Crime Rangoon - A Review

 Review

 

CRIME RANGOON by Vivien Chien
The Twelfth Noodle Shop Mystery 

 

Aside from Shanghai Donuts and her family's restaurant, the Modern Scroll is Lana Lee's favorite shop in Cleveland's Asia Village. After all books are food for the soul! Lana thrilled when one of her favorite authors, Charlene Chan is coming to the store for a book signing and Lana will be assisting as her handler, with a special perk of a private dinner with the author afterward. The event is running smoothly until an irate woman makes a scene claiming Charlene stole her book! Then a strange man dressed as the killer from her latest novel shows up, right before Charlene collapses. There will be no special dinner with the author-Charlene Chan has died. The murderer is copying scenes directly from Charlene's latest book. So much so, that instead of warning Lana to stay away, her boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, actually asks for her help! Is this the end of the world? With reality mirroring the book, Lana has cause to be worried for though her helping may not be the end of the world, it may be the end of Lana Lee! 

 

I absolutely love Lana Lee and Asia Village and thoroughly enjoyed this, the twelfth Noodle Shop Mystery. Lana is so relatable, especially in her love of books! Who wouldn't love to hang out with their favorite author? Being a mystery, of course things go terribly wrong. I like how the killer was using Charlie's latest book as a template. Real life and fiction intertwined...just how far will it go?

 

It was also fun seeing Lana and Adam working together. Instead of hiding her sleuthing from him, she's able to share her expertise-and she is an expert at this point. It's not just her knowledge of the author, her work, and Asia Village, but with eleven mysteries behind her as well as the fact an actual private investigator wanted to hire her, she's had lots of experience solving crimes!

 

While there were several suspects I did realize the killer's identity early on. Was that my expertise as a former cop and mystery blogger or sheer luck? Perhaps a bit of both. Even so, I enjoyed waiting to see when the penny would drop and Lana would solve the murder.

 

Death imitates art in CRIME RANGOON so grab a bowl of noodles, or maybe a doughnut, and settle in to see Lana and her friends solve another murder at Asia Village. 

The Chow Maniac - A Review

 Review

THE CHOW MANIAC by Vivien Chien
The Eleventh Noodle Shop Mystery 

As manager of the Ho-Lee Noodle House Lana Lane has an in with Cleveland's Asian community. She also has a knack for solving mysteries. So when PI Lydia Shepard finds herself with an Asian client with claims of a secret society and multiple murders, she brings Lana in as a consultant. Lana soon learns she has more ties to this society that she knows. Surely Mr. Zhang isn't a criminal mastermind?! Will Lana be able to get to the truth before another member is killed?

I've long loved Mr. Zhang and wished, not only that he had a bigger role in the Noodle Shop Mysteries, but to learn more about him. My wishes were granted in this, the eleventh book in the series. Was it possible that Mr. Zhang was the leader of a secret organization and was killing off members who opposed him? Say it isn't so! 

I love when mysteries add historical detail and little known facts to the plot. THE CHOW MANIAC is centered around a story from Chinese mythology, the Eight Immortals. I enjoyed learning about this legend and details about the Chinese in early twentieth century Ohio. While the secret society in this book may be fictional, the truths surrounding it are fascinating.

The mystery here was unique in that three of the murders happened before the start of the book and Lana is working semi professionally to solve it, though it soon turns out she does have a vested interest in solving the case! I love how Lana sticks to her guns and does what she's good at!

Infused with humor and Chinese legends THE CHOW MANIAC is a delectable entry to a fantastic series. I'm already craving the next one!

Peking Duck and Cover - A Review

 Review

PEKING DUCK AND COVER by Vivien Chien
The Tenth Noodle Shop Mystery 

It's almost time for the Lunar New Year and Asia Village is gearing up for a big festival. As manager of the Ho-Lee Noodle House Lana Lee is helping to organize the event. The all day party will feature food and drinks from the Village eateries and conclude with a Lion Dance and fire crackers. Although following all New Year superstitions to a T Lana feels a vague sense of unease, especially after seeing tension among the Lion dancers. The festival ends with a bang-unfortunately, not just the bang of firecrackers. One of the dancers has been shot and once again Lana is out to find a killer and justice for a victim.

