This is the second book in this cozy series and I enjoyed it as much as the first. Lana has been left in charge of the family restaurant while her parents are visiting family. There is a new shop opened next door and of course there is murder there. With some help she sets out to solve the crime. I enjoy the restaurant setting and all the characters. The mystery was good with lots of suspects. I was able to figure out the killer. This series should be read in order there are references to the murder in the first book. Enjoy

I had some really high hopes for this book because the first one blew me away. So I was really excited to finally read the second book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. What makes this book stand out is the fact that it features an Asian cast as well as a lot of traditions and cultural activities that celebrates Asian culture.

However, what made this book unique in the first place is also its biggest weakness here. Chien still writes a fun story however I felt like the focus of the book wasn’t the mystery. It was more of Lena’s personal struggles as well as anything and everything Asian that she could fit in.

As an Asian person, I greatly appreciate this focus. But so much time had to pass before the real plot of the story began. I really like Lena and can relate to a lot of her personal issues. But she comes across as very immature in this novel. It was to the point where I actually thought I was reading a Young Adult novel instead. All those internal struggles are wonderful to have in a book to accentuate the main storyline, but the mystery felt buried beneath all that and never got a chance to shine. Things took too long to progress and as a result, the book really disappointed me.

I am hoping a tighter pace will happen for the next book or even just a greater focus on the actual mystery of the story because I can see a lot of potential. But without the right kind of attention being made in all the important parts, sadly this book won’t shine with mystery readers.

This is the second book in the "A Noodle Shop Mystery" series. I had not read the first book but that did not make it confusing. Our protagonist, Lana Lee, works at her family restaurant,Ho-Lee Noodle House. in this story she ios left in charge of the restaurant which is rough enough, but then the couple nextdoor are found dead and she is determined to find out what happened. I gave this a solid 4 star review. Looking forward to more in the series.

The second book in this series was another enjoyable trip to Cleveland with a visit to The Asia Village. In this book, a new tenant to the plaza is murdered with his wife. Of course Lana quickly finds herself smack dab in the middle of the investigation. The murdered man turned out to be quite the ladies' man with a couple of ex-wives showing up claiming to be the new owners of the business. Did one of them murder the young couple or was it someone he owed money to from gambling?

This story found Lana extremely busy. Her parents went to Taiwan to help her her grandmother and left Lana in charge of the restaurant. She is also on the board of directors for the plaza and dealing with her budding relationship. Throw in investigating a murder and she has very little free time. Lana is not happy with her role running the restaurant, in fact she has an interview for a new job that she has to cancel due to her responsibilities. All the secondary characters in this book made me shake my head. They were not very nice at all and extremely greedy and selfish. There were so many suspects in this one that Lana had a hard time figuring out who was responsible. I did not have any idea who the murderer was, but when it was revealed, and a fun reveal it was, I could see where I had missed a couple of subtle clues. This was a very interesting and enjoyable cozy and I am looking forward to seeing where Vivien Chien will take Lana next.

Super fun series! Sometimes Lana can feel a bit naive, but overall this is a great cozy mystery series. May make you a bit hungry, so have a snack handy.

This is such a great series! I love the setting, the characters and the plots. Lana is starting to grow up and is adulting hard in this one when she's put in charge of Ho-Lee Noodles while her parents travel to China to visit relatives. Granted, she was a bit petulant but in the end, she managed to do a great job at the restaurant while tracking down the person responsible for murdering her friend. A great follow up to the debut, this is definitely a series to watch and I recommend it to all cozy lovers.

I loved diving back into the Asia Village to catch up with Lana and her friends.

There was a double murder in this book, which I thought was pretty interesting since I haven’t come across that very often in a cozy. The mystery held my attention and kept the pages turning. There were plenty of suspects to choose from, all of which had plenty of motive for murder. I was ultimately able to guess the killer, but I was stumped for most of the book with my suspicion bouncing between suspects, and only figured it out right before Lana did.

I’m glad that Adam had a bigger part in this book. I love his interactions with Lana. I think they would make a great couple. I’m curious as to why he holds back so much when it comes to his job. Hopefully we’ll find out more about that in the next book. I’m rooting for the two of them!

I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

The family noodle house is where Lana finds herself after life didn't work out as she expected. It's a great setting for the book her family and the noodle house are quite the characters themselves. She and her friend Megan stumble a bit, but the sleuthing comes right along. I liked Lana's unconventional way of looking at life, and donuts too!

I never read the first book in this series so Dim Sum of All Fears was my introduction to Lana and the Asian Village crew. I loved the diversity and seeing Lana take charge of the family business. However the murder mystery felt like an afterthought that was quickly wrapped up at the end.

The Noodle Shop series is probably my favorite cozy mystery series right now - it’s funny, full of heart and has some decent mysteries in there as well. Just a warning: Do not read it when you’re hungry. You will end up ordering copious amounts of Chinese food if you do.

