Hot and Sour Suspects: A Noodle Shop Mystery

Hot and Sour Suspects by Vivien Chien is the 8th A Noodle Shop Mystery. It can easily be read as a standalone as the author provides all the needed background information on our main characters as well as what has happened in past A Noodle Shop Mysteries. I found Hot and Sour Suspects easy to read with developed characters. We get to learn more about Lana’s sister, Anna May and her romantic relationship in this book. The mystery was okay. I found it drawn out. It took a while for Lana, Megan, and Kimmy to question all the suspects. There was a great deal of repetition and Lana thinking about the case. Lana would then speak to someone about the investigation which led to repeating what she knew (again). I had to skim to get through Hot and Sour Suspects. There was eating, chatting, walking the dog, time with boyfriend, more chatting and thinking, Lana and her pooch out for another walk, and you get the picture. This was not my favorite A Noodle Shop Mystery. The story seemed to drag (lack of action). There was drama and suspense at the end that wrapped up the case. After reading the note from the author, I can understand why the book seems a little more lowkey. I enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the area (Fairview and Cleveland). Those from that area will recognize places mentioned in the book. Hot and Sour Suspects is a baffling brainteaser with nummy noodles, a speed dating scene, a dead date, secret sleuthing, suspicious suspects, and a crazed killer.

amateur-sleuth, Chinese-culture, Chinese-customs, Cleveland, cozy-mystery, family-business, family-dynamics, friendship, law-enforcement, lawyers, murder, murder-investigation, restaurant, suspense, suspicion, situational-humor, verbal-humor***** Nothing like having TTS read a very good Cleveland cozy mystery to me while I watch a Cleveland grandson on my laptop as he and the team are at a hockey tournament out of town while Cleveland gets a pile of snow dumped on it! I really like the sisters, their friends, and even The Matrons. Lana still has her police detective boyfriend, but she talks the family into hosting a speed dating night at the restaurant to bolster the slumping receipts. Who knew that her good friend would go home with a guy and end up Chief Suspect in his murder? Said friend is acting strange and making the Friend Sleuthing more than a little difficult. Then things get dangerous. I requested and received a free e-book copy from St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Paperbacks via NetGalley. Thank you!

maybe the best one yet