One of the fascinating things about the tenth Noodle Shop Mystery was learning some of the New Year's superstitions. I never knew about not using knives! Sharing these details immerses me even more in the culture, adding layers onto the mystery. Plus, it's just fun! Seeing the extended Lee clan enjoying time together is great and I enjoy seeing Adam become even more a part of the family.

Lana, Megan, and Kimmie make a formidable investigative team and I enjoyed their pursuit of the truth. As usual I enjoy meeting up with the Mahjong Matrons and love how they help Lana. In fact I enjoy seeing many of the shopkeepers and seeing how they all relate. I only wish I could actually visit Asia Village and pick up a doughnut before enjoying Peter's cooking.

Lunar New Year traditions and family drama along with good food and plenty of humor make PEKING DUCK AND COVER a delectable mystery.

Gone to Hot Pot - A Review

 Review

GONE TO HOT POT by Vivien Chien
The Twelfth Noodle Shop Mystery 

 

With Lana Lane at a conference in California it's up to her roommate Megan Riley to look after Kikkoman. The little pug is not taking Lana's absence well, so Megan decides to take her to Asia Village. Waylaid by Kimmy, the pair take Kikko to the Ho-Lee Noodle House, but when it's time to leave Megan discovers that Kikko is gone! This unlikely duo will have to team up in order to find Lana's missing dog-and hope that Lana will never find out!

A Noodle Shop Mystery without Lana Lee? Yes-and it's absolutely wonderful. GONE TO POT may be a short story, but there's a lot to love. Having the almost always fighting duo of Megan and Kimmy having to work together without Lana as a buffer is brilliant. As usual Kimmy has me laughing out loud, especially with her special code name for their mission! I also loved visiting the many shop owners of Asia Village. I can't wait to see more of Talia and her metaphysical shop!

GONE TO HOT POT is a fast funny read from a different point of view. Grab a bite and enjoy the hunt for Kikkoman, though you may not want a pu pu platter!

Misfortune Cookie - A Review

 Review

MISFORTUNE COOKIE by Vivien Chien
The Ninth Noodle Shop Mystery

After coming too close to a killer for comfort Noodle House Manager Lana Lee has agreed to stop her sleuthing. To remove herself even more, Lana is headed to California. Her mother has paid for her to attend a restaurant convention and her sister, Anna May has decided to come along. The sisters also get to hang out with their Aunt Grace and stay at one of her rental properties. Grace is happy to show off her nieces at a work cocktail party, but a crash and screams pierce the night. A woman has fallen off the roof to her death. The woman happens to be Grace's good friend and the woman Lana saw involved in a confrontation at the convention. Much to Anna May's dismay Lana Lee is once again involved in murder. 

It's fun to see characters out of their usual environs, and I don't blame Lana and Anna May for leaving the December cold of Cleveland behind them to enjoy sunny California. It was also nice to see Lana more as a business professional...kind of...and getting to see Anna May cook, showcasing a skill we don't usually see from her. While I miss the Mahjong Mavens and the other regulars, MISFORTUNE COOKIE was a golden opportunity to explore the relationship between the sisters. I love how Lana and Anna May's relationship mirrors that of Grace and Mrs. Lee. Indeed, sisters make up the heart of the ninth Noodle Shop Mystery. Differences, similarities, bickering, and the complex relationship sisters share all play a part in this mystery.

I really enjoyed the complex mystery found in MISFORTUNE COOKIE and how Lana brings her investigatory skills to a new place, going so far as stopping at CVS to get a notebook! While I may be missing the Mahjong Matrons there are a lot of volatile characters in their place. That fortune cookie woman is a piece of work and it was fascinating to watch the characters interact, from suspicious co-workers to the "better than thou" husband, and more. And as for volatile, the final confrontation scene was a dramatic, pulse pounding thrill!

Fortune cookies, bubble tea, and sisters, MISFORTUNE COOKIE brings Cleveland to California in an exciting murder mystery.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Misfortune Cookie by Vivien Chien. This book is the ninth in the Noodle Shop Mystery series and will be released June 27, 2023.

