Super Short Summary

In Mia P. Manansala's 2021 cozy mystery novel Arsenic and Adobo, Lila Macapagal moves back to Shady Palms, Illinois, after discovering her fiancé’s infidelity. Working in her family's restaurant, Tita Rosie’s Kitchen, Lila becomes the main suspect in the murder of her ex-boyfriend, food critic Derek Winter. Lila and her friends conduct their own investigation to clear her name and uncover the real culprit behind Derek's death. The novel explores the themes of economic vulnerability, family pressures, and the importance of food. The book includes references to racism, fatphobia, drug addiction, and drug overdose.