The 10th book in Vivien Chien's popular Noodle Shop Mysteries is a delight!
This is book ten in one of my favorite cozy mystery series, and the series continues to impress with its great character development and engaging plotlines!
Lana Lee manages her family's restaurant in Asia Village, a vibrant retail center in Cleveland. This small, tight-knit community is filled with wonderful and quirky characters. Lana's knack for solving crimes has made her the go-to person to investigate when a suspicious death occurs during a Chinese New Year celebration.
I love sleuthing along with Lana and visiting everyone at Asia Village! These books feel warm and welcoming and are always entertaining. The characters in this series are so well fleshed out and grow with every installment. It was also nice to see the continued growth of Lana's relationships with her law enforcement boyfriend, Adam, and we see him interacting with Lana's family in this one, which is nice. Friends Kimmy and Megan also have some great scenes. The group of ladies referred to as the Majong Matrons always adds a fun twist, and this time, they had me laughing out loud more than once! I also love all the cultural elements and mouth-watering food descriptions that are woven in.
I enjoy Chien's writing style, and this mystery is solidly plotted. The culprit is not easily identifiable, and Lana has quite a bit to piece together. I got partway there but was happy to be surprised by how some of the puzzle pieces fit together in the end. This was a delightful read, and I cannot wait for the next one! Cozy mystery fans will want to add this to their tbr!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books for the gifted book!
Pub Day: July 23, 2024
304 pages
My steep was Ginger's Oolong from Harney and Sons Tea, a Formosa Oolong flavored with peach and ginger. Great hot or iced!
PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:
Lana Lee and friends return for a fiery Chinese New Year celebration that rattles their quaint community. After all, an Asia Village party wouldn’t be complete without an explosive finale.
Chinese New Year is supposed to be a time of fresh beginnings and celebrations of good fortune to come. Naturally, the shop owners of Asia Village jump at the chance to participate in creating a memorable holiday event that will bring positive light to the plaza, and prosperity for all those involved.
With Lana Lee as his right-hand woman and head event planner, Ian Sung orchestrates an extravagant evening filled with music, live entertainment, and generous giveaways. But at the end of the night, during an elaborate firework show in the parking lot, a member of the lion dance performance team is found dead backstage with a single bullet hole through the heart and a red envelope in their pocket containing four one-dollar bills—an omen of death.
When news of a curse on Asia Village make its way around the plaza, Lana readily agrees to find who killed the talented dancer before anyone else is marked for death.
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