DEATH AND DINUGUAN is the sixth and final book in the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries, and it wraps up this fun series that features a diverse group of characters, a solid sense of community, entertaining mysteries, and delicious food and drinks.

Lila Macapagal and her boyfriend, Jae Park, are looking forward to the upcoming Valentine’s Day, and the Brew- ha Café is buzzing with activity. Jae’s cousin, Hana Lee, has recently moved to town with her daughter and works at the new chocolate shop alongside the owner, Blake Langrehr. All the shops in town are on edge due to a string of burglaries targeting women-owned businesses. When Blake and Hana are attacked in the chocolate shop, only Hana survives. Was this a burglary that went wrong or something else? Unfortunately, Hana can’t answer any questions as she lies in a coma, and Lila and Jae vow to find out who attacked the two women. Suspects start to come to the surface, including a persistent hotel manager, Blake’s ex-husband, the owners of a competing chocolate shop, and people looking to collect bad debts. Can Lila and the gang figure out what is going on and restore some peace to their community?

DEATH AND DINUGUAN is a delightful return to Shady Palms, a place filled with smart, entrepreneurial characters who look out for each other and make their community brighter. There’s a lot of character backstory and descriptions of food, but Lila is at her best when she is tracking down clues and uncovering viable suspects. She is smart, funny, and takes risks when needed. The supporting characters are lively and diverse, and the small businesses that populate Shady Palms are varied and unique. The mystery itself centers on the burglaries and attacks and could have taken several different angles. In the end, there are plenty of clues to keep readers guessing, and they'll be glad they visited Shady Palms before the doors close on this fun, family-oriented, food-filled mystery series.