After coming too close to a killer for comfort Noodle House Manager Lana Lee has agreed to stop her sleuthing. To remove herself even more, Lana is headed to California. Her mother has paid for her to attend a restaurant convention and her sister, Anna May has decided to come along. The sisters also get to hang out with their Aunt Grace and stay at one of her rental properties. Grace is happy to show off her nieces at a work cocktail party, but a crash and screams pierce the night. A woman has fallen off the roof to her death. The woman happens to be Grace's good friend and the woman Lana saw involved in a confrontation at the convention. Much to Anna May's dismay Lana Lee is once again involved in murder.

Hot and Sour Suspects - A Review

 Review

HOT AND SOUR SUSPECTS by Vivien Chien
The Eighth Noodle Shop Mystery 

Lana Lee is looking to improve business at the Ho-Lee Noodle House. Taking her roommate's suggestion, Lana brings speed-dating to her family's restaurant. All is going well, until a woman starts to make a scene. Lana, Megan, and Kimmy quickly escort the woman out, but their friend Rina still seems smitten with the man in question. Against everyone's advice, including that of the raving woman, Rina leaves with the man. Later that night Rina calls 911; the man in questioned has been murdered. Lana is sure her friend is innocent and begins to do a little investigating, even though Rina tells her not to. But the more Lana uncovers, the more guilty Rina appears. Could Rina actually be guilty?

Is the apocalypse nigh? Megan and Kimmy are getting along and working together, while Lana's perfect sister is the subject of gossip? Things are certainly a bit sideways, if not upside down, in this, the eighth Noodle House Mystery. Modern day dilemmas are touched on with gravitas, but humor as well. In fact, the humor is one of the things I like best about this series. I also really enjoy the characters and truly see them as friends. I love the Mahjong Matrons and think it's brilliant that Lana tries to use them to spread her own version of gossip in order to dispel another.

HOT AND SOUR SUSPECTS is a great addition to this delectable series easily combining humor and fun relatable characters in a well crafted mystery.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Hot and Sour Suspects by Vivien Chien. This book is the eighth book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series and was released last month.

Lana Lee is looking to improve business at the Ho-Lee Noodle House. Taking her roommate's suggestion, Lana brings speed-dating to her family's restaurant. All is going well, until a woman starts to make a scene. Lana, Megan, and Kimmie quickly escort the woman out, but their friend Rina still seems smitten with the man in question. Against everyone's advice, including that of the raving woman, Rina leaves with the man. Later that night Rina calls 911; the man in questioned has been murdered. Lana is sure her friend is innocent and begins to do a little investigating, even though Rina tells her not to. But the more Lana uncovers, the more guilty Rina appears. Could Rina actually be guilty?

Fatal Fried Rice - A Review

 Review

FATAL FRIED RICE by Vivien Chien
The Seventh Noodle Shop Mystery 

Lana Lee may manage the Ho-Lee Noodle House, but that doesn't mean she can cook Chinese food. Wanting to prove herself, Lana quietly enrolls in a Chinese cooking class hoping to impress her family and boyfriend. Bonding over similar family issues, Margo Han, the instructor, even agrees to provide Lana with extra one on one classes once the course concludes. Lana is riding high, until she returns to pick up the ingredient list she forgot. Instead of a list of supplies, she finds Margo lying on the floor, dead. The detective in charge finds her suspicious, not helpful, so once again Lana is taking out her trusty notebook and starting her own investigation.

The seventh Noodle Shop Mystery still has me laughing with and rooting for Lana Lee. I love how she tries to improve herself...even if she is primarily doing it to get back at her sister. Kimmy is a trip and I definitely have a soft spot for Lana's grandmother.

The actual mystery in FATAL FRIED RICE is unique in that it's not one Lana would usually get involved with. She just met the victim the night of the murder and if it wasn't for her innate curiosity and the fact that the detective in charge seems determined to believe she's a viable suspect, this could have been one murder she didn't investigate. I appreciate Lana's method to find a killer and got quite a kick at how she avoided shopping with her mother and grandmother. While I was suspicious of all of the new characters this complicated mystery had me surprised by the penultimate reveal.

FATAL FRIED RICE serves up a delightfully delicious mystery steeped in flavors any foodie or crime fiction lover will enjoy.

 

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Fatal Fried Rice by Vivien Chien. This book is the seventh in the Noodle Shop Mystery series and was released earlier this year.

