Start from the beginning of this Noodle Shop Mystery Series and you won't be disappointed!

I will be totally bias on this book because I LOVE VIVIEN CHIEN!
Perfectly written with all you'd want in a cozy mystery - AND it features some amazing food!

Easy, reliable and a delicious mystery... Pull up a seat, start flippin' pages and enjoy!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Please excuse my tardiness in posting my review. My TBR list is continuously growing and I keep finding so many amazing books being requested + added to my pile! I have so much gratitude for this copy that has been shared with me.

Another addition to Chien's Noodle Shop Mystery, this cozy mystery is fun to read and may have you running out for Chinese food while doing so

A car accident leads to a great deal of conflict between two women and of course the protagonist, Lana, ends up involved.

A dead body turns up and Lana - overworked and needing a vacation - is stuck solving yet another crime

I did not finish - I have tried reading this book on multiple occasions and just could not get into it.

Killer Kung Pao by Vivien Chien is a 2020 St. Martin’s Press publication.


Lana needs a change. A hair color change, that is... But, her trip to the salon turns out to be more exciting that Lana bargained for…

Two feuding women, Jane and Millie, both show up at the salon on the same day of Lana’s appointment. Lana is sure there will be trouble, and sure enough…

A car crash, and a power outage gets the ball rolling- but when the electricity flickers back to life, Millie’s body is found in the foot bath, an apparent victim of electrocution.

Evidence soon suggests the death might not have been an accident, after all. Despite that, Lana sticks to her vow to stay out of the investigation, especially since her boyfriend, Adam, has been assigned to the case.

Her resolve falters when she is asked to exercise her sleuthing skills by a most unlikely source. Deciding to take the high road and put aside her reservations and past hurts, Lana does her best to discover the truth…


The Asian village may be a small, tight knit community, but the characters are so lively and unconventional!

In this sixth installment, we meet more members of the community, but we also get a closer look at the Mahjong Matrons, characters I have been very intrigued by for quite some time.

As I’ve said before, the characters and their ongoing sagas, are one of the main reasons I love cozies, and yes, at times they tend to overpower the mystery plot, but Chien has found a nice balance between Lana’s personal life and the mystery. The mysteries are always good, but this one really caught me off guard!

While I definitely enjoyed getting to know some of the other series regulars a little better, I would like to see a little more banter or conflict with Adam and some growth or development in that area at some point, too.

Other than that, this is another great installment in this delightful series!!

4 stars

I sincerely love this series and it’s just so fun to visit Asia Village again. This time it’s the local hair salon that hosts a murder, and Lana has a confusing cast of suspects to sort out. Can she solve the murder before her detective boyfriend does?

Lana Lee is at it again. Even though running the family restaurant in the Asia Village should keep her plenty busy, another death among the close knit shopping area has her digging in for clues.

Lana Lee has done it again, gotten involved in a murder investigation, much tot he chagrin of her friends and family. While getting her hair highlighted with a new fab color, gunmetal grey, a woman is electrocuted in a pedicure spa. Everyone including the cops assume it was the decedent’s arch nemesis, whose sister begs Lana to her prove her innocent. As she makes connections to who might have had it out for the victim, Lana becomes suspicious of the Mahjong Matrons, sweet little old ladies who eat breakfast everyday at the Ho Lee Noodle House. Could it really have been one of them?

One of the best of the series so far? Kept me guessing up until the very end. Vivien Chien gets better with every book and I look forward to more adventures with Lana!

If you’ve read my past reviews of the books in this series, linked below, you know that I absolutely love this series, so there’s no point in me really telling you how much I also love this book. I do, obviously. Instead, I’m going to talk about how this book as it relates to continuing in the series and development.

The plot brings us back to Asia Village, where once again Lana Lee finds herself at the scene of a murder. The victim is an unpopular woman named Mildred, who had a car accident just the day before with the shopping plaza’s other most hated matron. Both are at the hair salon - the scene of the murder - at the same time - and everyone seems convinced June Yi, the other woman, must be responsible. But Lana doesn’t think the most obvious answer is necessarily the right one and when she is approached by June’s sister to investigate she agrees to help.

By this point, the characters feel like old friends and it felt really good picking up this book and getting to see them again. Even those that were barely in the book I found myself saying “Oh hi!” It is great that the author really keeps bringing back little references from past books as treats for series fans and it made me smile and feel really cozy reading this book.

I’ve been skeptical in the past about Adam and Lana’s relationship, and I have to say - I still am. I don’t necessarily feel the chemistry. I keep hoping I will. I really do. I just feel more chemistry between her and Ian or her and Peter, even though she is very clear that those options are not on the table. But who knows, maybe things will get better into the future.

