In the fourth in Vivien Chien’s Noodle Shop delicious mystery series, Ho-Lee Noodle House is ready to take the Cleveland night market by storm–until a brand-new food venue literally explodes onto the scene. Lana Lee is all smiles when the first evening of Cleveland’s Asian Night Market kicks off the summer. The weekly festival is always good for business, packed with locals and tourists, and … and tourists, and this year, some stiff new food-truck competition. Wonton on Wheels, run by old friends of Lana’s parents, promises to have customers lining up for their delicately wrapped delights–until the truck blows up at evening’s end.
Lana’s boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, had been planning a birthday getaway for the two of them but, lo and behold, Lana must assume the role of amateur sleuth yet again. With one proprietor of Wonton on Wheels dead, it’s beginning to look more like murder and less like an unfortunate accident. And as they begin to unwrap layers of disturbing secrets, Lana’s own family erupts into new drama. Will Lana be able to solve this crime–or has she jumped from the wok right into the fire?
“Thoroughly entertaining…fun and delicious.”–RT Book Reviews
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
It is time for the Cleveland Night Market and Lana Lee is thrilled her Ho-Lee Noodle House will be serving up its delicious Chinese food. The first night goes very well but wraps up with a huge KABOOM! A food truck belonging to some old friends of her parents explodes killing the husband Ronnie Chow and injuring the wife, Sandra.
On top of that Lana’s mother’s sister, Grace arrives in town for a visit and her boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau is planning a romantic trip for her birthday.
So there is plenty of family drama and some undercover sleuthing going on, but Lana better tread carefully or she may be the next one getting burned.
Lana continues to grow in each book and this time she really doesn’t back away from the challenge of finding who blew up that food truck. She goes back time and time again questioning suspects and anyone that may have any information. From the elderly Mahjong Matrons to reconnecting with her childhood friend, Calvin Chow, who may be her number 1 suspect, or his uncle Gene. She really came across as brave this time. She is also learning that to avoid some of the family drama is to take a pass on the family dinners once in a while, but her overbearing mother won’t let that happen often. This tight-knit family is what really sets this series apart. With all the drama you can see the love behind it all. This time grandma has some wise words for her daughters, making Lana and her sister Anna Mae have a bit of an awakening too.
Ms. Chien has served up a very twisted mystery here. It was a challenging mystery to solve, in fact, there is a huge twist at the end that turned all my theories inside out. The pace felt a lot faster this time than in the previous books, my pages were flying.
I have enjoyed every book in this series so far. Egg Drop Dead is waiting not so patiently on my Kindle and Killer Kung Pao will be released on August 25.
Wonton Terror is a wonderful addition to this series! I would encourage you to start the series from the beginning but the author does a great job at including enough background to read each story on its own.
Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien is the fourth novel in A Noodle Shop Mystery series. Each book in this series can be read on its own. I like this unique cozy mystery series that has readers enjoying Asian food and culture in Ohio. Lana Lee is rocking purple hair while busy managing the family restaurant, working at the Asian Night Market, attending mandatory family dinners and spending time with her boyfriend. With her Aunt Grace in town, her mother is tense (putting is mildly). Grace Richardson is a free spirit who writes for a travel magazine. The two sisters have conflicting opinions. I felt bad for Adam who got dragged into some of the family dinners and drama. The family eats at different Asian restaurants around town. The food descriptions had me craving my favorite Chinese dishes. I thought the story progressed at steady pace with interesting characters and revelations. The mystery touches upon the sensitive topic of domestic abuse. I did not have a hard time pinpointing the guilty party, but others might find it challenging (depends upon your amateur sleuth status). I hope Lana’s grandmother gets some help in understanding English soon (por thing). Lana needs to be cued in that there is an app for that. The Lee family has their issues, but they love each other. Wonton Terror is a lighthearted cozy mystery with nummy noodles, kin commotion, a big boom, vacation vacillation, and murder mayhem.