Lana Lee may manage the Ho-Lee Noodle House, but that doesn't mean she can cook Chinese food. Wanting to prove herself, Lana quietly enrolls in a Chinese cooking class hoping to impress her family and boyfriend. Bonding over similar family issues, Margo Han, the instructor, even agrees to provide Lana with extra one on one classes once the course concludes. Lana is riding high, until she returns to pick up the ingredient list she forgot. Instead of a list of supplies, she finds Margo lying on the floor, dead. The detective in charge finds her suspicious, not helpful, so once again Lana is taking out her trusty notebook and starting her own investigation.

Fatal Fried Rice - A Spotlight

Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on a book on my TBR pile. I somehow missed the release of Fatal Fried Rice by Vivien Chien. This book is the seventh book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series and was released last month. Due to other commitments I won't be able to review it until the end of May, but wanted to give it a shout out now!

 From the back cover:

Lana Lee runs her family’s Chinese restaurant in Cleveland’s Asia Village like nobody’s business. When it comes to actual cooking, however, she’s known to be about a step up from boiling rice. So Lana decides to go to culinary school on the sly―and prove that she has what it takes in the kitchen after all. But when course instructor Margo Chan turns up dead after class, Lana suddenly finds herself on the case, frying pan in hand.

Since she was the one who discovered the body, Lana must do double duty in finding the killer and clearing her name. Now, with or without the help of her boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau, Lana launches her own investigation into Margo’s life and mysterious death. Doing so leads her on a wild goose chase to and from the culinary school―and all the way back to the Ho-Lee noodle shop, where the guilty party may be closer than Lana thinks.

Killer Kung Pao - A Review

Review

 KILLER KUNG PAO by Vivien Chien

The Sixth Noodle Shop Mystery

June Yi and Millie Mao are two of the most unpleasant people to be found in Asia Village. When the duo are involved in a minor fender bender Lana Lee knows it will be the talk of the village, especially after lawsuit happy Millie leaves via an ambulance.When June and Millie both wind up in Asian Accents, Lana's wish for a peaceful relaxing day seems impossible. Before her hair is done, a scream rings through the salon...a woman is dead and Lana is about to be involved in another murder.

How far would you go to help someone you didn't like? June is one of the most disliked people in Asia Village and everyone believes she's guilty. Could it be that obvious? Lana has her doubts. Lana's insatiable curiosity coupled with the heartfelt plea for help from June's sister leads Lana Lee into another murder investigation. 

I've always liked Lana and I like her even more after this sixth Noodle shop mystery. She's willing to take on so much, Asian Village's sidewalk sale, her friends' relationship crisis, her mother's demands for Ho-Lee Noodle House, and another murder. It would be easy to stay out of it and let the police decide the nasty woman everyone disliked is the murderer. But it takes strength of character to look into things and try to find the truth. No matter how much we love and believe in someone niggling doubts will still arise. Many of the characters in KILLER KUNG PAO are faced with this dilemma, including Lana. This doubt and the moral dilemmas faced here increase the anxiety and raise the tension creating a thought provoking and exciting read.

KILLER KUNG PAO has more twists than a mahua and had me gasping in shock at the ending! I absolutely love this character driven series and can't wait for Lana's next adventure.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Killer Kung Pao by Vivien Chien. This book is the sixth in the Noodle Shop Mystery series and was released yesterday.

June Yi and Millie Mao are two of the most unpleasant people to be found in Asia Village. When the duo are involved in a minor fender bender Lana Lee knows it will be the talk of the village, especially after lawsuit happy Millie leaves via an ambulance.When June and Millie both wind up in Asian Accent's, Lana's wish for a peaceful relaxing day seems impossible. Before her hair is done, a scream rings through the salon...a woman is dead and Lana is about to be involved in another murder.

Egg Drop Dead - A Review

Review

EGG DROP DEAD by Vivien Chien

The Fifth Noodle Shop Mystery

Lana Lee's first catering event should have been an intimate birthday party. But Donna Feng's idea of intimate means fifty of her nearest and dearest friends. Still, Lana and the party planner have things under control..until her teenaged girls act up and Donna creates a scene railing against the nanny. The guests are shocked, but not as stunned as when the nanny's body is found, drowned in the pool. What they don't know is that someone left a thumb drive, with all of the details of Donna's secret past. Is a triad catching up to her, or has she finally unraveled after the murder of her husband? The police don't know the truth about Donna, so it's up to Lana to discover just who killed the nanny while protecting Donna's secrets. Will the unwanted return of someone from Lana's past derail her investigation? Or will Lana be able to serve up justice once again?

