by Vivien Chien
Part of Noodle Shop Mystery
First published 2024
Lana Lee helps property manager Ian Sung plan an elaborate Chinese New Year celebration for Asia Village. The evening unfolds with music, entertainment, and generous giveaways as shop owners gather to bring positive energy to their plaza. During the grand finale fireworks display in the parking lot, tragedy strikes. A lion dancer from the performance team lies dead backstage, shot through the heart. A red envelope containing four dollar bills rests in the victim's pocket, marking an omen of death. Ian recruits Lana to help him discover who murdered the talented performer right under everyone's nose. Their investigation must navigate the tight knit community where celebrations can turn deadly and fresh beginnings collide with old secrets.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, adult-fiction, asian-american, cozy-mystery
Vibes: atmospheric, community-driven, culturally-rich, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, community-secrets, found-family, unlikely-partnership
Setting: Asia Village, Peking
Period: Chinese New Year, Contemporary
304 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Minotaur Books
Content warnings: death, murder