“Wonton Terror” by Vivien Chien is the 4th installment in the ” A Noodle Shop Mystery” series. I haven’t read the previous 3 but I am now looking forward to reading the previous 3 books.
I really enjoyed this book and the setting of Cleveland, Ohio although a big city it was set in the Asian community. I always like when I can picture the setting or neighborhood. Makes for fun and often quirky characters
The Protagonist Lana Lee is well developed. The side characters such as her a roommate and BFF Megan are likable. We also get introduced to her aunt Grace (sister dynamics through the generations) was realistic. I have a Asian friend who is a total foodie and I can picture her in the story. She goes out to eat A LOT trying different things and like the Lee family her friends and family meet for Dim Sum every week too.
The story was well paced, full of twists and turns. I found I couldn’t put the book down as I wanted to know who the killer was. It did touch on a sensitive matter “domestic abuse” but it is something that is still out there in today’s society sadly.
Highly recommended. A wonderful book from an author I will definitely follow in the future. When the next installment “Egg Drop Dead” comes out February 2020, I will be sure to add it on my TBR pile.
I requested and received an Advanced Reader Copy on the book from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Another terrific noodle shop mystery from Vivien Chien. This edition has Lana trying to solve yet another murder … one that took place right by her at the night market!
Could the killer really be one of her mother’s friends or is that just the obvious suspect? Join Lana, Megan, Adam, Peter. Kimmy, Anna May, her parents, grandmother, and even her aunt for a bit of mystery, a bit of fun, and a bit of family fueding and togetherness in this terrific read.
Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien is about Lana and Megan trying to solve another crime, but this one has an explosion.
Who would kill Ronnie Chow, and why?
Lana Lee and friends
Lana Lee, Megan, Adam, Peter, and Kimmy are back to solve another mystery. Okay, mostly Lana and Megan are the other three aren’t. Lana is still our point of view character, and wow was she busy in here. Not only having to deal with a family member coming to town that doesn’t get along with her mom, but an old friend’s husband gets killed with Lana in the vicinity. Well, because of that, Lana is in the middle of it to try and figure out who killed him. Lana is still a great character, and I love how she is with her family, and when she is snooping. Megan is always a hoot with Lana, and I love it how she keeps getting Lana into investigating.
Adam is still trying to stop Lana, but he is okay with it as long as she tells him what she finds out. I think that’s sweet and even more so when he goes in protective mode. Peter and Kimmy are dating, and they are pretty cute together. They are totally different from each other, but I think it’s cute that they are trying it out.
The Mystery
Ronnie Chow was someone that rubbed people the wrong way, so it’s not a big deal that he gets blown up, right? Well, Lana doesn’t think that it’s right of the police only to be focusing on the Chow family, so she is investigating to figure it out. Let’s say that it was a hard case to get through some of the information that Lana gathered fully. Not only that, but the motive. There are red herrings here, but I didn’t fall for them. I just kept on thinking well that’s a red herring and didn’t fully get with whodunit until it became apparent. It was an excellent case, though.
5 Stars
I am giving Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien five stars and recommending it. Ms. Chien does another fabulous job on this book, and it amazes me how well the mystery is plotted along with why the culprit did it. I have to say that Ms. Chien almost had me on this one, but I actually figured it out!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien.
Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
This was a great book !
Lana is ready to enjoy some good news.
Adam is planning a birthday getaway for the two of them.
When the owner of a food truck is killed, Lana is ready to solver another mystery.
Loved the characters + the storytelling !
It has all the ingredients that you need for a great book!
I can’t wait for the next book in this series.
Wonton Terror is the fourth installment of the Noodle Shop Mystery series. Lana Lee, the amateur sleuth, manages her family’s restaurant. She lives with her best friend Megan—a bartender—and is dating a cop, Adam, who she presumably met on a previous case.
