Staff Picks: Culinary Mysteries
by walkerk
Culinary mysteries are centered around food and drink and sometimes the books even come with recipes! I didn't know this was a sub-genre of mystery, and I was thrilled to find more books that fit the bill. If you're interested in trying a good culinary mystery, here's a small list to get you started:
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala | Request Now
When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, she's tasked with saving her Tita Rosie's failing restaurant. 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.
This is a book that makes you hungry by proxy with mouth-watering descriptions of Filipino food (some of which have recipes available at the end of the book). As the first book in the series, Manansala fills the pages with charismatic locals in a small town, sharp humor that kept readers laughing, well-meaning but interfering relatives, and a warm-hearted friendship between Lila and Adeena. If you like this clever book and want more, the next in the series is Homicide and Halo-Halo.
A Deadly Inside Scoop by Abby Collette | Request Now
Recent MBA grad Bronwyn Crewse has just taken over her family's ice cream shop, and she's going back to basics. Wyn renovates Crewse Creamery, but unexpected construction delays means she misses the summer season. The shop opens on a snowy day, keeping customers away. To make matters worse, Wyn finds a body in the snow, and it turns out that the dead man was a grifter who had an old feud with the Crewse family. Soon, Wyn's father is implicated in his death. It's not easy juggling a new-to-her business while solving crime, but Wyn is determined to do it with the help of her tight-knit family.
Often described as a light, warm, adorable, and entertaining read, this book mostly follows Wyn and her close-knit family and friends, as well as the compelling mystery at hand. Many readers have been absolutely delighted by characters such as Wyn's grandfather—PopPop—, the familial relationships, and the lack of a forced romance. Some people have described this as slow to get into given the focus on the family's background, but overall enjoyable.
Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien | Request Now
After a brutal breakup and a dramatic workplace walk-out, Lana Lee figures that waiting tables at her family's restaurant is her best option for putting her life back together. Soon, the restaurant's property manager—Mr. Feng—turns up dead after a delivery of shrimp dumpling. But how could this have happened when everyone on staff knew about his severe, life-threatening shellfish allergy? Now, with a whole restaurant under suspicion for murder and the local media in a frenzy—to say nothing of the gorgeous detective who keeps turning up for take-out—it's up to Lana to find out who is behind Feng's killer order before her own number is up.
Described as a lighthearted title, many readers found this book hard to put down. Lana Lee is comical and sassy, and Chien does a great job of painting personalities, filling the story with diverse and engaging characters. This is a great light and fun read with enough twists to keep the story engaging. If you find that you like it, there are several other books in the series, the next being Dim Sum of All Fears.
Mango, Mambo, and Murder by Raquel V. Reyes | Request Now
Food anthropologist Miriam Quiñones-Smith's move from New York to Coral Shores, Miami, is traumatic enough without having to deal with her son's toddler tantrums and her husband's midlife crisis. Her best friend, Alma, adds some spice into Miriam's life when she offers her a job as an on-air cooking expert on a Spanish-language morning TV show. But when Miriam attends a Women's Club luncheon, a socialite sitting at her table suddenly falls face-first into the chicken salad. Detective Pullman learns that the socialite's death resulted from a drug overdose—and an anonymous tip fingers Alma as the pusher. Pullman persuades Miriam to ply her culinary know-how and her understanding of Coral Shores's Caribbean culture to help find the killer and clear Alma's name.
This book features Cuban culture and cuisine while immersing us in Miami. Reyes' writing is described as conversational and fluid, with a believable cast of characters that brings the story to life. Some readers particularly enjoyed following a mother struggling to find herself in a new home and working to carve out a space of her own.
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