Dim Sum of All Fears by Vivien Chien

Lana Lee wants out of the family business. It’s not that working at the Ho-Lee Noodle House is bad, it’s just not what she wants to do for the rest of her life. But when her parents announce that they’re going to visit family overseas for an extended period of time and Lana will be in charge of the restaurant, she has little choice in the matter. And when the couple who owns the souvenir shop next door is murdered, Lana has little choice but to get involved!

This second in the series is a delight! Lana Lee is fun and spunky, nosing around in things that definitely aren’t her business and absolutely get her into trouble, much to the disappointment of her potential new beau, the detective actually assigned to the murder investigation.

But Lana can’t help it! City Charms hadn’t been open long but Lana managed to make friends with Isabelle, one of the owners, bonding over their fondness for mystery novels. And while Lana wasn’t a big fan of Brandon, Isabelle’s husband, she can’t imagine why anyone would have murdered them.

Plus, there’s pressure from the manager at the shopping center as well, who’s specifically asked Lana to look into the matter as a personal favor.

So see, she really can’t help it!

This series is so much fun! The family dynamics between Lana, her parents, and her older sister create inherent drama as do the dynamics between the various business owners in the shopping center. And since the last book, Lana has been added to the board, which really does mean that she has a bit of a vested interest in seeing the murder solved. Especially when two different women pop up claiming they have a right to ownership of the store after Brandon and Isabelle turn of dead!

But of course Lana herself is the driving force of the series. Waiting to see what new drama will be inflicted upon her by Chien's pen makes this a series you'll want to come back to again and again. Be warned, though, you'll need some Chinese food to tide you over as you read!

(Apparently I wrote this review quite some time ago and it's been sitting in drafts. Oops!)

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Death By Dumpling by Vivien Chien

Lana Lee is recently single and recently unemployed. Which is why she's waiting tables at her family's restaurant, the Ho-Lee Noodle House. It's not a bad gig. Not what she wants to do permanently, but it pays the bills and keeps her busy. And when the property manager for the shopping center Ho-Lee calls home dies, she becomes even busier.

Mr. Feng died thanks to an allergic reaction to shrimp dumplings. From Ho-Lee Noodle House! Everyone knew Mr.  Feng was allergic to shrimp, which was why there was a great big warning about it at the restaurant. But somehow, his daily order of dumplings was served up with shellfish and Mr. Feng's epi-pen was apparently nowhere to be found. And, since Ho-Lee delivered the deadly dumplings, suspicion immediately turns to the restaurant's chef, Peter, and Lana herself for making the delivery!

Lana had no issues with Mr. Feng and she's certain Peter isn't responsible either. But it looks bad for Ho-Lee Noodle House. So Lana takes it upon herself to find out who might have wanted Mr. Feng dead. Unfortunately, whoever did it is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure their secret stays buried!

Vivien Chien's debut is a fun cozy perfect for any fan of culinary mysteries.

Lana is great heroine to get behind. She's at a point in her life where her loyalty to her family is warring with her indecision about what she wants to do with her life. That and being single are the two biggest issues she faces. It's safe to say she's killing time at Ho-Lee Noodle House, but that doesn't mean she isn't invested in its success—and in keeping it's name clear of any connection to the death of one of its patrons!

But Lana has no idea how to investigate a murder. This is the first in the series and, thus, Lana's amateur sleuth origin tale!

If contemporary cozies are your jam, you need to add Death By Dumpling to your TBR! It's a wonderful light and breezy read, featuring a great cast of characters and a charming lead you'll absolutely adore. And once you've gobbled up this first in the series, you'll be happy to note that there are two more books out on shelves now and two additional titles due out in the coming months!