I've read every book in the A Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series so I was especially excited to see the latest installment on NetGalley. My expectations were high based on the above, but I felt as a finale that Death and Dinuguan missed the mark.

I felt there wasn't much character development to mark the closure of the series. I didn't get a sense of what would happen next for the main characters for the most part, especially given the amount of time the author spends on the main cast's adventures. The mystery wasn't very captivating and I felt that the conclusion was very rushed. Personally, I would've enjoyed more time spent on the mystery than the musings of the main characters. I couldn't wrap my head around some of the superfluous details, wishing they were omitted. I always appreciate a good epilogue so I'd have liked seeing how everything came together for this crew at a later point in time.

All in all, I'm sad to see this series end, but I would like to see more of Mia P. Manansala's work. I appreciate NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this ARC.

Berkley eARC
I am so sad this series is over. What am I going to do without a new Lila story every year?! This mystery was like all the others: complex, intriguing, layered, yet realistic. I love how this family and chosen family work together to solve murders. After this many books, I love and appreciate the depth of the relationships here between these characters. The mysteries were always realistic, and I liked how the investigation showed how this community can rely on each other. Manansala also knows how to pull everything together right at the perfect moment to keep the reader engaged throughout. I suspected so many people. I can’t wait to see where she goes next!

I really enjoyed this series when it began, but the last edition and this one definitely were not as strong as the previous 4. Too many comments about what food goes with what drinks and everyone seemingly agreeing with each other. And the victim miraculously wakes up and everything goes back to normal or better. It definitely tied up the majority of the loose ends, but also felt like the series should have been a trilogy or 4 books instead of this longer series.

I’m so sad that this is the last book in tita Rosie’s kitchen mysteries… like the other books in this series, I really enjoyed it! Being Filipino American, these books gave me a sense of home with all the mentions of foods and family. Mia does a great job as always, keeping me guessing throughout the entire book! Every time I felt like I knew what was going on or who committed the crime, I didn’t lol. I’m going to miss the brew-has, the calendar crew, tita Rosie and Lola floor, and of course longganisa! Thank you so much Mia for these amazing books, they’re a huge reason why I started reading again! I can’t wait to read more from you soon.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing House for this ARC.
It was a nice conclusion to the series. As with the other books it feels like the author is trying their best to impart some helpful wisdom while staying close to the plot. It did feel like I was working during some of the scenes but I wasn’t bothered by the details.

Thoroughly enjoyed this finale to the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen mystery series! Felt so lucky to get an early copy :) Manansala truly embraces her theme of small-business culture, diversity and strong community driven by absolutely delicious-sounding food. So much so in fact that I almost felt the mystery taking a backseat to the general awesomeness of the diverse, charming women-owned local businesses of Shady Palms and Shelbyville eager to try new ideas and collaborations.

That being said, the mystery was still a good one! This one hit much closer to home because the victim is Lila’s boyfriend’s sister Hana, who recently relocated to the town for a fresh start. She and her partner are attacked in what appears to be the latest in a string of burglaries in the area, and of course the Shady Palms PD is not doing enough so Lila and Co are on the case. It was a bit of a slow start for me, but I barreled through the last half as the mystery got going and I started picking up clues.

I have enjoyed every single book in this series and feel like I have watched Lila, her friends and the Shady Palms community grow into something wonderful. I really wish I could go visit and be fed by Tita Rosie and Lola Flor! I hope to come across a proper Filipino place someday so I can try some of the treats I’ve read so much about.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sending this DRC for review consideration.

This was another great installment in the Tita Rosie's series. Lila is a great protagonist and I have loved following her adventures. I am sad that the series is ending, but it goes out on a high note. The mystery kept me guessing and Manasala's writing really kept me turning the page. I love the characters and world that she created and I wish that I could visit the Brew-ha Cafe myself. I look forward to more books by this author in the future, even if the characters are different.

I love these books so much. The characters are comforting and familiar and the story itself is always fun. This was a perfect read for a staycation. I'm excited to try out a couple of the recipes as well.

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC of "Death and Dinuguan."
This cozy mystery series is one of the first ones I've read that made me fall in love with the genre. The mysteries started off strong, but started showing signs of fatigue at the fourth book, so much that I didn't read the fifth one. When I heard this book would be the final one in the series I decided to read it.
The mystery itself was kind of predictable, but all the hallmarks of Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries were there, including the numerous food descriptions, small town community, close proximity of family and friends, and of course, the weiner dog. Overall, it was a pleasant read and a nice send off for Lila and the gang in Shady Palms. Three and a half stars.

I have been a fan of the Tita Rosie's mystery series and the characters of Lila, Adeena, Elena, Jae and everyone else in Shady Palms. Sad to see the series is ending and the author ends the series on a hopeful and uplifting note. The mystery is secondary to the bonds between Lila and her family, friends, co-workers and boyfriend. There is comedy but also serious topics discussed as treatment of women, women being targeted, threats, murder, etc. I enjoyed this book very much and it is a fitting end to a series that helped give under-served voices representation in the mystery field

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing House for providing me with this ARC. This book was just okay; I've only read one other book in this series, "Arsenic and Adobo" but I didn't enjoy this one as much. Since this is Book #6 in the series, I felt as though too much focus was placed on describing food concoctions and background information of all the characters that I would expect from the first book in a series but not the sixth. Some scenes in the book just felt random and didn't add anything to the actual mystery they were trying to solve. As a Filipino-American myself, I did appreciate the references to Filipino culture throughout this book just like I did with "Arsenic and Adobo", but for this being a murder mystery book the plot fell short for me.

The female business owners in Shady Palm's seem to have a target on their back with the unusal string of burglaries at their businesses. Afraid and frustrated, they are not sure where to turn. Things get worse when a new female business in town is the latest victim - in more than just lost of property. One of the female owners is dead and the other is in the hospital. The Park Brothers, the Brew-ha crew, the Aunties, and others are all shaken as the female owner in the hospital is Jae's relative. This case hits close to home. There is a feeling that the Chamber of Commerce and the police are no use. There is fear and concern because it's not known when or where a burglary will happen and if it will again result in injuries/fatalities.

As the Lila works with everyone to solve who hurt Jae's relative, killed the relatives partner and is behind the burglaries, she is working through her own concerns and feelings. Happily the Lila and crew, have learned their lesson from previous investigations. They have check-ins, they don't go alone, and they avoid the typical TSTL scenarios. The case is very systematically and cautiously investigated. That for me, meant that the story moved a slower pace with more reflection. 

With the introduction of Vinny, we are treated to more descriptions of the Filipino food (recipes from the book can be found on the author's website) as it is new to him. Speaking of Vinny, very two dimensional for me, probably purposely done and I missed it. He's not the only character this is the case for. I really enjoy how there are is so much diversity in gender, ethnicity and sexual preference. The characters are not stereotypical nor caricatures of themselves. 

Regarding the mystery, it was slow going. Not sure all the reasonings and such were given with the somewhat rushed and unsatisfying ending. Also, timing was a bit off to me. It seemed the number of weeks was miscounted, or it could be I missed counted, either way it gave me pause.

Reading the acknowledgments at the end some of what I was feeling throughout the story began to make sense. I didn't know going into the story that this was the final book. Having read from book 1 Arsenic and Adobo, I will miss the escapades of Lila and the Brew-ha crew. 

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I will miss reading about the adventures of the characters in the small town of Shady Palms.

Happy Reading!

Oof. I’ve been with this series from the start and really wanted to love this final book, but Death and Dinuguan felt more like a tedious family reunion than a mystery novel.

First off, there are way too many characters. Every single person who’s ever stepped foot in Shady Palms shows up to say something vaguely useful or sentimental, and honestly? I couldn’t keep them straight. It felt like I was reading a yearbook, not a novel. Every new chapter seemed to go, “Remember so-and-so? Here’s their updated life story!” Like, girl, we are six books deep. I remember, I swear. No need for the Wikipedia summary.

Second, the massive data dump of character backstories was a slog. I get it. you want to give everyone a little send-off, but it completely killed the pacing. By the time we got to the actual mystery, I was exhausted and just wanted someone as in anyone to get arrested so we could wrap it up.

Third (and this one hurt), it just didn’t feel like the author’s heart was in it this time. The plot was flat, the sleuthing barely happened, and Lila was mostly just listening to other people explain things. I miss the scrappy energy of the earlier books. This one felt like everyone including the authorwas ready to call it a day and get the heck out of shady palms

That said, I still appreciate the cozy vibes, the Filipino food and super strong LGBTQ+ rep'n But as a finale? Meh. I’ll remember this series fondly…but probably not this book.