This story opens with Lana and one of her cooks, Peter Huang, running a booth for the restaurant at Cleveland’s Night Market. During a lull in business Lana notices the son of her mother’s old friend arguing with his father at their food truck. A short time later, the food truck explodes, killing the owner, Ronnie, and injuring several others. Ronnie’s wife Sandra becomes the top suspect in the explosion, so Lana begins to investigate to try to clear her mother’s friend’s name.
The theme of this book seems to be family issues—Lana with her sister, Lana’s mother with her sister (Lana’s aunt), the owner of the food truck with his wife and son and his wife’s brother. Most of the issues are the usual family bickering, but, for some (Ronnie and Sandra), it goes much deeper into the issue of domestic abuse. This can be a difficult subject for some and I wish the author had put in an afterword about where victims of domestic abuse could find help. There are hotlines available for this and I wish the author had included them.
I was also a little confused as to why Lana’s family, who own a restaurant, went to so many other restaurants to eat out—which it appears they did often. I can understand it once in a while, but it seemed almost every other chapter involved them eating out at another restaurant.
Things I liked: It was an interesting story with a different kind of amateur sleuth (Chinese) and the dynamics of Lana’s family. It was a unique read. The mystery was fair with ample suspects.
Things I didn’t like: It was a little slow with too much emphasis on Lana’s family dynamics. They were always bickering and it got old after a while.
Recommendation: Overall the story was okay, but I probably won’t add the series to my list of must-buy cozies. It was good, but just didn’t grab me hard enough to make me want to go out and get more.
Thanks to Netgalley for the free review copy.
Vivien Chien cooks up another scrumptious mystery in Wonton Terror! This series is one of my favorites. The heroine is a spicy little thing that defies everything her heritage stands for. Sure, she appreciates her roots but she certainly isn’t the demur little thing that many may associate her character with. I love how Vivien gives Lana enough flair to make her stand out as a heroine! Not only that, she’s got a lot of “balls” so to speak and isn’t afraid to go looking for clues when something isn’t right. I appreciate her bravery, sense, and the fact that she stops at nothing for family and friends. Characters truly make the book and Lana and the secondary characters within The Noodle Shop Mystery series make this one of my favorites in the genres!
Wonton Terror is the 4th book in the series and I suggest reading the books in order as they follow the same characters throughout. Some people say you can read cozies in any order you like as they all feature different mysteries but I tend to disagree. I disagree because the characters have a lot of growth as series progress. Whether it be in the romance department or life in general this IS the case for most series just like this one.
That being said, Wonton Terror takes readers on a quest to find a killer who blew up a friend of the families food truck. Vivien creates enough breadcrumbs throughout this story in terms of figuring out who the killer actually is. But there is also a huge twist at the end when everything is revealed- this I did NOT see coming!
Join Lana and her friends as they dig up clues to unearth the mystery of the Killer. You will NOT regret it. You may however come away from the story with a HUGE craving for wonton soup and springs rolls! All of the food mentioned had my stomach grumbling.
“Wonton Terror” earns 5/5 Explosive Wontons…Engaging and Clever Fun!
My first book from Vivien Chien was a “blast!” Lana Lee is excited to have her Ho-Lee’s Noodle House restaurant participating in Cleveland’s first summer Asian Night Market, but things go terribly wrong when the Wonton on Wheels food truck explodes killing Ronnie Chow, a family friend and one of the owners, and injuring many nearby…but it wasn’t an accident, and in fact, the victim may be as much of a mystery as his murder. Engaging fun! Vivien Chien has penned a very entertaining fourth book in her A Noodle Shop Mystery series. It’s a well-written clever murder mystery using a first-person narrative from Lana’s perspective sharing her inner thoughts, but also compelling is her family interactions and delightful relationship with her chef and her boyfriend/detective. The journey included several suspects, some close to home, challenging my inner Charlie Chan, descriptive language to tease the taste buds, and dialogue that illustrates well the tones and different personalities. I always feel a cozy with a culinary theme like “noodles” and all the references to Chinese food should also include a few recipes. Unfortunately none here. Despite that one flaw, I recommend that cozy fans check out this book! Just bring your own wonton soup!