EGG DROP DEAD is a book about secrets as well as dealing with the past. Donna may have no choice about hers, but Lana is in control of at least one part of her past and I love how she gets closure! The possibility of a triad being involved was thrilling. I also appreciated that Lana was intelligent enough to realize that she was no match for a triad and would stop her investigation if it led to one!

Basically, I love Lana Lee. She's smart, inquisitive, and knows when she's in over her head...for the most part. Lana is loyal, but keeps an open, objective mind as best she can. After all, she continually admits the possibility that Donna could be guilty. Lana also listens to her gut, and when a niggling suspicion won't go away, she'll suss it out.

In addition to well plotted mysteries, the character development in the Noodle Shop Mystery series  keeps me engaged. Seeing the relationship between Lana and Adam grow is heartwarming. I love A-ma and how she was able to discern something was bothering Lana, despite not truly being able to converse. I wish I could join everyone at Sunday Dim Sum!

EGG DROP DEAD is a puzzling good mystery with captivating characters and plenty of good Chinese food. Being rich has its perks and it was interesting to branch out and see how the wealthy socialites live, but if I was back in Cleveland I'd be much happier hanging out with Lana and her friends at Asia Village and the Zodiac.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Egg Drop Dead by Vivien Chien. This book is the fifth book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series and will be released February 25th.

Lana Lee's first catering event should have been an intimate birthday party. But Donna Feng's idea of intimate means fifty of her nearest and dearest friends. Still, Lana and the party planner have things under control..until her teenaged girls act up and Donna creates a scene railing against the nanny. The guests are shocked, but not as stunned as when the nanny's body is found, drowned in the pool. What they don't know is that someone left a thumb drive, with all of the details of Donna's secret past. Is a triad catching up to her, or has she finally unraveled after the murder of her husband? The police don't know the truth about Donna, so it's up to Lana to discover just who killed the nanny while protecting Donna's secrets. Will the unwanted return of someone from Lana's past derail her investigation? Or will Lana be able to serve up justice once again?

2019 - A Look Back

I'm excited to enter 2020 as I reminisce about the year 2019. I enjoyed welcoming new authors to the blog and renewing acquaintances with others. I discovered many new series and continued savoring many others. While the number of books I loved is too daunting to list...and I cannot commit to naming my top ten as there are too many variables to consider, I thought I'd at least make note of some favorites.

I was delighted to start several new series in 2019. A Dream of Death by Connie Berry, A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder by Dianne Freeman,  Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard, And Then There Were Crumbs by Eve Calder, The House on Hallowed Ground by Nancy Cole Silverman, and Death by Committee by Alexis Morgan were real standouts!

I also really enjoyed Southern Sass and Killer Cravings by Kate Young, Steeped in Murder by Kirsten Weiss, Designs on Murder by Gayle Leeson, Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass by Heather Day Gilbert, Murder's No Votive Confidence by Christin Brecher, and Mrs. Morris and the Ghost by Traci Wilton.

Of course I couldn't wait for new books in series I already loved and was thrilled to read 3 books in Carolyn Haines' Pluto's Snitch Mystery series. I had only recently discovered this fantastic Gothic paranormal mystery series and caught up. The most recent book is A Visitation of Angels, which was the only one actually published in 2019. I was also excited to read the second Rose Gallagher Mystery by Erin Lindsey, A Golden Grave, another historical mystery with a paranormal bent. Speaking of historical mysteries, The Pearl Dagger by L.A Chandlar, Deadly Deception by Kate Parker, and both of Peg Cochran's follow ups in her Murder, She Reported series, Murder, She Uncovered and Murder, She Encountered were top notch.

Gigi Pandian's latest Jaya Jones mystery, The Glass Thief, made me giddy at the ending and Vivien Chien gave two new Noodle Shop mysteries leaving me constantly craving Chinese food. Two Barnabas Tew novels had me laughing at the bumbling Victorian detectives as they dealt with Mayan and Hindu gods. Sarah Fox gave another standout with her fifth Pancake House Mystery, Crepe Expectations and Lena Gregory's fourth Bay Island Psychic Mystery, Spirited Away, had me on the edge of my seat.

