Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking by Raquel V. Reyes

Calypso, Corpses and Cooking is the second book in Raquel V. Reyes’ Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series.

The story begins with Miriam and Robert dressing up for the school’s Fall Festival. At the event, Lois picks up a fight with Robert. She’s related to Robert and wants the family to help prove her daughter’s innocence – but that isn’t possible as Juliet is guilty of murder (book #1). Turns out, Lois did not return home after the fight. Miriam wakes up to find Lois in her front yard – lying almost dead on a fake tombstone. The police are called in and they suspect Robert. Well, he and the victim fought in public so it is pretty obvious that he would be suspected of attacking Lois, isn’t it?

Thankfully, Lois is not dead. Not yet. Meanwhile, Miriam is busy with preparing for the Country Club’s annual gala – thanks to Miriam’s passive-aggressive (and racist) mother-in-law for putting her in charge without asking first. When Miriam and her friends meet at the club to plan the event, they hear a commotion between the head chef and the manager. Minutes later, they hear a thud – the chef has fallen down the staircase and is lying in a pool of blood.

Did the manager kill the chef? Or, was it Ana – Miriam’s best friend Alma’s business partner? Back to Lois’ attack, the police find a drone stuck in a tree in Miriam’s neighbor’s compound. On further investigation, the police learn the drone has captured sleazy images of the neighbor. And, it was the same drone that attacked Lois.

I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. Mouth-watering dishes, a dash of family drama (evil MIL) and enthusiasm (think Gloria of Modern Family) kept me hooked but the element of mystery was a tad low.

There were too many side stories, too many short mysteries (attack on Lois and Nelson, and the head Chef’s murder) but there seemed to be no connection between these crimes. At least, not until the end – and even that didn’t make a lot of sense. I suppose too many red herrings does spoil a story.

The spotlight here was mainly on Miriam and her personal life. Yes, her curiosity did get the better of her at the end and she was almost at the death’s door. As an amateur sleuth, Miriam’s ‘investigation’ wasn’t up to the mark – she was torn between solving (ahem) too many cases and preparing for a new-comer in the family. Also, her mother-in-law’s snide and slightly racist remarks were a tad over the line. It was also annoying to see Robert turn a blind eye to the ongoing tiff between his wife and mother.

Overall, this was an okay read. I hope the next book is engaging and enjoyable than this one.

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I received an ARC from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

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