Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking by Raquel V. Reyes

Series Name: Caribbean Kitchen Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy
Release: October 11, 2022

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.

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Dru’s Short Musing:
There is no sophomore slump for this author with the second book in her devilish delectably delicious mouthwatering foray in the latest adventures with Miriam and her sleuthing.

This fast-paced and well-written drama have me immediately immersed in all aspect, quickly becoming a page-turner as I had to know how this was going to end. The author knows how to set the stage that kept me in the game with a solid mystery plot and a smattering of suspects that left nothing to chance. When I thought I had a handle on who was doing what to whom, the author changed direction all to increase my reading pleasure. As the story progressed, we learned more about the victim and how the suspects fit into their lives. It was the little bits here and there of the puzzle, that would eventually lead to the killer’s identity and the motive. What I liked best was the visually descriptive narrative, the engaging dialogue and the close-knit friends and family that helped Miriam as she sought clues in her search for a killer, while the conversations made the book come alive for me. A great read and I look forward to the next book in the delightfully entertaining series.

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.