And Then There Were Bun - (Noodle Shop Mystery) by Vivien Chien (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Things get spicy when Megan throws a surprise birthday party for Lana at Ho-Lee Noodle House that ends in disaster.

With the help of Lana's parents and close friends, Megan packs the family restaurant with a guest list that includes friends--both old and new--to help celebrate her best gal's birthday. But when one of their guests brings an unsavory plus one that Lana just happened to date back in her college days, tensions build between her old beau and her current boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau.

After a heated exchange of words between the two men, the evening returns to the smooth and enjoyable party that Megan had originally hoped for. But relief is short lived when Lana's ex is found in the dumpster outside of Asia Village.

As if the circumstances and tragedy taking place on Lana's birthday aren't enough, the gang gets an even bigger surprise when Adam is the main suspect under scrutiny. Not only are there several witnesses confirming the verbal confrontation between the two men earlier in the evening, but it's also reported that Adam disappeared from the party for a considerable amount of time. And unfortunately for him, not even Lana can back up his whereabouts. With Adam in the hot seat, his own partner, Matthew Higgins, must investigate the crime alongside their boss--the Chief of Police, Tom Riceton, who wants speedy results to keep away the threat of Internal Affairs knocking on their door.

As Adam struggles with the dynamic shifts in his personal life, being on suspension and shut out from his resources at the police department, he must rely solely on his skills as a detective and the ingenuity of Lana's amateur sleuthing capabilities to solve the case and clear his name definitively.

Review Quotes

Praise for the Noodle Shop series:

"A worthy sophomore outing provides plenty of twists and turns and a perky, albeit conflicted, sleuth."--Kirkus Reviews

"Cozy fans rejoice! You will long for the next course that Vivien Chien serves up."--Suspense Magazine

"A fun who-dunit that's tasty and dangerous!"--Woman's World, Book Club Pick

"Chien infuses the latest deftly crafted entry in her detectable "Noodle Shop" series with plenty of wry charm and dry wit, making this yet another tempting, too-good-to-miss treat for culinary cozy fans."--Library Journal

"The endearing Lana, the relationship between the two sisters, and the restaurant framed story will all appeal to fans of Chris Cavender's Pizza Lovers mysteries."--Booklist

About the Author

VIVIEN CHIEN (she/her) was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio where she grew up in a mixed-race home, making for some very interesting cultural experiences. She found her love of books and the written word at an early age while writing short stories about her classmates in elementary school. When she's not writing, Vivien enjoys frequenting local Asian restaurants, frolicking in bookstores, and searching for her next donut.

She is the author of the Noodle Shop Mystery series, including Death by Dumpling, and Misfortune Cookie, which was nominated for the Lilian Jackson Braun Award.