Guilt and Ginataan

Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery #5

by Mia P. Manansala

Autumn is in full swing for the town of Shady Palms—the perfect time for warm drinks, cozy cardigans, and…dead bodies?

The annual Shady Palms Corn Festival is one of the town’s biggest moneymakers, drawing crowds from all over the Midwest looking to partake in delicious treats, local crafts, and of course, the second largest corn maze in Illinois. Lila Macapagal and her Brew-ha Cafe crew, Adeena Awan and Elena Torres, are all too happy to participate in the event and even make a little wager on who can make it through the corn maze the fastest—but their fun is suddenly cut short when a dead body is found in the middle of the maze…and an unconscious Adeena lies next to it, clutching a bloody knife.

The body is discovered to be a local politician’s wife, and all signs—murder weapon included—point to Adeena as the culprit. But Lila knows her best friend couldn’t have done this, so she and her crew put on their sleuthing caps yet again to find the killer who framed Adeena and show them what happens when they mess with a Brew-ha…

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Cozy, Contemporary

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 12, 2024

About the author

Mia P. Manansala is a book coach and the author of ARSENIC AND ADOBO (Berkley 2021), the first in the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series.

She uses humor (and murder) to explore aspects of the Filipino diaspora, queerness, and her millennial love for pop culture.

She is the winner of the 2018 Hugh Holton Award, the 2018 Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award, the 2017 William F. Deeck - Malice Domestic Grant for Unpublished Writers, and the 2016 Mystery Writers of America/Helen McCloy Scholarship. She's also a 2017 Pitch Wars alum and 2018-2020 mentor.

A lover of all things geeky, Mia spends her days procrastibaking, playing JRPGs and dating sims, reading cozy mysteries, and dreaming of becoming best buds with Wonder Woman and Kamala Khan.

When she’s not sassing her ever-so-patient husband, she’s cuddling her dogs Max Power and Bayley Banks (bonus points to those who get the name references) at her home just outside of Chicago.

Mia is quite the joiner, as she is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Color, Banyan: Asian American Writers Collective, the Chicago Writers Association, and the Chicago Nerd Social Club.


Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @MPMtheWriter

Or check out her website: www.miapmanansala.com

Represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency

Reviews

[Mai H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think my time with Lila has come to an end. While I enjoyed revisiting this cast of characters, she and her friends no longer bring me any joy, as none of them seem to have learned anything on their many adventures. The dog propaganda is also at an all-time high.

There was an obvious choice for the killer, which obviously didn't turn out to be the killer, and a less obvious choice which I thought was rather obvious. As I hate the twists that come from domestic thrillers, this makes cozies a welcome change, but there also things about cozies I dislike. They feel like palate cleansers, just one step above a Christian romance in the scheme of things, and as I'd never touch of one of those, I think it's time to let this go.

That's not to say my time here was all bad. I enjoy the Park brothers, and Lila's aunties for the most part. Sometimes they fat shame her, which is prevalent in Asian culture. This doesn't make things right.

Another thing that bothers me, and I counted it twice now, is that someone isn't vegetarian if they sometimes eat seafood. They are pescatarians that eat seafood sparingly. For a series centered on food, there are a few food things that bother me. This is just the one I remember now.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome back to Shady Palms for another cozy mystery filled with mouth-watering Filipino recipes, entertaining dialogues, and the sweet romance between Lila Macapagal and Jae! This addictive combination keeps me coming back for more. As long as Mia P. Manansala writes new books in this series, I’ll remain a devoted fan!

This time, the story begins at Shady Palm’s Corn Festival, organized in collaboration with Shelbyville despite the ongoing rivalry between the towns and their mayors. How dangerous can a tour in a corn maze be? Our gang experiences it firsthand when a race through the maze ends in tragedy. Shelbyville’s Mayor Reyer’s wife, Yvonne, is found dead on the cornfield ground, and Adeena, Lila’s best friend and work partner, is found unconscious next to her, clutching a bloody knife that appears to be the murder weapon.

