This is a delightful book, as is the entire series, but idk if it’s me or that this is the 6th (& final!) of the series, but it’s a little too…cozy, I guess? Although it is a murder mystery, there are still too many happy, positive, and easy/nice things that happen. New menu items are thought of and created in a snap and are absolutely adored and devoured. People are open and chatty with Lila & Co upon meeting them (especially unbelievable with a 3-year-old dealing with a lot). Even some of the descriptions/dialogues are just a bit too nice - like Lila asking a question just to show she thought of everything to make sure others are comfortable.

So that’s what was a bit distracting during the story & that’s all the bad I have to say. ◡̈ The plot itself is in the same vein of the rest of the series, and overall the characters seem like a blast to hang out with. Lila and her friends feature more in this book than her family. The resolution was kind of quick, although there were a few hints earlier in the book.

Overall, this another wonderful cozy mystery, and I’m a bit sad this is goodbye to these characters.

DEATH AND DINUGUAN REVIEW
RATING: 3.5
GENRE: Mystery

Thank to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am so sad to see the end of the Brew-ha Crew’s adventures in Shady Palms. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series and was one of the first books to pull me into the cozy mystery genre. I love Mia Manasala’s ability to bring the Filipino culture to life through Lila, Tita Rosie, Lola Flor, and crew. It is amazing to see representation in the mystery genre and I applaud Manasala for her work.

As far was the story goes, we encountered a death and mystery close to Lila’s heart, Jae’s cousin Hana, and her friend Blake. I would say as far as the story goes, we really see Lila struggle this time with the past traumas that she’s experienced and also a sense of hesitation during the investigation. I felt this book leaned more heavily on the daily nuances of Lila’s life rather than solving the mystery, which I was slightly disappointed about. However, I felt it was a satisfactory conclusion to this seres and will be on the lookout for more of Manasala’s work in the future.

OH SHADY, SHADY PALMS!

I've read and listened to this entire series..and loved it. I take it as my excuse to grab a coffee and some baked goodies (a good Danish never fails to impress me!). With this being the conclusion of the series, I was a little bummed. Let me explain...

We get to see our favorite characters again and tag along (as per usual), but this time it's through a Valentine’s Day disaster. This book was definitely for the girlies (gender-neutral version), and it added a lovely kind of adieu to the story. The best kind of ’hood is sisterhood, after all. This installment gives you your cozy mystery fix, makes you crave carbs, and stresses you out just enough to justify needing a second snack.

It was fun. It was exciting. And I’m sad that it’s over.

Farewell, Shady Palms..until next time... I tend to listen to the audiobooks while driving, so that won’t be too long..but you get my point.

Thank you to Mia P. Manansala for giving us this heartfelt farewell, and thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for letting me be a sleuth one last time.

I can't believe we all have to leave Shady Palms behind now! I was gutted to read in Manansala's introduction that this is the last installment in the series. It was a delightful farewell adventure with this beloved cast of characters. Women entrepreneurs are being targeted for break ins all over Shady Palms. Lila and her friends investigate after a break in turns deadly. The thing I will miss most about this series is the nuts and bolts realism. How would it work if you had to leave your job at all hours to run down leads and investigate suspicious people? Lila and her coworkers work it out! How would it feel to constantly be surrounded by murders? Lila grapples with it! I hope Mia returns to mystery writing soon. She has an excellent feel for characterization and I look forward to her future work.

I love the mysterious atmosphere of these books! I have grown so connected to these characters and their lives. The family and the friends have me laughing and saying things out loud to the book !!! Haha This was another great one! One of my favorites yet!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing House for providing me with the ARC. I love the Tita Rosie's kitchen series and it is everything I expected. It is sad that its the last book, but provided a great ending. Shady Palms will be missed, however looking forward to future works from the author.

#DeathandDinuguan #NetGalley

I cried reading the last chapter of this novel,
I have loved loved loved being on this journey with Lila, the Brew-has, Tita Rosie, Lola Flor, and all the other recurring characters in this series.
From the first book to this last one, I learned so much about Filipino food and culture in such an entertaining way.
This book was just as good as the others, though not my favourite, but they’re all more or less of the same quality.
I loved that the mystery was personal to Jae this time, and though I guessed some aspects of the reveal it was still entertaining enough.
It really felt like the perfect story to bid farewell to Lila and her gang of friends with. Also the reference to Wicked towards the end was hilarious.
I wish we could see what will become of them but I guess it’s not to be. I miss seeing more of Tita Rosie and Lola Fllor like we did in the first 3 books, I wouldn’t mind a spin-off or something that focuses on them.

Overall, I’ve loved this series so much, it really got me into reading cozy mysteries, and I can’t wait to see what Mia Manansala does next!

Thank you to the publisher Berkley and for NetGalley for providing me this advance readers copy in exchange for my honest feedback. What a great series this was and I am sad to hear this is the last book in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery. Shady Palms is struck with another killer at large!!! Thankfully we got the Brew-Ha cafe to solve this case!!!! Pick this book up November 25th, 2025

In Death and Dinuguan, Shady Palms small businesses are being burgled. When a burglary goes too far and someone dies, Lila and company begins investigating. Spoilers incoming!

The next (and final :() installment of the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series is as wonderful as the first four novels. It continues to be a cozy mystery that made my mouth water - as a Filipino, I always want to make every dish described for a taste of comfort.

This mystery had a more personal aspect with Jae’s cousin being attacked, and I loved how it made the stakes ever so slightly higher. Aria was absolutely adorable, and I loved the larger involvement of the Park family in this one. Lila and Jae are such a sweet couple, and I was so happy to get the ending hint of their happily ever after.

The investigation kept me on my toes, and I had thought I figured out who was behind the burglaries and attack. I was very much wrong, but I still was honestly really sad for Hector at the end. I had really grown to like him.

I only took off a star because I felt that some of the pop culture references felt out of place. I feel like very specific pop culture references take me out of any novel, so that’s the only reason I took half a star off.

I’m sad the series is ending, but I loved how sweet the ending was. It’s a great send-off to characters I’ve spent so much time with. Thank you so much to Mia P. Manansala, NetGalley, and Berkley Publishing for the eARC!

Pub date: 25 Nov 2025

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm so sad that this series has come to an end. Since we're now six books in, I won’t give anything away plot-wise. I will say, though, that this was sadly my least favourite in the series, though still an enjoyable read overall.

What made it my least favourite was the feeling that, even six books in, we were still being hand-held. I completely understand giving a quick refresher on characters, places, and key points, but at this stage, it felt a bit excessive. As the final book, I really wanted to see our sleuths come into their own and feel like pros. Instead, they still came across as quite amateurish. After six investigations, I expected more confidence and growth.

I also have to say that this was my least favourite mystery of the series. That said, I still enjoyed it and would absolutely recommend it if you’ve read the first five!

Well what started as a quick and cute read ended up a six book series that I grew to love very easily. The sixth and final installment in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series, Death and Dinuguan, reunites us with our favorite crew for one last banger in the cozy town of Shady Palms several months after the last book. This new book kicks us readers off with a wave of crimes targeted against women-owned businesses in Shady Palms, leading to the assault of local chocolatier Hana Lee. Queue Lila, family and friends to the rescue. Girl is over here being the best female version of Sherlock Holmes and I’m living for it.

Ugh and the amount of Filipino-American food culture (including recipes) that Mia gives us, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…she makes my mouth water. It’s also a really special thing that Mia gives us, you can tell food is a passion for her and it connects her to her culture and family. By her adding in these recipes and integrating food into most of the books including this one, feels like I’m very fortunate to have started this series and been a part of something that I normally wouldn’t have gone out of my way to read. Mia has made the mystery genre a bit more appealing to me with this witty and cozy read.

A shout out to our girl, Longganisa, she carried this series on her little back…practically breaking those four whittle wegs. She’s an angel, there is no room for debate. The one flaw of this book and it’s my own burden to bear is I needed more steam with Jae and Lila but Mia keeps everything PfrigginG, but good for her, I’m not mad…I think? Hahaha. No, in all sincerity, I enjoyed every single minute of this book and the series including, the characters and their dynamics and the unforgettable town full of gossip and those crazy but loving tita’s.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group.
4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing House for providing me with an advance reader's copy.

Firstly, this is one of my favourite series of all time, and I've loved every installment so far. I'm definitely sad to see the series wrap up and to say goodbye to Shady Palms. If you like cozy vibes, great food inspo, and a hella diverse cast of characters, this is the series for you!

As always, I love the beautiful friendships and community represented in these novels, along with the fascinating world of small-town rivalries and gossip. Every time I read about the Brew-ha Cafe, I feel such an urge to move to a middle-of-nowhere town to open a cafe of my own. The author does a fantastic job of making the reader feel like a part of the town and really brings all the different characters to life.

While I've loved the series, the books have gotten quite repetitive. If you've read any of the past Tita Rosie's, this one was pretty easy to predict. I would also have liked to spend more time expanding and growing the existing characters, rather than introducing a whole new set of people, knowing this is the final book in the series. It's hard to get invested in the investigation when it primarily centers around brand-new people. Additionally, all the new additions to the Shady Palms/Shelbyville community made it difficult to determine who or what was important. It felt like a lot was casually mentioned once or twice and then never addressed again. I also felt that the ending was rushed and somewhat thrown together in the last few pages of the book. The big reveal felt random and was kind of a letdown, given how many interesting options that were hinted at throughout the novel.

Look for my full review in Library Journal.
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Overall, I am sad to see this series come to a conclusion. I have loved the characters, the cozy feels of the town and the shared love of communicating through food and sharing a multicultural perspective.