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Madeline Bean #4
Dim Sum Dead
Mah-Jongg?
Yep. In hip Hollywood, that kitsch old game is fast becoming the next "new" obsession -- and that calls for a party! Madeline Bean and her charming partner Wesley Westcott are determined to throw a gonzo Chinese New Year banquet. But among the hot mah-jongg tiles, the steamy dim sum, and the frosty Singapore slings, no one expects to find one of the players ice-cold dead!
Meanwhile, in one of the historic celebrity mansions that Wesley is restoring as a sideline, a well-aimed crowbar uncovers a stash of precious objects -- including an antique mah-jongg set. As Madeline pieces together how these two events are connected, she must separate the yin from the yang to uncover a killer. It doesn't take a fortune cookie to spell it out. There is always a price to pay...whether gambling at mah-jongg -- or murder.
Yep. In hip Hollywood, that kitsch old game is fast becoming the next "new" obsession -- and that calls for a party! Madeline Bean and her charming partner Wesley Westcott are determined to throw a gonzo Chinese New Year banquet. But among the hot mah-jongg tiles, the steamy dim sum, and the frosty Singapore slings, no one expects to find one of the players ice-cold dead!
Meanwhile, in one of the historic celebrity mansions that Wesley is restoring as a sideline, a well-aimed crowbar uncovers a stash of precious objects -- including an antique mah-jongg set. As Madeline pieces together how these two events are connected, she must separate the yin from the yang to uncover a killer. It doesn't take a fortune cookie to spell it out. There is always a price to pay...whether gambling at mah-jongg -- or murder.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 2001
14 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
Jerrilyn Farmer
11 books46 followersJerrilyn Farmer, the author of the acclaimed, award-winning Madeline Bean novels, is a TV writer who has written for game shows such as Jeopardy! and Supermarket Sweep, and sketch comedy specials for Dana Carvey, Jon Lovitz, Timothy Stack, Cheri Oteri, Tim Meadows, and others. Farmer also teaches mystery writing at the UCLA Extension's Writers Program.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 8, 2023
I walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It’s the type of unit that everybody in Santa Monica has these days. And who doesn’t love refrigeration in a place like Southern California? Inside there is a bag marked “Dim Sum Dead, Do Not Read.” I open the bag anyway. I know. I need help. Inside there is a mediocre mystery novel. Against my better judgment, I read it anyway. It’s just as bad as I thought it would be looking at the cover. I said, “I don’t know what I was expecting,” to my partner Wes, who just walked into the room for me to deliver that line.
December 13, 2019
I kind of like the character of LA, California-based caterer to the stars/wannabe-stars/rich & famous/rich & used-to-be-famous, etc., Madeline Bean in Dim Sum Dead by Jerrilyn Farmer. It is the fourth book of a cozy mystery book series and there-in lies the problem: I really dislike starting any series in the middle. Many of the characters in this story were unlikeable and the ending was dark & depressing. I do not know if I will read any others of this series (maybe if I find book #1 I will give it a try).
Note: Each chapter of my e-book version of Dim Sum Dead was missing its' last sentence, or so. Annoying but not earth-shattering.
Note: Each chapter of my e-book version of Dim Sum Dead was missing its' last sentence, or so. Annoying but not earth-shattering.
Want to read
January 31, 2020Synopsis: Madeline Bean and partner Wesley are holding a Chinese New Year party in Hollywood when one of the mahjong players dies.
October 21, 2023
I will say that the only reason that I read this book was to fill a reading challenge category. That being said, I did enjoy it to some degree. I don't know if this should be classified as a "cozy mystery" or not. I'm not familiar enough with the genre to fully understand what makes a mystery "cozy." One site does refer to this one as cozy, so I guess it is.
The best part of the book is the second half of it. The first half is filled with way to much talk about cooking Chinese (or really "fake" Chinese) food, as the main character, Madeline Bean (this is the fourth in a series about her), runs a catering business that specializes in that kind of food. There is also much talk about remodeling and design in homes, because Ms. Bean's partner in the catering business, Wes, also buys and restores/remodels homes. In the case of Dim Sum Dead, he is remodeling the home of someone who figures heavily into the plot.
Oh, and lest I forget, there is an almost equal amount of discussion around the Chinese game of Mahjong, which I know little to nothing about. It sounds like a very complicated game to me. But the plot does involve a set of Mahjong tiles in a fancy box, and the fancy box has a hidden drawer that contains the item that causes all the trouble in this tale.
