Author Mia P. Manansala has infused her latest book, Blackmail and Bibingka , with diverse characters, a death, an amateur sleuth, and some suspense. There’s a focus on food, family, and friends. This cozy mystery features Lila Macapagal, owner of the Brew-ha Café with her friends and business partners Adeena Awan and Elena Torres. The story is set in Shady Palms, Illinois and takes place near Christmastime. It’s the third book in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series.

As the Brew-ha Café and the family restaurant, Tita Rosie’s Kitchen, prepare for the town’s winter bash as well as their own holiday celebrations, Lila’s cousin and Tita Rosie’s son, Ronnie, returns to town after 15 years. He and his business partners have bought the old Shady Grove Winery and plan to operate it. However, Ronnie has always meant trouble. When a death occurs and Ronnie is one of the murder suspects, Lila goes into sleuth mode for her family’s sake and starts investigating.

This novel contains characters with a variety of ethic and cultural backgrounds as well as those of different faiths. They have their flaws just as we do. Lila’s family comes from the Philippines so there are lots of Filipino foods and terms. A handy glossary is included at the beginning of the book so be sure to bookmark it. The characterization is well done. Readers get well-developed main and reoccurring characters as well as secondary and tertiary characters. If you enjoy cute dogs that like to dress up, then Longganisa (Nisa) and Poe will steal your heart.

This book has a solid plot with some twists and turns. This novel is creative and it will keep readers guessing. Family, friendship, family dynamics, starting over, lies, secrets, jealousy, romances, helping others, and food are at the heart of this story. While it’s descriptive, it doesn’t slow down the pace. There are references to previous cases that Lila has been involved in, but there aren’t any details so there didn’t seem to be any spoilers if one reads this book first. However, I recommend reading the series in order. My one quibble was that the final chapter was somewhat rushed and was more telling than showing.

Overall, this engaging mystery has great characterization as well as some intense moments that kept me turning the pages. Those who enjoy cozy mysteries with diverse characters, great food, and a subplot of budding romances will likely enjoy this book. At the end of the book are several recipes for items mentioned in the book. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series.

Berkley Publishing Group and Mia P. Manansala provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for October 4, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

This series just keeps getting better! I am, as always, in love with Lila and her family and friends, and every time I read one of these books, I immediately crave a baked good and another cozy mystery. I absolutely cannot wait for the next in this series!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review! This is such a fun series, and this is a fantastic addition to it.

Link to 10/3/2022 Instagram post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjQ7CeEguGk/

Lila is back yet again. This book didn’t hit so dark and twisty like book 2, and as the author pointed out both she and Lila are in a better place mentally. This book kept the pace up and I don’t think it dragged which I felt was a problem in book 2. It was just as far fetched, and with all the yummy food mentions that we have come to love. I do think the whole love triangle was really resolved without talking about it much. I would have liked more from Lila and Jae!

This was a great cozy mystery. Lila Macapagal's life is going good. Her cafe ,The Brew-ha Cafe, is doing well. Her romance with Jae is going well. Then her cousin Ronnie is back after being gone for 15 years and trouble always follows Ronnie. It isn't long before Ronnie is accused of murder. Can Lila figure out what is going on? This is book 3 in the series and I haven't read the first two but it didn't matter. This is a stand alone and I enjoyed it. The characters are great and the family is awesome. I will be checking out the other books in the series. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Thanks to Berkley for an advanced copy of Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P Manansala. This is the 3rd book in the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series and is just as fun as the first books!

In this book, it's the holiday season and Lila is involved in the Shady Pines Winter Bash and is excited to spotlight her Cafe, but her cousin Ronnie is back in town after being estranged for 15 years. His mom, Tita Rosie is so excited to have him home, but soon he's accused of murder and Lila is ready to help prove his innocence.

I love this Filipino family cozy mystery series! These books have you wanting to try Filipino food and cheering on Lila as she solves whatever issue is affecting her family in Shady Pines. There is a fun cast of family and friends and I loved learning about Filipino Christmas traditions.

Highly recommend this book and this series, even if you aren't a big cozy mystery fan!

Happy Pub Week Book Review

𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘢 𝘣𝘺 𝘔𝘪𝘢 𝘗. 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢
@MPMTheWriter
Pub date: October 4, 2022

Thank you @BerkleyPub for this gifted DRC!

I absolutely loved jumping back into Lila’s tight knit family again! This it the 3rd book in Tita Rosie’s Kitchen mystery series. It is the perfect cozy mystery to snuggle up with on a cool Autumn evening.

The first two books in the series are:

𝘈𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘥𝘰𝘣𝘰
𝘏𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘰-𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘰

It’s just before Christmas in Shady Palms and Lila is finally finding her groove. Her café, the Brew Ha is starting to make money and she’s vibing with love interest Jae but when Tita Rosie’s long absent son, Ronnie shows up, Lila knows this isn’t going anywhere good.

