I'm pretty sure that my last three or four reviews of Vivien Chien's books have started with something about how they're as good as I've come to expect or that they get better with each book.
But this book is what has solidified her in my mind as one of the best cozy mystery authors I've had the pleasure of reading.

She does such a good job of giving us the good cozy mystery beats that she knows we're all here for, then pushing it above and beyond. Her red herrings are perfect, her characters well-rounded.

The whole series is a delight, this one particularly so

amateur-sleuth, Chinese culture, Chinese customs, Cleveland, cozy-mystery, family-dynamics, friendship, law-enforcement, lawyers, murder, murder-investigation, restaurant, suspense, suspicion, situational-humor, verbal-humor*****

I so much want the characters to be real and go to the Noodle Shop the next time I go to Cleveland! The characters and other descriptions are so realistic (even the nasty police detective) and the interactions are definitely true to life. And don't forget the laughs!
The murder happens very early and is almost locked room in nature. Lana does more due diligence than detective Grumpy Pants and that is good for us readers. This is not one of those stories where the recipes come first and the mystery is a poor second but a real cozy mystery and I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Fatal Fried Rice is the 7th book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series by Vivien Chien, who is one of the bright young authors in the cozy mystery genre. Each of her book titles take the name of a Chinese dish, and that it itself makes it a yummy entre into the world of mystery and murder that seems to always find its way into the life our narrator, Lana Lee.
Lana’s family owns a Chinese restaurant, the Ho-Lee Noodle House, and Lana’s world if filled with mysteries that she somehow always manages to stumble upon, and this book is no exception. Lana is no cook, and gets kidded by her sister about her lack of culinary skills, so she decides to take a Chinese cooking class at a local Community College. As luck would have it, tragedy strikes after the very first class, and as usual Lana is right in the middle of things.
Having left the class Lana realizes she forgot to get the shopping list handout and so she heads back into the classroom and there discovers the dead body of the class instructor, and to the lead detective Lana is the prime suspect, along with the school’s janitor who has a questionable past.
Knowing that she is in the crosshairs of the police, Lana is determined to both clear her name and discover the identity of the killer. She certainly has a knack for his since so many tragic events always seem to cross her path. Helping her is the usual cast of characters from her roommate Megan, to best friend Kelly, and the always helpful (as well as nosy) Mahjong Matrons who congregate each day for breakfast and mahjong at the Ho-Lee Noodle House. In addition, Lana rejects advice from her boyfriend, and that helps get her deeper in trouble but also closer to the killer.
As with all her books, Vivien Chien has created wonderful characters, a good plot and an enjoyable and sensible/realistic setting. Rather than create a cutesy and made up world, all of these books are set in Chien’s hometown of Cleveland, which adds to the flavor of her books. Chien is a prolific author and her 8th book will be out later this year, but for all her loyal fans and even newcomers, Fatal Fried Rice is a delicious order from the Noodle Shop Mystery Series.

I recommend the Noodle Shop Mystery series to pretty much anyone looking to start reading cozy mysteries. The funny part? Fatal Fried Rice is only the second book i've read in this series (I know, I KNOW! I'm working on it!)

Vivien Chien writes such delightful, fun stories. Her characters feel realistic and Lana is a main character you love to root for (and want to be best friends with!)

The mystery in Fatal Fried Rice kept me guessing and, as always, the cover gave me an intense craving for some good Chinese food. If you're a cozy mystery fan, or if you want to try the genre, you can't go wrong with these books.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Thanks to #NetGalley, I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of #FatalFriedRice - the latest in the Noodle Shop Mystery series set in Cleveland, OH. This was another solid entry in the series featuring all of the regulars (I love the Mahjong Matrons!) and yet another murder.

While the premise of Lana being the main suspect in the murder of a cooking instructor she had just met seemed far fetched, the mystery was enjoyable. I suggest you get yourself a big bowl of noodles and settle in for a fun read!

I found this series last year and was thrilled to read all of them, especially since the series is based in my hometown of Cleveland, OH. I love Lena and how she always gets into trouble, yet manages to get out of it while finding the killer. Entertaining and quick read, I love cozy mysteries for a break from the heavier books I tend to read. This fits the bill perfectly! Can't wait to see what Lena gets into in the next book.

This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Lana Lee has a secret. She's the manager of her family's popular restaurant, the Ho- Lee Noodle House, but she can't cook. Lana decides to learn how and surprise her family. On the first night of her cooking class, at a local college, the instructor is murdered and Lana discovers her body. Now, Lana must use her sleuthing abilities to find out who the murderer is before she becomes the next victim.

What a fun mystery! Lana is a perfect amateur sleuth who is smart, determined and independent. With her friends Megan and Kimmy, she sorts through the lies and half truths to solve the mystery. Not only is Lana likable, but the supporting characters are wonderfully written - the Mahjong Matrons, the staff at Ho- Lee Noodle House, Adam (Lana's detective boyfriend), her family and her sometimes fussy sister Anna May are a delight to read.

I'm looking forward to the next book!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this early read of Fatal Fried Rice - the latest book from Vivien Chien out on March 9.

Synopsis: Lana Lee runs her family’s Chinese restaurant in Cleveland’s Asia Village like nobody’s business. When it comes to actual cooking, however, she’s known to be about a step up from boiling rice. So Lana decides to go to culinary school on the sly—and prove that she has what it takes in the kitchen after all. But when course instructor Margo Chan turns up dead after class, Lana suddenly finds herself on the case, frying pan in hand.

Since she was the one who discovered the body, Lana must do double duty in finding the killer and clearing her name. Now, with or without the help of her boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau, Lana launches her own investigation into Margo’s life and mysterious death. Doing so leads her on a wild goose chase to and from the culinary school—and all the way back to the Ho-Lee noodle shop, where the guilty party may be closer than Lana thinks.

My thoughts: This was the first I've read of a Noodle Shop Mystery and I loved the protagonist, Lana. She was a very realistic character, more so than you sometimes find in a cozy mystery. The whole cast of characters seemed like a lot of fun, and I was brainstorming how they might each feature in other books.

I did guess the killer very early on, but couldn't figure out the motive until much later, so it kept me interested. I can definitely see why this series is so popular, and can't wait to check out some of the earlier books!

"Fatal Fried Rice" is a great little cozy mystery. It was a quick read, and the crime was a little on the easy side to figure out, but still a great break from the more serious thrillers.

I'll say it over and over: I love Vivien Chien's Noodle Shop Mystery series!! I have read all the books in this series and this seventh installment continues to live up to my expectations. It is always so fun to try to figure out the mystery right along with the main character, Lana. Not only do I adore Lana, I enjoy all of the side characters too. It was really fun to have Kimmy's unpredictability involved for the solving of this mystery. I know it seems weird to say this, but seriously, this was a fun murder mystery to read!

Fatal Fried Rice
By Vivien Chen
3.9.21
Lana Lee is an unusual detective she runs her family’s restaurant the Ho Lee Noodle shop and while she runs the restaurant well, she can’t cook Chinese food. She decides to surprise her family by taking a Chinese Cooking class at the community college. So far so good. She talks to the instructor and even talks about getting some private lessons. She goes out to her car to leave and realizes she’s forgotten the list of ingredients for the next class so she returns to the classroom. Where she finds the instructor dead with a knife sticking out of her back.
Although her boyfriend, Adam Trudeau, is a police detective the detective investigating the murder thinks that Lana is the guilty party and wants to pin it on her.
Lana feels she must clear herself and so begins to look into Margo Chan, the victim’s, life, and as she does, she discovers that Margo is a much more complicated person than she initially thought. So with the help of her roommate Megan and her friend Kimmy, she begins to investigate.
Naturally, this leads to adventures and misadventures clues suspects. Now it is up to Lana to figure out which clues are real and to whom they point.
Lana Lee is a wonderful character and very relatable. She moves through investigations sifting through clues and finally figures out who the murderer is but along the way she encounters roadblocks and misdirection and misread clues but in the end, she triumphs.
One could easily believe that Lana Lee is a real person and would enjoy having cocktails and dinner with her and the other great characters in the book.
Vivien Chen does not disappoint and holds your interest to the surprising end.

Who would blame Lana for wanting to take a cooking class in another town? Unfortunately it looks like murder is on the menu and she still isn't going to be any closer to mastering the kitchen. To make matters worse, guess who is at the top of the suspect list? Lana gets support from all of her friends in this one, from her boyfriend, handsome Detective Adam Trudeau, to Peter the Ho-Lee Noodle House Chef and of course roommate Megan and life long friend Kimmy. Kimmy adds quite a bit of sass in this one, making it LOL funny at times. I must say that I am always surprised as to just how tight plaza community is in these books, the Mahjong Matrons are always full of great tips and the hairdressers are definitely excellent source of intel aka gossip. A few well placed red herrings make for clever distractions not to mention how great all the foods sound. I REALLY wish there were recipes at the end of the books (HINT- HINT).

This cozy series has been a favorite since the beginning, and Fatal Fried Rice is no exception. Chien continues to make her Midwestern characters come to life, and Lana is as feisty and stubborn as always.

This is one of my favourite cozy mystery series & it’s always a pleasure to be reading a new instalment. Lana Lee is back & this time we get to the murder at break neck speed! One of the best parts of the series is Lana’s support team, especially her BFF Megan. I love their friendship & when they’re sleuthing together. Lana is also a really down to earth & relatable heroine, she feels very real. This time her investigation goes a little different because the victim isn’t someone involved with Asia Village & it’s Lana herself that’s a suspect. She has to really put her sleuthing skills to the test. As always I highly recommend both the book & the series. The next book is due this August & I will be anxiously awaiting it.

I love that Lana decides to take Chinese cooking classes without letting her family know. It just feels so in character. And of course, her teacher would end up dead, killed after the first class. Lana found the body, so is apparently the number one suspect, even though she didn’t know Margo Chan. Lana has to find the real killer before the detective on the case decides she’s guilty.

Aside from finding the body, Lana doesn’t have much of a connection to the case, which makes her “snooping” a little awkward. Why do the people she questions tell her anything, aside from her reputation maybe? And why does Detective Bishop seem so convinced Lana’s guilty? The plot fits together well, although the solution is a little weak.

Lana is a fun character, smart, a little reckless, caring. Her usual Watson is her roommate Megan, who was working a bit too much this time around, leaving Lana with another friend, Kimmy, as back-up. I love how Lana’s friends and family rally around her, even though they may grouse and grumble about her involvement. The characters are a blast to spend time with; they are the reason I keep coming back to the series.

Fatal Fried Rice was a quick, enjoyable read. It’s fun and light and made me want to order Chinese take-out.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free e-galley of this book in exchange for feedback.

I've read this whole series, and I think "Fatal Fried Rice" is one of the stronger books in the series. It has a nice tight, fast-paced plot focused on the murder of the teacher of a Chinese cooking class. As the proprietor of a successful restaurant, Lana Lee probably should already know how to cook Chinese food well, but she doesn't, and she'd prefer that information not be widely known, so she slips away to the adult education center for a cooking class. But, because this is a cozy mystery, her cooking teacher is murdered before Lana even gets to finish learning how to make fried rice, Lana is a prime suspect, and it's up to her (and her little dog, Kikkoman) to solve the crime.

Now I want some fried rice.

Lana Lee is back in the latest Noodle Shop Mystery! Since she manages the Ho-Lee Noodle House but can't cook on her own, she decides to take a Chinese cooking class in secret. Unfortunately, after their first lesson, instructor Margo Han ends up dead in a pool of the fried rice she just cooked. Lana's discovers Margo's body, and with her history of stumbling across corpses, the only way to get out of the hot seat is to solve the crime herself.

What I liked about this book:

Lana and Megan - these two are a dynamic duo, and I love how they complement each other. Both have strong personalities, and it's a pleasure to follow along with their adventures!

The Mahjong Matrons - these dim sum VIPs get a larger role in this installment! I love these charming old women and their investigative skills.

Good mix of suspects and red herrings - Lana had a number of different characters to evaluate, and Chien did a good job casting suspicion on each of them. I did not manage to guess the ending!

If you're looking for a good cozy mystery, I would definitely recommend this series!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love these mysteries. You might say I devour them when I get them.

Lana Lee, Manager of Ho-Lee Noodle House, doesn't know how to make Chinese food. Tired of being ribbed by her sister, she secretly takes a Chinese cooking class at a local college. Except on the first day her instructor winds up dead and now Lana is a suspect. She has to go sleuthing to find the real killer before the narrow minded detective "investigating" makes his phony case against her.

Lana is a majorly awesome character. I love that she is fearless (on the outside) and loves doughnuts. I wished there was more of her roommate, Megan, in this book as the Megan is truly the Watson to Lana's Holmes. This book was a little more of a struggle for me because as Lana mentions, she usually knows someone involved in the case and so in her investigation she questions a lot of strangers who don't find it at all odd she is asking a lot of questions. I also figured out whodunit fairly early in the story.

I did enjoy this book and thanks to Netgalley for an ARC. I look forward to more Noodle House mysteries and probably re-reading the ones I have!

I'm sorry, I can't finish this book. I've recently come to enjoy cozy mysteries, and thought I'd give a book from this series a whirl, particularly because it's set in the Cleveland, OH area where I lived for eight years. I found the dialog unappealing and reducing my motivation to continue reading. I'm going to rate this book anyway, because I did get to the 40% point before I gave up. I will not be giving a rating or feedback on Goodreads, however. I can see where this would appeal to some folks, but for me it fell short.

I’ve heard such good things about this series, but unfortunately this ended up being a DNF for me about 25% through. Even though the murder took place fairly quickly I felt like the book was dragging from the beginning. I also felt like there was a lot of clunky exposition, which seems odd to me this far into a series. The writing just wasn’t for me - too bad!