(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for Egg Drop Dead, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier Noodle Shop mysteries. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.
Lana Lee is always looking for ways to promote her family's Chinese restaurant, Ho-Lee Noodle House. As manager, it's her responsibility to keep the place running smoothly as well as look for new ways to bring in business. Offering catering services seems like a good idea. Especially when Lana sees just how swanky their first catered party really is. Wealthy guests are eating up all of Ho-Lee Noodle House's delicious offerings and promising to use the restaurant for their own fancy galas. Everything is going swimmingly until a dead body is found in the backyard pool.
Donna Feng—the party hostess and co-owner of the Asian Village shopping center where Ho-Lee Noodle House is located—swears she has no idea how her children's nanny ended up dead. Everyone heard Donna screaming at the young woman earlier in the party. Everyone knows Donna hasn't been quite right since her husband died. Everyone seems convinced that the widow snapped and killed Alice Kam in a fit of rage. Lana seems to be the only one who believes Donna, an old family friend whom she's known for years, is innocent. True, the woman is not exactly who she says she is. Still, Lana knows she isn't capable of murder. So, who did the dastardly deed? It's up to Lana to find out...
Vivien Chien's Noodle House Mystery series is one of my favorites. The books don't take themselves too seriously which makes them fun, entertaining reads. Lana is a spunky heroine whose natural curiosity leads her into plenty of far-fetched but exciting mystery-solving adventures. Her relationship with her colorful, complicated family adds humor and tension to every book. While Egg Drop Dead isn't my favorite installment in the series, it's still an enjoyable romp that kept me smiling while I zipped through its pages. Even though the killer in this one is pretty obvious and Lana's boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, drove me crazy with his condescending "dollface" comments, I still liked Egg Drop Dead. I'll continue with the series, no question, because it really is a whole lot of fun!
(Readalikes: Other books in the series, including Death By Dumpling, Dim Sum of All Fears, Murder Lo Mein, Wonton Terror, Killer Kung Pao, Fatal Fried Rice, and Hot and Sour Suspects; also reminds me of culinary cozies by Ellie Alexander, Amanda Flower, Kylie Logan, and Eve Calder)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and mild innuendo
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