WONTON TERROR by Vivien Chien
The Fourth Noodle Shop Mystery
Warm summer nights in Cleveland, Ohio mean outdoor activities and the start of the Asian Night Market. Representing the Ho-Lee Noodle House Lana Lee sees old family friends Sandra and Ronnie Chow with their new venture, the Wonton on Wheels food truck. The spectacular evening ends with a bang, literally, as an explosion rocks the night.Was this an insurance scam gone horribly wrong or did someone want Ronnie Chow dead? While her boyfriend, Detective Trudeau, is not working the case Lana feels it’s her responsibility to look into things. But why doesn’t anyone know much about the Chows? And why did her mother distance herself from her onetime friends? Could Sandra really be behind the plot? Between managing the restaurant and trying to keep the peace between her mother and visiting aunt, Lana hones her investigative skills. Will she uncover the truth or just get herself in hot water?
WARNING! Do not start reading if you are hungry. Within minutes I was craving noodles and I’m still dreaming of wonton soup. So get satiated or have Chinese takeaway near to hand, and then you’ll be ready to join Lana on another adventure. And what an adventure it is. I can just picture the Asian Night Market and would love to hang out and enjoy the summer night with the market’s casual ambiance and innovative food offerings. When the successful night shatters in violence it brings a crushing reality to the world. Truly nowhere is safe. WONTON TERROR also takes a look at domestic violence. There are no details, like reality the subject is kept behind closed doors, but still, the subject is acknowledged and plays a major role in the mystery.
Despite explosions and the reality of domestic violence WONTON TERROR remains a light-hearted, fun read. The close knit community, and ties of family and friends bring warmth and joy, despite bickering and murder. Seeing relationships develop and grow keep me invested in this series. I really love Lana’s family and they had me laughing out loud in this outing. With her sister Grace in town Lana’s Mom is on edge and when she finally loses it during a family dinner out it is absolutely priceless!
The fourth Noodle House mystery is perplexing mystery which kept me guessing. While I had my suspicions about the culprit I really didn’t know who was behind matters. Lana and her life is infinitely engaging and I love watching her puzzle through the mystery, asking questions while maintaining her job and family obligations.
WONTON TERROR is a fun mystery that kept me absorbed from the first page. As Lana says, “It’s good to be Lana Lee” and it’s a joy to read about her!
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a digital ARC provided through NetGalley, in the hopes I would review it.
“Wonton Terror” by Vivien Chien is the 4th book of the Noodle Shop Delicious Mystery Series. Lana Lee has so much to look forward to. An opening night at the highly anticipated Asian Night Market, and a Birthday Getaway week-end planned by Lana’s handsome boyfriend Adam Trudeau. The Ho Lee Noodle Shop is getting ready for an amazing turnout at the night market in Cleveland with Lana’s favorite chef Peter Huang. However, a new local food truck, Wonton on Wheels blows up with the business owner getting killed inside and many others injured during the explosion. Authorities soon find out that this was no accident and a murder may have been intended for the proprietor. Lana gets drawn in to this and becomes the amateur sleuth to help solve this exciting murder mystery.
I absolutely loved this cozy mystery. I have not read any of the three prior books from this series and will be picking them up as I am now a fan of Vivien Chen and the entire cast of characters in this series. Lana Lee is such a lovable character. This was a fun and enjoyable read with enough twists and turns in this murder plot mystery. This surely kept me on my toes. There is a warning trigger for spousal abuse but was handled beautifully by Chien. I am a huge fan of this series and highly recommend all the others.
I was captivated by the description of this book. I am so happy I gave it a try. This not the first in the series but I had no trouble falling right into it. I enjoyed every page.
Yes, it dealt with some very series issues in today society but still maintained the cozy feel.
I would definitely read more in this series.
Thank-you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. I am not required to post a positive review. I chose to review.
