What's better than a sleuth and her best friend solving crime, eating good food, and looking fabulous while doing it? Not much!

Hot and Sour Suspects is the 8th installment in the Noodle Shop Mystery series by Vivien Chien. One of the biggest pluses about this read is that you don't have to read all of the other books to feel connected with the characters and the plotline. It was written so that you could drop in and not be totally confused, and I definitely appreciated that!

There's a lot to love with this book, so let's start with my favorite part: The characters! The leading lady is Lana Lee and, not to be dramatic, but I love her with my whole heart. Lana is hilarious, energetic, and has an inner dialogue that feels so real. I felt like I was listening to one of my best friends tell a story while reader this book. Megan and Kimmy were great additions to the cast and I liked that the difficult parts of friendship were explored; Not everything was perfect between them and they struggled. It was a great dynamic and I closed the book truly feeling like I was waving goodbye to some good friends. The smaller characters are amazing, too. Two words: Mahjong Matrons!

Plot wise, this little book packs a punch. The mystery aspect was well done and didn't feel forced, easily guessed, or like an afterthought; There was a great balance between sleuthing and not sleuthing that led to an easy-to-read story. And by easy-to-read, I mean I couldn't put it down. I read about 60% of this book in a single sitting and had to force myself to stop to sleep. It's that good. I also really liked that the plot took place in a lot of different places, but it didn't feel too spread out. I got a good lay of the land and felt comfortable while reading, not like I was grasping for plot or setting points.

I highly recommend this novel for anyone interested in the cozy mystery genre! This book truly is cozy and such a joy. 5/5 stars from me!

This is an Ideal book if you like some light reading.
Having a fiancée in the police department might be creating some problems if you want to clear up a murder on your own. On top of it you have to make sure to fulfill your duties at the family restaurant without anybody been aware of what you are up to. But what can you do if two of your best friends keep pushing you in the direction of having to resolve and clearing a mutual friend of murder. The description of the small Chinese community with his various residents is delightful. As a switch we see Lana’s successful sister (also the good obedient daughter) gotten herself in some hot water. Lana trying to help is only making it worse. Only time will tell how it will play out.

Vivien Chien never dissapoints! I love catching up with Lana Lee and all the crew. I surely hope this is not the last in the series as I have become quite fond of all these characters.

Vivien Chien does not disappoint in this yummy, page-turning, cozy in the Noodle Shop Mystery series.

This book follows the life of Lana Lee, a good-hearted wanna-be detective. She is always ready to put her sleuthing hat on and solve a mystery. Lana is not alone in her quest to solve a case, she has help from her best friend and roommate, Megan. Between the two of them, they get into tight spots all in the name of justice. In this book, they set out to help clear the name of their mutual friend, Rina, after she is suspected of killing her date.

I found this book to be such a wonderful read. I loved every bit of it. This is one of those books that you should start when you have a block of time to yourself because once you start reading it you will not want to put the book down. So many twists and turns throughout the book that you will be right there with Lana and Megan, trying to figure out whodunit.

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, then I highly recommend this book (and the whole series) for your reading pleasure. So grab a copy and find a comfy place so you can be transported to Asia Village and see if you can figure out who the killer is.

Hot and Sour Suspects by Vivien Chien - out now! This is the 8th book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. I have proudly read and LOVED them all! This was a book that I didn't want to put down but I also wanted to make it last to have more time with the characters. I have zero complaints about this story and I would really love to reread the entire series. I adore all of the characters Vivien Chien created. I always love how Lana and Megan work together to figure out the crime while probing Adam for details. Digging for clues with Lana is so fun, I truly want to do it again right away. If you are looking to try a cozy mystery, I highly highly recommend diving into this series starting with Death by Dumpling.

Though I hadn’t read the first book in the series, I had no trouble following the action here. I loved the banter between characters, the new take on the cozy mystery and the plotting was very good. I enjoy humor in mystery and appreciate the subtleties here with family dynamics. I will read more of this series for sure.

Once again loved this cozy mystery. Vivien writes books that are like warm soup: Cozy, mysterious and a bit spicy. Can't wait to read the next one.

Hot and Sour Suspects is the 8th in the Noodle House Mystery series and I’ve read them all. I like Lana. She’s funny and sarcastic, a little reckless, and she loves donuts. She is surrounded by quirky friends and a warm, loving family who only nag her occasionally. She manages the family’s Ho-Lee Noodle House in the Asian Village shopping center. This time around, after an evening of speed dating at the restaurant, a man is dead in his apartment, and Rina, one of Lana’s friends from the mall, is clearly the prime suspect. Megan and Lana decide they need to prove Rina’s innocence, even if Rina herself doesn’t want them digging around.

I love the characters in this series and the setting. It does always make me want to order Chinese takeout though. The mystery in this one was fine. Lana has help from both Megan and Kimmy and they do make a fun, mildly incompetent, team. Lana’s detective boyfriend, Adam, is actually in charge of the police investigation, but instead of “forbidding” Lana to do her own snooping, he asks her to kind of keep it to herself. I like that he almost trust her abilities but still worries about her. And really he should worry, how many times does she end up walking straight into danger in this series? I didn’t know who the killer was until Lana did. Lana has developed quite the reputation as an amateur sleuth, which both is both helpful and not.

Overall, Hot and Sour Suspects was a light, enjoyable read. I hope we get to visit the Noodle Shop again.

I'm relatively new to this series, but I absolutely loved Hot and Sour Suspects by Vivien Chien.
Lana Lee is an adorable character and the Mahjongg Matrons added some spice to this terrific book.
Kimmy had me laughing out loud with her loud opinions, and Megan, Lana's roommate is another great character.
The mystery itself was quite interesting and it all started out with a speed dating experience at Lana's family restaurant.
I'm definitely going to be reading this series from the first book, since I felt an immediate connection with all the main players in this book
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
#HotandSourSuspects #NetGalley

I love this series. The only thing I dislike is having to wait another year for the next one! Lana is such a great character and I love her dedication to always finding out the truth even if it doesn't mean good things for her or her friends. I love her relationship with Adam (detective) and her friendship with Megan and Kimmy. I even love her sister and the way they banter but there is still plenty of love there. I enjoy going on an adventure with these characters every time and this book did not disappoint!

Cleveland, Ohio - Present Day

As the manager of her family's restaurant, Ho-Lee Noodle House, Lana Lee decides that it's time to find a way to pick up more business. Thanks to a suggestion by her room-mate, Megan Riley, she is planning a speed-dating contest. The evening is a surprising success until Lana gets a call from Rina, their friend, and an owner of a shop in their complex, that the man she was matched up with at the speed-dating event is dead, and she's the prime suspect. Stunned, Lana turns to her boyfriend, Adam, a detective with the local police department, but he is mum about the circumstances. Rina claims to have been in the shower, and when she came out, Gavin, the man she had just met, was dead on the floor.

Lana and Megan want to clear their friend's name, but that may prove more difficult than they'd imagined. Rina has been acting strangely towards them since the murder, and when one of Gavin's former girlfriends, who was also at the speed-dating night, and had confronted him, is seen with Rina, Lana and Megan have to find out why. They enlist the help of Ho-Lee Noodle House cook Peter's girlfriend, Kimmy, who is rather unconventional, but hopefully useful in their quest. Despite a warning from Adam not to get involved, the ladies start planning.

Gavin had been a member of a local rock band, and worked for a financial company during the day. Ex-girlfriend, Brandi, is less than helpful when the ladies interview her. She is, in fact, rather hostile towards them. Rina distances herself even further from her friends. Lana questions a resident of Gavin's apartment building who claims that she rarely sleeps thanks to his constant parties. Did she hear anything that night? Lana even goes for a job interview at Gavin's company, hoping to find some clues from the people there. She does learn a few things, but are they helpful? Who hated Gavin enough to kill him? Obviously he was disliked by many, but why murder him?

