Egg Drop Dead: A Noodle Shop Mystery
By Vivien Chien
St. Martin’s Paperbacks
March 2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

Proudly donning pink hair and a love of fast food, twenty-eight year-old Lana Lee never imagined a future where she’d be back home working in her family’s Cleveland noodle shop. Even less probable was that she would do it so well, to the point that she is now Ho-Lee Noodle House’s manager and the one responsible for initiating their first catering job. Donna Feng’s fifty-ish birthday party with fifty of her nearest and dearest socialite friends was not the easy first-run trial Lana had intended, especially with all of the recent discord in the Feng household. A nanny for the twin teenaged girls should have alleviated some of the complications, but that’s off the plate when Lana discovers her body floating in the pool at the end of the night. Donna’s unstable temperament and recent outbursts have Westlake gossip linking her to the death of young Alice Kim, but Lana is adamant that the woman she has known since childhood could never have committed murder.

Lana’s recent involvement in criminal investigations has everyone in Asia Village expecting that she will do so again, and none more so than Donna herself. Leading Lana to a blackmail-worthy thumb drive along with a list of enemies, Donna has Lana questioning some of the wealthiest women in Cleveland. Far more intriguing is the trail that leads to Price Investigations, where Lydia Shepherd is a private investigator with skills Lana can’t help but envy. Lana takes a more forthright approach when detecting, going full-speed ahead with an attitude that is both too trusting and yet overly suspicious. At least her boyfriend police officer Adam Trudeau has accepted her adventures, albeit with the caveat that she keeps him appraised of her suspects, detailed in the investigation spiral notebook she keeps under her bed. Adam is less certain about the return of Lana’s ex, who not only broke her heart but was one of the reasons she returned home in the first place.

In this fifth of the series Lana spends more time tracking down leads than she does managing the restaurant, but that doesn’t mean that there still isn’t a surfeit of delicious-sounding appetizers and meals to be had. Lana enlists her best friend and roommate Megan Riley as an investigative assistant, with strip club waitress Kimmy Tran coming along as a less-helpful, brash interrogator. The budding relationship between Lana and Lydia adds intriguing new possibilities for Lana’s future, with the noir-talking thirtyish professional serving as a confident PI mentor. Lydia’s connections definitely provide her little “chickadee” with resources and information Lana would otherwise never have, especially helpful since she shows no sign of slowing her involvement in Asia Village crime. This latest installment of her adventures serves up a delectably original twist with these Desperate Wives of Cleveland, and readers can continue to be delighted by Lana as the young woman embraces her culture, her identity, and her very involved family.

Egg Drop Dead is another fun book in the Noodle Shop Mystery Series. I love the main character, Lana Lee, and find the secondary characters of her family and boyfriend, Adam, to be great as well. I especially enjoy the interactions between Lana and her mother.

In this new installment, Lana is on her first catering job when a domestic worker is murdered. The party's hostess, Donna Feng, is the main suspect, and Lana must step in to solve the case.

This book has all the charm and spiritedness of the others in the series. I was glad to be back in Lana's world, and I had fun reading about the characters and enjoyed the interesting storyline.

I really enjoyed this latest installment in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. The writing felt fresh and engaging, the mystery was interesting and suspenseful, and I loved that Lana had the opportunity to team up with a private investigator in order to get to the bottom of the murder. This series has some of the best characterizations I've read in cozy mysteries and it continues to offer well-plotted and non-cliched storylines. I can't wait for the next book to come out in August!

I absolutely loved this latest installment in what’s become one of my favorite cozy mystery series.

Ho-Lee Noodle House has decided to launch a catering business, but at their first ever event, a party at Donna Feng’s house, someone winds up dead! Before the police arrive on the scene, Donna entrusts Lana with a thumb drive and asks her to help clear her name. Lana uncovers information about Donna’s mysterious past before moving to Cleveland. Can she figure out the truth and find the real killer before it’s too late?

Once again, Chien delivers a first-rate mystery with fantastic characters and settings. I always love the references to Chinese culture (the family meal scenes crack me up! Drama!) as well as the absolutely mouthwatering food descriptions. Lana is delightful - smart and sassy. I love the rapport and has with her roommate Megan. I also love Kimmy, who adds some comic relief to Lana’s sleuthing efforts. And of course, I love the relations between Lana and Adam. And, like I said, the family dynamics are always highly entertaining. This is really a fantastic series. She can’t write them fast enough for me!

I'm such a fan of this series and this new book is a wonderful way to continue the story. I enjoyed the new characters we meet, the fun setting and mystery of the plot, and how things wrapped up and intertwined. I love hanging out with Lana and her group of family and friends and can't wait to see what she does next. Another great cozy mystery!

