Blackmail and Bibingka
Mia P Manansala
288 pages
Berkley Books
Published October 4, 2022
Amazon | Goodreads
About the book:
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?
My Review
I really like this cozy series. There are diverse characters and the Filipino recipes in addition to the murder and mayhem. I enjoyed this one and finished it in a day. It started out a little slow but quickly picked up pace to steam roll to the end.
I am normally a bah humbug type person, but this is another book I’ve read that is set at Christmas time. And what goes better with Christmas then murder? Am I right thriller lovers? I like the writing style and that this cozy series continues to delve into the characters and make them well rounded. I also like that the book focuses on family and friendship as amateur sleuth Lila gets to the bottom of things.
Ronnie is a new addition to the family dynamic after ghosting his family. You’re left to wonder if he is a bad boy or just doing his own thing.
I am usually pretty good at guessing who did it in a cozy, but this one kept me guessing which is always a good thing.
While this is the third book in the series, you can easily read it as a stand alone. But I suggest reading the whole series.
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