In this second book, Lana is still trying to figure her life out when her new friend, Isabelle, the owner of a souvenir shop next to the restaraunt, and Isabelle’s husband, Brandon, are found brutally murdered in the shop. Then things get weird, as Brandon’s persona as a devoted, albeit a bit boorish, husband starts to fall apart. Lana finds herself once again drawn into the latest mystery at Asia Village.

I love the characters in this series. They are what makes it great. Kikko’s obviously my favorite, followed by Lana and her family. They all just have such great personalities that are familiar from the real world. There’s also enough development in this book to make readers anticipate the next book, but not too much.

The mystery itself is also pretty good, with plenty of suspects and motives to keep things moving smoothly throughout the book. It’s a little tragic, with the victims being so young and with a full life ahead of them, but that’s the nature of a thriller.

Overall, I can’t wait to see where thing go from here.

This is the second book in the Noodle Shop Mysteries series. I read the first book, and it was a cute twist on the traditional cozy mystery. The second book continues the story of Lana Lee and her family's noodle house.

There's a lot going on in Asia Village where Ho-Lee Noodle house is located and Lana seems to be in the middle of it all. Her parents have gone to Taiwan to visit relatives and left her in charge of the restaurant. When one of her friends and neighboring business owners and her husband are found murdered, Lana jumps in to solve the crime. She gets in a lot of trouble with her boyfriend, who is a policeman but manages to help out and take care of the restaurant at the same time.

I like the characters in these mysteries, they're fun and quirky. I recommend this book. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lana Lee isn't too happy as her mother maneuvered her into agreeing to manage the family's noodle shop while her parents returned to Taiwan for a family emergency. First, her elder sister is miffed that Lana was given the responsibility. And Lana's job interview fell into limbo because of her unavailability for the next few weeks. All of that is bad enough, but her friends in the store next door are murdered and Lana has to figure out what is going on. If course, her date/boyfriend is the detective on the case and not at all happy about her being in danger.

Good story, interesting characters!

Yesssss! I was so ready for this second book in this series. It was so much fun. I cant wait for the next one!

Do not ask me what it is about this series, but I am enjoying book two as much as I did the first. Actually, I think it might have something to do with the Mahjong Matrons, but since they do not make a huge splash, I have relegated them to “they better show up in each book or I am out of here” status.

Lana Lee is going through her quarter-life-crisis. I know it is a quirky term, but very fitting since Lana seems to be stuck after quitting her job and now working at her parents noodle shop. With a job interview set up and the possibility of getting her life back on track, Lana is conflicted when her parents ask her to manage the restaurant while they head to Taiwan to care for Lana’s grandmother. Family is the one thing that you cannot say no to and Lana resigns herself to family obligation.

When Isabelle Yeoh and her husband Brandon are found dead by an apparent murder/suicide, Lana can’t help but to do her own investigation especially when two of Brandon’s ex-wives show up each wanting ownership of the souvenir shop that the couple had owned.

Warnings go unheeded and soon Lana finds herself the victim of threats and violence. Boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau warned her, but when you have started to build your own murder book, you cannot just walk away. You cannot let a friend’s death go unanswered. So as the tension builds and more of the story comes out, Lana finds herself in the middle of the darker side of life and realizes that Brandon might have had more going on than he could handle and though he tried to keep the truth from his wife, there are some out there that will get what they want, no matter what.

Vivien Chien's Noodle Shop Mysteries are fast becoming one of my 'to watch for' cozy mystery series!

Dim Sum of All Fears is book 2 in the series. Lana Lee has been left in charge of the family restaurant, much to her dismay, and on top of that, her relationship with handsome detective Adam seems to be somewhat stalled. Things are made even worse when Asia Village is rocked with another murder, this time a happily married couple, and Lana's friend, who were running the souvenir store right next to the noodle house. It's up to Lana, and her best friend Megan, to find the killer and bring justice to the dead.

Lana Lee is one of the more intriguing heroines i've met in a cozy mystery in quite some time. She is young, funny, and still finding herself. I really enjoyed spending time with her. I also loved the friendship between her and Megan.

Definitely looking forward to reading the next instalment in this series!

I loved this one even more than I did the first in this brand-new edgy-ish cozy mystery series, which I didn’t think was possible! If you like cozies and want something new and fresh, definitely check out the Noodle Shop Mysteries, starting with DEATH BY DUMPLING. They are set in Cleveland, which I loved given that so many cozies are set in tiny small towns.

Lana is still working in her parents Chinese restaurant in Downtown Cleveland even though she would rather be working as a manager in the corporate world. Just as she thinks she has found the break she has been looking for her parents must fly to Taiwan to take care of her grandmother and have left her in charge of the restaurant with the Chinese New Year right around the corner. Everything is running smoothly until one morning she finds the owners of the shop next door brutally murdered. Can Lana leave the investigation to the police or will she find herself facing the murderer on her own?

This book was very enjoyable. I have already bought the first book in the series to take with me this weekend to read while traveling. Lana, amateur sleuth, is the reason we have cozies. Even though she lives in Cleveland, her community is Asia Village. A small village of Asian stores, restaurants and businesses. She may wish to work in corporate America but she is the force that keeps this little village alive. Her relationship with local law enforcement officer Adam is hilarious but serious at the same time. He wants her to stay safe and she just can't help herself getting into trouble. I get this picture in my head of him just shaking his head in defeat but smiling at the same time out of love. I can't wait to learn more about him as the series progresses.

