What do you think?
Rate this book
Noodle Shop Mystery #7
Fatal Fried Rice
Lana Lee returns for another delectable cozy set in a Chinese restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio in Vivien Chien's Fatal Fried Rice…
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 9, 2021
139 people are currently reading
3884 people want to read
About the author
Vivien Chien
24 books1,672 followersVivien Chien first started writing simple stories about adventures with her classmates when she was in elementary school. As she grew up, her love of books and the written word increased, leading to the attempt of her first novel at age 16. After many struggled beginnings and several different genres, she found her passion in the mystery world.
When she's not writing, she can be found frolicking in the bookstore or searching for her next bowl of noodles. She has a soft spot for doughnuts, a healthy love for coffee, and an extreme need to participate in random acts of crafting.
She currently lives in Cleveland where she is hard at work on the fifth book in her Noodle Shop series, and writes side-by-side with her toy fox terrier.
When she's not writing, she can be found frolicking in the bookstore or searching for her next bowl of noodles. She has a soft spot for doughnuts, a healthy love for coffee, and an extreme need to participate in random acts of crafting.
She currently lives in Cleveland where she is hard at work on the fifth book in her Noodle Shop series, and writes side-by-side with her toy fox terrier.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews
July 25, 2025
This is a cozy mystery, and this is the 7th book in A Noodle Shop Mystery series. I have not read the first six books in this series. I have to say I was pulled into this book from the beginning, so I do not think you have to read the first six books in this series before reading this book. I loved the mystery in this book. The characters where fun and very well done. I loved this book, and I did not want to put it down once I picked it up. This is a book with food, but it is more about the mystery which is what I want to a cozy mystery book. I will have to check out some of the other books in this book series. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.
June 8, 2021
Fatal Fried Rice by Vivien Chien is a 2021 St. Martin’s Press publication.
Lana is great at managing her family’s restaurant, but embarrassingly, she does not know how to cook- a shortcoming her sister unfailingly teases her about. Lana is so self- conscious about it, she can’t bring herself to ask Peter to teach her, so she decides to secretly take a cooking class. Her plans go awry when she discovers her instructor dead…. And she becomes a person of interest….
This was another fun installment in the Noodle Shop series. I always love touching base with Lana, her family, and friends. This episode expanded Kimmy’s role a little, and she really brought some humor to the story. Things were a little more tense than usual because Lana is working from a defensive angle, not only trying to find the murderer, but to clear her own name, as well.
Overall, this installment was just the kind of entertaining, comfort read it is supposed to be and is why we all keep coming back for more! Unfortunately, I am now all caught up with the series and must wait until next year for the next installment. 😢
I love this series, dearly, but on a more serious and personal note- I was so happy to see Vivien’s April announcement that cancer was no match for her! 💪 💪 🙌🎉🎉
My hope for her is that her health is fully restored in the coming months, and of course, that many more Noodle Shop mysteries are in her future, as well! Godspeed dear Vivien- you rock! 🤗🤗💖💖
Lana is great at managing her family’s restaurant, but embarrassingly, she does not know how to cook- a shortcoming her sister unfailingly teases her about. Lana is so self- conscious about it, she can’t bring herself to ask Peter to teach her, so she decides to secretly take a cooking class. Her plans go awry when she discovers her instructor dead…. And she becomes a person of interest….
This was another fun installment in the Noodle Shop series. I always love touching base with Lana, her family, and friends. This episode expanded Kimmy’s role a little, and she really brought some humor to the story. Things were a little more tense than usual because Lana is working from a defensive angle, not only trying to find the murderer, but to clear her own name, as well.
Overall, this installment was just the kind of entertaining, comfort read it is supposed to be and is why we all keep coming back for more! Unfortunately, I am now all caught up with the series and must wait until next year for the next installment. 😢
I love this series, dearly, but on a more serious and personal note- I was so happy to see Vivien’s April announcement that cancer was no match for her! 💪 💪 🙌🎉🎉
My hope for her is that her health is fully restored in the coming months, and of course, that many more Noodle Shop mysteries are in her future, as well! Godspeed dear Vivien- you rock! 🤗🤗💖💖
February 17, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Fatal Fried Rice is the 7th book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series by Vivien Chien, who is one of the bright young authors in the cozy mystery genre. Each of her book titles take the name of a Chinese dish, and that it itself makes it a yummy entre into the world of mystery and murder that seems to always find its way into the life our narrator, Lana Lee.