Egg Drop Dead is the 5th book in the Noodle Shop mystery series and it is just a delight! I actually started this series on book three and haven't yet had the chance to catch up on books one and two. This is the first time that it seems to have mattered as this book referenced a previous case that Lana investigated that I'm guessing happened during either book one or two. It didn't affect my enjoyment of this book in the slightest but I wanted to mention it in case you haven't read those earlier books either. This book had everything that I enjoy about this series! There are these amazing food descriptions that make me constantly feel hungry while reading. Lana is Lana and finds herself caught up in the middle of a murder investigation yet again. She is such a delightful character that I just always find myself rooting for! Plus, all of my favorite secondary characters were present including Lana's detective boyfriend Adam. I liked that in this book we learned a bit more about Lana through her ex-boyfriend's surprise appearance in her life once again. I don't want to share any spoilers but I will say that I liked how everything turned out in that situation. The mystery portion of this book was well done as well and kept me guessing. This is a series that I really enjoy and will just keep reading more of! I really do need to catch up with those earlier books though!

Overall, this book was another great addition to what has become a favorite mystery series of mine! I swear that every time I read these books I find myself craving spring rolls. Yum! The characters are great and I cannot wait to see what kind of trouble Lana will get herself into next time. I'm really enjoying seeing Lana and Adam's relationship develop. Hopefully we will continue to see that happen in future books. You can certainly read this series out of order (I did) but I do think that it would help your overall reading experience to start at the beginning if possible. This is a cozy mystery series not to be missed! Recommended to fans of cozy mysteries and mystery readers alike!

Bottom Line: Another delightful addition to one of my favorite cozy mystery series!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher courtesy of NetGalley. Honest thoughts are my own.

Excellent! I really enjoy Vivien Chien's Noodle Shop mysteries. And I like that the main character is Asian-American--it's nice to have a little diversity and something different than single, knitting, cat ladies in a cozy mystery.

In the fifth installment of Vivien Chien's Noodle Shop mystery series, Egg Drop Dead, is another delectable winner for me. Oh how I absolutely adore Lana Lee’s character – this time a murder finds Lana in her first-ever catering event, and along with the ever so handsome boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau to find the culprit. I really enjoy Lana is a character and have enjoyed this amazing and brilliant series by Vivien Chien. I adore cozy mysteries and this series is a must read for anyone that enjoys cozies. The plot was very well written and Chien has a way to get me turning those pages with fabulous twists in the story line. I loved this installation and definitely have an appetite for more! Chien could not bring these installments fast enough.

The Ho-Lee Noodle House has entered the world of catering and Donna Feng’s birthday party is their first event. If everything went off without a hitch, Lana and her family would surly secure many of Dona’s rich friends for future events. Luckily for Lana, the night turned out to be one no one will ever forget. Unfortunately, it had nothing to do with the tasty teriyaki beef sticks or delicious shrimp toast wedges. What everyone would remember was the MURDER… Dun dun duuuun! Will our favorite sleuth Lana Lee solve the mystery before the killer strikes again?

Egg Drop Dead is the fifth book in Vivien Chien’s A Noodle Shop Mystery series, but the first book I’ve read in the series – yet I still felt like I knew the characters. Chien did a wonderful job setting the character stage by breezing through character introductions that satisfy first time readers’ ad longtime friends of the Lee family and friends.

As my first cozy mystery I wasn’t sure what to expect… and I. AM. HOOKED. Why didn’t anyone tell me cozies are so much fun to read? The pace, execution, and twists & turns made for a fun and exciting read. Chien did a great job dropping clues here and there, and leading you down one path only to make you turn around and head down another. I kept trying to put the puzzle pieces together to the very end. I cannot wait to go back and read the first four books.

I received this as an advanced copy in return for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, and Vivien Chien for the opportunity.

I really enjoyed Vivien Chien’s Egg Drop Dead. Her main character Lana Lee, owner of Ho-Lee Noodle House, is catering an affair at the house of a widow when a nanny ends up dead. Lana has to solve the mystery between restaurant shifts but does so with her policeman boyfriend and the help of friends. I loved being a part of Lana’s world including the Mah Jong ladies, her mother, and a dog named Kikkoman. The story is easy to read and funny. I would recommend this one and other books in this series.

I obtained this book through Net Galley and left an honest review.

I picked up this mystery series on a whim when it first came out. I had no idea what to expect but I was craving ramen noodles and when I saw the cover of the first book, I felt like I could enjoy ramen noodles without actually having to eat ramen noodles (spoiler, I still ate ramen).

What I found with this series was a refreshing colorful series with lots of fun and quirky characters. When I pick up a cozy to read, so many of them are set in small towns and are full of baking or cat owning characters. Does this series have that? Well yes—-and no. I mean Lana Lee works at a Chinese restaurant, so baking—check. And she owns a dog—so owns animal, check. And it’s set in Cleveland Ohio—not so small town, small town. Basically, this series manages to tick the cozy boxes while still being different and memorable.