This raises questions: Who killed the politician’s wife, and why frame Adeena? As always, Lila is compelled to sharpen her detective skills, teaming up with her family and retired detective Park (who is now her aunt’s boyfriend) to find the real perpetrator and save her friend. However, when the political wheels of the system and bureaucracy get in their way, and powerful people insist on blaming Adeena, the stakes rise, putting the entire gang in more danger than they anticipated.

This was another fast-paced, highly enjoyable read for me! I wish someone would bring these mouth-watering food and drink recipes to life by opening a Lila-themed café in real life. I would be their number one customer, sampling the entire menu until my stomach couldn't take any more! The combination of Filipino cuisine, cozy mystery, and the Jae-Lila love story is one you don’t want to miss! I look forward to their next adventure!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with the digital review copy of this amazing series’ latest book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guilt and Ginataan is the latest installment in Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries, where an dessert-making business owner is an amateur sleuth. Thanks to all her aunties, friends, and copy buddies, she's often in the middle of a murder mystery. In this case, her bestie, Adeena, is found standing with a knife over the dead body a woman who flirted with Adeena's girlfriend. Revenge? Jealousy? Something more deeply hidden? Toss in a mayor from a neighboring town who is seemingly perfect but has a darker side we get to know further into the book. Drama! Less time with the aunties, more time with new friends, but still chock full of great dessert ideas and new foods from different cuisines to savor. Mystery was good but ended way too abruptly without enough explanation.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5-stars**

Guilt and Ginataan is the 5th-installment of Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries by Mia P. Manansala. This is a Culinary Cozy series, which I have enjoyed since the very start.



This series follows Lila Macapagal and is set in the small town of Shady Palms. It is full of food, fun and family. I've enjoyed getting to know Lila, her quirky family and loyal friends over the course of these 5-books.

This mystery takes place during the annual Shady Palms Corn Festival, which is a big money-maker for local small businesses. Lila and the Brew-Ha Cafe crew are participating and looking forward to being a part of all the festivities.

Their festive spirits are quickly cut short however, after someone is murdered in the corn maze, and Lila's best friend, and business partner, Adeena, found with a knife, ends up as the number one suspect.



Lila knows that Adeena could never hurt someone, let alone kill them, and she won't rest until she's able to clear her friend's name and discover the identity of the real killer.

This is a solid mystery. I was so happy to be back with Lila, her sweet dachshund, and her friends. For me though, this lost a bit of the fun cozy-feel that I had relished so much in the earlier installments.

I'm not sure if it is just me, maybe the original magic is gone for me somewhat, or if it is actually written differently, but major portions of this felt so forced, particularly the dialogue. It kept knocking me out of the story.



It didn't feel like the warm hug I had felt from the earlier books. Perhaps it's because Lila's family doesn't play as big of a role in this one as they have in the earlier installments, this is more friendship-focused, and maybe I missed the warmth of the family connections.

With this being said, I did still find it entertaining and I do still love the characters. I'm not sure what the plans are for this series, but let me be clear, if there is a 6th-book, I will definitely be picking it up. Unfortunately, though, this is my least favorite of the series thus far.



I would recommend this series to Readers who love food, cooking, or Culinary Mysteries. There's always quite a bit of food talk, including mouth-watering descriptions and there are always recipes included at the end; a nice touch.

As the series develops, and you learn more about each of the characters and watch their relationships grow and blossom, it would be hard not to fall in love with them. Shady Pines is one of those towns, though quaint and cozy, there always seems to be some nefarious things going down.

I love this type of mystery as a way to break up my darker reads, and Mia P. Manansala has firmly implanted herself on my auto-read author list.



Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am excited to hear if there are going to be further books in this series. I'm all in, if so!