Lana Lee has grown a lot since we first met her in Death by Dumpling. She is now the manager of her family’s restaurant, Ho-Lee Noodle House Restaurant. She is in a relationship with Adam, a policeman and life is going pretty well. Now that her maternal grandmother has come to live with her parents, her mother has lots to focus on. Then her mother’s sister, Graces arrives and tensions grow between the sisters. While the family deals with each other at home, Lana and her chef. Peter are involved with the summer food event, Asian Night market, a mix of food booths and crafts, running a booth serving food from Ho-Lee. On the first night all does not end well when a wonton food truck explodes, killing the owner and seriously injuring his wife and Peter’s mother. When Lana finds out that her parents have a past relationship with the victim and his wife, she starts her own investigation. It goes from the original verdict of accident to murder and his wife becomes the prime suspect. As it occurred out of her boyfriends jurisdiction, he stays on the sidelines this time.
It’s always fun to hear more about the regular restaurant’s customers along with both old and new merchants of the Asian Village. Lana’s roommate and best friend, Megan, aids her in her investigating. The mystery was well plotted and I guessed wrong as to the killer. This series has become more polished and this entry definitely earns my five star rating. When the next mystery, Egg Drop Dead, comes out February 25, 2020, I will be sure to have it on my TBR list.
Wonton Terror by Vivien Chien is the fourth book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. I am hooked on this series and not just because it’s set in my home state. Set in Cleveland, Ohio, Chien will have you craving noodles!
When a food truck explodes at a festival on the first night of the Asian Night Market causing the death of one of the owners, Lana is once again in the middle of tracking down clues as who caused the death of a family friend. This time though, her detective boyfriend is not assigned to the case. So it’s up to Lana and her roommate, Megan, to gather all the clues before anyone else gets taken out.
Chien not only writes a great plot for the mystery but gives you a look at Lana’s family life and friends. This book we meet her aunt. As in all families there is that one relative that grates on someone’s nerves, this time it’s the aunt and Lana’s mother.
This has plenty of suspects keeping you guessing to the end, humor, romance, and her cute little dog.
Wonton Terror is an easy to read cozy, that is entertaining and can be read as a stand alone. Chein does a great job of bringing in enough of previous story lines to get you current but you will want to read them all,
I was given an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an honest review.
My Review:
This series started off entertaining and delightful and keeps getting more so as each new book is released. Lana and her family are what I consider a typical American family no matter the ethnicity. They have their drama and yes sometimes everyone within 20 feet hears that drama but at the same time, they love just as deeply as they disagree. Lana wants to be independent and live her own life but her mom has a hard time letting go. I think a lot of young woman from close-knit families find in their twenties that is a common growing pain. I know I did.
You will be craving everything from wontons and dim sum to Asian noodles as you read. I admit I have never had dim sum and it isn’t for lack of want. I’m just not sure where to get it in my city. Lana makes it sound very delicious.
The only wish I had for this series…recipes for some of the dishes. I am a sucker for trying recipes that are included in my cozy mysteries.
Whether you are looking for a delicious read or a murder mystery, Wonton Terror is the book for you.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
Lana Lee is back in another enjoyable installment in the Noodle Shop Mystery series. I love the family dynamics of the Lee family. This time around, we get to meet Lana’s Aunt Grace, her mother’s sister. It was fun to meet her and see the sibling relationship she has with Mama Lee. I really enjoy the relationship between Lana and her sister Anna Mae. Having a sister of my own I can relate to the somewhat competitive nature of the two. Lana’s romance with Adam is also progressing nicely, even though she has a knack of trouble finding her even when she is just going about her own business.
The mystery was well done and handled in a well considering it involved domestic abuses. There are plenty of suspects to choose from and while the identity of the killer was not a surprise, it was enjoyable to read as Lana works through the clues to come to a resolution.
I really enjoy this series and always finish a book having been entertained for several hours. I will definitely continue reading this series.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, through NetGalley.