The actual murder that launches the mystery doesn't occur until page 117, almost halfway through the book. That's a lot talk about Chinese food and home design. But once the death happens, things really begin to take off, and I did enjoy the second half of the book. Probably not enough to read any more of these, though.
One thing I did learn, to my surprise, is that the fortune cookie is an American invention. Huh.
The best part of the book is the second half of it. The first half is filled with way to much talk about cooking Chinese (or really "fake" Chinese) food, as the main character, Madeline Bean (this is the fourth in a series about her), runs a catering business that specializes in that kind of food. There is also much talk about remodeling and design in homes, because Ms. Bean's partner in the catering business, Wes, also buys and restores/remodels homes. In the case of Dim Sum Dead, he is remodeling the home of someone who figures heavily into the plot.
Oh, and lest I forget, there is an almost equal amount of discussion around the Chinese game of Mahjong, which I know little to nothing about. It sounds like a very complicated game to me. But the plot does involve a set of Mahjong tiles in a fancy box, and the fancy box has a hidden drawer that contains the item that causes all the trouble in this tale.
The actual murder that launches the mystery doesn't occur until page 117, almost halfway through the book. That's a lot talk about Chinese food and home design. But once the death happens, things really begin to take off, and I did enjoy the second half of the book. Probably not enough to read any more of these, though.
One thing I did learn, to my surprise, is that the fortune cookie is an American invention. Huh.
May 29, 2020
Cozy mystery read that was enjoyable but was too focused on Mahjong for my liking. I understand that the game plays a role in the book, but there was to much focus on it. I figured out who was going to die early on, but the killer was a nice surprise. If you enjoy cozy mysteries give this one a try. I learned a bit about Chinese culture while reading this book as well.
January 22, 2023
Book took a while to get interesting, but maybe around the 20th chapter (a little more than halfway through the book) things really picked up the pace. Somewhat harsh and abrupt ending, but still pretty conclusive.
Interesting read, I’ll keep my eye out for more books in this series, maybe I’ll read them.
Interesting read, I’ll keep my eye out for more books in this series, maybe I’ll read them.
September 16, 2017
I'm pretty picky about mystery series, but I found this one to be amusing without being silly, and the mystery was a good one that kept me reading. I really liked the characters, and I look forward to reading more in the series .
February 10, 2019
Didn’t finish. Started out promising then between weird recipes and ingredients and mahjong which I don’t understand, I quit.
June 16, 2019
Another fun read about Maddie and her crew. Can’t wait to read the next one!
May 24, 2020
Enjoyable read. Rich descriptions and well-developed characters. Will definitely read more in this series.
March 15, 2021
I enjoyed the story, but the plot was really convoluted. I kept getting lost trying to figure out what was going on
Read
September 17, 20218/24/2005 Reread on Kindle 5/1/2012 ; 11/21/2019
May 2, 2023
Had lots of interesting characters. I'm looking forward to the next book.
March 20, 2017
A great little campy read. It's fun to read a mystery every now and then, especially one that doesn't involve too much violence. This book kept me throughly entertained during a long day of air travel.
September 27, 2009
I have been in the mood for the cozies that I have on Mt Git'r'Read and this one seemed to leap off the shelf..or out of the drawer...and into my hands. I don't always like foodie cozy mysteries, but I liked the premise of this one and I wasn't disappointed. I like that Mad is a caterer in LA, fascinating as that town can be, and the food wasn't the center of the action so much as an enhancement or garnish (it is a foodie cozy). I've not read this author or series before, but it will definitely not be the last. I really like Mad and her buddies and employees. Madeline is a good planner, always prepared, so (to me) she makes a believable amateur sleuth. I pretty much plowed through this fairly quickly for a purse book. I don't always get time with my purse books on certain schedules, but this one went with me to the gym and kept me on the recumbent bike longer to get just a few more pages in...so it's a good fitness book, too!
Five fitness foodie cozy beans.....
Five fitness foodie cozy beans.....
August 23, 2015
DIM SUM DEAD is an entertaining Madeline Bean catering mystery that showcases the abilities of author Jerrilyn Farmer. Madeline's personal life is realistic without detracting from the story, and the story is interesting right away and paced well. The mystery is well-integrated but not transparent. The dialogue is fun, and the characters are likeable. This is a lively mix of Hollywood dish, mouth-watering recipes. I also enjoyed the references to the menus Madeline and Wes were serving at the Mahjong parties. Overall, an enjoyable book, with plenty of action, with very little actual violence. A palatable and satisfying reading experience
November 30, 2015
I thought at first glance that this would be a cheesy murder mystery book, and it was. However it is one of the most entertaining and thrilling books I've ever read. Madeline was very relatable, I could understand how she thought and why she thought it. The killer was relatable and has an understandable motive, which I feel always adds a splash on intrigue. There was even a little romance, but thankfully it didn't overthrow the entire storyline unlike popular books the Twilight series. Everyone looking for a quick and fun read would be very impressed with this book, can't wait to finish the series.