With a murder in a winery and Ronnie as a prime suspect, what’s Lila to do? Even though she doesn’t trust cousin Ronnie, Lila knows there is mischief afoot, and because of her own past experience in Arsenic and Adobo along with some questionable motives, Lila decides to dig in and do her own sleuthing. And let’s face it, it’s what Lila does!

What I really love about this series is the characters; I love being a fly on the wall in this tightly knit yet realistically dysfunctional family. The Filipino culture along with the family dynamics are so interesting – learning about the Filipino culture and traditions throughout the series has been a wonderful experience! Then there is the food! Ah, the food! I think I gained 5 lbs. just dreaming about the food!

The mystery is complex in nature and I had fun trying to figure out who had the motive and the means. The recurring characters are, again, one of the best parts and I feel like some are old friends – or nemesis!

Highly recommend not only this book, 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘢, but the entire series!

Do you have a favorite food outside your own culture?

Stay spooky, my friends

I had no idea this was the third installment of an established cozy series. Normally, I would prefer to set myself on fire than read a series out of order, but when I was assured by several readers that this title would work as a standalone, I dove right in, and I'm so glad that I did!

I loved so much about this book...how dynamic the characters were, all of the food references, the Christmas setting, and even the name of the town, Shady Palms (which is so close to the Shady Pines retirement home that Dorothy constantly threatens Sophia with in The Golden Girls that I giggled every time I read it!)

Lila Macapagal runs the cleverly named Brew-ha Cafe and is in the throes of a new romance that I'm sure was mentioned in the two previous books. Her cousin Ronnie abruptly shows up in town after leaving and ghosting everyone, his mother included, for the last fifteen years. Lila is suspicious, and rightly so, because soon after Ronnie's arrival, there's a murder, and the timing is quite suspicious.

I was glued to the pages of this fun read, and I can't wait to get up to speed with this large family's shenanigans. The first two books are high on my priority list. Thank you so much to the publisher for inviting me on this book tour and providing me an e-copy to read. This book will publish October 4, 2023.

Things are going well for Lila. Her business with her friends Adeena and Elena is doing great and her family’s restaurant is thriving. But like a bad penny, her cousin Ronnie shows up after 15 years. He was always trouble and his latest venture, part owner of the Shady Palms winery seems suspicious to Lila. Why has he come back after all these years and what does he really want?
Pretty soon Tita Rosie shares an e-mail that suggests Ronnie was up to no good while he was living in Florida. Before Lila can figure it out, one of the winery investors, Denise winds up dead and Ronnie is a suspect. Lila may not have warm and fuzzy feelings for her cousin, but family is family and there is no way she will let her Tita Rosie suffer from Ronnie's bad decisions.
Besides the usual dead body dropped almost right at Lila’s feet, she is growing as a person which I really enjoyed. Another fun read that can make me hungry even if I just ate.

This novel is for the reader that enjoys a side of foodie culture with their murder mystery! When her cousin arrives back in Shady Palms with his entrepreneur friends and plans to start a winery, Lila is wary. Ronnie has been gone for years and trouble follows him everywhere. Sure enough, one of the group dies of methanol poisoning - an accident or something more sinister? Lila and the gang from the Brewha Cafe are soon investigating another mystery in Shady Palms.

This is the third instalment in the Shady Palms series, a cozy mystery series steeped in cultural celebration and foodie enjoyment. A note from the author at the end indicates that three more will be forthcoming. It is a holiday novel and those familiar with Filipino culture and food will appreciate all those references. Although it is a murder mystery, the tone is light and fun; and the language is very casual. I was little surprised to see abbreviations like "sus" and "AF" in a novel, but perhaps that just shows my age and education in English grammar from nuns.

If you are already a fan of the series, no doubt you will find much to enjoy in this novel continuing the adventures of Lila, Tita Rosie and the ninangs. Many thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

As the third book in the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series, Blackmail and Bibingka was a comforting read for me. That may be a weird way to describe a mystery, but I have become so attached to Lila and her family and friends. I liked this title more than the last book as it wasn't as dark or intense. Manansala has finally figured out the balance of mystery and humor in the cozy mystery genre. Next, she needs to realize it's okay not to bring up EVERY character and event from the previous novels. Sometimes I felt like she included scenes just so certain characters wouldn't be forgotten. Overall, I continue to enjoy the series, but the first book is still my favorite of the bunch.

I really enjoy this series and was so excited to see that there was another one that was coming out! I love that this has some holiday theme in it and it's perfect for this time of year. If you've enjoyed the other books in the series then you are sure to enjoy this one as well!

Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series is easily becoming a comfort read.

The story keeps getting better and better - Blackmail and Bibingka is now my favorite.

True to Mia Manansala's recipe, the third book in this series managed to deliver the expectations from the first two books while adding extra sprinkles of holiday goodness and a lot of new Filipino spices.

As a Filipino reader, I approve of this.

