Lana Lee is contemplating her next hair color and is ready to pull the trigger on Saturday morning, but first she has Friday night plans with her boyfriend and BFF. As she heads out of work on Friday night she is delayed when there is a fender that leaves her car blocked in. June Yi, the meanest woman in Asia Village, has backed her car out of her spot right into Mildred Mao’s car. Being sue happy, Mildred plans to take June for all she can get.

The next morning Lana is at the salon and ready to try out her next hair color, but her plans to relax and enjoy some pampering go out the window when both June and Mildred show up at the salon. Then the power goes out and when it comes back on, Mildred is dead in the water of her pedicure chair and Lana is on the case.

I adore this series. From the name of Lana’s family restaurant, Ho Lee Noodle Shop, to her fun hair colors, to the cast of characters, it’s a series I can’t get enough of. Each book reads well as a stand alone, so don’t let the fact that this is the sixth book in the series stop you from reading this as your introduction to the series. Now I’m craving dim sum and some noodles. A great accompaniment as you read this series.

Interesting cozy mystery. I liked Lana, her boyfriend Adam, her bestie Megan, and all the other quirky but fun characters. The storyline was intriguing, with a clever ending. It's my first time reading this author, but I don't think it'll be my last.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.

In Killer Kung Pao, Lana Lee at twenty-eight is the manager of her family’s noodle house in Asia Village near Cleveland. She feels pretty adult even if her slightly older sister, Anna May, thinks changing her hair color from black to pink to gray is “gateway hair” just proving how immature Lana is. Lana’s boyfriend, Detective Adam, thinks Lana has “Nancy Drew tendencies”. Which, of course, is true. As soon as sue-crazy troublemaker Millie is found electrocuted in Lana’s hair stylist’s salon, Lana is on the case, with or without Adam’s approval.

It is always a pleasant journey visiting with Lana and her friends and family. As Lana and her roommate, Megan, examine the evidence, you feel like you are right behind them helping to solve the crime. The mystery was a challenge to solve too. Just like the reader, Lana made several incorrect guesses about whodunit before determining who was the real perpetrator.

Overall, Killer Kung Pao is a fun look into a zany Chinese family and a great cozy mystery. 4 stars!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Lana Lee has come into her own since we first met her in Death by Dumpling. Back then she was not happy to be back in the family business, the Ho-Lee Noodle House. She would have rather been doing any other job but that's life. Now, in the 6th entry of the series, Lana Lee is the manager of Ho-Lee Noodle House and it turns out that she is very good at her job. She is also very good at getting involved with the occasional murder. Too bad the Cleveland area Asia Village, location of the Noodle House is also the epicenter of those homicides.
On her day off, Lana Lee, always pushing the envelope, not wanting to settle on one hair color for very long, is off the the Asia Village salon to get her hair dyed again. This time a gun metal gray...or so she hopes. Not happening. The previous day there had been a fender bender in the Asia Village parking lot and Lana Lee was a captive witness as one of the cars involved had her boxed into her parking space. She was up close and personal to see a real blow up between to very unpopular women connected to the Asia Village. The same two women show up at the salon and one would be leaving in a body bag. All she wanted was a soothing pedicure but got a side of electrocution.
The dead woman, Millie Mao, was suing the other driver, June Yi but June isn't going to stand still for that. Did that push her into settling the case once and for all? June's sister isn't buying it and begs Lana Lee to unmask the real killer. Of all the people to have to help, June is the last one on the list but June and her sister might lose their bakery in the Asia Village if the killer isn't caught. If that isn't enough to fill her plate, others have decided that Lana Lee will be in charge of the week long Village street fair! Say what? How did that happen? It's a lot to juggle.
When I first met Lana Lee I was not sure about her with her attitude towards the family business and having her life take a turn she didn't like but then I got to know the rest of the cast. Her parents, her older sister (who has something going on in her life that I'm eager to know about), her grandmother and last but not least, The MahJong Ladies - they hear every tiny tidbit of information and general gossip in the Village. Together they won me over by the second book and I was hooked. We will see Lana Lee and the rest of the gang next March in Fatal Fried Rice.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Killer Kung Pao, the sixth book in the Noodle Shop mystery series by Vivien Chien. Once again, you did not read wrong. No, you did not miss the first four book reviews of this series because I am going about this backward. This is actually just the second book of this series that I have read and reviewed but more about that later.

Welcome to Ho-Lee Noodle House, a Chinese restaurant located in Cleveland, Ohio. Lana Lee is the manager of this family-owned restaurant and feeling stressed. Between organizing a sidewalk sale in the Asia Village, being a soundboard to ere'body and being overworked, she is beyond tired. Lana Lee does not have time to solve yet another local murder. But she's good at it.

