Death by Dumpling: A Noodle Shop Mystery (A Noodle Shop Mystery, 1)
Welcome to the Ho-Lee Noodle House, where the Chinese food is to die for. . .
The last place Lana Lee thought she would ever end up is back at her family's restaurant. But after a brutal break-up and a dramatic workplace walk-out, she figures that helping wait tables is her best option for putting her life back together. Even if that means having to put up with her mother, who is dead-set on finding her a husband. Lana's love life soon becomes yesterday's news once the restaurant's property manager, Mr. Feng, turns up dead--after a delivery of shrimp dumplings from Ho-Lee. But how could this have happened when everyone on staff knew about Mr. Feng's severe, life-threatening shellfish allergy? Now, with the whole restaurant under suspicion for murder and the local media in a feeding frenzy--to say nothing of the gorgeous police detective who keeps turning up for take-out--it's up to Lana to find out who is behind Feng's killer order. . . before her own number is up. "Vivien Chien serves up a delicious mystery with a side order of soy sauce and sass. A tasty start to a new mystery series!" --Kylie Logan, bestselling author of Gone with the Twins "Death by Dumpling is a fun and sassy debut with unique flavor, local flair, and heart." --Amanda Flower, Agatha Award--winning author of Lethal LicoriceBUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
I'm fairly new to the cozy genre but I'm sensing a theme around food and murder among all the authors. This was a pretty straightforward murder mystery with a side romance story. It was a very quick read, along with the other two I read in this series.
I don't know that I've really read a "cozy mystery" before, since most of my mysteries are ~dark and edgy. I didn't even know that this was a genre until my girlfriend let me know about it. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed the book though. There was no anxiety to rush ahead or read the ending to find out what happens, and I was happy to just follow along. I finished it in three hours, so it was clearly a super quick read, and I've already put the next two on hold at the library.
There wasn't the best character development or anything, but this isn't that kind of book. It's driven by the plot and that's pretty much about it. What I particularly liked about the book was some of the vague explorations of the identity of someone growing up Asian-American and having to navigate both cultures. The way that the older Asian characters were written were very familiar; I really liked that the author wrote what they were saying in the grammar that I'm used to hearing from my own family members who are ESL.
I also could imagine the Asian Village location so well since I grew up going to places like that (shoutout to 99 Ranch Market and all the other Asian stores in that plaza!). The author clearly grew up around this culture and was able to translate it to paper, and it was great to read about experiences that I could relate to. Honestly, that was more interesting and drew me more into the story than the mystery itself (although obviously I wanted to know whodunit).
Moving into the plot, there were plenty of suspects, all with their own motives. There were a couple who I definitely thought were red herrings, but i was generally pleasantly surprised at the end without feeling like the ending came out of nowhere. I loved the relationship between the main character and her roommate as well as her relationship with her sister. Even though there wasn't very much individual development, the varied relationships the main character had with others made up for it. Again, it very much reflected the way that I grew up, and I enjoyed that sense of nostalgia.
Overall, this was a solid debut to this series, and while it wasn't dark and gritty which I do also love, I enjoyed the nod to Asian-American culture and loved having an Asian protagonist solving mysteries. (More Asians in media!!!)
There wasn't the best character development or anything, but this isn't that kind of book. It's driven by the plot and that's pretty much about it. What I particularly liked about the book was some of the vague explorations of the identity of someone growing up Asian-American and having to navigate both cultures. The way that the older Asian characters were written were very familiar; I really liked that the author wrote what they were saying in the grammar that I'm used to hearing from my own family members who are ESL.
I also could imagine the Asian Village location so well since I grew up going to places like that (shoutout to 99 Ranch Market and all the other Asian stores in that plaza!). The author clearly grew up around this culture and was able to translate it to paper, and it was great to read about experiences that I could relate to. Honestly, that was more interesting and drew me more into the story than the mystery itself (although obviously I wanted to know whodunit).
Moving into the plot, there were plenty of suspects, all with their own motives. There were a couple who I definitely thought were red herrings, but i was generally pleasantly surprised at the end without feeling like the ending came out of nowhere. I loved the relationship between the main character and her roommate as well as her relationship with her sister. Even though there wasn't very much individual development, the varied relationships the main character had with others made up for it. Again, it very much reflected the way that I grew up, and I enjoyed that sense of nostalgia.
Overall, this was a solid debut to this series, and while it wasn't dark and gritty which I do also love, I enjoyed the nod to Asian-American culture and loved having an Asian protagonist solving mysteries. (More Asians in media!!!)
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