I fell in love with Lana Lee and I get ridiculously excited when I see a new Noodle Shop Mystery coming out because I feel like Lana still fits the cozy mould but she also manages to stay young hip and relevant for the 30 something readers.

Summary
The Ho-Lee Noodle House takes its business to the next level―only to end up in hot water.

It was supposed to be a fancy, intimate dinner party by the pool. Instead, Lana Lee’s first-ever catering event turns into full-course madness when a domestic worker is found dead. Is the party’s host Donna Feng, the sweet-and-sour owner of the Asia Village shopping plaza where Ho-Lee is situated, somehow to blame? That’s what Lana―whose plate is already plenty full with running the restaurant, pleasing her often-disapproving mother, and fretting over her occasionally-serious boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau―must find out.

Before the police arrived at the crime scene, Donna had entrusted an odd piece of evidence to Lana: a thumb drive shaped like a terra-cotta soldier. Now it’s up to Lana to lead her own investigation, digitally and in real life, into a world of secrets involving Donna’s earlier life in China, whether the victim had a dark agenda, and if the killer is still out there. . .and plans to strike again. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
For me, Lana Lee is one of the coolest heroines in the cozy genre! I absolutely love her (and all her vibrant hair colors, this time it’s pink!) and I feel like she is someone who I would be friends with and eat donuts with! She’s so funny, sassy, smart, and loyal. I always enjoy picking up these books because of Lana.

Besides Lana, the characters in the Asian Village as well as her family are just a hoot. I always love seeing what everyone is up to in each book. My favorite are the Mahjong Matrons, what a great little group of old ladies. In this book though, we get to explore a little bit more about Donna Feng. She’s been a reoccurring character in the series and often she is the one who I am most suspicious of. I really enjoyed digging into this mystery and exploring her life before she came to the Asian Village.

As with the other books in the series, there are plenty of red herrings and potential suspects with motives, which kept me on my toes and guessing until the big reveal. In this one I thought the motive and killer were well developed and interesting. I didn’t see it coming until the end!

This is the 5th book in the series and while I think it would read ok as a standalone, it would make a little more sense if the reader started from the beginning, but again not necessary. The books read quick and easy and are a nice way to pass an afternoon or two, especially with a box of noodles handy!

Book Info and Rating
Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages
Expected publication: February 25th 2020 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks
ISBN 1250228328 (ISBN13: 9781250228321)
Free review copy provided by St Martin’s Press, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: cozy mystery

I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
This was a great book !
Lana is catering to a party hosted by Donna Feng.
When the nanny turn up dead, Donna becomes the suspect.
Now it is up to Lana to solve this mystery.
Loved the characters + the storytelling !
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!
I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Lana Lee has accepted her role as manager of her family’s Chinese restaurant. She has now branched out into catering and her first job is for Donna Weng, the owner of the Asia Village shopping plaza where the Lee family restaurant is located. Word on the neighborhood grapevine is that Donna hasn’t been the same since her husband’s death. At the fancy party Lana is catering for her, Donna shows her bad side, ranting and raving at the nanny over a minor incident with the children. When the nanny is later found dead in the pool, Donna becomes the prime suspect. Donna knows Lana’s reputation as an ameteur sleuth and trusts her discretion regariding events in Donna’s past and insists Lana help clear her name, even when the investigation gets dangerous.

This is the fifth book in the Noodle Shop mystery series. Although I have read all of the prior books, that’s not necessary to be able to enjoy this book. It’s easy to get to know the main characters of Lana, her roommate Megan, and Lana’s boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau. Lana’s family is there driving her crazy as usual, but there were less annoying scenes with her mother and sister in this installment. I like how Adam supports Lana in her determination to help Donna, but I wish she would have confided in him even more than she did. It soon became clear this investigation was over Lana’s head and dangerous for her and her entire family, but she carries on often on her own. I think it was selfish of Donna to insist on Lana’s help when the facts came out about the potential danger involved in investigating the case and foolish of Lana to continue. I enjoyed the addition of private investigator, Lydia. It would have made more sense for Lana to back off the case once Lydia was brought in because of how dangerous the players were, so it got harder to suspend disbelief as Lana continued to head up the investigation.

