One of "The Best Modern Murder Mystery Books"—The Mary Sue
"A charming debut with plenty of red herrings. The heroine's future looks bright."—Kirkus Reviews
"Thoroughly entertaining... A fun and delicious read!"—RT Book Reviews
"Life does not always take the path you want it to, which is an understatement when you find yourself delivering the dumplings that kill a man. The ending certainly left me wanting to continue reading a series starring Lee."—Book Riot
"Cozy fans rejoice! It is an honor to state that author Vivien Chien has done a fantastic job with both characters and plot. You will long for the next course that Vivien Chien serves up."—Suspense Magazine
"Vivien Chien serves up a delicious mystery with a side order of soy sauce and sass. A tasty start to a new mystery series!" —Kylie Logan, bestselling author of Gone with the Twins
"Vivien Chien brings a fresh new voice to cozies. Death by Dumpling is a fun and sassy debut with unique flavor, local flair, and heart." —Amanda Flower, Agatha Award-Winning author of Lethal Licorice
"A cozy mystery with laughs, and a relatable amateur sleuth."—Book Riot
"Vivien Chien's story circles around culinary cuisine, pestering family dynamics, hometown drama, and mystery."—The Mary Sue
"What a charming book! This will definitely appeal to any cozy mystery. The Asian venue was a fresh and unique setting for the mystery. This isn't your average everyday cozy!"—Mystereity Reviews
"Chien's fun and funny debut mystery delivers a full menu of engaging characters, a cleverly conceived mystery plot, and just the right dash of dry humor."—Voice of Youth Advocates magazine
"The setting (a shopping plaza dedicated to Asian businesses) and the characters (the various merchants who work in the plaza and their friends and family members) were really well-done."—Read-At-Home Mom
2017-12-24
Can an amateur detective solve a case of poisoning by dumpling?Lana Lee's rough year is about to get worse. First she split up with her cheating boyfriend, then she quit her job. In order to keep paying her share of the rent for the place she shares with Megan Riley, she's working for her parents as a hostess and waitress at Ho-Lee Noodle House in Fairview Park, Ohio. Half Taiwanese, half English, Lana's grown up with many of the neighboring shopkeepers at Asia Village, an attractive shopping center owned by Thomas Feng and his trainee partner, Ian Sung. Arriving at Feng's office to deliver his lunch, she's almost run over by a furious Kimmy Tran, who's just finished screaming at Mr. Feng. Later that day, Mr. Feng is found dead, possibly from an allergic reaction to shrimp, something he's usually careful to avoid. Handsome Detective Adam Trudeau suspects that his death was no accident, and his prime suspect is noodle house chef Peter Huang. The new widow, Donna Feng, also seems to suspect Peter, though she says little and acts with quiet dignity. Tired of Lana's moping around, Megan encourages her to investigate the death, even splurging for a book on how to become a detective. Lana's mother, who only wants to see her happily married, is delighted that Lana finds Trudeau attractive and has been asked out by Ian Sung, who, backed by Mrs. Feng, plans to take over the operation of Asia Village. If Peter really is innocent, Lana must figure out who else switched the dumplings and removed Feng's EpiPen. Her snooping uncovers many hidden secrets, but determining which one was enough to kill for proves both difficult and dangerous.A charming debut with plenty of red herrings. The heroine's future looks bright.