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by Raquel V. Reyes
Cuban-American cooking show star Miriam Quiñones-Smith becomes a seasoned sleuth in Raquel V. Reyes's Caribbean Kitchen Mystery debut, a savory treat for fans of Joanne Fluke and Jenn McKinlay.
Food anthropologist Miriam Quiñones-Smith's move from New York to Coral Shores, Miami, puts her academic career on hold to stay at home with her young son. Adding to her funk is an opinionated mother-in-law and a husband rekindling a friendship with his ex. Gracias to her best friend, Alma, she gets a short-term job as a Caribbean cooking expert on a Spanish-language morning TV show. But when the newly minted star attends a Women's Club luncheon, a socialite sitting at her table suddenly falls face-first into the chicken salad, never to nibble again.
When a second woman dies soon after, suspicions coalesce around a controversial Cuban herbalist, Dr. Fuentes--especially after the morning show's host collapses while interviewing him. Detective Pullman is not happy to find Miriam at every turn. After he catches her breaking into the doctor's apothecary, he enlists her help as eyes and ears to the places he can't access, namely the Spanish-speaking community and the tawny Coral Shores social scene.
As the ingredients to the deadly scheme begin blending together, Miriam is on the verge of learning how and why the women died. But her snooping may turn out to be a recipe for her own murder.
"The character-driven debut introduces a fresh protagonist." —Library Journal (starred review)
"Mango, Mambo, and Murder has everything you look for in a cozy mystery but also feels like a breath of fresh air ... Dig into this inviting, suspenseful feast for the senses." —BookPage (starred review)
"[A] refreshing debut and series launch ... [with] well-defined characters and [a] vibrant social scene. Mouthwatering recipes round out the volume." —Publishers Weekly
"It is refreshing to see the diversity of this story." —New York Journal of Books
"Featuring an appealing, whip-smart sleuth, and rich with the Latin culture and cuisine of south Florida, Mango, Mambo, and Murder is a delicious page-turner of a mystery. Me encantó. I loved it." —Ellen Byron, USA Today bestselling author of the Cajun Country Mysteries
"Mango, Mambo, and Murder is a spicy mystery rich with Caribbean food and an enchanting Cuban-American sleuth. A delightfully flavorful series debut from author Raquel V. Reyes." —Debra H. Goldstein, award winning author of the Sarah Blair mysteries
This information about Mango, Mambo, and Murder (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery) was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Raquel V. Reyes writes Latina protagonists. Her Cuban-American heritage, Miami, and Spanglish feature prominently in her work. Mango, Mambo, and Murder, the first in the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series, won a LEFTY for Best Humorous Mystery. It was nominated for an Agatha Award and optioned for film. Raquel's short stories appear in various anthologies, including The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2022. Find her across social media platforms as @LatinaSleuths and on her website LatinaSleuths.com
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