Release Date – July 23, 2024
Peking Duck and Cover: A Noodle Shop Mystery
Cozy Mystery
10th in Series
Setting – Ohio
Publisher : Minotaur Books (July 23, 2024)
Mass Market Paperback : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 1250338778
ISBN-13 : 978-1250338778
Kindle ASIN : B0CGRZHQWJ
Audiobook ASIN B0D931JMGH
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.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
It’s almost Chinese New Year and Asia Village manager Ian Sung has tasked Lana Lee to help him put together a lavish event to celebrate the time of new beginnings and the good fortune the day promises. The night will be filled with music, giveaways, fireworks, and live entertainment. Lana has reviewed the plans several times to be sure the holiday affair comes together as planned.
Unfortunately, the evening ends with a bang and not from the fireworks. One member of the lion dance performance team is dead with the omen of death in their pocket, a red envelope holding four one-dollar bills.
Ian along with property owner Donna Feng demands that Lana “do her thing” and find the killer as soon as possible and bring them to justice. She eventually agrees and her BFF Megan agrees to help. Adam isn’t happy but they come to an understanding – Don’t interfere with him directly and that if anyone asks he didn’t approve of her endeavor.
All my favorite characters are back in this latest installment of the Noodle Shop Mysteries. Again Lana has her hands full we know she can handle it. Her relationship with Fairview Park Police Detective Adam Trudeau is moving along nicely. He knows people open up and tell her things they wouldn’t tell him and that she has a great record of solving crimes so he accepts her efforts to investigate. I enjoy how they share their findings with each other, hypothetically, of course. I liked that Adam’s partner Higgins was more present in this story. He is a little bit older than Adam and a really cool guy. With the holiday we are treated to more fun with the Lee family and the Mahjong Matrons are back too. Kimmy’s relationship with Peter is going well but she has a secret. Megan is a stellar best friend and has Lana’s back no matter what. She may also have a new love interest. The author creates such genuine characters and she allows them to develop naturally. I find myself easily getting caught up in whatever is happening in their lives.
Right now, their lives include a shocking murder. Lana is more confident and I enjoyed following her follow the clues. The pieces of Chinese traditions and customs played well in the mystery and the story as a whole. I found them very interesting. There were several suspects but the clues lined up for me a short time before they did for Lana. Her idea to flush out the killer was a great one. One statement told her exactly what she needed to know but the showdown didn’t go exactly as planned. Lana found herself in the middle of a dire situation and excitement ensued. I loved every minute of the sensational takedown. Thank goodness for the eyeball dance!
I can’t forget that Lana’s cute little pug Kikkoman (Kikko) is back too fresh off his adventures in Gone to Hot Pot where Kikko was at the Plaza. It’s a secret, so don’t tell Lana.
Peking Duck and Cover is a fun, entertaining, and at times tense cozy mystery and a magnificent addition to this wonderful series. I highly recommend it to all cozy mystery lovers. Vivien Chien grabbed me with her first book,
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About the Author
VIVIEN CHIEN was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio where she grew up in a mixed-race home, making for some very interesting cultural experiences. She found her love of books and the written word at an early age while writing short stories about her classmates in elementary school. Currently, she writes side-by-side with her toy fox terrier who refuses to sit anywhere else. When she’s not writing, Vivien enjoys frequenting local Asian restaurants, frolicking in the bookstore, and searching for her next donut. (From Amazon)
Coming April 1, 2025
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