I’d also love to maybe see a spin-off maybe involving Jackie Shen and some of the people from the East Side. IDK, I feel like there’s a whole world over there and we get a little glimpse of it in this one, but I wish we could see a little more. Maybe in the future? Please?

Overall, just get this book, please. It’s great. One of the best cozy mystery series out there!

I've got several of the books in this series, but this was the first one I read. I loved it. It's a unique approach to the cozy mystery that I haven't seen anywhere else. Asian characters are rarely represented in cozy mysteries, so that was great to see. The mystery was twisty and I really liked amateur detective and manager of her family's restaurant Lana Lee. She was likable without be perfect and she was appropriately nosy. All of her interactions flowed naturally and it was easy to keep up with the characters without having read the other books.

I wasn't excited about the ending. It was interesting and unexpected, but I'm not sure it felt natural.

I recommend this series. It's a fresh take on the cozy mystery. It's probably not the best one in this popular series, though.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook preview copy. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 3+

I absolutely love this series, and it is one of my favorite cozy series of all time. The mystery was fantastic, and the characters had great development. This series always makes me want noodles, and I love all the food descriptions.

I read book 7, Fatal Fried Rice, right before reading Killer Kung Pao . This helped me see some good and bad elements better than when there are many months between books. On the plus side, I see Lana's relationships with the people in her life better. The threads are subtle because the stories focus so much on Lana, but this time I saw more depth between her and Meghan and to a lesser amount with Betty (mommy), Anna and Kitty. On the negative side, I'm seeing a similarity to the murders, at least in these two books: very limited pool of suspects and a bit light on the motive for people's actions, not just the killers.

I compared this story with a locked room mystery in that everything to do with the murder was contained to the beauty parlor. So, once it was confirmed it was a murder, the suspect pool was set (or was it???). The author does a good job of trying to provide a motive for many of the staff and customers, even two of the Mahjong Matrons.

There is a second storyline (maybe not enough to be considered a second storyline) with some irregularities/suspicions mentioned. This is not explored deeply and I wonder if the author just lost track/interest or is playing a long game which will be developed as the series goes on. I say, "Hmmmmmm."

I received my copy of KKP from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Killer Kung Pao
By Vivien Chien

I absolutely love this series and each one just keeps getting better and better. In this installment of A NOODLE SHOP MYSTERY Book #6, Lana Lee witnesses the murder of Mildred Mao known for her indiscretions at Mah Jong and fingers start to point to June Yi, the owner of Yi's Tea and Bakery. Lana Lee knows better and our sleuth goes to work to find the real culprit. As always, the characters are a delight to read about and the story is full of wit, humor, and of course red herrings. I enjoy Vivien Chien's cozy mystery series for a quick and wonderful escape read. I highly recommend this book and the rest of the series too!!

Title: Killer Kung Pao
Author: Vivien Chien

Ch: 30 Plus epilogue

Pg: 304

Series: A Noodle Shop Mystery book6

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press



Killer Kung Pao is the sixth book in the A Noodle Shop Mystery book series by Vivien Chien, and I just love Lana Lee. I love her sass and her sarcasm . This series is the only cozy series that I've read that centers around a Chinese restaurant with both an author and main character that has Chinese heritage. I wish we had more diversity in the cozy mystery genre. So for now I'm going to enjoy the mysteries that Lana gets herself into involving the Noodle Shop and the entire Asian Village and it cast of characters.



This one I have to say is my favorite of the series, though I'm beginning to think that I say that about each new book I read in the series, but that just shows that each new book is better than the last. And as always I look forward to the next book in the series. As well as anything else Vivien Chien writes.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Prose (Story): Book 6 in Vivien Chien's wonderful Noodle Shop cozy mystery series takes crime closer to home when, during Lana Lee's hair coloring appointment at the Asian Accents salon just down the way from her own family-owned Ho-Lee Noodle House in the Asia Village shopping plaza, a fellow salon customer - the notorious Mildred "Millie" Mao, known for frivolous lawsuits and stirring up trouble wherever she goes - is electrocuted via her foot bath. When it's learned that the only woman disliked more in Asia Village than Millie Mao - June Yi, co-owner of Yi's Tea and Bakery, who'd just gotten into a minor traffic accident with Millie the day before, and made no pretense of how much she hated the woman - was also a customer in the salon that morning, seen nearby Millie just before her death, the case seems cut-and-dried even for Lana's cop boyfriend, Adam Trudeau ... until June's sister comes begging Lana for help in clearing her sister of murder, the put-upon restaurant manager grudgingly taking on another case.

Don's (Review): How I love this series, and couldn't be happier finding the bulk of this one takes place on Lana's home turf at Asia Village, so we can spend even more time with the Mahjong Matrons, Lana's family, and the other residents and business owners inhabiting the amateur sleuth's world. Author Vivien Chien impresses upfront with the deliciously original method of murder, and throughout the rest of the book as well, as we - along with Lana - go back and forth on trying to decide whether the hateful, mean-spirited June Yi actually is guilty of murder, or not. Red herrings, potential side motives, and recurring characters from past books in the series all rev up to a denouement this reader found both very suspenseful, surprising, and hugely satisfying. Perhaps my favorite in the series so far, Killer Kung Pao is another winner for both author Chien, and the always likable Lana Lee. 4.5/5 stars

NOTE: I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

It’s always fun to jump back into the world that Vivien Chien’s world and after enjoying the last book of the series, I was definitely looking forward to reading his new book. KILLER KUNG PAO is the sixth book of the Noodle Shop Mystery series.

When someone that Lana doesn’t really get along with is killed, this sets Lana Lee into a mental tailspin. She’s already got a lot on her plate with managing Ho-Lee Noodle House, but her amateur sleuth skills are once again put to the test to figure out what really happened.

I enjoyed this book, but probably not as much as the previous one. I think that the mystery was done well. However, it doesn’t necessarily spark a lot of inspiration if you’re an avid Cozy Mystery reader. So I would say it’s a good book to read if you’re not very familiar with the genre or just want something very light. Still, it isn’t a bad book. It’s just a bit on the lighter side.

I would like to see more character development happen for Lana’s character. Much like her sister and family complains, I do feel like she is very immature for her age. I don’t mind the crazy hairstyle and all that, but her thinking does seem a bit elementary in some cases. We’re the same age, but I definitely feel like she could grow up a bit more. Starting out the series like that is completely fine, but we’re six books in already and I would like to see Lana grow and mature, taking what she learned over the course of the series and become a stronger woman.

Another great visit to Asia Village in the sixth Noodle Shop Mystery. Once again Lana finds herself involved in a murder inside Asia Village but it is one of the most disliked people of the village. Will Lana let bygones be bygones and help or will she finally listen to her boyfriend Adam and stay out of it? If you know Lana, you know the answer.

In Killer Kung Pao we get to learn more about the Majong Matrons that visit Ho Lee Noodle House every morning. I found that interesting as I am always curious about them. Hopefully, we get more info on them in the future as well.

I think one of my favorite things about the series is the covers. They are so detailed and downright beautiful. Every time I look at them I find something I did not see the first time.

Grab your favorite Asian dish, some hot tea, and be ready to dive into a delicious mystery.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, St. Martin's Press, through NetGalley. Any opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Killer Kung Pao by Vivian Chen

Lana Lee’s plate is already full running her family’s Chinese restaurant in Cleveland’s Asia Village when she witnesses a car accident in the parking lot. Trouble is ahead. Who would have thought Millie would end up dead at the beauty salon?

I have enjoyed all the books in this series by Vivian Chen. This one included. Her main character always puts herself in danger.. It was a god cozy mystery.

Thank you Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for review.

Killer Kung Pao is the latest installment of one of my favorite cozy mystery series, The Noodle Shop Mysteries. Lana feels like an old friend and I love how her sense of self, her family and her relationships are evolving.

Lana Lee is my first... Cozy mystery heroines, and definitely one of my favorites. She’s sassy, compassionate, and is relatable, especially if you’re like me and always itching to solve a good whodunnit mystery. I have had many people tell me they don’t like cozy mysteries because they find the leading lady to be annoying. Well, if this is you, it is time to dive into a cozy again, because 𝐈 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐠.⁣
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In Killer Kung Pao, the sixth installment of A Noodle Shop Mystery series, Lana once finds her self mixed up in a murder mystery linked to Asian Village. This time, a well known and very much disliked busy body Millie Mao is murdered at the salon while Lana is getting her hair done, so obviously, Lana has to get involved. Will Lana discover who really killed Millie and clue her detective boyfriend in, or will the killer keep her quiet?⁣
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Seriously, the Noodle Shop Mysteries is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. This one doesn’t disappoint either. It’s fun, engaging, and keeps you guessing right alongside Lana. I also love how each installment gives us a closer look into the life of one or the reoccurring characters. Vivien Chien is a truly delightful writer and I cannot wait for some fried rice.⁣
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Thank you ⁣NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Vivien Chien for the gifted copy in exchange for my fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.