Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking (A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery #2) (Paperback)
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.
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.
Raquel V. Reyes was raised in oppositional cultures. Her early childhood was not unlike an I Love Lucy rerun with a heavy-accented, handsome Cuban father and a red-headed Southern mother whose smile brightened the room. A short story fan all her life, she has had stories published in several anthologies, including Mystery Most Theatrical, In the Midnight Hour, and Trouble No More. She lives in Miami, where she watches the waters for mermaids and leviathan.
Praise for Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking:
“Enjoyable . . . Fans of Mia P. Manansala’s Arsenic and Adobo will want to check this out.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Raquel V. Reyes has found the right recipe for an engrossing, light mystery that blends Cuban-American culture, a love of food and appealing characters.”
—South Florida Sun Sentinel
“Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking holds community, family, and the joy of food at the heart of it; keeping it immensely joyful, while being an incredibly fun read.”
—Latinx in Publishing
“A 'must read' for mystery buffs with an affinity for cozy mysteries and amateur women sleuths . . . Original and fun.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking will have readers turning the pages as quickly as possible.”
—Cozy Mystery Reviews
“Raquel V. Reyes successfully keeps the light-hearted tone and delightful fun on full display throughout.”
—Deadly Pleasures
Praise for Mango, Mambo, and Murder:
2022 LEFTY AWARD FOR BEST HUMOROUS MYSTERY NOVEL
“Raquel V. Reyes’s series debut, Mango, Mambo, and Murder, furthers my belief that the cozy mystery has become one of the most diverse, and most vibrant, in contemporary crime fiction.”
—The New York Times
"Mango, Mambo, and Murder has everything you look for in a cozy mystery but also feels like a breath of fresh air."
—BookPage, starred review
"A vibrant, diverse, LGBTQ-inclusive cast and Raquel Reyes’s deft balance of sensitive topics and frothy intrigue make this a standout."
—BookRiot
"Mystery fans will instantly be pulled into this one."
—Reader's Digest
“[A] refreshing debut and series launch . . . [with] well-defined characters and [a] vibrant social scene. Mouthwatering recipes round out the volume.”
—Publishers Weekly
“It is refreshing to see the diversity of this story.”
—New York Journal of Books
“The character-driven debut introduces a fresh protagonist.”
—Library Journal, starred review
“This series is now on my insta-buy list."
—Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo
“Raquel Reyes’ debut is as bright as the Miami sun and as satisfying as a big pot of sancocho, with a kick like a shot of Cuban coffee."
—Catriona McPherson, multi-award-winning author of the Last Ditch Motel series
“A delicious culinary cozy that serves up both mouthwatering Caribbean food and a fun, family-centered mystery."
—Gigi Pandian, award-winning author of the Accidental Alchemist Mysteries
“Enjoyable . . . Fans of Mia P. Manansala’s Arsenic and Adobo will want to check this out.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Raquel V. Reyes has found the right recipe for an engrossing, light mystery that blends Cuban-American culture, a love of food and appealing characters.”
—South Florida Sun Sentinel
“Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking holds community, family, and the joy of food at the heart of it; keeping it immensely joyful, while being an incredibly fun read.”
—Latinx in Publishing
“A 'must read' for mystery buffs with an affinity for cozy mysteries and amateur women sleuths . . . Original and fun.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking will have readers turning the pages as quickly as possible.”
—Cozy Mystery Reviews
“Raquel V. Reyes successfully keeps the light-hearted tone and delightful fun on full display throughout.”
—Deadly Pleasures
Praise for Mango, Mambo, and Murder:
2022 LEFTY AWARD FOR BEST HUMOROUS MYSTERY NOVEL
“Raquel V. Reyes’s series debut, Mango, Mambo, and Murder, furthers my belief that the cozy mystery has become one of the most diverse, and most vibrant, in contemporary crime fiction.”
—The New York Times
"Mango, Mambo, and Murder has everything you look for in a cozy mystery but also feels like a breath of fresh air."
—BookPage, starred review
"A vibrant, diverse, LGBTQ-inclusive cast and Raquel Reyes’s deft balance of sensitive topics and frothy intrigue make this a standout."
—BookRiot
"Mystery fans will instantly be pulled into this one."
—Reader's Digest
“[A] refreshing debut and series launch . . . [with] well-defined characters and [a] vibrant social scene. Mouthwatering recipes round out the volume.”
—Publishers Weekly
“It is refreshing to see the diversity of this story.”
—New York Journal of Books
“The character-driven debut introduces a fresh protagonist.”
—Library Journal, starred review
“This series is now on my insta-buy list."
—Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo
“Raquel Reyes’ debut is as bright as the Miami sun and as satisfying as a big pot of sancocho, with a kick like a shot of Cuban coffee."
—Catriona McPherson, multi-award-winning author of the Last Ditch Motel series
“A delicious culinary cozy that serves up both mouthwatering Caribbean food and a fun, family-centered mystery."
—Gigi Pandian, award-winning author of the Accidental Alchemist Mysteries