This is the last book in the series, and I think that's a good decision by the author. While the first few were fresh and entertaining, the stories have turned into a bit of a slog. Death and Dinuguan just didn't have much going for it. It reintroduced a lot of characters, giving each person's backstory AGAIN; chances are, if you pick up the 6th (?) book in a series, you've read the others and don't need an exhaustive history of main characters. Of course, there are so many characters to keep track of that maybe the author felt the reminder was necessary. In any case, the plot was thin, the mystery was barely there, and there's only so much drama that can be manufactured in a perfect little town. I do appreciate the representation of so many ethnic groups and LGBTQ+ characters, not to mention the fantastic descriptions of filipino food (and recipes). The book (and whole series, really) shines in those areas. It's just not a good mystery story.

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Death and Dinuguan will be published on November 25, 2025.

My good friend and co-worker introduced me to the Tita Rosie mystery series a couple of years ago and I am so glad she did! The series is like devouring your favorite comfort food: almost always consistent and you can come back to it no matter what. There is a familiar format with how the plot goes and has you guessing towards the end, but that's what make the books so great. Friendship and family play an important part of the novels, especially for Lila, the female protagonist, who lost her parents prior to the start of the series. We continue to see Lila grow over time as a person who is welcoming to everyone that comes to Shady Palms. It has come to the point where she has a network of female business owners & go getters where they collaborate with each other (women supporting other women). I did not realize that this would be the last book of the series, but glad it will not be stretched out just to continue the series. All good things must come to an end.

I have been reading this series since it first came out with Arsenic and Adobo. I loved the characters from the start and devoured the first two books. What I did like: The premise of the mystery was interesting and was enough to keep me guessing. The culprit was clever but how it was solved was abrupt.

This book, a bit a lot better than Guilt and Ginataan, but the pacing felt really sporadic.

The sudden murder, and then the process of solving the case felt slow. There was so much focus on their food concoctions, business and retelling of backgrounds for every single character. I felt overwhelmed by the number of people that were making appearances. There was some connection to EVERY single previous character from the past books and it was a lot. I felt like I was trapped in Lila's inner monologue over every single thing that was going. I understand it's first-person but it just felt like Lila was just telling me what was happening, and it was a lot of characters telling Lila and the reader what is going on, rather than sleuthing going on. There were a lot of scenes that felt so random in the book, and the overall story from a bigger picture felt discombobulated. At one point she made a phone call to a character, and that was it. It was 2 paragraphs of plot that had no connection to the mystery at all. Also, the series is called Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery, and Tita Rosie had since become more and more of a background character as the series carried on.

For a final book, I wanted so much more for the ending. Perhaps we saw so many characters because it was the last book, but overall.. I was a bit disappointed in this final installment.

I would give this 3/5 mainly for nostalgia and appreciation of the concept, characters and story. But this was not one of my faves from this author.

Am I sad to say goodbye to my favorite cozy mystery series? Yes, I am. I wasn’t fully prepared to say goodbye until I started reading the Death and Dinuguan dedication page. And I cherished every bit of Death and Dinuguan. I truly didn't want to say goodbye, but it felt right to do so. Everything was tied up in the end, but the beginning and the middle were just a bit messy as usual. Let’s talk about Lila’s final mystery journey.

Before I continue any further, please read the series in order. It can’t be read as a standalone since the past cases come into play. Definitely check out the trigger warning beforehand as well. There are heavy topics discussed, so please be informed.

While Lila has been through a lot as she investigated cases, she finally has her peace with her relationship. Things are finally looking up, but you know as well as I know that things don’t always go as planned. And things are closer to home when the case involves Jae’s cousin, Hana Lee.

While I am sad to say goodbye to Lila and the murder mystery, I am beyond happy that she finally found her peace when she returned to her hometown. It was a bit hard in the beginning, but now, Lila has found her work calling and a boyfriend that she loves so much. It just hurts that Lila would need to step up again and start investigating again. Lila isn’t about solving murder cases anymore, but she is more than ready to solve this case because it’s close to home. And I love that Lila is always willing to put in her all for those she cares about. We get one last investigation.

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.