Helpful Score: 1
Egg Drop Dead by Vivien Chen takes us to Fairview Park, Ohio in July. Lana Lee has added catering services to the Ho-Lee Noodle House and their first job is for the owner of Asia Village, Donna Feng. Lana and head chef, Peter Huang arrive to find the normally unflappable Donna extremely agitated and on edge. The party is in full swing when a scream comes from the patio. Lana rushes out to find the nanny dead in the pool. Donna entrusts a thumb drive with Lana that contains sensitive information. Donna wants Lana to don her sleuthing cap once again and locate the killer. Egg Drop Dead is the fifth A Noodle Shop Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series (or if you missed a book or two along the way). I like that this series features a Chinese American community outside Cleveland, Ohio. It is unique for cozy mysteries. The author provided vivid descriptions that bring the scenes to life. Lana Lee is managing the family restaurant and putting her own stamp on the place. When Donna asks Lana to investigate the murder of her nanny, she is happy to dive into the case. Lana gets assistance from her roommate, Megan Riley (who is equally inquisitive). After a fire at Donna's house, Lana gets her to agree to hire a PI. Lana tags along with the private investigator. There are various suspects and well-done clues. I enjoyed Donna's backstory which was intriguing. I was delighted with the takedown scene and appreciated the epilogue. I would like to see Lana begin to mature. She can be impulsive and make poor decisions that puts her life in jeopardy (frequently). I am surprised that Lana's boyfriend, Adam is still with her considering how much she lies to him. The author does need to stop repeating case details (we got it the first time). In addition to investigating the murder and managing the restaurant, Lana is dealing with a bothersome ex-boyfriend. Lana will need a stiff backbone to deal with this pesky old beau. Egg Drop Dead is a cute cozy mystery that will have you craving your favorite Chinese delicacy (Pepper Steak for me). Egg Drop Dead is an upbeat story where it is night night for the nanny, a troubling terracotta thumb drive, catering chaos, little lies, and a bothersome old beau.