I look forward to jumping into the new releases of 2020 as well as books I may have missed!

Wonton Terror - A Review

Review

WONTON TERROR by Vivien Chien

The Fourth Noodle Shop Mystery

Warm summer nights in Cleveland, Ohio mean outdoor activities and the start of the Asian Night Market. Representing the Ho-Lee Noodle House Lana Lee sees old family friends Sandra and Ronnie Chow with their new venture, the Wonton on Wheels food truck. The spectacular evening ends with a bang, literally, as an explosion rocks the night.Was this an insurance scam gone horribly wrong or did someone want Ronnie Chow dead? While her boyfriend, Detective Trudeau, is not working the case Lana feels it's her responsibility to look into things. But why doesn't anyone know much about the Chows? And why did her mother distance herself from her onetime friends? Could Sandra really be behind the plot? Between managing the restaurant and trying to keep the peace between her mother and visiting aunt, Lana hones her investigative skills. Will she uncover the truth or just get herself in hot water? 

WARNING! Do not start reading if you are hungry. Within minutes I was craving noodles and I'm still dreaming of wonton soup. So get satiated or have Chinese takeaway near to hand, and then you'll be ready to join Lana on another adventure. And what an adventure it is. I can just picture the Asian Night Market and would love to hang out and enjoy the summer night with the market's casual ambiance and innovative food offerings. When the successful night shatters in violence it brings a crushing reality to the world. Truly nowhere is safe. WONTON TERROR also takes a look at domestic violence. There are no details, like reality the subject is kept behind closed doors, but still, the subject is acknowledged and plays a major role in the mystery.

Despite explosions and the reality of domestic violence WONTON TERROR remains a light-hearted, fun read. The close knit community, and ties of family and friends bring warmth and joy, despite bickering and murder. Seeing relationships develop and grow keep me invested in this series. I really love Lana's family and they had me laughing out loud in this outing. With her sister Grace in town Lana's Mom is on edge and when she finally loses it during a family dinner out it is absolutely priceless!

The fourth Noodle House mystery is perplexing mystery which kept me guessing. While I had my suspicions about the culprit I really didn't know who was behind matters. Lana and her life is infinitely engaging and I love watching her puzzle through the mystery, asking questions while maintaining her job and family obligations.

WONTON TERROR is a fun mystery that kept me absorbed from the first page. As Lana says, "It's good to be Lana Lee" and it's a joy to read about her!

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien. This book is the fourth in the Noodle Shop Mystery series and was released yesterday.

Warm summer nights in Cleveland, Ohio mean outdoor activities and the start of the Asian Night Market. Representing the Ho-Lee Noodle House Lana Lee sees old family friends Sandra and Ronnie Chow with their new venture, the Wonton on Wheels food truck. The spectacular evening ends with a bang, literally, as an explosion rocks the night.Was this an insurance scam gone horribly wrong or did someone want Ronnie Chow dead? While her boyfriend, Detective Trudeau, is not working the case Lana feels it's her responsibility to look into things. But why doesn't anyone know much about the Chows? And why did her mother distance herself from her onetime friends? Could Sandra really be behind the plot? Between managing the restaurant and trying to keep the peace between her mother and visiting aunt, Lana hones her investigative skills. Will she uncover the truth or just get herself in hot water?

Murder Lo Mein - An Interview & Review

I'm happy to welcome Vivien Chien back to the blog today. Vivien writes the Noodle Shop Mystery series. MURDER LO MEIN is the third book in the series and was released earlier this week.

Kathy: In MURDER LO MEIN Lana enters her family's restaurant into Cleveland’s Best Noodle Contest. Have you ever attended food contests? Does Cleveland actually have a Best Noodle Contest? If so, I want to go!

VC: I have yet to attend a live food contest, but I love watching them on TV. And sadly no, there isn't a Best Noodle Contest in Cleveland, but if there were, I would be right there next to you!


Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for this story?

