Dim Sum of All Fears: A Noodle Shop Mystery (A Noodle Shop Mystery, 2)

The story was gripping, pacey and voicy. Loved it. Definitely a page turner. I read the whole book in one go.

I dove into Dim Sum of All Fears (the second in the Noodle Shop Mystery series) and found a gem in the contemporary cozy mystery scene. The first in the series, Death by Dumpling, will now be my second to get me back on track with these remarkable stories. That makes sense, right?This delicious series by Vivien Chien features amateur sleuth Lana Lee, who works at her parents’ restaurant in Cleveland, but wants a little more for herself. What she doesn’t want, but always gets, is to wind up in a mess of drama. Bummer for her, but lucky for us.In Dim Sum we find Lana running Ho-Lee Noodle House while her folks take a vacation to Taiwan. Add to this the discovery of two corpses in the shop next door, a budding romance with a police detective, and suddenly Lana has more on her plate than she can handle. Who would have thought Cleveland could be this smashing?For me, a fan of horror and crime fiction, Lana’s adventure was a shift in the type of books I typically enjoy. It’s a good idea to try something new and I wasn’t disappointed with Dim Sum. The mystery is a “cozy,” similar in a way to Agatha Christie or Elizabeth Peters, dare I say Holmes, but with a contemporary style and an appealing sense of creativity. I can see the down-to-Earth, donut-loving Lana among the ranks of Sherlock and Marple in the coming years.The clever book titles are rich, which is likely what drew me to try the mystery in the first place. This includes the fourth entry, Wonton Terror, which comes out later this month. Now that I’m hooked, I’m looking forward to reading what’s next for the cast of characters at Ho-Lee Noodle House.Keep serving up the Lana Lee stories!

I've actually had this book on my Kindle for a while. I bought it not realizing that it was book #2 in a series. Book #1 went on sale pretty recently, so I decided to binge-read the two books, back to back. I don't think it's completely necessary to read book #1 first, but the books are chronological and have linear story-telling, and they do seem to build off one another, so I would not urge it, but I would recommend it.DIM SUM OF ALL FEARS kicks off where the first book left off. After the last murder in Asia Village, the little shopping center in an Asian community in Ohio and the hub of many of their social events, society is gradually beginning to return to normalcy. Lana Lee is still seeing her new detective might-be-more-than-a-friend, and she's trying to get a job outside of her parents' restaurant. That's why, when her parents announce that they're going back to Taiwan for a stint to help out Lana's ailing grandmother, it really couldn't have come at a worse time.Even worse; another murder happens. This time, it's personal. Lana's new close friend, Isabelle, is found murdered in the shop that she runs with her husband, Brandon. At first it seems like it might be a murder-suicide, but there are some details about the deaths that seem sketchy. Also, immediately after the event takes place, two women show up, both claiming to be Brandon's ex-wives. What on earth is going on? And which of them are telling the truth?So this book was pretty good. I liked the raised emotional stakes and how this death felt especially personal since Mr. Feng was more of an uncle figure than a friend (he was closer to her parents). Lana takes Isabelle's death personally and it makes sense why she would want to get involved in the case despite probably having some lingering fears over her last close call. I don't think this mystery was plotted quite as well as the first one, though. I couldn't figure out who did it but I also felt like the details of the case were way messier, and I just wasn't as engaged in the mystery.I think this is a really fun cozy mystery series but I was disappointed that food was less prominently featured in this book and there wasn't as much of the sense of community here that the first book had. I'd probably still read further in the series, but this book has a major case of second book syndrome.3 out of 5 stars

Wholesome Mysteries I LoveKeep Me Guessing Til The End.Love All The Characters Even The Pooch Kiko...LOLKeep Up The Good Thoughts 👍

I enjoyed her first book very much. The second book in the series seems more strained to me. The relationships between the characters are tiring. The plot is twisted and has plenty of red herrings, but I don't think they add any real value to the story other than trying to throw you off. I appreciate the Asian setting and cultural influences little before shared in cozy murders, but the writing seems weak or rushed. I'll have to consider this carefully before moving further into this series.

Easy fun and entertaining.The perfect book to relax and be cosy.For everyone that wants to enjoy a good time and easy read

This is a mildly entertaining mystery book that lacked the ingredients to have me wanting more. Miss Chien seems to skim over her characters and plot just giving you the lean version of everything when she could have fattened up the story and my interest by providing a bit more about the primary characters and Chinese culture. The story takes place just before Chinese New Year yet the author fails to provide any information about the holiday to let non-asians know why this is so significant in Chinese culture. Also, what is the importance of the red dress purchased by Lana for her New Year date. Such a missed opportunity. This book could have been written by anyone and taken place anywhere as little to nothing speaks of Chinese food or culture. Just a mildly entertaining read. I for one won't be back for seconds. Sorry.

Good plot development , like the way the author works the secondary characters in as sources of information. Reading about the ice and slush reminded !e why I moved away

A delightful, clever, funny mystery series. I have read the first five! Good character development, clear writing and the food sounds heavenly.

Like the product but not the packaging, huge Brown envelope that dents books

A great way to pass a few hours. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.