June Yi is co-owner of Yi's Tea and Bakery. No one wants to get on her bad side. But she meets her match when she rear-ends mahjong player, Mildred Mao, in the Asia Village parking lot. Mildred can be a little sue-crazy so she demands that June Yi pay up, or else she will sue June Yi for everything she's got—including the bakery. So when Mildred is electrocuted while having a foot bath, guess who the main suspect is? Of course it is up to Lana Lee to figure out whodunit.

Being a Midwest resident, I know that Cleveland is not a small town. Yet the Asia Village is a small community of business owners and a tight circle. Everyone knows everyone and there are many connections, which makes the list of suspects long. Author Vivien Chien expertly throws clues and curveballs to throw the reader off and keep the mystery going. What began as a fender bender turned into a murder that kept Lane Lee on her amateur sleuth toes. What a whirlwind!

Even after reading Killer Kung Pao, this series has yet to wow me. But I like the main character, her police officer boyfriend, her bartender bestie and the close-knit Asian community. So now I will finally start this series from the very beginning. In case you missed it, check out last week's book review of Egg Drop Dead, the previous book in the Noodle Shop mystery series. As for the others, stay tuned!

LiteraryMarie

Lana Lee and the drama at Asia Village return in this excellent new book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. Once again, Lana is an unfortunate witness to a murder within the plaza (which also means weekend plans for her and her detective boyfriend are ruined, again), and the expectation is that Lana will help out with clearing the name of one of the ornery fellow plaza shop owners who is the prime suspect in this one. The cast of characters is wide in this one and pulls together people from all the previous books. With the victim being a universally unliked customer, the suspect pool is wide. Another great one in a very reliable series!

Lana Lee is the manager of her family's Chinese restaurant, Ho-Lee Noodle House, which is located in an Asian shopping center in the Cleveland, Ohio area. In this sixth installment in Vivien Chien's A Noodle House Mystery series, Lana is having her hair dyed at her favorite salon when a client is electrocuted. The victim, Mildred Mao, was not well-liked in the community. She was known for cheating at Mah Jong and being sue-happy. Everyone immediately points the fingers at her most recent enemy, June Yi, but Lana has her doubts and is determined to uncover the truth.

This is a fun, engaging series, with witty writing, relatable family relationships, and mouthwatering descriptions of Chinese food that will leave you craving some dumplings and noodles. Spending time in Asia Village with Lana and the gang feels like catching up with old friends. Lana is one of my favorite cozy mystery heroines. She's relatable, down to earth, and has a great sense of humor. She's a bit reckless in her sleuthing, however, it makes for some hilarious interactions with the suspects. The author has done a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life and making the reader become invested in not only Lana's story but in the stories of those around her. This installment focuses on Jasmine from the beauty salon and the Mahjong Matrons. It was fun learning more about them.
The mystery was well- crafted, with plenty of clues, false leads, and suspects to keep readers on the edge of their seats. I was unable to solve the mystery and was surprised by the reveal. All in all, this is a fantastic addition to the series, and I eagerly await the next book. Anna May is hiding something and I can't wait for Lana to uncover her secret.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Killer Kung Pao by Vivien Chien is the 6th 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. Once again Lana is dragged into investigating a death. 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. I was surprised at who the murder was. Looking forward to the next book in the series. If you love fun cozy mysteries like I do, than I highly recommend this book/ and series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is your average cozy mystery series. The main character is very likable and the plot followed the normal cozy mystery outline. There wasn’t anything too exciting or thrilling about this book. It wasn’t a bad read just a bit on the average side. It just didn’t have a big draw for me.

"Vivien Chen's Lana Lee returns for Killer Kung Pao, another delectable cozy set in a Chinese restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio!

Is life at the Ho-Lee Noodle House becoming too hot to handle?

Lana Lee’s plate is already plenty full. Running her family’s Chinese restaurant in Cleveland’s Asia Village is challenging on the best of days. But just when Lana thinks she might be able to catch her breath before the weekend - which she’s eager to spend with her equally overworked boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau - Lana witnesses a car accident in the parking lot. And now she has no choice but to get involved.

June Yi, of Yi’s Tea and Bakery, is a serious businesswoman well-known for her heartlessness. But June meets her match when she rear-ends the Cadillac belonging to Mah Jong lover Mildred “Millie” Mao. As each woman curses - and threatens - the other, it becomes clear to Lana that trouble lies ahead. Still, who could have imagined that Millie would end up dead at the beauty salon? The evidence suggests that she was electrocuted while having a foot bath, and all eyes are on June. Can Lana find a way to solve this case before another fatality occurs in Asia Village?"