First, I love the name Brew-ha Cafe. I also loved this mystery! It's not a thriller that I normally read, but it was nice for a break from something twisted and dark. Coming into the light, I was presented with.. well... Christmas. Christmas has lights, right? And Christmas is all about family, isn't it? You know what's perfect at Christmas? Your long lost cousin, who also happened to be trouble, re-appearing to stir up some drama.

This book kept me laughing and I enjoyed the mystery. These characters are quite funny. It's definitely a book for someone looking to read a mix between a rom-com and a mystery.

Blackmail and Bibingka is book three in the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery Series written by Mia P. Manansala.

Another delicious murder mystery!

This time around it's Christmas time in the town of Shady Palms, but things aren't so cheerful for Lila.
Her new cafe is starting to take off and things are spicing up between her and her good friend Jae.
So when her long lost cousin Ronnie comes back to town after being gone fifteen years he is ready to give his time to the Shady Palms community.
Tita is absolutely elated to have her son back. But Lila just knows trouble follows Ronnie no matter where he goes.
And when Ronnie is suspected of murder, the secrets start coming out.
Now she must prove her cousins innocence.

It was amazing being back in Shady Palms with Lila Macapagal.

Talk about a fun cozy mystery to devour!
Lila Macapagal
Manansala continues to bring us naturally diverse cast of characters. Which I absolutely loved.
Jae, Tita and Ronnie were are wonderful and I enjoy getting to know them more and more with each book. Very well written and flawed like regular people.
Oh the town of Shady Palms is as charming and atmospheric as they come.
This book has all the same fun family dynamics and intriguing mystery plot.
Mia's descriptions are once again brilliantly written.
The mystery was well also well written and had me guessing until the last couple chapters.
Every time I open her book up I know I’m going to get the same characters, fun recipes, and an interesting mystery to solve.

I could NOT put it down and I read the whole thing in two gos. I loved every second of it.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Berkley,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my blog, platforms, BookBub, B&N, Kobo and Waterstone closer to pub date.

"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?"

Yet ANOTHER book on my holiday reading list this year.

Lila Macapagal should wear a permanent badge, "Danger, you might die in my presence." Like Angela Lansbury (hopefully you get the reference), Lila has the unfortunate case of being witness to multiple deaths/murders. It's a curse, in that who in their right mind would want to witness anything like that. Even worse - witnessing it repeatedly. But Lila isn't like most people who shy away from risky endeavors. And her eagerness for answers actually seems to be a good thing, with her knack for solving the crimes.

While Lila is definitely a nosy body, she has matured since book one. Taking more precautions to keep herself out of harm's way. Once again, a family member is at the top of the suspect list, and she works to save her family's reputation from future harm, while hopefully catching the right person responsible.

Like the other books, I felt the most obvious suspect was also the least likely one. I never really put together who was the suspect(s) and why. I think the suspect pool was pretty limited though, so it was all just a matter of time, or timing, with Lila catching them in the act.

Also similar to the other books, this is one that you shouldn't read on an empty stomach. In between crime solving, Lila is immersed in creating delectable treats for her business, Brew-ha Cafe. My mouth was watering. And I loved Lila's creative spirit and how she worked with those around her to build her business as well as theirs. Solving crimes and building the community. A winning combination.

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, this was an entertaining installment.

I love this series, and this installment was no exception!

Blackmail and Bibingka is much more of a psychological exercise than the first two books--we're looking at layers of crime here, and we're also getting into deeper family drama, both Lila's and external characters'. The plotting was excellent, the characters a delight (as always), and I'm so excited to see more of this series.

Main criticism: I need Tita Rosie's food in my house while I read this. Such fantastic food writing.

{3.5 stars}

Another fun installment of the Macapagal family cooks and solves murders series. These reads are light and fun with a mystery inside that you can solve along with Lila. Granted, this family is not like most families, one of us has just been accused of murder... let's throw a karaoke party! Their lust for life is a little overwhelming and their entanglement as a family rivals the Kardashians. They swing wildly from creating impressive Filipino inspired food dishes to collecting evidence and solving crimes. And it's all done with such passion and love it makes you wonder what might be missing from your own family.

In this book, cousin Ronnie returns to town after a 15 year absence with a great business idea, a Filipino inspired winery. He rallies the family to support him, given their good names in town. When an investor dies during a tasting, the Macapagal family is in the crosshairs immediately. Lila dives right in shifting her focus from her holiday baking plans to figuring out if she can clear Ronnie.

I love these reads as something light and pacey that's perfect for the beach or a hammock day.

Thanks to Berkley via Netgalley for advanced access to this novel. All opinions above are my own.

I really, REALLY enjoyed this newest Tita Rosie's Kitchen mystery!! Full of amazing Filipino food, culture and big-hearted family plus some hilarious karaoke scenes!! My mouth was watering practically the whole time I listened to this book and now I have a serious craving for bibingka!! The holiday theme of the book was a lot of fun - especially learning about all the unique traditions. Highly recommended and great on audio with some recipes included at the end. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @PRHAudio for a complimentary audio copy in exchange for my honest review.