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Margaritas, spicy guacamole—and murder—are among this year’s preparations for Cinco de Mayo in the second Santa Fe Café mystery novel.

Tres Amigas Café chef Rita Lafitte is busy baking her green chile soufflés and chocolate flans for Cinco de Mayo. If only her friend Linda, the daughter of Rita’s octogenarian boss Flori, could get into the festive spirit. Linda’s cart, Tia Tamales, is losing business to Crepe Empire, the hottest food cart in Santa Fe. Napoleon, Crepe Empire’s owner, is a pompous, celebrity chef who wants to squeeze out the competition. But when Linda gets into a heated argument with Napoleon and his corpse is later found stabbed and pinned beneath the wheels of her tamale cart, she becomes the number one suspect.

Determined to prove Linda’s innocence, Rita investigates. From Napoleon’s disgruntled former employees to a shady health inspector, the list of suspects is longer than Flori’s strings of dried chili peppers. And when another corpse surfaces, Rita must scramble to find an elusive killer with an appetite for murder…

9 pages, Audiobook

First published March 29, 2016

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Ann Myers

3 books113 followers

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5 stars
63 (16%)
4 stars
150 (40%)
3 stars
118 (31%)
2 stars
33 (8%)
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7 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
Profile Image for Shawna Shaheen.
332 reviews24 followers
May 21, 2025
New Mexico Culinary sleuths cozy mystery

Book 2. Love these series. The only thing I do not like it only has 3 books in this series.
Profile Image for Karen B..
457 reviews9 followers
May 7, 2016
Of course when I saw this book available on May 5, I had to grab a cozy that celebrated the day. Rita is the chef/sleuth who is trying to find out who killed Napoleon the owner of the Crepe food cart because Rita's friend Linda who owns the Tamale cart is accused of the murder. I liked that this book kept me guessing right to the end who the killer was and I was surprised. The mention of all the delicious Mexican food will have your mouth watering while you read.
Profile Image for Vicky Marie.
268 reviews16 followers
June 5, 2016
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery series. You get a real feel of New Mexico. The food, the people, the atmosphere. I love my state, so I might be bias when reviewing this haha.

The characters are amazing (with the exception of Manny). Rita is my kind of amateur sleuth. She has an equal balance of confidence and humility. And the shenanigans she, Flori, and Addie got into were a hoot. The mystery was better than the previous book. I wasn't shocked when the murderer was revealed, because I had my suspicions, but I wasn't 100% sure it was them either. The motive was believable as well.
Profile Image for Caitlin C.
511 reviews14 followers
May 10, 2016
Rita Lafitte is preparing a delicious feast for Cinco de Mayo at both work, Tres Amigas Cafe and in her personal life for gorgeous local lawyer, Jake Strong. When a competitor and all around jerk, Napoleon ends up dead there should be no shortage of suspects but the police are only focusing on her friend, Linda who runs a tamale cart next to Napoleon's crepe cart. Of course it doesn't help that Linda's cart was found on top of his body. Rita pairs up with her boss, Flori and waitress, Addie to free Linda and catch Napoleon's killer before they strike again.
Profile Image for Heidi.
1,396 reviews158 followers
March 14, 2016
Three and a half stars: A fun cozy mystery with terrific food, but it does follow the traditional cozy mystery recipe.

Rita tiptoes carefully around the kitchen of Tres Amigas, hoping that her latest soufflé won't fall while baking. Then her long time friend, Linda slams the oven door in frustration after she shoves in her trays of tamales, causing the soufflé to tumble. Linda isn't usually so wound up. It turns out, Linda is frustrated because the new French chef, Napoleon, is out to take her food cart spot and her business. Linda vows to fight back, but then Napoleon plays dirty, and Linda ends up hurling some insulting words at him before fleeing. The next day, Linda discovers Napoleon dead under her food cart. Of course, Linda is a prime suspect, but Rita and Flori know better. Soon Rita finds herself doing some covert spying in order to clear Linda's name. Who actually murdered the vile French Chef?
What I Liked:
*Cinco de Mayhem is the second book in the Santa Fe Cafe Mystery series, and with this latest book, the series continues to prove to be light, fun and packed with delicious New Mexican food that will leave you craving peppers, tortillas bubbly with cheese, spicy meats and beans. I love the cozy cafe setting, and the food as well as the Santa Fe setting. This is a fun series.
Rita, the heroine, continues to be likable and believable in her role as a cafe cook and a amateur detective. She is funny and kind, and she manages to get herself into a couple of hilarious situations. *I especially liked her efforts to jog. She is easy to relate to and lots of fun. Accompanying Rita with her covert activities are Flori and Addie. Flori is in her eighties, but she is spry and smart. She is the owner of the Tres Amigas Cafe and the mother of the accused. She hatches some hilarious schemes to try and track down the real killer, and she may or may not have acquired a fuzzy pair of pink hand cuffs to help. Addie is the most eccentric of the three. She pretends to be British, and her idol is Adele. She is a hoot.
*The setting is fantastic. This series takes place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and I couldn't help but to fall in love. I love the rich descriptions of the buildings with their colorful Mexican decor. Santa Fe is cozy, comfortable, and wonderful.
*I love the Tres Amigas Cafe. In this little cafe, delicious New Mexican cuisine is churned out. Piping hot dishes with lots of peppers, spicy meats, hot bubbling cheese and spices. I was constantly hungry while reading about the food in this one. There are even some terrific recipes at the end, in case you want to try your hand at making one of these dishes. Just be sure to actually get New Mexican Hatch chilies. Yum!
*The murder mystery is well done. There are plenty of people with a vendetta against the deceased as he was a not so nice person. With multiple suspects with grudges, there were some red herrings to chase down. I have to admit, I didn't guess who the actual culprit was. I was taken by surprise when they were revealed. I always love a mystery that keeps me guessing, and this one certainly did that.
*Even though this is the second in the series, it can be read as a stand alone as it is a complete story, and there is plenty of recap so you won't feel lost. I would recommend going back to read the first one just so you can get more of the town and the food. There aren't any cliffhangers or nagging questions.
And The Not So Much:
*While I loved the mystery, the food and the setting, I couldn't help but be a bit disappointed when this one fell into the well worn cozy mystery tropes that are so common in this genre. You have an odious villain who stirs up a bunch of trouble before getting killed, bumbling law enforcement who can't seem to see past the set up, and they don't even appear to try to solve the murder, and of course, an amateur sleuth who outsmarts the cops and the murderer and saves the day. Yes, it is a bit unbelievable, but still it is a cozy and it is fun.
*The romance was a bit of a miss this time. In the first book, the ground work was laid for what I hoped was going to be a slow burning, hot romance. The romance is present in this one, but it is never front and center, and it doesn't develop much. I wanted more.
*The plot gets a little messy as the author is trying to throw everyone off the trail of the real culprit by including a couple of people with ulterior motives. I was left wondering a bit more about the blackmailing scheme.
*I was frustrated with the ineptness of the law enforcement. They came across as bumbling idiots which is common in this genre.

Cinco de Mayhem is a fun second installment in a light, cozy mystery series with terrific food and a wonderful setting. I love the quirky characters and the New Mexican cuisine in this series. The mystery is solid in this one, and I was guessing up until the finale. The one thing that held this book back was that it featured many of the well worn tropes common to this genre. Still there is a lot to like, and it is worth reading if you are a fan of cozies. Not to mention, there are some terrific recipes to try at the end. I will certainly be continuing this series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.


Profile Image for Ann.
506 reviews9 followers
August 20, 2017
I really, really wanted to enjoy this book....the author's name! The title! There's another book in the series called "Feliz Navidead"!

I expected it to be a goofy mystery--no work of great literature--something along the lines of Janet Evanovich. But it was just....really boring. The things that were supposed to be goofy weren't really funny; the characters were flat; the mystery was easily solved by Chapter 3. It took me a lot longer to finish than I would've figured, simply because I kept falling asleep while reading it.

3,925 reviews1,763 followers
April 1, 2022
Love the Santa Fe setting and all the foodie and cultural references in this series. A solid mystery and, while I sussed out the killer midway, I couldn't figure out some critical pieces in order to provide means and opportunity. Gripping climax, satisfactory growth in the romance department and so many laugh out loud moments kept me invested in the story...and looking forward to the next (and last, sob!) book in the Santa Fe Cafe Mystery series.
Profile Image for Rose Wood.
1,010 reviews2 followers
May 29, 2024
I'm not a fan of cozy mystery novels, and even though this novel fits the traditional cozy mystery tropes, I actually enjoyed it. A quick, light, fun, read. Maybe because of the delicious foodie theme. The description of the food had my mouth watering during the whole book. There was kind of a romance, but it was on the back burner through most of the story. Even though this is the second book in the series, there is no cliffhanger, and you do not have to read the first book to understand what is going on.
2,939 reviews38 followers
May 1, 2016
Rita is busy baking for Cinco De Mayo but her friend can't get into the holiday. Her car Tia Tamales is losing business to another food cart. She gets into a fight with the food carts owner and when he is found dead under her cart she is the main suspect. This book seemed to drag and was hard to stay interested in.
Profile Image for Mary.
16 reviews
February 29, 2020
I enjoy a light hearted murder story (is that even a thing?!?) and this book fit the bill. The writer holds my interest and although I wouldn’t say the ending was a surprise, it wasn’t so obvious as to make the book too predictable. I immediately downloaded book 3 in the series and can’t wait to start it!!
Profile Image for Avanders.
454 reviews14 followers
November 5, 2018
I really like this Santa Fe cozy mystery series (so far!) -- I like the characters, the mystery, the pace, and I really enjoy the "local" setting. I *think* it's a good cozy, even if you don't know the city, but it's fun reading a cozy set in a place I know pretty well. :) In this one, I ended up having suspicions but nevertheless being a little surprised w/ the reveal. I always enjoy that. ;) Definitely looking forward to book 3!
Profile Image for Loraine.
3,450 reviews
September 29, 2021
This humorous cozy mystery stars several ladies from younger to senior who get involved in trying to find out who killed the owner of one of the food carts that filled the plaza in Santa Fe New Mexico. Unfortunately the police think their friend, Linda, was the murderer as she and the victim had argued the day before.

Quick, easy to read, enjoyable cozy mystery with a touch of humor, a hint of suspense, and a smidgen of romance.
Profile Image for Sarah.
853 reviews
May 24, 2021
I thought this was much better than the first in the series and more in line with what I expected from the author based on her bookmobile series (written as Nora Page). The plot was solid, the main characters do plenty of investigating, and all in all it was a great cozy mystery to curl up with over the weekend!
Profile Image for Amber.
320 reviews2 followers
April 23, 2018
Another "local" (Albuquerque is NOT Santa Fe) mystery novel---with food. Really enjoyed this one. It was a bit more well written than the opera mystery. The reader on this is also excellent. Started the series on Book #2. I'm listening to Book #1 now.
Profile Image for Karen.
1,287 reviews
January 24, 2020
Number 2 in the Santa Fe Cafe mystery series.
This episode is centered around Cinco de Mayo and a tamale cart run by Rita's friend.
When a despicable Chef (Napoleon) ends up dead under her friends tamale cart Rita takes on trying to free her friend from murder charges.
Profile Image for Beverly.
3,867 reviews26 followers
May 29, 2025
A fun food inspired mystery...who's killing the food cart owners and why. Lots of quirky characters, yummy food, bumbling around and suggestive flirting with the handsome police official. There are also some great recipes at the end of the book. A nice, quick read to help clear the mind.
Profile Image for John.
140 reviews
October 1, 2017
Am enjoying this series. Love the characters. One problem...I get very hungry while reading. I miss the New Mexico cuisine.
Profile Image for Kay Bowen.
288 reviews1 follower
July 31, 2018
3.75--and I really hope the proof-reading improves.
Profile Image for Liz.
1,398 reviews9 followers
October 12, 2023
I liked this better than the first, probably because I was expecting it to be light and silly. And it was.
Profile Image for Lady Galaxy.
880 reviews
September 23, 2024
I liked this one, but not quite as much as the first one. The theme here didn't resonate with me as much as it did with the first book. It is still well written, and I will continue the series.
Profile Image for Ryan Hoffman.
1,215 reviews1 follower
January 17, 2024
Cinco De Mayhem is the second in the Santa Fe Cafe series. Chef Rita is back in another mystery. This one involves the death of an arrogant chef with Rita's friend as the prime suspect. It was a treat and great to follow along with the mystery as well as the food side of it.
Profile Image for Alexandria Massey.
243 reviews1 follower
February 6, 2025
I’ve really enjoyed this little series. It does have its flaws with the “letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding” and it’s incorrect view that Christmas is an alright way to order dishes in New Mexico (it’s not unless you are a tourist 🙄) but I’m willing to forgive it because they are still very cute. I enjoyed the development of her relationship with Jake in this one and her ex-husband didn’t have as many opportunities to be a wild asshole. I did suspect Brigitte just from the number of suspects but the reveal was nicely done.
Profile Image for Samantha.
739 reviews80 followers
March 19, 2016
Summary from Goodreads:

"Tres Amigas Café chef Rita Lafitte is busy baking her green chile soufflés and chocolate flans for Cinco de Mayo. If only her friend Linda, the daughter of Rita’s octogenarian boss Flori, could get into the festive spirit. Linda’s cart, Tia Tamales, is losing business to Crepe Empire, the hottest food cart in Santa Fe. Napoleon, Crepe Empire’s owner, is a pompous, celebrity chef who wants to squeeze out the competition. But when Linda gets into a heated argument with Napoleon and his corpse is later found stabbed and pinned beneath the wheels of her tamale cart, she becomes the number one suspect.

Determined to prove Linda’s innocence, Rita investigates. From Napoleon’s disgruntled former employees to a shady health inspector, the list of suspects is longer than Flori’s strings of dried chili peppers. And when another corpse surfaces, Rita must scramble to find an elusive killer with an appetite for murder…"

My Thoughts:

This is such a fun series and one that I am really coming to adore! Last year I read and absolutely loved Bread of the Dead which is the first book in this cozy series. I knew after finishing book one that this was a series that I wanted to continue on with. I'm sure that you can imagine how thrilled I was when I was approved to read this book early on Edelweiss (it took all my self control to wait closer to the release date to read it). Cinco de Mayhem was just as good as I hoped that it would be and left me wishing for book three. I have enjoyed these two books so much that this author has now jumped on to my must read list where I will anxiously await all books that she writes.

One of the things that makes this series stand out for me are the characters. Oh but how I adore the characters in these books! Rita is a single mom dealing with a teenage daughter that is slightly rebellious and working as a chef in Tres Amigas Cafe. I talked about this in my review of book one but she is just so easy to relate to in my opinion. There are so many women out there dealing with many of the same issues that Rita is dealing with and I love her character because of it. She isn't perfect and doesn't pretend to have everything under control either. The character that steals the show (for me anyways) is Flori. Flori and her wacky ways are such fun to read about it. If I found myself laughing while reading this book, it was because of something Flori was up to. She is always causing mischief of some kind and it is so fun to read about. This book actually wasn't as humorous in comparison to book one but I did find myself giggling here and there still. I just wanted a bit more of Flori's hi-jinks because they are so fun to read about (my one and only complaint with this book). I'm also really starting to become a fan of Addie who is a secondary character and played a more important role in this book. She also makes me laugh with her attempts to be more like the famous singer Adele. Basically I love all of the characters so it is no wonder that this series works so well for me!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am left wishing that I had the third book in my hands now. I believe that this is the exact same thing that I said after finishing book one. LOL! The mystery portion of this book was done quite well and had me guessing until the very end. I suspected the killer at certain points of the book but the author did a really great job of making me doubt myself so the ending was still a surprise. I read this book entirely too fast and was sad to see it end. A mark of a truly great series is when you wish that the characters were actually people that you could be friends with. I would love to have someone like Flori in my life- it would be a hoot! I can definitely recommend this series but I do think that you should read Bread of the Dead first! Highly recommended!

Bottom Line: A wonderful addition to one of my favorite cozy mystery series!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss.
Profile Image for Lynne Moody.
452 reviews151 followers
March 12, 2017
This was a totally enjoyable awesome book ! So many colorful characters that were quirky and fun to read. Loved the wonderful storyline that had me guessing what character were playing up next. Would recommend this book to everyone who enjoy a great mystery :)
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