Book Club “Arsenic and Adobo”
For February, we chose a cozy mystery that we felt certain to love. We heard this culinary cozy reinvigorated the genre and would make us laugh. We were eager to pick it up and begin reading.
Book
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala
Description:
The first book in a new culinary cozy series full of sharp humor and delectable dishes—one that might just be killer....
When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She's tasked with saving her Tita Rosie's failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case.
With the cops treating her like she's the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila's left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block…
Club
Snack suggestions:
The snack suggestions for this meeting is easy since the book includes recipes!
We whipped up “Tita Rosie’s Chicken Adobo” and “Lila’s Ube Crinkles Recipe” that were included in the book, which we greatly enjoyed.
Check out Cozy Crimes’ book club questions that can be used for any mystery.
Here are our questions targeted to “Arsenic and Adobo”:
1. How did food play an integral part of this story, both in regards to the murder and the character’s daily lives?
2. Have you read other culinary mysteries before? What are elements of the genre that can be seen in this book?
3. How does family come into play within the story?
4. Lila returns to Shady Palms at a crossroad period of her life. How does her past and her confusion about the future affect her decisions?
5. Several crimes occurred within the book. Did you suspect they were all integrated or not? What surprised you within the mystery?
6. Who were you most suspicious of at different points of the book?
7. What are your thoughts on the potential love triangle?
8. What did you think about the murder method?
9. Who is your favorite character? How helpful were they in helping Lila investigate?
10. Which food dishes described in the book would you like to eat in real life? Do you plan on attempting the accompanying recipes?