VC: The main inspiration behind this particular story (really with all of my stories) was how can I complicate Lana's life and challenge her. I often like to see how she handles the melding of her personal and professional problems. She is still trying to get a good grasp on life, and having her face these difficulties allows for her character to develop on multiple levels, which I think is what we're all really seeking to do.


Kathy: When I go out for Chinese, I almost always get the same thing, Sesame Chicken and Won Ton Soup. When you go to a Chinese restaurant you've never been to before, what do you usually order?

VC: As coincidence would have it, I usually order the very same thing that Lana orders. Hot and Sour soup, a spring roll, and some type of beef dish...usually Hunan Beef. However, since I've started writing this series, I'm usually craving some type of noodle dish, so other items on the menu have taken a backseat.


Kathy: If I were to visit Ho-Lee Noodle House, what would you recommend I order?

VC: One of everything! Peter is a fantastic cook, but his favorite recipe is a beef noodle soup he enters into the contest mentioned in MURDER LO MEIN.


Kathy: Are you able to share any future plans for Lana Lee?

VC: I like to keep a lot of Lana's future plans tucked away, but I will share that in the fifth book (coming out in 2020), Lana will work with a private detective that is a character in another series that I hope to publish someday.


Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

VC: After MURDER LO MEIN, there are definitely three books slated for the Noodle Shop series. WONTON TERROR, the fourth book in the series, will be out this coming August, and then two more will release next year. But, I'm hoping that Lana has a very long and prosperous life!

********************************************************************

When she’s not writing, Vivien can be found frolicking in the bookstore or searching for her next bowl of noodles. She has a soft spot for doughnuts, a healthy love for coffee, and an extreme need to participate in random acts of crafting.
She currently lives in Cleveland where she is hard at work on the fifth book in her Noodle Shop series and writes side-by-side with her toy fox terrier.

Links:

Website -http://www.vivienchien.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vivien_chien_author/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vivienchienauthor/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/vivien_chien

*********************************************************************

Review

MURDER LO MEIN by Vivien Chien

The Third Noodle Shop Mystery

It's time for Cleveland's Best Noodle Contest and Ho-Lee Noodle House is aching to take first prize, or at least beat the Shen family!  With Ho-Lee in the lead after one elimination, everyone takes time to celebrate, even Judge Norman Pan, a restaurant critic known for his scathing reviews. But the party grinds to a halt when the hated judge is found dead. With her sort of boyfriend Detective Trudeau busy working, Lana now faces multiple temptations: Asia Village's hunky new community director, delectable doughnuts from the shop opening next door, and the thrill of solving another murder!

I love Lana Lee! She's determined, fun, and, though sometimes vulnerable, able to take care of herself. She also lives and works in a great place. I always enjoy seeing what's new in Asia Village and the third Noodle Shop Mystery brings some exciting changes. A new business enters the mix, Shanghai Donuts, taking over the cursed (according to the Mahjong Matrons and a good portion of the Village, anyway) location. We also see a dishy new character in Freddie Yuan. The addition of Lana's Grandmother brings plenty of laughs...and a new side to more than one character.

Aside from a cracking good mystery, my favorite aspect of the book is how the characters and their relationships are evolving. Lanna and Detective Trudeau's relationship comes to a crossroads as Adam opens up about his past. Lana's mother has to learn to live with her own mother as she frets about the Noodle Competition and an upcoming visit with her sister.  In fact, family dynamics play a huge part, not only in this book, but the whole series! And not just the Lee family either. Throughout the series we meet many families and see how they change, grow, and deal with each other. Above all there's a wonderful sense of community that I'm happy to be a part of.

MURDER LO MEIN is a smart, funny mystery filled with wonderful characters and delectable food.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Murder Lo Mein by Vivien Chien. This book is the third in the Noodle House Mystery series and will be released March 26, 2019.

It's time for Cleveland's Best Noodle Contest and Ho-Lee Noodle House is aching to take first prize, or at least beat the Shen family!  With Ho-Lee in the lead after one elimination, everyone takes time to celebrate, even Judge Norman Pan, a restaurant critic known for his scathing reviews. But the party grinds to a halt when the hated judge is found dead. With her sort of boyfriend Detective Trudeau busy working, Lana now faces multiple temptations: Asia Village's hunky new community director, delectable doughnuts from the shop opening next door, and the thrill of solving another murder!