Death and Dinuguan

By: Mia P. Manansala

Narrated by: Danice Cabanela

Love is in the air for the citizens of Shady Palms, but Cupid’s arrow isn’t the only thing striking the town—not with another killer on the loose.

Things are looking up for the Brew-ha Cafe, and Lila Macapagal can’t think of anything that could break the spell, especially with Valentine’s Day coming up—she can’t wait to celebrate with her boyfriend, Jae Park. Adding to the lovey-dovey atmosphere is Hana Lee, Shady Palms’s newest resident. She’s also Jae’s beloved cousin and chocolatier at Choco Noir, the latest addition to the town’s culinary offerings. Everything is coming into place for Hana, who left her old life in Minnesota behind to work at Choco Noir, owned by her best friend.

Unfortunately, beneath the sweet surface of Shady Palms runs a bitter undercurrent, as a series of attacks against women-owned businesses in the area escalates from petty theft to assault and murder when Hana is found knocked unconscious inside Choco Noir, and the chocolate shop owner is put out of business—for good.

With Hana left in a coma, a murderer hiding amongst them, and the safety of the women entrepreneurs of Shady Palms at risk, the Park brothers team up with the Brew-ha crew to put a stop to the villain before they strike again.

Critic reviews

"This final installment in Manansala’s cozy 'Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery' series will leave readers satisfied with more delicious Filipino and Filipino fusion recipes, another mystery solved, and beloved characters who find fulfillment."—Library Journal

"Readers who like their mysteries, like Brew-ha’s confections, crammed full of goodies, are likely to enjoy Manansala’s tale."—Kirkus

Farewell Calendar Crew

Death and Dinuguan was a solid 3/5 for me. It started strong and ended strong, but the middle definitely dragged. I kept wishing for more suspense around the actual murder mystery and a little less focus on the food; though to be fair, that is what this series has always been about, so I can’t be too mad at it.
As the final book, it wrapped things up nicely, even if the pacing wasn’t my favorite this time around. I’ll genuinely miss the calendar crew, Lila, and the whole gang. They’ve been such a fun, quirky group to follow, and saying goodbye to them feels like closing the door on a cozy little world I’ve been visiting for a while.

Tita Rosie fun

I loved this book. So sad to finish it. The characters feel like family. Can’t wait for the next.

A mediocre ending

So sad to see this series end and I have really enjoyed it overall especially being a Filipina American. I was so excited to get into this series but this last book was a bit weak and predictable. It was a bit of a letdown as an end to the series. But I will always recommend this series!

Does not disappoint.

I appreciate the emotional triggers warning and recipes at the end. Hard to put the book down. I love all the main characters. I’ve enjoyed the series and hope there will be more.