Lana’s family owns a Chinese restaurant, the Ho-Lee Noodle House, and Lana’s world if filled with mysteries that she somehow always manages to stumble upon, and this book is no exception. Lana is no cook, and gets kidded by her sister about her lack of culinary skills, so she decides to take a Chinese cooking class at a local Community College. As luck would have it, tragedy strikes after the very first class, and as usual Lana is right in the middle of things.
Having left the class Lana realizes she forgot to get the shopping list handout and so she heads back into the classroom and there discovers the dead body of the class instructor, and to the lead detective Lana is the prime suspect, along with the school’s janitor who has a questionable past.
Knowing that she is in the crosshairs of the police, Lana is determined to both clear her name and discover the identity of the killer. She certainly has a knack for his since so many tragic events always seem to cross her path. Helping her is the usual cast of characters from her roommate Megan, to best friend Kelly, and the always helpful (as well as nosy) Mahjong Matrons who congregate each day for breakfast and mahjong at the Ho-Lee Noodle House. In addition, Lana rejects advice from her boyfriend, and that helps get her deeper in trouble but also closer to the killer.
As with all her books, Vivien Chien has created wonderful characters, a good plot and an enjoyable and sensible/realistic setting. Rather than create a cutesy and made up world, all of these books are set in Chien’s hometown of Cleveland, which adds to the flavor of her books. Chien is a prolific author and her 8th book will be out later this year, but for all her loyal fans and even newcomers, Fatal Fried Rice is a delicious order from the Noodle Shop Mystery Series.
Fatal Fried Rice is the 7th book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series by Vivien Chien, who is one of the bright young authors in the cozy mystery genre. Each of her book titles take the name of a Chinese dish, and that it itself makes it a yummy entre into the world of mystery and murder that seems to always find its way into the life our narrator, Lana Lee.
Lana’s family owns a Chinese restaurant, the Ho-Lee Noodle House, and Lana’s world if filled with mysteries that she somehow always manages to stumble upon, and this book is no exception. Lana is no cook, and gets kidded by her sister about her lack of culinary skills, so she decides to take a Chinese cooking class at a local Community College. As luck would have it, tragedy strikes after the very first class, and as usual Lana is right in the middle of things.
Having left the class Lana realizes she forgot to get the shopping list handout and so she heads back into the classroom and there discovers the dead body of the class instructor, and to the lead detective Lana is the prime suspect, along with the school’s janitor who has a questionable past.
Knowing that she is in the crosshairs of the police, Lana is determined to both clear her name and discover the identity of the killer. She certainly has a knack for his since so many tragic events always seem to cross her path. Helping her is the usual cast of characters from her roommate Megan, to best friend Kelly, and the always helpful (as well as nosy) Mahjong Matrons who congregate each day for breakfast and mahjong at the Ho-Lee Noodle House. In addition, Lana rejects advice from her boyfriend, and that helps get her deeper in trouble but also closer to the killer.
As with all her books, Vivien Chien has created wonderful characters, a good plot and an enjoyable and sensible/realistic setting. Rather than create a cutesy and made up world, all of these books are set in Chien’s hometown of Cleveland, which adds to the flavor of her books. Chien is a prolific author and her 8th book will be out later this year, but for all her loyal fans and even newcomers, Fatal Fried Rice is a delicious order from the Noodle Shop Mystery Series.
March 31, 2021
Actual footage of me while reading this book . . . .
I’m fairly certain I could have a mukbang channel when it comes to consuming Chinese food. I am also a lover of the cozy mystery. Fatal Fried Rice features the murder of a community school teacher who is instructing an intro to Chinese food cooking class that our leading lady Lana (who just so happens to run the family restaurant with absolutely zero culinary skills) has signed up for in order to at least be capable of doing more than just making rice.
This is a series that I have zero complaints about. I love the MC Lana, I love her gambling/buffet addict mom and grandma, I love that her boyfriend is just a bit player (despite him being an actual detective while Lana is the one doing all the sleuthing), I really love over-the-top Kimmy. Most of all I love that they only take a couple of hours to read and you can easily skip books 2-6 and pick up feeling like you didn’t miss a beat since they work so well as standalones. I am 99.9999% sure I have #5 on the Kindle as well, but fried rice was calling my name and I must appease the gods . . . .
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
I’m fairly certain I could have a mukbang channel when it comes to consuming Chinese food. I am also a lover of the cozy mystery. Fatal Fried Rice features the murder of a community school teacher who is instructing an intro to Chinese food cooking class that our leading lady Lana (who just so happens to run the family restaurant with absolutely zero culinary skills) has signed up for in order to at least be capable of doing more than just making rice.
This is a series that I have zero complaints about. I love the MC Lana, I love her gambling/buffet addict mom and grandma, I love that her boyfriend is just a bit player (despite him being an actual detective while Lana is the one doing all the sleuthing), I really love over-the-top Kimmy. Most of all I love that they only take a couple of hours to read and you can easily skip books 2-6 and pick up feeling like you didn’t miss a beat since they work so well as standalones. I am 99.9999% sure I have #5 on the Kindle as well, but fried rice was calling my name and I must appease the gods . . . .
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
March 19, 2021
Not bad, but I think that the mystery in this one really didn't focus on the victim enough. Instead, the entire plot so to speak was having Lana being involved because she was afraid the detective investigating was going to arrest her. It made zero sense the way it was set up. I think it would have worked better if there was a specific reason why she was a suspect besides the detective didn't like her. Also the fighting with Kimmy and Megan got old and I just felt like this one was more filler to get to the next book in the end. I do like how Lana's relationship is progressing, but I just felt like this one needed something else to have me invested while reading.
"Fatal Fried Rice" follows amateur detective/investigator Lana Lee. Lana can't cook Chinese food and she's tired of her sister making fun of her about it. Secretly enrolling in a cooking class she can't wait to show her family what she can do. However, things go sideways when Lana returns to the cooking class and finds the instructor dead. Someone has killed the woman by stabbing her in the back. Lana doesn't want to get pulled into the investigation, but her best friend Megan encourages her since she thinks that the detective is out to get Lana and she needs to figure out who did the killing so she's not arrested.
I think moving the killing out of the plaza didn't work well this time. Probably because Lana really did just walk around putting her foot in her mouth with people. She only found out about things in the end because she was literally told something so I didn't see great deduction happening in this one. She just kind of stumbled around and identified the killer.
The other characters in this one outside of Andy irked me too. Lana's sister is on my last nerves. Megan is too. At this point what is her deal besides telling Lana to investigate? She doesn't do anything else besides bartend. I just need to see more development with this character because it's getting old. Kimmy and how she was acting while helping Lana investigate starting annoying me too. I don't know, this whole book just didn't hit right in the end with me which was a shame. I usually enjoy these books a lot more than this and I found myself irritable way too much.
The writing was fine, but the flow was not. It just felt like Lana was eating, writing in her notebook, and giving her dog walks. I was actually shocked we had her and Andy doing something together a few times in this one which was nice.
The ending was a surprise though because at this point I think someone would have told Lana to stop getting involved with investigating murders.
"Fatal Fried Rice" follows amateur detective/investigator Lana Lee. Lana can't cook Chinese food and she's tired of her sister making fun of her about it. Secretly enrolling in a cooking class she can't wait to show her family what she can do. However, things go sideways when Lana returns to the cooking class and finds the instructor dead. Someone has killed the woman by stabbing her in the back. Lana doesn't want to get pulled into the investigation, but her best friend Megan encourages her since she thinks that the detective is out to get Lana and she needs to figure out who did the killing so she's not arrested.
I think moving the killing out of the plaza didn't work well this time. Probably because Lana really did just walk around putting her foot in her mouth with people. She only found out about things in the end because she was literally told something so I didn't see great deduction happening in this one. She just kind of stumbled around and identified the killer.
The other characters in this one outside of Andy irked me too. Lana's sister is on my last nerves. Megan is too. At this point what is her deal besides telling Lana to investigate? She doesn't do anything else besides bartend. I just need to see more development with this character because it's getting old. Kimmy and how she was acting while helping Lana investigate starting annoying me too. I don't know, this whole book just didn't hit right in the end with me which was a shame. I usually enjoy these books a lot more than this and I found myself irritable way too much.
The writing was fine, but the flow was not. It just felt like Lana was eating, writing in her notebook, and giving her dog walks. I was actually shocked we had her and Andy doing something together a few times in this one which was nice.
The ending was a surprise though because at this point I think someone would have told Lana to stop getting involved with investigating murders.
