An Explosive Night Market
With so many series I try to read, I fall behind on some just because there isn’t enough time to read all the books. One series I’ve fallen behind on is the Noodle Shop Mysteries from Vivien Chien. So, I was happy that I got to slip Wonton Terror into my reading before September ended.
Lana Lee has taken over running her family’s restaurant, Ho-Lee Noddle House, in Cleveland, Ohio. And this summer, she is also helping out at their booth for the night market in town. Lana is looking forward to the evenings out, hopefully expanding the restaurant’s customer base.
The first night ends with a bang – literally. One of the food trucks at the market, Wonton Wheels, explodes as the evening is winding down. Unfortunately, the owner, Ronnie Chow, was inside. The Chows had been friends with Lana’s family, but they had drifted apart over the years. When the police start looking at Sandra Chow, Lana can’t help but get involved. Can she find who was responsible?
Even though it had been a while since I read the third book in the series, I had no problem slipping back into Lana’s world as I picked up book four. I like the characters, and it was nice to catch up with them. Lana doesn’t have the best relationship with her family, but it feels realistic to me. They love each other, but they also irritate each other. I like that. She does have friends who serve as sidekicks, and I love them. And the new characters fit well in this world.
The plot starts quickly, introducing us to the Chows before their truck explodes. I did find the pacing a little uneven in the middle, but it wasn’t too bad. Lana was a little stupid heading into the climax, but I appreciated how it played out. It also did a good job of wrapping up any questions we had.
Back to Lana’s family for a minute. We’ve slowly been meeting more of them as the series goes along, and that happened again here when her aunt comes to town. That formed the basis for a sub-plot, and I liked how that played out.
Unlike most of the culinary cozies I read, this book doesn’t include any recipes at the end. Since I don’t usually actually make the recipes in these books, it’s no great loss for me.
I’m glad I have more books in the Noodle Shop Mysteries to look forward to. If you are behind like I am, you’ll enjoy Wonton Terror.
Make reservations for the rest of the Noodle Shop Mysteries.
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