Offering readers a unique blend of culinary arts and mystery, award-winning author and Miami resident Raquel V. Reyes has published “Dominoes, Danzón & Death,” the fourth installment in her Caribbean Kitchen Mystery Series. Reyes will discuss the novel in an Evenings With event at Books & Books in Coral Gables on Jan. 23.
The mystery series features Latina protagonist Miriam Quiñones-Smith, who has enthralled readers through all four novels with her duality of Latina sleuth and culinary master.
Right out of the gate, Reyes’ first book in the series, “Mango, Mambo, and Murder,” garnered her a LEFTY award for Best Humorous Mystery at the Left Coast Crime Convention in 2022. The book is also being adapted for the small screen with a working title “Miami Spice.”
(Photo: Raquel V. Reyes)
Raquel V. Reyes takes a fun, whimsical selfie in front of the Hola sign.
Reyes has come a long way from her days at St. Patrick’s Elementary School in Miami Beach, where she recalls her yearbook photo, which was an early indicator of her future career.
“In the photo, I am holding a writing award, so I have always been interested in writing,” Reyes said. “I have always been a huge fan of mysteries, but I did not see anyone like me – a Latina from Miami – reflected in the books I enjoyed reading.”
And so began her journey to develop such a character. In high school and college, she wrote several short stories.
“I got some valuable feedback so I thought maybe I can give this mystery writing thing a try” said Reyes. “I call it a 20-year overnight success story.”
After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of New Mexico and directing theater, Reyes developed Miriam, the protagonist in her mystery book series.
“I knew my series would feature a Cuban American main character and Miami would be the jumping off point,” said Reyes. “I also knew the subject matter needed to be something that was interesting to me because there would be so much research involved in developing the characters and the story.”
(Photo: Morgan Sophia Photography)
Reyes at a book signing, autographing copies of her third novel in the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery Series, "Barbacoa, Bomba and Betrayal."
She decided to make Miriam a culinary anthropologist and the storylines would include a blend of Caribbean locations.
“I find the Caribbean very interesting, particularly the similarities most islands share about trade and enslaved people, so I decided my books would be about what happens to these people when you bring them together,” Reyes said.
The cuisines, although they all “have platanos,” she said, all begin differently on each island, reflecting their influence of the French, Dutch, Spanish and English.
Reyes also loves featuring the Indigenous people on those islands, the waves of immigrants from India and China and the mix of how everything came together. She enjoys studying both the similarities and differences and why those are, admitting it is a learning process and one that she loves.
“I love to research all about the characters from the different islands and learn something new each time,” Reyes said.
Telling the stories of Indigenous people has always been important to Reyes. Growing up on Miami Beach, she takes advantage of every opportunity to let readers know how great Miami is, especially for those who do not respect and love its history.
“Although there are people here that do,” she said.
In her latest book, “Dominoes, Danzón & Death,” she talks about the Tequesta Indians and “about us being an Indigenous land and the people that were here before Julia Tuttle and Henry Flagler,” she said.
Her readers share that they love the protagonist and the family and friends that are around her in each book. Reyes calls them an ensemble cast.
“There’s someone that everyone can fall in love with,” she said.
(Photo: Morgan Sophia Photography)
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Raquel V. Reyes, author of the Caribbean Kitchen Mystery Series of books.
Fans of the series love Miriam and see her as a friend. Then there is Jorge, a mambo instructor who is a former DJ and does drag queen performances on the side; and Miriam’s cousin/prima, who took over the family restaurant in Hialeah. Jorge and the cousin act as confidants for Miriam.
Miriam’s background is a bit more complicated. She met her husband in college and only after returning to Miami realizes she married into an old Florida family with vastly diverse backgrounds. Her passive aggressive mother-in-law is a regular character in the stories, as is Miriam’s best friend, a Realtor whose connections throughout the city are always vital to Miriam’s murder investigations.
“The Realtor’s assistant is a Russian Cuban, and so I get to pull into that a bit,” Reyes said. “That is another culture that has changed the flavor of Miami.”
Fans also know that Reyes has always written in Spanglish (a combination of Spanish and English), something common in the Cuban American Miami community.
“Because we are actually a bilingual/trilingual city, with Spanish, English and Creole, so much of our signage is in all three languages, which is something I want to share with people,” Reyes said.
Her work has been nominated for Agatha and Anthony Awards and has won an International Latino Book Award Gold Medal. Additionally, Reyes’ short stories appear in various anthologies.
However, when asked what her proudest accomplishment is, Reyes says it was when a short story she wrote was selected for inclusion in HarperCollins’ Best American Mystery and Suspense collection in 2022.
“The winner is chosen by the editor, not by submission,” Reyes said. “Editors are seeking stories, and they chose mine. My mysteries always have a light touch and humor in them and this story is set in Hialeah, at midnight, during a medianoche sandwich competition. I have a love for Hialeah and our uniqueness, and it was great to have it out there reaching a larger audience.”
Reyes is also part of the Cozy Mystery Crew of writers and involved in various organizations of the mystery writer world.
“After much research by my editor, we are fairly certain that I am the first traditionally published Latina cozy mystery author,” said Reyes.
Her publisher and agent were instrumental in inking the deal for the upcoming television adaptation of her novel.
“I am absolutely thrilled,” said Reyes. “It was through their connections that they created this opportunity for me.”
IF YOU GO
Raquel V. Reyes
Author of “Dominoes, Danzón & Death”
Evenings With at Books & Books
265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables.