Review: Death and Dinuguan by Mia P. Manansala

Love is in the air for the citizens of Shady Palms, but Cupid’s arrow isn’t the only thing striking the town—not with another killer on the loose.

Things are looking up for the Brew-ha Cafe, and Lila Macapagal can’t think of anything that could break the spell, especially with Valentine’s Day coming up—she can’t wait to celebrate with her boyfriend, Jae Park. Adding to the lovey-dovey atmosphere is Hana Lee, Shady Palms’s newest resident. She’s also Jae’s beloved cousin and chocolatier at Choco Noir, the latest addition to the town’s culinary offerings. Everything is coming into place for Hana, who left her old life in Minnesota behind to work at Choco Noir, owned by her best friend.

Unfortunately, beneath the sweet surface of Shady Palms runs a bitter undercurrent, as a series of attacks against women-owned businesses in the area escalates from petty theft to assault and murder when Hana is found knocked unconscious inside Choco Noir, and the chocolate shop owner is put out of business—for good.

With Hana left in a coma, a murderer hiding amongst them, and the safety of the women entrepreneurs of Shady Palms at risk, the Park brothers team up with the Brew-ha crew to put a stop to the villain before they strike again.

• Title: Death and Dinuguan
• Author:  Mia P. Manansala
• Publisher: Berkley
• Publication Date: November 25th, 2025
• Genre: Cozy Mystery 
• Targeted Age Range: Adult
• Content Warnings: stalking, child illness, misogyny, sexual harassment, physical violence, mentions of past emotional abuse, and death of a spouse (happened in the past; death is not on the page)
• Rating: ★★★★

If you’ve been on the blog for a hot second, then you know that the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series by Mia P. Manasala means a lot to me. This series has made me feel connected to my Filipino roots, brought me much comfort, had me craving lots of delicious food and tea, and oftentimes felt like having a little piece of my grandmother with me. I always look forward to the next release in the series, so of course I was excited to read Death and Dinuguan but I am very sad that the series is coming to an end with its release.

Throughout the previous 5 books I’ve grown very attached to Lila, Tita Rosie, Adeena, Elena, Jae and of course her sweet pup Longganisa. I think that the strength of this series is the characters and their relationships. I’ve loved seeing how Lila has grown throughout the series and the way that the relationships between Lila and her family and friends have grown and changed. The sense of community is what I really love about this series, and I really felt that in Death and Dinuguan. 

With each book, Manansala introduces you to new characters who fit perfectly into the story and reminds you of why you love the main characters so much. I especially loved the introduction of Jae’s niece, Aria. She was so sweet and adorable. I’ve been very into books with adorable little kids in them as of late, so I was loving Aria and wished there were even more scenes with her in the book. As a musical theatre girlie myself, I loved how much Aria loves musical theatre, and that she would make Jae perform The Phantom of the Opera with her (she was Phantom, he was Christine, but she provided the vocals for both roles). And I loved Adeena freaking out about musical theatre with Aria. Those moments were just so cute and brought me so much joy. I think Manansala does a wonderful job of adding in light and humor to her books, even when we’re dealing with very serious subject matter such as murder.

I do think that 6 books into the series the general formula and mysteries are a little predictable, but I will be completely honest with you when I say that it doesn’t really bother me too much in this case. Was it fairly easy to figure out what was going on? Yes. Though I will say there was one part of the reveal that I was surprised Manansala went with and I wasn’t mad about it. Whenever I’m picking up a Tita Rosie’s Kitchen book, I’m looking for a comforting and cozy small-town mystery, and that is what they always deliver!

The Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries series is the perfect thing to pick up if you’re looking for a cozy, small-town mystery series filled with comfort, support, shenanigans and of course, delicious treats. I can’t recommend this series more highly, and now, you can read all of the books back to back. Though fair warning, maybe have a snack or two on hand while you do!

Links for Death and Dinuguan: Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop