murder-and-mamon-mia-p-manansala

Lila Macapagal’s godmothers April, Mae, and June—AKA the Calendar Crew—are celebrating the opening of their latest joint business venture, a new laundromat, to much fanfare (and controversy). However, what should’ve been a joyous occasion quickly turns into a tragedy when they discover the building has been vandalized—and the body of Ninang April’s niece, recently arrived from the Philippines, next to a chilling message painted on the floor. The question is, was the message aimed at the victim or Lila’s gossipy godmothers, who have not-so-squeaky-clean reputations?

With Ninang April falling apart from grief and little progress from the Shady Palms Police Department in this slippery case, it’s up to Lila and her network to find justice for the young woman.

The Calendar Crew have stuck their noses into everybody’s business for years, but now the tables are turned as Lila must pry into the Calendar Crew’s lives to figure out who has a vendetta against the (extremely opinionated yet loving) aunties and stop them before they strike again.


Release Date: Sep 19, 2023
Series: Tita Rosie’s Kitchen
Book: 4
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley 
Price: $11.99


Lila Macapagal is thrilled for her three godmothers, April, Mae, and June, affectionately known as the Calendar Crew. They are excited about opening a laundromat together, but someone in Shady Palms, Illinois, isn’t so happy about it. The laundromat is vandalized, and a threatening message is left next to the body of April’s niece, Davina, who is visiting from the Philippines. Nobody is sure if Davina made an enemy so soon after her arrival or if the Calendar Crew’s gossiping and meddling has finally caught up with them. It’s up to Lila to get to the truth of the matter to protect her family and to get justice for Davina.

Murder and Mamon is the fourth book in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series about a Filipino-American family living in a small town outside Chicago. Lila Macapagal is the main character, and she runs a cafe with her two friends, Adeena and Elena. Lila’s extended family plays a large role in the series and in this book in particular since her godmothers are at the center of the mystery. Davina is someone who was hard to like at first, but just when the young woman starts showing some vulnerabilities, making her easier to connect with, she is killed. I love that even though Lila didn’t love everything Davina did, including flirting with Lila’s boyfriend, she will not give up until she finds out who was responsible for Davina’s death.

Fans of this series will enjoy spending more time with these characters, but new readers can enjoy it just as much. I am happy that compared to the first book in this series, the tone of this book is much more positive, with Lila’s friends and family supporting Lila’s investigation. Just when you think you have figured out who the killer is, there is a twist that is very surprising. There are a few different recipes in the back for dishes that are discussed during the story. This book is my favorite in the series so far.

~ Christine

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