This is the perfect series to begin if you are looking for a culinary cozy mystery series in a different setting. Be prepared to be craving everything Chinese as you are reading. I had to keep myself from drooling as I was reading.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Earlier this year I got in on the ground floor of this sweet and sour mystery series and I loved it. The Noodle Shop Mysteries offer something on the exotic side when it comes to cozy mysteries as they have a distinct Asian flare—-if you couldn’t tell from the title!

What I love about Chien’s writing style is that she is to the point and brisk but not so brisk that she’s impersonal. This was just the light murder mystery that I needed as the summer days become shorter.

Welcome back to Ho-Lee Noodle House, where you can get fantastic take-out. . .unless you get taken out first.

Lana Lee is a dutiful daughter, waiting tables at her family’s Chinese restaurant even though she’d rather be doing just about anything else. Then, just when she has a chance for a “real” job, her parents take off to Taiwan, leaving Lana in charge. Surprising everyone―including herself―she turns out to be quite capable of running the place. Unfortunately, the newlyweds who just opened the souvenir store next door to Ho-Lee have turned up dead. . .and soon Lana finds herself in the midst of an Asia Village mystery.

Between running the Ho-Lee and trying to figure out whether the rock-solid Detective Adam Trudeau is actually her boyfriend, Lana knows she shouldn’t pry into the case. But the more she learns about the dead husband, his ex-wives, and all the murky details of the couple’s past, the more Lana thinks that this so-called murder/suicide is a straight-up order of murder (summary from Goodreads).

Obviously this is the second in a series and there are references/spoilers about book one in this latest installment. If that bothers you, read the first book, it was a solid opener and read quickly. If you don’t care about spoiling the first book then read this one, you won’t be lost in the subplots because Chien does a great job orientating her readers in the plot and introducing them to the characters.

I read this book easily in a day. It was light reading and the mystery kept me interested and I loved seeing the different angles and possibilities in this plot. I love Lana as a protagonist. She’s smart, sassy, and I love that her life is basically falling apart in various ways but yet she preservers and keeps on keeping on. I love her and I love how she goes about solving cases.

What I don’t love is the romance between her and Adam. I feel like Adam is indifferent to her and I am just not in love with his character. To be honest, I feel more chemistry between Lana and Ian. Adam just seems to absorbed in his own world, bland, and he doesn’t interact with Lana enough in the story to justify anything other than a basic friendship/budding romance. I get it, their romance is in fact budding, but unless they have some serious time and interaction in the next book, in my opinion Lana needs to move on. I am just not buying them as a couple.

As with the first book, I love the Asian angle of this book. I think it brings a unique niche to a genre saturated with quaint English villages and crumpets. While the culture isn’t the focus of the book, I love how seamlessly it’s woven into the plot. I was craving Chinese food throughout this novel as well…again food isn’t the focus of this book but it plays a large roll and I love it!

This book still hit a solid four stars from me, I just wish the romance had progressed or heated up a little or just went in a new direction all together. I am eager to see what happens to Lana in the next book, hurry up March 2019!

Challenge/Book Summary:

Book: Dim Sum of All Fears (A Noodle Shop Mystery #2) by Vivien Chien

Kindle edition 320 pages
Expected publication: August 28th 2018 by St. Martin’s Press
ISBN 1250129176 (ISBN13: 9781250129178)
Review copy provided by: publisher/author in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own
Recommendation: 4 out of 5

Genre: Mystery, cozy mystery, detective novel

Memorable lines/quotes:

Dim Sum of all Fears by Vivien Chien is the second book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. Lana is all set for a second interview for an office job and a way out of her parents' noodle shop. Her plans are for naught when her parents announce they are going to Taiwan and put her in charge of the restaurant. Soon after they leave the couple who own the shop next door are found dead. The apparent murder-suicide is just a cover up for something more sinister. The setting of Asia Village is a place I wish I could go to in real life. The characters only add to the charm.

I loved this second entry in the Noodle House Mystery series! Lana Lee is still recovering from the traumatic ordeal of finding a killer in her midst only a few months ago. She's thinking about leaving her family business, the Ho-Lee Noodle House, for an office job. But then her parents leave for Thailand to take care of her grandmother, and Lana is stuck running the shop. To make matters worse, Lana's friend Isabelle is brutally murdered in the souvenir shop right next to the noodle house. Isabelle's husband, Brandon, is murdered along with her. As much as Lana wants to put the murder out of her mind, she can't do it. She has to find justice for her friend, while also building a relationship that's more than friendly with the detective on the case. This series is gold - as a Cleveland native, I love the setting, and Lana's funny, slightly sarcastic voice drives the narrative forward. Make sure to read them in order, since there are a few minor spoilers for DEATH BY DUMPLING in this one.

Disclaimer - I am friends with the author, and my name appears in the acknowledgments. This is still an honest review.