Calypso, corpses and cooking by Raquel V. Reyes
Name of Book: Calypso, corpses and cookingAuthor: Raquel V. Reyes
ISBN: 9781639101061
Publisher: Crooked Lane
Part of a Series: The Caribbean Kitchen Mysteries
Type of book: Florida, mid October to early November, cozy mystery, Spanglish, English, Spanish, cooking, poisonings, friendship, relationships, secrets
Year it was published: 2022
Summary:
It’s time for a savory soirée—but something sinister is stewing—in Raquel V. Reyes’s second delightful Caribbean Kitchen mystery, perfectly delicious for fans of Mia P. Manansala.
Fall festivities are underway in Coral Shores, Miami. Cuban-American cooking show star Miriam Quiñones-Smith wakes up to find a corpse in her front yard. The body by the fake tombstone is the woman that was kicked out of the school’s Fall Festival the day before.
Miriam’s luck does not improve. Her passive-aggressive mother-in-law puts her in charge of the Women’s Club annual gala. But this year, it’s not canapes and waltzes. Miriam and her girlfriends-squad opt for fun and flavor. They want to spice it up with Caribbean food trucks and a calypso band. While making plans at the country club, they hear a volatile argument between the new head chef and the club’s manager. Not long after, the chef swan dives to his death at the bottom of the grand staircase.
Was it an accident? Or was it Beverly, the sous chef, who is furious after being passed over for the job? Or maybe it was his ex-girlfriend, Anastasia?
Add two possible poisonings to the mix and Miriam is worried the food truck fun is going to be a major crash. As the clock ticks down and the body count goes up, Miriam’s life is put in jeopardy. Will she connect the dots or die in the deep freeze? Foodies and mystery lovers alike will savor the denouement as the truth is laid bare in this simmering stew of rage, retribution, and murder.
Main character includes Miriam Quinones-Smith, a highly successful cook of YouTube COOKING shows Cocina Caribena and Abuela Approved. In addition to her daytime jobs, she is also an amateur sleuth and loves helping police officers as well as finding out various information. Her nicknames include Veronica as well as Jessica Fletcher. She is married into one of the moneyed families of Coral Cove and she also has to put up with a racist mother-in-law who hates her as well as numerous friends and acquaintances who got her back in various situations.
Theme:
It takes a village to be successful
Plot:
The story is in first person narrative from Miriams point of view. I would highly guess that reading the previous novel, Mango, Mambo and Murder isn't required, I believe, although the plot does tie up with previous part. Most of the story takes place in late October to early November in Florida. I was pretty amazed at how much Miriam has to juggle on her plate, from her cooking show to a gala to solving mysteries as well as a surprising event. It was also awesome on how much support and help she has from her friends from picking up her son to getting true island style food for gala and so forth. If anything, friendship, solidarity and food are pretty big themes in this novel.
Author Information:
(From goodreads)
N/A
Opinion:
There is definitely plenty to love about the upcoming cozy mystery: the focus on different central American cultures in terms of food as well as how holiday of Las Dias de muertas is celebrated ( Day of the dead) there is also plenty of Spanish phrases and the novel definitely gives off a warm cozy feel of a woman being busy with her family and life. However, there are two things I didn't like: I understand the necessity of immersement and either not italicizing or providing meanings of words or phrases within the narrative, but I really don't want to go to Google each time I don't know a word or phrase, which kind of made my reading experience frustrating, so any solutions without the Google part? Also, a certain nation and it's people that I come from is portrayed as evil. I am used to seeing my nation portrayed as evil, filled with scary mafia, but I guess it is asking too much to see my nation without evilness being attached to it.
This was given for review
4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
Opinion:
There is definitely plenty to love about the upcoming cozy mystery: the focus on different central American cultures in terms of food as well as how holiday of Las Dias de muertas is celebrated ( Day of the dead) there is also plenty of Spanish phrases and the novel definitely gives off a warm cozy feel of a woman being busy with her family and life. However, there are two things I didn't like: I understand the necessity of immersement and either not italicizing or providing meanings of words or phrases within the narrative, but I really don't want to go to Google each time I don't know a word or phrase, which kind of made my reading experience frustrating, so any solutions without the Google part? Also, a certain nation and it's people that I come from is portrayed as evil. I am used to seeing my nation portrayed as evil, filled with scary mafia, but I guess it is asking too much to see my nation without evilness being attached to it.
This was given for review
4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
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