February 16, 2016
SPOILERS!
I try to cut non-Asian writers some slack when they delve into Asian culture, so I won't complain too loudly about the inaccuracies. They weren't "take this as gospel" anyway, and just treated it like the westernized fun it is, so no harm, no foul. But I couldn't let this go: Ling does NOT mean Jade. Take it from someone with the same name, the actual translation is "the sound of crystal chimes when struck". No, I'm serious, this is the dictionary definition.
ANYWAY. That aside, this was good, and she did her best to do it right without taking it too seriously, so all is good and this was good too. <3 I look forward to the next one.
I try to cut non-Asian writers some slack when they delve into Asian culture, so I won't complain too loudly about the inaccuracies. They weren't "take this as gospel" anyway, and just treated it like the westernized fun it is, so no harm, no foul. But I couldn't let this go: Ling does NOT mean Jade. Take it from someone with the same name, the actual translation is "the sound of crystal chimes when struck". No, I'm serious, this is the dictionary definition.
ANYWAY. That aside, this was good, and she did her best to do it right without taking it too seriously, so all is good and this was good too. <3 I look forward to the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2009
Madeline Bean is a caterer who can't seem to keep her nose out of murder. When her business partner discovers an old mah jongg set in the house he's restoring, it seems like a perfect accompaniment to the Chinese Dim Sum party she's catering. But the set holds secrets that many want kept that way and someone is willing to stoop to murder. Although this is a culinary mystery, there were no recipes. Food was somewhat secondary to the mystery. Plus, I'm not a fan of a sad ending and this one was very sad.
May 26, 2013
My first time reading one of Jerrilyn Farmer's Madeline Bean Catering Mysteries (received this one as a gift), and I definitely want to see more. I loved the richness of the story and characterization, as well as the overall quirkiness. (Aging Hollywood stars with secrets, a young trophy wife/widow, the Chinese New year, the old game of Mah-Jongg becoming the new obsession in the Hollywood crowd...who can resist?) The ending is fabulous.
I couldn't put this one down. Can't wait to read more by this author.
I couldn't put this one down. Can't wait to read more by this author.
December 13, 2012
I enjoyed this light-hearted mystery set in California about a caterer. Madeline Bean caters parties for the elite of the West Coast, and in doing these parties, she encounters secrets and murder. This novel of the series centers on the Chinese New Year celebration, old movie actors, and the game of mah-jongg. The accidental killer in the end is now the person I suspected, but I had a wonderful trip through all the specialty foods and movie trivia.
February 8, 2011
This was my first Jerrilyn Farmer book. I tend to enjoy culinary mysteries, so thought I'd give this author a try. The book was interesting and I learned a lot about dim sum and mah jongg, but it wasn't "un-put-downable," so while I did like it, I didn't love it and won't read another book by this author.
Read
August 10, 2011 A fun read - liked the main character, Maddie and her partner in her Mad Bean Catering service, Wes, and I really enjoyed the Southern California/Hollywood setting since I lived in LA for 25 years. I can picture the type of houses in her neighborhood. Very enjoyable - I will look for more in this series.
March 10, 2014
An antique Mah-Jongg set leads Madeline into another wacky LA based mystery. A another great mystery featuring the usual cast of characters.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
September 7, 2015
Really liked this. Madeline Bean and her friends are wonderful. Loved the scene where she dumps the boyfriend over sesame seeds, must read this to find out further details. All in all a very satisfying mystery that kept me guessing until the end.
October 24, 2008
Fun reading!
March 17, 2011
OK mystery, but I didn't think it was particularly funny, and I read it specifically because it won a Lefty award for most humorous mystery.
August 9, 2015
I like best the books where I learn a little something. In this case, about mahjong and Chinese New Year celebrations. The Hollywood setting with celebrity references are fun as well.
January 11, 2012
It was okay. The author is advertised on the back as being funny and outrageous - couldn't find it in this book.
May 16, 2012
Just love this series!! The mah-jongg party and catering sounded so cool. Didn't see the mystery ending the way it did - love to get sucker punched!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews