Having read the first in this series and not being blown away by it, I picked up this sequel hoping that it would improve upon the things I didn't enjoy about the first book. Unfortunately, it didn't accomplish that for me.

I really enjoyed the Halloween elements to this story since it's my favorite holiday, but of course you're missing out on a lot of fall vibes since this series takes place in Miami. But it was nice to read about Trick or Treating, costumes and fall festivals. The Halloween inspired cover is also really cool..

This book is bogged down a lot by a pregnancy subplot. Miriam being pregnant and all that entails overwhelms the entire plot and the mystery felt like an afterthought. We are constantly being told about how much she wants coffee, what foods she craving, her boughts of morning sickness, and how much her feet are swelling. It's a constant buzzing in the back of every scene and it dragged everything out. I also have an issue with the pregnancy plot line in this book. There's no clear indication of how long a period of time this book actually takes place over. Miriam seems to find out she's pregnant at around 11 weeks, which is late for the majority of people. While that is fine as some people do realize later on, she is also showing somehow overnight not that much further into the book. Most people don't show until around 16 weeks. I wasn't under the impression that this book was taking place over such a long period of time. But given all this pregnancy talk, this book is approximately 60 pages too long. It drags because nothing really happens besides Miriam hearing about things, only kind of sleuthing and going about her day-to-day.

There is also the fact that I still haven't forgiven Miriam's husband for his actions in the first book and still don't feel like he's groveled enough. In fact, in this second book it's as if nothing happened. His actions are never brought up in this book and while he only kind of stood up to his mother once in this book, he still defends his racist mother over and over again. And speaking of his mother, she is even more of an absolute nightmare in this book. So much worse than in the first one. I am happy that Miriam actually stood up for herself in this book, but her mother-in-law is such a pain to read about. She also never has any true consequences for being such a terrible person.

The ending also felt rushed. Not a whole lot happens in the majority of the book and then suddenly we're at the ending. There was no reason to think anything was about to happen except for it being so close to the end of the book. But I didn't necessarily think that Miriam's reaction was correct in that situation. She doesn't even try to fight back. The whole ending just felt weak.

As a side note, there is a lot of Spanish in this book, a lot more than in the first, and none of it is ever translated, not even when there's little to no context for what it could possibly mean. There was no way of telling, especially since I was listening to the audiobook, what was important to the plot line or not, and there's not a glossary. to look it up in. I love when other languages are in books, but if you're book is published in one language, you should definitely have a translation somewhere in the book for those who aren't fluent in the other language you are adding it. It just helps the reading experience.

Overall, I found myself being actively annoyed by this book and the characters. This is really bogged down by a whole lot of pregnancy talk and a ridiculous amount of unlikable characters so I won't be continuing on in this series. I

Thank you to NetGalley and DreamscapeMedia for the audio ARC of this book.

This was a fun, cozy murder featuring Cuban-American cooking show star, Miriam Quiñones-Smith. She lives in the Coral Shores community of Miami and has stumbled upon murder once again. If you haven’t read the first book, like me, it isn’t necessary to jump right into this Halloween themed mystery.

I enjoyed the cast of characters, though I’m EXTREMELY grateful I don’t have to deal with a MIL like Miriam’s. She is a total nightmare and as nasty as they come. Her son is absolutely adorable, her husband is great and she has a wonderful network of friends.

The narration by Frankie Corzo was excellent and really added to my enjoyment of the story. And the food! Reading this will definitely make you hungry!!

While overall I really enjoyed being immersed in this Miami community, the crimes and their explanations were a little hard to follow in the end. There was a lot going on and it ended up being pretty complicated. It may just be me and my foggy brain I have lately. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of cozy murders, latin culture and cuisine.

What a riotously amusing novel! Full of good food, Halloween themed events, a horrible mother-in-law and a little murder mystery thrown in... okay maybe a lot of murder mystery.

Following the trail of multiple events, Miriam, a Cuban-American star of a cooking show, doesn't intend to play detective to these murder mysteries, but it just seems to follow her around.

If you're looking for a good Halloween themed read, look no further. This story keeps you on your toes with twists around every corner!

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in an exchange for an honest review.

Right off 4 stars. I haven't had the chance to read the first book in this series yet but I do not feel like I've missed anything by skipping it. My critique for this book would only be that I don't speak Spanish and so have no clue what-so-ever was being said those times Spanish was spoken. A small handful of times it was sort of obvious but for the majority it wasn't. I don't have a problem with that in the book I just think if you're going to do that then a heads up? Or maybe translations? I don't know, in an ebook version you could look up the translations no problem but on the audio version not so much. It just kind of takes away from the story and if the premise of the MCs show is to promoted diversity in food then it would have been nice to be able to understand what was going on.

Anyway, this is a nice comfy read. I would go back and read the first if it were on KU but it isn't so this is probably the only one of the series I'll read.

#Netgalley
#Dreamscape
#CalypsoCorpsesandCooking
#MurderMystery
#CozyReading

I love that this series includes so much about different Caribbean cultures and their foods! It really adds so much to the storyline. Miriam is a strong character who is a passionate food anthropologist/TV star, incredible parent, and determined amateur sleuth. I enjoyed the Spanish phrases and conversation thrown in, but I’d guess it would be harder to follow for those who don’t know Spanish. The inclusion of Spanish added to the story for me.

I missed out because I started with the second book in the series. It gave away what happened in the first book, so it’ll be hard to go back. Though it wasn’t a problem jumping into the second book.

The mystery aspect fell a bit short for me and sometimes I found it hard to follow with so many threads (though maybe because I was listening to this as an audiobook). I really enjoyed the audiobook narrator.

Overall a fun book. Thank you #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you @netgalley for this fun read. The main character being a food anthropologist says it all. The unique stories and recipes of the food tie in nicely. I love how much we can learn from the different cultures and what we consider fusion food can be so closely related. I enjoyed the “Spanglish “. The main character is likeable, relatable and quirky which is a great combo for an amateur sleuth. She has many supportive friends and family so I imagine there is great potential for many stories to come.
I didn’t read the first book and found it fine to follow.

Things to overlook and why I couldn’t give it a 5/5:
-Massively exaggerated “symptoms” so early on.
-Big time celebrities showing up.
-Her constantly interchanging her husband’s name with her pet/Spanish name.
-The detective sharing details about the case.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read/listen this eARC!

This was a fun and cozy book! I really enjoyed the narration! I liked the characters, the details, and the plot was enjoyable! Definitely a book to curl up with and get lost in. I will definitely pick up a physical copy!

The narration of this book is wonderful. I thought the pacing was great and found the characters interesting and well-developed.

I usually delight in leaving rave reviews for cozy mystery books that I read constantly. Unfortunately, this book has me so upset that I can only give it 3 stars.

I am upset because as a linguist I know that using a foreign language when one fully knows that even one person in the audience does not speak or understand that language, one should stick to the language that everyone understands. This book lacks that courtesy.

Spanish words, expressions and even food names are constantly used without any explanation.

Spanish is my native language, and it upsets me that my wife, who has a very good knowledge of the language, was left “up in the air” many times by the constant use of Spanish.

If you do not speak Spanish, you will surely get through this book without a problem, because the story is great, and you will be able to decipher the important issues despite the use of Spanish. I don’t consider this enjoyment, though, and therefore I cannot highly recommend this book.

I had purchased the first book in audio form and had not had a chance to read it yet…and in this book #2 there were sufficient spoilers about the first book that I will not listen to it. I am truly sorry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape for making this audio book available for me to listen to.

This was a fun listen. The entire series is great fun and this writer can really plot a good mystery story! The characters are all relatable and the dialog is believable. The narrator was excellent as well. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced audio copy for review.

It’s fall time in Miami and. Cuban-American cooking show star Miriam Quiñones-Smith wakes up to find a corpse in her front yard. The body is the woman that was kicked out of the school's Fall Festival the day before.
I don’t think I was the target audience for this cozy which is unfortunate because I love reading about other cultures. The other thing I enjoy about cozies is the relationships. The main character is married so it took away another element that I personally like to read. I did enjoy listening to the audiobook, The narrator was pleasant to listen to.
Thank you to netgalley for providing an audiobook ARC!

I was a little worried going into this, it’s not EXACTLY my usual read but I could not have been happier in the end!
I did not read the first novel, but after reading a couple reviews stating the same, I jumped into this one and I totally agree that I did not feel like I was missing any context!
This was one of the coziest books I have ever read, which for me is super important in a mystery! Rich with culture and lovable characters, I would recommend this to anyone!

This is a fun story. It’s well written and if you are a fan of cozy mysteries you should like this one. This is the second in a series. I didn’t realize that when I started this but I think it’s alright if you just read this one though I think you’d definitely get a little more if you read the first one first.
In Coral shores, Miami, Miriam Quinones-Smith wakes up one fine morning and finds a corpse in her front yard. Miriam’s luck just keeps getting worse. Her mother-in-law, who happens to be one of the most passive aggressive people ever, puts her in charge of the Women’s Club yearly gala. Miriam and her friends want to spice things up a bit with a calypso band and Caribbean food trucks. As they are making their plans, they hear an argument between the club's new chef and the club’s manager. Soon after, the chef makes his last meal.
Now Miriam is trying to figure out if this was an accident or not. There is a small list of suspects but something doesn’t settle right. You see, there are also two possible poisonings and as the body count goes up Miriam finds that her very life could just be in jeopardy.
This is a good story. I definitely think those that like cozy mysteries with a little bit of food thrown in will enjoy this. If you get the chance to pick up the audio book you won't be disappointed. The narrator is fantastic!

I read the first book in the series and hated it, unfortunately I got this series mixed up with another one I enjoyed, otherwise I never would have requested it. I’m saying that, I decided to listen to the audiobook with an open mind and was pleasantly surprised! While I still didn’t love the Spanish to English parts, the mystery was entertaining and I felt like the writing was a huge step up from the first in the series. I would read the next one!

Setting the Scene: Miriam Quinones-Smith is a first generation Cuban-American with a wonderful husband, adorable son, and her own cooking show. Even though she has already solved one murder, in this second outing, she is looking forward to Halloween and a Fall festival of food trucks, murder is not on her radar. Unfortunately, murder is on the menu, and it may spoil Halloween and the food truck fun, as well as her first entree into the Women's Club gala scene (thanks to her mother-in-law). Miriam is nothing if not determined to make it all work and to make sure the Women's Club gets a good dose of Cuban cuisine and culture.

What I Thought: This series has a lot of potential. I looked forward to learning about Cuban food and culture, some of the joys and challenges of first generation Cuban-Americans, all in a warm, fun, cozy mystery setting. What's not to like? Unfortunately, this series is more concerned with ethnicity, with a political leaning, than in entertaining and educating readers in the sights, sounds, and food of the Cuban culture. It just is not for me, and I chose not to finish it.

It's right before Halloween and Miriam Quiñones-Smith is busy with her son's school fair, her cooking show, and family and friends. Her mother-in-law decides Miriam needs to chair the Women's Charity Event and then Miriam discovers a body in her front yard. Miriam and her friends opt for a fun and cultural event, including Caribbean food trucks. When a man dies while Miriam and her friends are organizing the event at the country club, Miriam asks herself is she cursed and why are so many bodies dropping. A great listen and the reader is incredible moving between Spanish and English. The story moves fast and you will not want to stop until the killer is revealed and the you find out what happens with Miriam and her family and friends.

This one is on me - I didn't read the first book beforehand and as a result was spoiled for a lot of past plot. This is a cozy mystery, with some extra additions. I really enjoy mysteries and trying to guess who the person is, this was fun in that sense. I also really enjoyed the addition of Spanish to the story! Added a bit more authenticity to the story, and is a great reminder that not everyone knows English as a first language. The food was mouth watering, the vibes were there. A quick on to listen to.

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in the series, the Caribbean Kitchen Mysteries by Raquel V. Reyes. I listened to this book. This is the first book I have read and I was not lost in the story.

I thought the book was off to a very slow start. It spent more time on Carribean cuisine which was fascinating but I kept thinking “get on with the real story.” Once it started to pick up the pace, we learn Miriam Quiñones-Smith (main amateur sleuth) is a food anthropologist and has a cooking show. The location is Miami, Florida. She is married and has a four-year old son. There are plenty of murders, four.

The detective often refers to her as Veronica (Mars) or Jessica (Fletcher). I was intrigued by the use of unfamiliar plants and how some of them played into a few of the deaths.

The characters were interesting except for her awful mother-in-law. Thank goodness not everyone has a nasty in-law.

I was loaned an audio copy of the book from Netgalley. These are my own opinions.

Miriam is a Cuban-American cooking show host who solves murders on the side. In book 2 of the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series, the head chef at the country club where Miriam is organizing a charity gala is murdered. Is his replacement just a bad cook or is she intentionally poisoning people?

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.

I have not read book 1 in the series, but I didn't have any problems jumping in with Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking. There are several references to the previous book early on but the details of that story are necessary to enjoy this one. For me, it seems like the case in the first book might be an ongoing storyline in the series. As this is just book 2, it is still easy to catch up if you like to read a series from the beginning.

The story is set around Halloween so if you are a seasonal reader and don't want to read horror for the holiday, then this is a great book to pick up.

I read a lot of cozy mysteries and so I really enjoy it when I find a new series that has something unique about it. I think this is the first series that I've read that features a Latina main character. There is a lot of Spanish sprinkled throughout the text. As I was listening to the book, I was able to kind of gloss over the Spanish. I'm sure if I had been reading the book myself I would have been trying to translate it but I would have been unsuccessful as I don't know Spanish. There are no direct translations but you get an understanding of what is being said through the context. I think I prefer this way of handling other languages in a story as it seems more natural.

Another thing that was different from the majority of the cozies I read is that Miriam is married with a kid. I read a few cozies with married couples, but I think I've only read one or two that the main character is a mother.

I also liked that the murder didn't consume the plot. I didn't feel like Miriam was actively investigating, but just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time to observe clues

Unlike other culinary cozies, there were no recipes - at least for the audiobook. That's a shame because I like Caribbean food but I don't really have any recipes for it. My luck though if there had been a recipe it would have been for akee and salt fish - the one Jamaican dish I just couldn't eat (I don't really like fish and they served this dish for breakfast).

The narrator Frankie Corzo is great. She has enough of an accent that it is believable that the character is Cuban-American but not so powerful that she is hard to understand. And for the English-only speaking characters, all traces of the Latin American accent is gone.

If you haven't tried this series yet, it is definitely worth the read or listen.

My review is published at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2022/10/calypso-corpses-and-cooking-by-raquel-v.html

Calypso, Corpses and Cooking is the 2nd book in the A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series. The characters are likable but there are quite a few. There is a lot of Spanish spoken which to me was distracting but for many wouldn't be a problem. Miriam hosts a Cuban-American cooking show. She is married to Robert and has a young son, Manny. I didn't read the first book and the first couple of chapters explain everything. Miriam is helping with the Fall Festival and there is a ruckus. She finds a body in her front yard. The story picks up from there. Miriam and her friends volunteer to help with the Women's Club's gala. They give it some Caribbean flare which is not popular with everyone. There are poisonings, arguments and and more deaths! This was an enjoyable cozy mystery. #CalypsoCorpsesAndCooking #NetGalley #Dreamscape