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I love this series, my problem with this book was that it attempted to include every single character from the past books, which made it really littered with a lot of side characters that I honestly didn’t remember enough to care about. It’s okay to let each book focus on its own bubble of characters and storylines. Additionally, the most interesting side plot, the interpersonal relationship between Lila and Elena going rocky, never got resolved. What was Elena’s issue?? I was waiting the entire book to hear it get hashed out and it never did.

[Jan Agaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

im just glad longanisa is okay

[Rosario Cook · Rating 2 out of 5]

I typically love this author. As a Filipina myself. I appreciate the cultural references in Mia’s books - from the recipes, to the honorifics to the strong sense of family. I am not sure what happened with this novel but it was not well written at all. The plot dragged on, the characters weren’t well developed and the ending was horrible. Again, I would give all the other books in this series 4 stars or higher. I hope the author is doing okay and I wonder if she was rushed into completing this novel as it is not up to her typical standards. Maybe going forward, the timing of these novels should be spaced out a little more (ie. A new novel should come out once every 18 months instead of every year). The extra time may provide the author with the time to go back to the plot developments that were showcased in her earlier novels.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun adventure with Lila and her friends. This was chock full of the food references that I crave but something about Lila in this one rubbed me the wrong way. While I’m glad the mystery moved out of Shady Palms and into another town, the plot itself was not as interesting and felt like it just plodded along and then suddenly it was all wrapped up. Good addition to the series but not my favorite. Still, I will continue with the series.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series holds a special place in my heart, and I'm always excited to see a new installment. In Guilt and Ginataan Mia P. Manansala is bringing us all the fall murder-y vibes and Lila and her crew are on the case! This time her friend Adeena has been implicated in a murder and it's up to the Brew-ha Café ladies (with a little help from the police of course) to figure out who the culprit really is while at the same time repairing their friendship. There is lots of drama, lots of yummy food, and lots of suspects to choose from!

I always listen to the audiobooks and am thrilled to say Danice Cabanela was back for book five. I think she does the best job as the voice of Lila and if they ever move to someone else, I might actually cry. 😅 I can’t believe this is the fifth book with these wonderful characters, and I enjoyed the mystery as well as getting to know them even better. There are triggers but never fear because they are listed in the front of the book! There is also another fantastic recipe section at the back that will make your mouth water as much as all the food throughout the book. The best part is this series can be read out of order if you wish, without losing the integrity of the storyline. Read this if you are looking for a way to fall into fall (sorry 🤣), love cozy mysteries with multidimensional characters, and enjoy female sleuths who figure out the culprit one way or another.

Thank you to the publishers and Get Red PR for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

[Anastasia Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel bombarded with all the food descriptions in the beginning. It's self-indulgent and doesn't add anything to the story. I hope this book will be more like Blackmail and Bibingka and not like Murder and Mamon.

The "journalist with zero morals or decency" trope is really annoying. It is everywhere and is such an unnecessary, illogical stereotype. As a former journalist, reporters have to be respectful; otherwise, why would anyone want to give them information? They are not tabloids or paparazzi. Journalistic integrity is not a throwaway joke. Newspapers can get sued for publishing false information.

Public information officers for police departments, etc., exist for media inquiries. It's not a free-for-all.

A murder would obviously need to be covered in the paper. Beyond initial reporting on the incident, there are several topics that would be useful for the public to have knowledge about. A reporter might interview a public safety officer for tips on how readers can protect themselves. Another reporter might write a piece about the increase in local murders and talk to authorities on criminal behavior to find out why this might be happening. There could be an interview with therapists to discuss how readers can manage their mental health during a time of higher stress and danger.

We deserve better cozy mysteries with fewer dumb stereotypes. I can't wait to read more about how slutty women covered in makeup want to flirt with Lila's ~hot Korean boyfriend~ right in front of her. (As an aside, the "hot Korean boyfriend" kind of feels like the author is taking a stereotype from K-Pop, and while I am always here for representation, it seems a little dubious to me.)

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3]

I still love the series but I think it's losing its charm on me. This was just okay enough to finish

[Ranjini Shankar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️. Ive been with this series from the start and my enjoyment has come down with every new book. Theres something very condescending about this book. Lila always remembers to be inclusive of all dietary needs, Lila always asks for pronouns, Lila always actively listens. There’s a lot of therapist speak in this one and I really am just here for a friendly murder and arrest. I think it’s great when all of this is represented in books, I just wish that I wasn’t being lectured at.

Lila and her crew stumble across yet another murder - this time it’s the wife of Shelbyville’s mayor and Adeena is a prime suspect. Lila and the gang have to work quickly to figure out the real murderer before it’s too late.

As soon as the manufactured drama between Elena and Lila happened, I realized it was happening to better explain the murderer’s motivation and I was over it. Theres nothing to indicate that Elena would suddenly do a 180 in her personality and be rude and dismissive or Lila or that Lila would steamroll her best friends. None of it was in line with who they have been for the last 4 books. The investigation is haphazard and the reveal is unsurprising. Overall this was a bit of a letdown. The food descriptions can stay though - those are the best parts of this series.

[Murray Annae · Rating 2 out of 5]

This should not have taken 5 days to get into. The beginning and ending were great, but the middle dragged and dragged. Maybe because it’s part of a series and I read it as a standalone?

Anyways happy AAPI month♥️

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series so much and it just gets better and better. This one deals with politicians (I know I know it's a tough time for that), but focuses on the awesome things being done for the community. I also really appreciated how this book focused on the friendship between Lila, Adeena, and Elena. It makes them all examine how they treat each other and sometimes put their own feelings / priorities above the needs of the person they are trying to help. This is so unique to a cozy mystery and I loved the internal work they are tying to do and how they are learning to communicate these things even when it's hard. Also I am hoping Lila and Elena's relationship will grow stronger and not be in a subconscious competition over who knows Adeena better.
The mystery was fabulous and I love how each of the trio approached the investigation and the dramatics it revealed. The ending was heart-pounding and fabulous as usual and OF COURSE this book made me soooo hungry. I love love love the entrepreneurial spirit always embodied in these books.

Note: I listened to this audiobook (as I have the entire series) and it was fabulous as usual!

Thanks to the publisher for a free copy and a free audiobook copy; my review and my thoughts are my own.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

This is a review of the audiobook narrated by Danice Cabanela.

This is the fifth book in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen cozy mystery series.

I love this series so much! The mystery was so good. I just love Lila. My only small complaint is that the older Filipino women were not in this book enough. I really enjoy how Danice changes her voice to portray these characters. She is so good.

I can’t get enough of all of the baking (at Lila’s café) and cooking (at Tita Rosie’s Kitchen). Lila’s boyfriend Jay and his brother Detective Parks add so much to the story.

Overall this was a wonderful book. I can’t wait for the next one.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Fans of the series will enjoy the book. I wish there has been more of Tita Rosie in the story.

[Rae | My Cousin’s Book Club · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm idk this was a solid 3 stars. Like it was good but JUST good, nothing wowed me with the story. Actually, I was more annoyed by Elena and Adeena a lot!

Random but I also noticed that Lila’s narration is constantly saying “I’ll make a note to do this later” lol
I wasn’t surprised by the reveal of the killer… Like at all, and it probably could have been wrapped up a little sooner.

Still, I’ll check out the next book just to see what other shenanigans are happening in Shady Palms

[Leah · Rating 1 out of 5]

In every book there was a couple random new characters introduced. I barely remembered them in their own books and I’m certainly not going to remember them now.
They own a business but they all live with their parents. Except for the murder it could almost be a Christian novel - everyone’s in serious relationships but never spend the night together.
This series has always been very diverse you could call it, with a woc entrepreneur group, many lgbtq2+ characters, and I believe a non binary person in the last book. But in book 5 there’s a scene that appears to come out of nowhere and the dialogue is so clunky. It reads as if chat gpt was asked to insert dialogue about people realizing they should be using pronouns. It sounds so incredibly fake. These people are investigating a MURDER but need to take some time to focus on their pronouns
“I’m Ben by the way. I use he/him pronouns “ the young guy said, gesturing to the name tag that confirmed what he just said
“And I’m Michelle. I use she/her pronouns”
“Im Lila and that’s Elena”, I said , gesturing to my partner “and we both use she/her pronouns “
“Cool, Zack has us all introduce ourselves using our pronouns, in case you were wondering. He said it fosters a more inclusive environment” Ben shrugged before helping himself to a sweet corn and cheese muffin “makes sense to me. It takes like, no effort, and makes our queer staff more comfortable, so why not right ? “
“That’s really thoughtful of him.” Elena said. “ maybe we should have name tags made with our pronouns on them”
I’m sorry but … what ? Does anybody talk like this in real life? I felt like I was watching an advertisement in the middle of the book for pronoun usage. There’s a murder you’re trying to solve guys , can we focus on that instead of pronouns for unimportant characters I’m about to forget as soon as the chapter is over ?

[Emma Hare · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf’d this one after making it half way through because I realized that the characters just aren’t very charming or interesting for me like they were before.

This is a minor point but I don’t don’t feel as if it was very well written, and it seemed like the author had a diversity checklist that she had to meet. I heard all about the characters races and sexuality but didn’t know what they actually liked to do or what their personalities were like. I found that disappointing.

I also found the characters to be severely lacking in emotion. People are dying all around them including one of the main characters family members, and she’s like “oh well. Another kicks the bucket I guess.”

This one surrounds the mayors life partner being killed and again, she’s back to business as usual the next week. It’s really weird and disconnected.

I really loved the first few books so I’m bummed but I think this series has finally come to a rest for me.

[Frances E · Rating 1 out of 5]

Adeena, who is supposedly an adult who co-owns a business, lets her parents tell her what to do and crap like that drives me nuts

[Lex ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐

we're back in shady palms and of course, trouble is always stirring up in this small town.

i thought it was such a fun twist that adeena was in the hot seat and focus of the book, plus focusing on the friendship between lila, adeena, and elena. the found family aspect of the previous books really came into play in guilt and ginataan. i was pleasantly engaged throughout the entire story, even if it was a bit predictable.

i've adored this series for so long and absolutely love the way mia p. manansala writes her cozy murder mysteries. as a filipina woman, i see so much of myself in lila and how she offers up her time to help and spend time with her family and loved ones. not to mention all of the food! there is so much culture and love that goes into filipino food and i love all the recipes included.

thank you so much to berkley publishing group and netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Christina O’Keefe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series; it’s my favourite cozy mystery series for sure!
I love the author’s snarky and funny writing style, and I really love books that show me about other cultures and foods ❤️
I love that this author gives a glossary of terms at the beginning of all these books, it allllllmost feels like I am learning another language while enjoying a book 🤪🤪
Can’t wait for the next in the series!!

[Lyndon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poor Lila Macapagal just can't catch a break. Sure, the business at the Brew Ha cafe is brewing, her mouthwatering ideas for crafting irresistible pastries are on fire and her love life with hunky and popular Dr. Jae is budding, but she can't seem to go through a season or festival without having to don her Nancy Drew hat. If you are familiar with the Tita Rosie's Kitchen mystery series, you must be wondering how the small, sleepy, suburban community of Shady Palms manage to have so many murders and unfortunate events. It's the opening of the month long Corn Festival. This year, the mayors of Shady Palms and nearby Shelbyville have joined forces to launch a bigger and better festival complete with the second largest corn maze in the Midwest. Everything is cornyful until the Mayor of Shebyville's wife is found dead inside the corn maze with Lila's bestfriend Adeena unconscious and holding a knife.

I have enjoyed this series so far but sadly, this fifth instalment is a disappointment. It is weaker than the rest of the series even when accounting for the darker and awkward, "Homicide and Halo Halo (Book 2)". There doesn't seem to be anything happening for a large majority of the book. Then, a rushed and abrupt ending. It is best not to overthink or risk a number of mystery elements not making sense (fingerprintssssss on the knife anyone?). The delightful buffet of food descriptions that makes one hungry felt meagre. The colourful cast of characters seemed stuck in muted colors (Tita Rosie? Are you there? The Calendar Crew lost some of their overly bright sparks). There was drama between the three lead character of Lila, Adeena and Elena that was mentioned repeatedly during the book only to be resolved in a sentence or two. At the very least there were a few scenes of the reliable and lovable Longanissa.

It's always good to return to Shady Palms. It's a comforting place but at the same time, one wouldn't want to overstay one's welcome and become too familiar with the place.

[sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

weakest of the series so far by a lot. also this is just me not paying close enough attention but I had somehow never realized these characters were supposed to be in their mid-20’s, I always assumed they were in their 30’s so I was surprised how immature everyone was acting but fair enough I guess given their younger ages. but if they’re in their early to mid 20’s why are all of Lila’s pop culture references so clearly millennial coded lol. like 30 Rock, She’s All That, etc etc etc. I’m not saying 20-something’s can’t have seen these things but EVERY reference is such a millennial touchstone, it’s just a bit jarring.

I get that friends fight sometimes, especially in stressful situations, but at this point it seems like these people might just not like each other.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was pretty meh for me to be honest. Lila came off very self absorbed in this one, it almost felt like she was a different character. The whole Jae "the Hot Dentist" thing is getting so very tiring. I wasn't very invested in the mystery aspect at all and it was pretty obvious who was going to be the killer, especially with the obvious red herring we got. I'm on the fence on whether I will read the next one when it releases because honestly I think I'm just burnt out with Lila and the Brew-has. I really think the author is a talented writer and I would love to see her branch out to maybe a different series.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was okay. I think the series may be getting a bit stale which is a shame since I like the characters and learning about their cultures.

But Tita Rosie and the aunts are barely in this book. And they are definitely a large part of what has made this series fun. I hope that changes with the next book.

[BernLuvsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guilt and Ginataan is book 5 in Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series. This book focuses on Lila’s best friend, Adeena. During the annual Shady palms Corn festival, a local Mayor’s wife is found in the corn maze and an unconscious Adeena lies next her dead body, holding a bloody knife.

I really enjoyed this mystery. I had my suspicions of the killer early on (and was correct!) but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride getting to the reveal. This series just has so many things that I love - the meddling aunties, the friendships, the sweet romance between Lila and hunky dentist Jae, the amateur detective work, the yummy sounding Filipino recipes and so much more.

I really enjoyed how much this explored the friendship between Lila and Adeena and Elena. Trying to solve the murder and save Adeena, plus trying to keep up with their business, provided conflict amongst the trio. Manansala explored feelings of friendship, love and rivalry well here. It was definitely one of the strongest aspects of the book for me.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries with characters you will fall for, you won’t want to miss out on this series. Each book has been a delight to read.

[kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t believe this is already the fifth book of Lila’s adventures. You know I love a good cozy small town murder mystery / food series, especially this one being Filipino.

I loved seeing Lila back with her friends in the café. I was very intrigued with this mystery since one of her close friends was involved and there was also a political angle to consider.

[Angela Bonilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got the ARC on netgallery and as someone who loves this series, I really enjoyed it.

Lila and Jae are meant to be!!! One thing for sure is that sometimes the bestest friend can be your biggest downfall is all what I’m going to say!

[Brittany McCann · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I loved the character interactions, the mystery was less thrilling in this one, and many characters were absent from comment and assistance in solving the crime.

It was still worth a read, but more of a lull book in the series.

3.5 Stars