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This is the third book in the 'Caribbean Kitchen' cozy mystery series, featuring Miriam Quiñones-Smith, a Cuban-American food anthropologist and amateur sleuth. Miriam and her husband Robert Smith live in Miami, Florida and have a four-year-old son named Manny. The couple are also expecting, and Miriam has nicknamed the seafood-craving baby La Sirena (the mermaid).
Miriam hosts two Caribbean culinary shows, a Spanish version called 'Cocina Caribeña' on the morning program UnMundo, and an English version called 'Abuela Approved' on YouTube.
In the past, Miriam has helped the Miami police solve crimes, and Detective Frank Pullman likes to call her Jessica Fletcher or Veronica Mars.
As the story opens, it's Christmas season and Miriam is going to visit her parents in the Dominican Republic, where the Quiñones' manage a small vacation rental resort. The resort, called Punta Palma, features attractive villas, a pool, and a patio surrounded by fruit trees like guava, fruta bombas, banana, guanabana, tamarind, and passion fruit.
When Miriam arrives at Punta Palma she meets a guest named Jules Howard, who says he's in commercial real estate. Miriam asks a real estate broker about Jules, and is told 'Golden Jules' has a talent for finding properties and getting the owners to sell. Jules then turns the properties into mix-use luxury developments, with lots of restaurants.
As Miriam settles in at Punta Palma, her Papi goes off to fix a broken pipe. Miriam is told her dad repaired a pipe yesterday, only to have another one break today.
Other things are also going wrong at the resort. The Wi-Fi keeps going out, the satellite dish is broken, a rat was found in the water tank, and a visitor left a scathing review online. Miriam begins to think someone is sabotaging Punta Palma, to force the owners to sell, and she suspects Jules is the villain.
Before Miriam can investigate the suspected vandalism, her boss at UnMundo calls to say Miriam is expected in San Juan for 'Día de Los Tres Reyes Magos' (Three Kings Day), a Puerto Rican celebration that marks the end of the Christmas season.
Miriam is scheduled to interview food vloggers, film a clip about cooking tostones de pana (breadfruit) on an outdoor stove, demonstrate traditional headwraps, dance a Bomba, and more. Miriam's friends Alma and Jorge are in San Juan as well, and Miriam gets to meet Alma's new mega-rich boyfriend Herbie, and Jorge's new beau Lucas.
While Miriam is in San Juan, a man is shot near her hotel, and an elderly building owner falls down his stairs and dies. Miriam also finds a piece of paper in her hotel room that reads 'You'll sell or you'll be sorry.' Miriam hears that americanos come to Puerto Rico to buy up property and build luxury developments, and she suspects the natives are being coerced.
At UnMundo festivities, Miriam is surprised to see real estate developer Jules Howard, who she last saw in the Dominican Republic. Jules is hobnobbing with American Bitcoin mogul Brandon Pickles, and Miriam suspects the men are colluding to buy up Puerto Rican properties. Miriam fears Jules and Pickles might do anything to get their way, even murder.
In between filming appearances for UnMundo, sightseeing in Old San Juan, going to parades and dances, socializing with her friends, and shopping, Miriam tries to investigate the real estate hijinks and suspicious deaths. This puts both Miriam and her friends in grave danger.
The story refers to many Caribbean foods that came with the African diaspora, such as Alcapurrias (fritters), Pollo en salsa criolla (chicken with Creole sauce), and more. For her seafood-craving La Sirena, Miriam also samples dishes like Mofungo de mariscos (plantain mash and shellfish) and Ensalada de pulpo (octopus salad). Several recipes are included at the end of the book.
Alcapurrias
Pollo en salsa criolla
Mofungo de mariscos
Ensalada de pulpo
In addition to a compelling plot, the novel contains colorful descriptions of Puerto Rico. There are also references to interesting Caribbean traditions, such as protecting a pregnant woman and her baby by throwing a watermelon into the ocean, and dousing the pregnant mother with a stinky rinse made of plants. The story also includes many Spanish phrases, which adds to the Caribbean ambiance of the novel.
Readers who enjoy multicultural cozy mysteries will like this book.
Thanks to Netgalley, Raquel V. Reyes, and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of the manuscript.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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