HOT AND SOUR SUSPECTS is told in the first person by Lana. She, her family, and friends are a close-knit community in the Asia Village area which the noodle house shares with various other small businesses, including Rina's shop. Lana is a fun-loving, family oriented, but free spirit who, once she gets into a mystery, isn't inclined to leave any clue unfollowed.

A totally entertaining story, HOT AND SOUR SUSPECTS is a quick and fun read.

Hot & Sour Suspects is the eighth book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series by Vivien Chien. Once again, murder is on the menu at the Ho-Lee Noodle House. Lana Lee and her best friend host a speed dating event at the restaurant. It is meant to be fun and sure to drum up business. What was meant to be an innocent evening turns sour.

Rina Su, one of the speed dating participants and fellow Asia Village shop owner, informs that the date she's just matched with has been murdered. Rina is under suspicion so enlists the help of Lana's amateur sleuth skills to find out what really happened that night. The Ho-Lee Noodle House manager digs into an investigation much to her detective boyfriend's dismay. There's a long line of suspects and a rush to find the killer.

Although my preference is to read series in order, I am a sucker for reading new books immediately upon release and so thankful for the opportunity to read advance copies. The Noodle Shop mystery series is a prime example. I am reading it all out of sequence but enjoying every case!

The author gives just enough background where it doesn't spoil previous plots and the current book is written so solidly that it can be read as a standalone. I recognize and appreciate Chien's efforts to hook new readers in while satisfying the loyal ones.

With that said, I recommend Hot & Sour Suspects not only for its clever title but for the story itself. Whether you are already a fan of the series or a newbie like me, this mystery will keep you entertained. I also recommend enjoying a nice bowl of hot and sour soup from a local carryout joint while reading it. Make it a full experience!

Happy Early Pub Day, Vivien Chien! Hot & Sour Suspects will be available Tuesday, January 25.

~LiteraryMarie

From the beginning, I thought I had this one figured out, but I was off by a hair but technically on the right track. As for the subplot of Anna May, not sure it was necessary since it didn't go anywhere, but we will see if it is a preamble for something to come.

For me, I wish there were more of the Mahjong Matrons. I love those ladies and still feel there could be a complete book centered around them. Maybe something along the line of the movie Rear Window where Lana is unable to leave the restaurant or her apartment, and she sends these delightful ladies out to do her dirty work, I mean investigations. Then again, I’m not an author and Vivien Chien does an amazing job with the world she has created.

The author’s notes at the end are heartbreaking, and I hope that Vivien has a complete healing and will once again bring us into the happenings at Asia Village Shopping Plaza.

"Hot and Sour Suspects" was great. I enjoy Lana and all of the mischief she manages to find herself into. Vivien Chein has a great and unique cozy mystery series going with her Noodle Shop Mysteries.

This series never fails to delight me. While this wasn’t my favorite book of the lot, it was still a fun read. Every time I read one of these I end up having to order Chinese takeout… not that I’m really complaining. I liked how the relationships between Lana and her friends really were at the forefront of this book. I will say this mystery didn’t unspool as precisely as I would have liked, but I still found the book thoroughly enjoyable.

Lana Lee and her best friend Megan are trying to help their friend, Rina, avoid murder charges in Hot and Sour Suspects.

Lana, the manager of her parent’s noodle house outside Cleveland, is hosting her first speed dating night at the restaurant. The event is going well. Suddenly a woman named Brandi loudly confronts her ex, Gavin, who is sitting with Rina in a booth. After Brandi leaves, Rina and Gavin leave together. Later in Gavin’s apartment, Rina emerges from the shower and finds Gavin dead on his living room floor. If Rina didn’t kill Gavin, who did? Lana and Megan investigate.

