Raquel V. Reyes writes Latina protagonists. Her Cuban American heritage, Miami, and Spanglish feature prominently in her work. Mango, Mambo, and Murder, the first in the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series, won a Lefty for Best Humorous Mystery. It was nominated for an Agatha Award and optioned for film. Raquel's short stories appear in various anthologies, including The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2022.
"Praise for Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal: “Crime and cuisine really do mix.” —Kirkus Reviews “Original, carefully crafted, and with a genuine flair for the kind of narrative storytelling style that fully engages the rapt attention of the reader from start to finish.” —Midwest Book Review Praise for the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series: 2022 LEFTY AWARD FOR BEST HUMOROUS MYSTERY NOVEL - MANGO, MAMBO, AND MURDER “Raquel V. Reyes’s series debut, Mango, Mambo, and Murder, furthers my belief that the cozy mystery has become one of the most diverse, and most vibrant, in contemporary crime fiction.” —The New York Times “This series is now on my insta-buy list."" —Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo “Raquel Reyes’ debut is as bright as the Miami sun and as satisfying as a big pot of sancocho, with a kick like a shot of Cuban coffee."" —Catriona McPherson, multi-award-winning author of the Last Ditch Motel series “A delicious culinary cozy that serves up both mouthwatering Caribbean food and a fun, family-centered mystery."" —Gigi Pandian, award-winning author of the Accidental Alchemist Mysteries ""Mango, Mambo, and Murder has everything you look for in a cozy mystery but also feels like a breath of fresh air."" —BookPage, starred review ""A vibrant, diverse, LGBTQ-inclusive cast and Raquel Reyes’s deft balance of sensitive topics and frothy intrigue make this a standout."" —BookRiot ""Mystery fans will instantly be pulled into this one."" —Reader's Digest “[A] refreshing debut and series launch . . . [with] well-defined characters and [a] vibrant social scene. Mouthwatering recipes round out the volume.” —Publishers Weekly “It is refreshing to see the diversity of this story.” —New York Journal of Books “The character-driven debut introduces a fresh protagonist.” —Library Journal, starred review “Raquel V. Reyes has found the right recipe for an engrossing, light mystery that blends Cuban-American culture, a love of food and appealing characters.” —South Florida Sun Sentinel “Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking holds community, family, and the joy of food at the heart of it; keeping it immensely joyful, while being an incredibly fun read.” —Latinx in Publishing"