I can't be the only one wanting my summer reading to end with some "steaming hot homicide?"

All Lana wanted to do was meet her friend Megan and her love interest Adam for a drink after work but noooo- Millie and June have a car accident right behind her car. And scream at one another. Then all she wants to do is get her hair dyed gray and yikes- Millie is at the salon too. AND she's murdered by someone who throws an electric nail thing into her foot bath. This sets off the latest in a series I like a lot- and this one will be fine as a standalone. Set primarily in the Asian village shopping center in Cleveland, this is a tale of sisters, greed, anger, and resentment. Lana, who knows everyone because she runs her family's noodle house, finds herself untangling relationships among a group of women to find the killer. The twists she encounters about the people are more surprising, in some ways, than the identity of the killer. I've always like Lana and her family and wish there had been more of the family (and Megan) in this one but it was, nonetheless, a treat to read. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Eagerly awaiting the next one!

Such a delightful read and great addition to the series! I always look forward to reading books in this series because of the characters and their interconnected stories, and this book does not disappoint. This particular book draws from deep-seeded history between characters who either frequent or work at Asia Village. The author does a great job of revealing the various side stories and relationships without making it feel too overwhelming. There's just a nice balance of intrigue and mystery (the "whodunit" aspect) that works for the story.

Also, can I just say that Lana and Adam's relationship is progressing nicely? I love the fact that their relationship has evolved into one of understanding and mutual respect for what the other does. It may just be me but it's great to see Lana do her thing as a manager and amateur sleuth without having Adam treating her like a delicate flower. He has his concerns and voices them but it doesn't come off as condescending or anything.

This is probably my favorite installment in the series so far although that may change after I read Fatal Fried Rice...:)

Lana Lee is very busy managing her family’s Chinese restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio while her sister Anna May interns at a nearby law office. The manager of Asia Village where the restaurant is located then puts her in charge of the summer sidewalk sale and her mother wants her to update the look of their noodle house. She takes a break to try out a new color for her ever-changing hair and ends up a witness to murder. Neither the victim nor the prime suspect, June Yi, have been a friend to Lana, but she agrees to look into the murder to see which of Millie Mao’s many enemies is the real killer.

This is the sixth book in this series, which I have been following from the beginning. I enjoyed the book, but it isn’t up to the usual standards of this series. Lana is as likable as ever, taking on whatever responsibilities are necessary to help her family, friends, and in this case someone she doesn’t even care for. Her out-going, fun roommate Megan Riley is there to help in the investigation even when Lana’s police detective boyfriend doesn’t want her getting involved. This installment allows us to learn more about the Mah Jong Matrons, who appear in every book but haven’t played a large role in the stories until now. I also enjoyed the minor subplot with Lana’s chef Peter and his girlfriend and Lana’s childhood friend Kimmy.

The victim had some many people she didn’t get along with and Lana does a good job of finding and questioning several suspects instead of assuming the obvious one is the killer. There is a clever twist at the end that I enjoyed. The downside of the book is that after a large build-up as Lana investigates many suspects throughout Asia Village and beyond, the ending is abrupt. I was expecting more follow-up on the clues Lana had uncovered when instead the killer is revealed and the book ends soon after that. It was all a little too rushed. Not everything is resolved by the end of the book, and I assume the major loose end regarding the secret Lana’s abrasive sister Anna May is keeping will be addressed in the next book. I would rate this book 3.5 stars and think it could stand alone for readers who are new to the series. However, those who like Lana will want to go back to the prior books to get to know her better.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of St. Martin’s Press. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

This is the sixth in the series. I liked the standalone story but thought it wasn’t as entertaining as the ones before. I had no problem disliking Mildred Mao or June Yi. The author does a great job with the characters. I liked that as much as I thought I knew who did it, the author had plenty of other suspects for Lana to investigate.

I was left wondering:
why Ian sluffed off the organization of the sidewalk sale onto Lana.
What Anna May is hiding in her relationship with Henry. I’m sure all will be revealed in future episodes.
I also see other distasteful interactions between Samantha Hui and Lana Lee in their future.
Looking forward to the next installment.
I was given an advanced reader’s copy from Netgalley. I am not required to leave a positive review.

I noticed the book cover first and had to read this! I like to begin a series with book 1 but that's ok, i didn't feel lost. MC Lana Lee witnesses a car accident at her family's restaurant. June Yi rear ends the cadillac belonging to Millie Mao. Then Millie is found dead and June is a suspect. The two ladies don't like one another and it's very comical. It's an entertaining read! Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ebook ARC. This is my honest review.

I have to admit that one of the reasons I like the Noodle Shop mystery series is that it’s set in Cleveland. One of these days, maybe next summer, I’m going to get up there for a Night Market or maybe take a food tour. We’ve done a lot of the touristy things, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the museums, the zoo, but haven’t made it to the Asiatown neighborhood yet.

Lana is the manager of her family’s restaurant in Asia Village, a shopping complex. Lana’s a great main character, fun, smart and a bit sassy. Yes, she does almost always manage to put herself in danger – she is a cozy mystery sleuth after all. This time around, there’s been another murder at Asia Village. The dead woman, Mildred, was not well-liked, cheated at Mah Jong, and was sue-happy. When she’s killed at the hair salon, the obvious suspect is her most recent enemy, June. And honestly most people seem to think June was more than capable of killing her, and in fact probably did it. Lana, of course, has her doubts. The Asian community is small, and everyone seems to know everyone else and most of them have had some kind of run in with Mildred or June in the past, leading to a good set of suspects.

Lana is still dating her cop, Adam. He’s not too fond of her investigating, but has come to terms with it. Lana doesn’t have to sneak around and sometimes he even shares a tidbit with her. Lana’s sidekick, though, is her roommate Megan, who I like. She’s useful and encouraging and I like that both she and Lana have actual jobs that they can’t just ditch to go clue-hunting.

The solution to the mystery was well-done. The clues made sense, but I was still pleasantly surprised.

I really enjoy this series. It’s fun and light and the characters are entertaining. And Lana likes to read, which is always a plus for me.

This is the first book I've had the pleasure to read by Vivien Chien. Killer Kung Pao is the sixth novel in the Noodle Shop Mystery Series. I found this cozy mystery to be a delightful, well-written super quick read. The cast of characters (and there are many) are interesting and the ending is quite exciting and unexpected. I wish I'd had more time with this book, but it was unexpectedly approved yesterday after a long while as pending.

I really enjoy Vivien Chien's Noodle Shop Mysteries because of Lana Lee, the bi-racial amateur detective whose day job is manager of the family business. Lana manages Ho-Lee Noodle House, a Chinese restaurant/noodle shop, in Asian Village in Cleveland. Lana's not the usual academic brainiac or subdued or subtle Chinese American daughter. Lana prefers to dye her hair brilliant colors, speak her mind, and follow her sleuthing instincts and she attracts all sorts of danger.

This time Lana is having her hair dyed when a client is electrocuted. Lana tries to parse out who the true killer is and finds a mix of unlikely candidates. The victim June Yi of Yi's Tea and Bakery is obnoxious, litigious and there are plenty of people who would want her dead. There's Lara's longtime enemy and Mah Jong lover Millie Mao who had her Cadillac rear ended by June Yi in the Asian Village's parking lot. Even two of her Mah Jong playing regulars have started acting suspiciously.

Lara Lee agrees to undertake an unofficial investigation. She has to be careful as her boyfriend is the homicide detective assigned to the case. As Lara digs into the different possibilities, she must confront some of her close friends, allies and respected family friends. Her investigation draws the ire and attention of the killer and it is uncertain whether Lara will find the solution in time.

Lana's boyfriend is a police detective on the murder division and he's assigned the case.

I had a hard time keeping all the characters straight, between the Mahjong Matrons, the owners of Yi’s Tea and Bakery (and which sister was older), the society ladies, and the myriad of women at the hair salon, I found myself going back chapters at a time trying to remember names and relationships.

By now, you would have thought that Lana Lee, manager of her family's Chinese Restaurant in Asia Village, would be tired of putting her life at risk, but death does seem to find her. Tensions are already high when there is a slight fender bender in the parking lot outside the shopping area. No one could foresee the accident leading to Millie’s electrocution death at the salon a couple of days later. Now everyone suspects June Yi, but Lana is not so sure. Taking her boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau's advice and knowing that she should let the police do their job is not Lana’s style. With her notebook in hand, Lana sets out to discover what people know and why they are so reluctant with the truth.

I enjoy this series. Vivien Chien twists her narrative with just the right amount of layering and adds humor where it is needed. She does not over-explain, and knowing when the reader needs a break from the goings-on, throws in the delicious tastes and aroma of Lana’s much-loved donuts and delicacies coming out of the noodle house.

I'm so happy that Lana Lee and Asia Village are back in my life. This is the 6th installment of the Noodle Shop Mystery series. Each one is just as good as the first. When Lana is leaving on a Friday night she witnesses a car accident. Both women involved don't really like Lana and thinks she's nosy and nobody really likes these women. One of them ends up dead and of course Lana investigates. I love that Lana now has the reputation for investigating and that Shirley asked her to look into the death. I also liked that we learned more about others in Asia Village (this time two of the mahjong matrons and Jasmine Ming from the beauty shop). This might be my favorite cozy mystery series.