The book starts out slow, but picks up when Lydia gets involved. She is a likable character and helps make up for an overly complicated plot involving the Chinese mob. I would love to see Lydia, Lana, Megan, and Adam all work together and truly cooperate and share information on an investigation in a future book. Even though Lana makes it harder than it needed to be, things are wrapped up at the end and I was surprised by the solution. This isn’t my favorite of the series, but I enjoy the characters and the inside look at Chinese American culture. If the series continues, I will definitely read future books to see what is coming next for Lana.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of St. Martin’s Press. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Egg Drop Dead by Vivien Chien is the 5th book in A Noodle Shop Mystery series, and another exciting adventure. Lana Lee is the manager of Zher family's restaurant, Ho-Lee Noodle House located in the Cleveland, Ohio Area. Lana and her family are doing their first-catering event, when the hostess yells at her nanny, than she is found dead. Lana is determined to get to the truth, after the hostess slips her a thumb drive, and claims she innocent. Lana's family dynamites are very funny, which I enjoy. I also like Lana's relationship with her boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. Looking forward to the next book in the series. If you love fun cozy mysteries like I do, than I recommend this book/ and series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lana Lee has taken on a new role for her noodle house, catering. So, she and her crew are at Donna's house to cater Donna's birthday party for about 50 people. During the party, Donna's twin daughters and a friend crash the party by jumping in the pool. Donna goes off on her 'nanny' and people are appalled. Later in the party, the nanny is found dead in the pool and all eyes turn to Donna as the main suspect. She wants Lana to investigate and Donna divulges a secret about her past. Lana finds herself interviewing many of the party attendees and working to solve the mystery of who actually the murderer could be. This is such a great series and each book is stronger than the last. I enjoyed this story because it filled out more of Lana's story. A fun read, a great plot and lots of twists until the mystery is solved.

Egg Drop Dead, the newest addition to Vivien Chien's cozy mystery series, "A Noodle Shop Mystery" from St. Martin's Press comes out on February 25th. A delectable story from start to finish!

Lana is a character readers can get lost reading, she is determined, oftentimes far too curious, and a good daughter. She works hard, with little time for relaxing, and when she does have time, she manages to get involved in uncovering a murder. Other characters in this cozy mystery, such as her best friend Megan and Lana's mother, are easy to like. At times these additional characters have readers laughing with their antics. The setting is distinctive and unexpected. Cleveland is a combination of new and old. It is reinventing itself as something more than the city of cement that it once was known as. It has a varied and vibrant culture that lends itself to a unique story.

The plot in this book was well written and maintained throughout. The murder suspects are varied and have distinguished personalities, some of which are not very likable and are precisely what a murder suspect should be. There are plenty of twists and turns with enough red herrings to keep readers engaged and guessing. The killer may surprise readers. Egg Drop Dead is an entertaining cozy mystery that readers will get lost in with an appetite for more.

Lana is back to investigate another murder, this one involving an old family friend. While Lana may have her hands full managing her family's restaurant, Ho-Lee noodle house, business is slow so she decides to start a catering business. Her first gig is at the party of an old family friend, Donna, whose husband was the victim in the first book of this series. Lana is not the only hired help for the event, there is also a DJ and a nanny, who Donna gets in a heated altercation with. When the nanny is discovered murdered, suspicion immediately falls on Donna. Lana decides to put her skills to use at Donna's insistence and teams up with Megan to help uncover the murderer. As she sets out to uncover Donna's mysterious past, Lana leans heavily on the Mahjong Ladies, frequent customers to the family's restaurant who love any excuse to gossip.
Egg Drop Dead is the fifth in the humorous Family Noodle Shop mysteries. Full of witty banter and fun loving characters, as well as insight into Asian American Culture with heavy emphasis on food and family. Lana is full of sass and quick on her feet, an excellent detective with a true skills at solving mysteries that have the rest of us stumped. The mystery took center stage and while readers will be sure they have it figured out, this one might actually stump a good majority. Well plotted with plenty of clues within and a satisfying twist at the end. Over the course of Lana's investigation we meet up once again with some familiar favorites as well as some new on the scene characters. I do hope we see more of Lydia the P.I. in upcoming mysteries. Megan and Lana made a great investigative team and the tie in with the first book in the series will be a treat for longtime readers of the series. Readers should be sure to check out the latest in the Noodle House mysteries as well as the previous books in the series.

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.

Egg Drop Dead is book 5 in A Noodle Shop Mystery series. I've really been enjoying this series because it's always an entertaining read and I LOVE that it's a diverse read as well. I wish there were more series out there with diverse characters, as someone with a mixed ethnicity I appreciate seeing an Asian leading lady that isn't a stereotype.

Lana Lee is the manager at her family's noodle shop and has a habit of being an amateur sleuth when something goes wrong around her. This time around while doing her first ever catering gig for her family's shop, a nanny was found murdered during the party. Most people are pointing the finger at the nanny's boss, Donna Feng but Lana is convinced something else is afoot. She decides to take the case and do a bit of digging herself to find the killer.

Egg Drop Dead is a very entertaining read with plenty of red herrings that will have you guessing who the killer really is. While this installment was a tiny bit more predictable than prior books there were still some surprises mixed in regarding the murder. I love that there is a bit of a romance element but that's really on the back burner. All in all, this was a great read and I highly suggest it for cozy mystery readers.

I really enjoyed this book. There were several humorous moments in the book and it was a refreshing read that added some light to my week.