It’s always fun to see what trouble Lana can get herself into. I did miss some of the usual humor in this book, the eighth in the series. Lana is more introspective here. The author’s note at the end explains why. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend beginning the series here. However, Hot and Sour Suspects is definitely worth the read for series fans. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!

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

When Lana Lee’s best friend, Megan Riley, asks her to help host a speed dating contest at Ho-Lee Noodle House, she doesn’t see the harm in lending a hand. The night goes better than anticipated, and both Lana and Megan are beyond thrilled with the results. But before they can break out the champagne, Rina Su, fellow Asia Village shop owner and speed dating participant, calls to inform Lana that the date she’s just matched with has been murdered. Under suspicion of foul play, Rina enlists Lana’s help in finding out what really happened that night.
I love the friendships that Lana has devotion she gives to the other shops. This was so much fun and had a fresh vibe to it.
#HotandSourSuspects#netgalley

I'd like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have only read book one in this series besides this one so far and I liked that it read as a stand alone. I didn't feel confused at all with the story line or who is who in the book.

This book is a fun and easy to read murder mystery. I really like Lana, the main character and amateur detective. She's pretty funny and her interactions with others is quite comical. I love the drama she finds herself in and I enjoyed the twists and turns through out the book. I had a lot of guesses on "who done it" and was surprised at the end.

Over all a great book. It was a lot of fun to read, well written, and had a good flow to it.

Hot and Sour Suspects is the latest in the Noodle Shop Mysteries by Vivien Chien and reading it was like catching up with friends.

In this installment, Lana and Megan are hosting a speed dating event that Lana’s friend Rina decides to attend. Lana is very surprised by this and hopes for only good things from the evening for Rina. Rina ends up leaving with one of the daters and Lana and Megan head home at the end of the event. All seems to be well until Adam, Lana’s boyfriend, receives a call in the early morning hours about a murder.

The victim turns out to be the persona Lana left with and the chief suspect is Rina. The rest of the story is all about Lana and Megan trying to help Rina. The twist in this story is that Rina doesn’t really want their help. Suspects usually always end up wanting Lana’s help so this was an interesting change. Of course, Lana helps anyway and the details leading up to finding the killer were quite the ride!

I love this series. For me, I read them for the characters first and the mystery second. I just love all of the quirks of the Lee family and also the people at Asia Village. Ms. Chien has a way of welcoming the reader in with each new installment and I just love seeing what sort of trouble Lana will get into in each story.

Thank you to Vivien Chien, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Hot and Sour Suspects by Vivien Chien is a light cozy with the amateur sleuth being the half-Asian manager of a restaurant, Lana Lee. Her parents own the restaurant, but pretty much stay out of the day-to-day running of it, which means she has plenty of time to investigate. The complication is Adam, her police detective boyfriend, who would prefer she leave the investigating to the police. She has her best friend and roommate, Megan, to have her back, and Kimmy, the girlfriend of her chef, when necessary. Megan has convinced her to hold a speed-dating event, as it had made a lot of money for the bar she worked at and it would introduce people to the Ho-Lee Noodle House. She was second-guessing herself as the crowd gathered. She saw a friend, Rina. She was shocked to see her and even more shocked when she left with a man. Lana didn't like this guy and couldn't see how Rina could. The worst happened when he turned up dead and Rina was the prime suspect.

Lana is a perky, happy-go-lucky, good friend type who is naturally curious and hates to see her friends in trouble. Megan is loyal and smart and tries to have Lana's back but Lana tends to go off half-cocked, which makes it hard to keep up. Kimmy is no one's best friend, but surprising creative when it comes to investigating. The mystery was a decent one, using a trope that is not often employed. It is a decent book with a small look into another culture. I enjoyed it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Hot and Sour Suspects by St Martin's, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #stmartins #vivienchien #hotandsoursuspects