & detective Pullman who referred to her as "Veronica Mars" while she referenced "Murder She Wrote". I found that to be delightful. A cheeky nod by the writer to those of us mystery lovers.

Fave quotes:
Miriam's thoughts while searching for clues:
"Fail! Sleuthing was harder than I’d anticipated. What would Jessica Fletcher do if she were in my position? I thought about the hours and hours of Murder She Wrote episodes that I‘d watched with my mom. Angela Lansbury made it look so easy. "

Miriam's conversation w/the detective:
'I shook my head and dipped a piece of bread into the last dreg of my soup. “At my house, we watched telenovelas and, for some weird reason, Murder She Wrote reruns.” “The old white lady that trips over dead bodies? Well, that explains a lot.”'

Mango, Mambo, and Murder by Raquel V. Reyes is the debut novel of the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series. Offered as a Read Now on Netgalley when I word on got, it was a cozy mystery and I had to grab it.

What I enjoyed about this particular story that differentiated itself from a lot of other cozies was that the protagonist was a married woman who is also a mother. Typically, the amateur sleuths are single women with the potential of a romantic interest in the picture. I also liked the latinx culture infused within the story that made this different from others.

However, the small criticism I have is that Miriam didn’t really get involved with the investigation until well into the story and some of the Spanish sayings were a bit lost on me. But I do understand especially in the initial novel of a series, you have to establish the character and relationships she has with the other main players of the story.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books for the arc. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I'm a huge fan of cozy mysteries and always looking to try new series, so when I saw this new one I was super excited to try it! I love the premise and involvement of Cuban food, and, of course, it has an adorable cover. However, ultimately, this book was really just... fine.

The highlights were the MC, Miriam, cooking, and certain characters finally getting what was coming to them. But the ending certainly left something to be desired, with Miriam outright ignoring her friend begging her to call the cops and doing something stupid instead, and her husband (who has been shady all book) revealing his big ~secret~ that he totally didn't need to keep secret from his WIFE. And Miriam just forgives him?? I didn't get it at all. Miriam's MIL is also completely racist, which is acknowledged in the book, but never really rectified or addressed by her son. I guess this is a series, so there's still time, but that part felt so egregious it was hard to swallow.

As a final thought on something that did not affect my rating of the book--there's a lot of Spanish in this book. I took high school Spanish ~10 years ago and can catch a bit here and there, but this book had more than I could understand, and didn't always provide the necessary context for non-Spanish speakers. Unlike a book like A Lot Like Adios or Island Affair, which I think integrate Spanish successfully in ways non-Spanish speakers can understand, this book had a lot of back-and-forth in Spanish and at times I felt like I was missing content by not being able to understand. Maybe I'm not the target audience then, but I wish I had known that before I had picked up the book.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4 stars - 6/10

Miriam, her husband, and son move back to Miami. Unfortunately for Miriam, their new home is close to Robert's mother. I'm surprised that Miriam and her sister-in-law don't post on Reddit about their mother-in-law. The focus is more on Morgan's life than the mystery which I found enjoyable. Looking forward to the next.

I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher and/or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.