52 pages • 1 hour read
Arsenic and Adobo
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala was published in 2021. It is a cozy mystery novel with elements of romantic comedy. Manansala draws upon her personal experience growing up in Chicago to bring the setting of Arsenic and Adobo, Shady Palms, Illinois, to life. She also draws upon her Filipino heritage to educate and entertain readers who are not familiar with her culture. Arsenic and Adobo won a RUSA Award and is the first in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series by Manansala, which includes three more books. Manansala also won the 2021 Agatha Award for Best First Novel and was shortlisted for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery/Thriller. The novel explores race and socioeconomic class through themes of The Importance of Food, Economic Vulnerability and Labor Dynamics, and Familial Pressures and Personal Identity.
This guide cites the Berkley Prime Crime 2021 paperback edition.
Content Warning: This guide describes and discusses the source text’s treatment of racism, fatphobia, drug addiction, and drug overdose.
Plot Summary
Lila Macapagal moves back to her hometown, the fictional Shady Palms, Illinois, after discovering her fiancé is cheating on her.
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