July 23, 2021
So much fun! I blew through this book in two days. The Noodle Shop Mysteries is one of my favorite cozy series, and Lana and Megan are fantastic characters. I can't wait to read the next one, especially if Megan gets her way with speed dating 🤣
March 8, 2021
Fatal Fried Rice by Vivien Chien is the 7th book in A Noodle Shop Mystery series. This story can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. Lana Lee is the manager of her families’ restaurant, Ho Lee Noodle House in a suburb outside Cleveland, Ohio. Lana cannot cook Chinese food as everyone knows, but her sister’s relentless teasing has her signing up for classes at the local adult learning center. Lana does not want anyone in her family to know nor Peter who cooks at the restaurant. Unfortunately, Lana’s instructor ends up murdered. Detective Bishop of the Parma Police Department immediately suspects Lana as well as the janitor who heard Lana scream and called 9-1-1. Fatal Fried Rice is easy to read with an interesting cast of characters. I especially like Lana’s mother. The death of the cooking instructor, Margo Han is a frustrating one for Lana. Margo is a private person which makes it hard for her to find helpful information. I like that Kimmy Tran gets in on the investigation. She is bolder than Megan and Lana. There suspect list is miniscule. I found the mystery to be extremely simple (a child could solve this one). I was not a fan of Detective Bishop who is a one-dimensional cliché cozy mystery detective (the nasty guy who has his mind made up). There is a lack of action that makes the pace of Fatal Fried Rice slow. There is an action-packed ending with a good wrap-up. Fatal Fried Rice takes us through Lana’s daily activities (going to work, walking Kikko, spending time with Adam and Megan, and eating fast food). I like the concept for this cozy mystery series, and it is unique. It feels that Lana is unhappy with her job and bored. Maybe it is time for Lana to discover what sort of work will make her happy. I did not enjoy Fatal Fried Rice as much as other books in the series. I felt it needed to be fleshed out with a more complex mystery. There needed to be more action as well which would have increased the pacing. I also did not appreciate the foul language which increased toward the end. I hope Hot and Sour Suspects will be more entertaining. Fatal Fried Rice is a lighthearted cozy mystery with a Chinese cooking class, a cute Kikko, firm friends, a distasteful detective, and a curious crime.
January 29, 2021
Lana works at her family’s Asian restaurant in the Cleveland area, and has secretly signed up for a Chinese cooking class. When the instructor is murdered, an overly zealous detective seems to think Lana is a person of interest. Naturally, she gets involved in trying to solve the case, with the amusing help of her mouthy friend Kimmy. Recommended for fans of cozy mysteries, Chien combines likable characters with a unique setting. Three and a half stars. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
March 9, 2021
Fatal Fried Rice
By Vivien Chen
Fatal Fried Rice is the seventh book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series by Vivien Chien. I love this cozy culinary mystery and revising Lana Lee again in her Chinese shop in Cleveland, Ohio is just absolutely fantastic and oh so enjoyable and truly delectable. This is one of those one sitting read because you just could not put this book down once you start unless that is, you might be tempted to call a Chinese take out in the middle of this read.
In this installment, Lana signs up for a cooking class in a community college, where Lana finds herself in the middle of a murder as the prime suspect when she finds the instructor dead. As Lana finds a way to solve this murder mystery we learn of wonderful characters we meet in this installment, and another fun adventure to see how Lana finds a way out in this sticky situation.
I just really enjoyed this read a lot. Highly recommend this book and the entire series.
By Vivien Chen
Fatal Fried Rice is the seventh book in the Noodle Shop Mystery series by Vivien Chien. I love this cozy culinary mystery and revising Lana Lee again in her Chinese shop in Cleveland, Ohio is just absolutely fantastic and oh so enjoyable and truly delectable. This is one of those one sitting read because you just could not put this book down once you start unless that is, you might be tempted to call a Chinese take out in the middle of this read.
In this installment, Lana signs up for a cooking class in a community college, where Lana finds herself in the middle of a murder as the prime suspect when she finds the instructor dead. As Lana finds a way to solve this murder mystery we learn of wonderful characters we meet in this installment, and another fun adventure to see how Lana finds a way out in this sticky situation.
I just really enjoyed this read a lot. Highly recommend this book and the entire series.
January 31, 2021
The Noodle Shop Mysteries have become one of my favorite cozy mystery series and I look forward to each new book. Fatal Fried Rice did not disappoint. I love Lana Lee. She has a great personality and a penchant for finding dead bodies even in the most innocent circumstances. This time around, Lana decides to take a Chinese cooking class in secret to surprise her family. She's embarrassed that she managers a Chinese restaurant and can't cook the food. Unfortunately, the surprise is on Lana; when she goes back to class after forgetting something she finds the body of her teacher, stabbed in the back. I liked that at first, Lana was showing restraint and was not going to nose around this murder. That changes when she becomes one of the prime suspects.
I like the mystery. It kept me guessing and Ms. Chien did not make it easy to settle on who I thought would be the culprit. I was a little annoyed that the police detective assumed she was the murder just because she found the body. It was his attitude that ultimately led Lana to dig deeper into this mystery. In a nice change of pace, Kimmy Tran works with Lana to help unravel the clues and unmask the murderer. The reveal was surprising (to me anyway) and climactic.
This is such a fun series. It is well written, has likable characters, and the mystery just draws me into each story. I will be returning t the Noodle Shop and Lana Lee for as long as Ms. Chien continues to write these stories.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced review copy provided to me by the publisher, St. Martin's Press, through Netgalley.
I like the mystery. It kept me guessing and Ms. Chien did not make it easy to settle on who I thought would be the culprit. I was a little annoyed that the police detective assumed she was the murder just because she found the body. It was his attitude that ultimately led Lana to dig deeper into this mystery. In a nice change of pace, Kimmy Tran works with Lana to help unravel the clues and unmask the murderer. The reveal was surprising (to me anyway) and climactic.
This is such a fun series. It is well written, has likable characters, and the mystery just draws me into each story. I will be returning t the Noodle Shop and Lana Lee for as long as Ms. Chien continues to write these stories.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced review copy provided to me by the publisher, St. Martin's Press, through Netgalley.
March 18, 2021
This seventh in the Noodle House series has Lana Lee, manager of her family’s restaurant, taking a Chinese food cooking class. She can’t cook much of anything, never mind the type of food they serve. The instructor demonstrates the art of cooking fried rice, and sets out an ingredient list for the students to buy for the next class. Lana is partway home when she realized she's forgotten her copy and returns to the school, only to find that the teacher has been murdered. The nasty detective assigned to the case has set his sights firmly on two suspects, Lana and the school custodian, and one of them is It, as far as he's concerned. So Lana and her friends set out to discount his theories and, hopefully, track down the real killer.
This fun series has all the right ingredients: Family, friendships, very likeable characters, humor, and a penchant for making this reader hungry. The book titles and cover graphics alone are enough to crave some Chinese take-out to munch on while reading, as they each incorporate an iconic Chinese dish. It may be awhile before the next installment comes out, as this one was just recently released. I'll be there waiting with the cursor poised on the buy button. 4.5*
This fun series has all the right ingredients: Family, friendships, very likeable characters, humor, and a penchant for making this reader hungry. The book titles and cover graphics alone are enough to crave some Chinese take-out to munch on while reading, as they each incorporate an iconic Chinese dish. It may be awhile before the next installment comes out, as this one was just recently released. I'll be there waiting with the cursor poised on the buy button. 4.5*
January 26, 2021
Usually I am all in on Vivien Chien's Noodle Shop Mysteries, but this one was not up to par. Lana Lee as everyone knows cannot cook Chinese food even though she manages her family's Chinese restaurant. She decides to take a cooking class at the local community college and still manages to be hopeless in the cooking department, but what she does discover is the murdered body of her instructor. Margo Han was a private person and hardly anyone seems to know much about her. She seems the least likely person to be murdered. Lana and her roommate Megan decide to investigate and even include Kimmy from the video store. As much as I enjoy the characters, the plot was a little weak, but I will continue to read this series.
June 17, 2021
A little dragged out, but okay.
March 7, 2024
Good series but it would be better if Lana and Adam broke up. If he says doll face one more time, I’m going to puke.
March 12, 2021
This was a fun book in the Noodle Shop Mysteries. Unbelievably Lana our amateur sleuth takes Chinese cooking class.
Where she finds her teacher murdered. All of the reacquiring characters are there. Like the Mahjong Maidens who I love. And Lana's mommy speaks in the third person. The plot did feel a little different like it was not as thrilling as it could have been. But still an enjoyable read. Makes me want to order some chicken fried rice. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press for this book. This was an honest review
Where she finds her teacher murdered. All of the reacquiring characters are there. Like the Mahjong Maidens who I love. And Lana's mommy speaks in the third person. The plot did feel a little different like it was not as thrilling as it could have been. But still an enjoyable read. Makes me want to order some chicken fried rice. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press for this book. This was an honest review
August 3, 2021
Lana Lee decides to bite the bullet and try to learn to cook Chinese food,and surprise her family. Wouldn't you know it, but she finds a body on the first day! The detective is determined that she did it, so she has to clear her name. Luckily, she has help from her family and friends.
Well constructed mystery.
Well constructed mystery.
November 5, 2022
My favorite in the series so far.
April 6, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. However, I felt that I would have understood the back stories if I had read at least some of the previous books. It took me awhile to get into it. That is no reflection on the author or the writing.
The story and characters were fun -- Lana was interesting and I loved following her quest to find the killer. The story whet my appetite (literally and figuratively) for more! Now that I've found this author, I'm planning to read more from her!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
The story and characters were fun -- Lana was interesting and I loved following her quest to find the killer. The story whet my appetite (literally and figuratively) for more! Now that I've found this author, I'm planning to read more from her!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.
March 13, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I know it’s hard to believe but Lana Lee, manager of her family’s Ho-Lee Noodle Shop can’t cook much of anything, not even the Chinese food she eats and sells on a daily basis. Now she wants to change that and surprise her friends and family. She has signed up for a night class in Chinese cooking at the local community college. The first class went okay, the instructor demonstrated fried rice. In the next class, the students will get to make the recipe themselves. Lana is on her way home when she realizes she forgot to pick up the ingredient list for the upcoming class so she quickly turns around hoping to get back to the classroom before the instructor leaves. Well, the instructor is still there but she won’t be teaching any more classes. Someone has killed her and Lana being the one to find her ends up in ho water as a prime suspect.
Lana has helped solve cases before but they were in her boyfriend Detective Adm Trudeau’s jurisdiction. The detective on the case sure doesn’t want her help especially because he believes Lana is guilty. So having no choice she must investigate to clear her name. It’s no easy task but she can’t give up. Even when the killer may turn the tables on Lana. Will she be able to survive or will she be fatally fried.
_____
I can’t believe we are already 7 books into this series. Each time I open a book it is like catching up with old friends. All the characters are wonderful. Lana continues to grow. I enjoyed that she used a little restraint when she found the body but after that, she makes some risky choices including taking Kimmy Tran with her to snoop when her best friend and roommate Megan wasn’t available but it sure made for some funny moments. I do really like the closeness of the Lee family and their traditions like their Sunday dim sum dinners.
The mystery this time was a definite change because Adam wasn’t involved and Lana knew nothing about the victim. She was able to draw some information from her usual sources but she put on a lot of miles trying to track down clues. I hate lazy detectives and the one in charge of the murder was definitely lazy trying to make his case fit what had already decided. Ms. Chien plotted out a story that kept the protagonist on her toes and this reader guessing right up until the exciting reveal.
The author does a great job of setting every scene whether it be the noodle shop, Megan and Lana’s apartment, the bar where Megan works, or the community college. It is so easy to visualize every place Lana goes. The little subplot of Lana updating the decor of the restaurant is so funny. Her mother tells her to do whatever she wants but then pans all her ideas.
I totally enjoyed this story. Well-plotted and written with engaging characters. Fatal Fried Rice checks all my cozy boxes. I am so excited for book 8, Hot and Sour Suspects.
I know it’s hard to believe but Lana Lee, manager of her family’s Ho-Lee Noodle Shop can’t cook much of anything, not even the Chinese food she eats and sells on a daily basis. Now she wants to change that and surprise her friends and family. She has signed up for a night class in Chinese cooking at the local community college. The first class went okay, the instructor demonstrated fried rice. In the next class, the students will get to make the recipe themselves. Lana is on her way home when she realizes she forgot to pick up the ingredient list for the upcoming class so she quickly turns around hoping to get back to the classroom before the instructor leaves. Well, the instructor is still there but she won’t be teaching any more classes. Someone has killed her and Lana being the one to find her ends up in ho water as a prime suspect.
Lana has helped solve cases before but they were in her boyfriend Detective Adm Trudeau’s jurisdiction. The detective on the case sure doesn’t want her help especially because he believes Lana is guilty. So having no choice she must investigate to clear her name. It’s no easy task but she can’t give up. Even when the killer may turn the tables on Lana. Will she be able to survive or will she be fatally fried.
_____
I can’t believe we are already 7 books into this series. Each time I open a book it is like catching up with old friends. All the characters are wonderful. Lana continues to grow. I enjoyed that she used a little restraint when she found the body but after that, she makes some risky choices including taking Kimmy Tran with her to snoop when her best friend and roommate Megan wasn’t available but it sure made for some funny moments. I do really like the closeness of the Lee family and their traditions like their Sunday dim sum dinners.
The mystery this time was a definite change because Adam wasn’t involved and Lana knew nothing about the victim. She was able to draw some information from her usual sources but she put on a lot of miles trying to track down clues. I hate lazy detectives and the one in charge of the murder was definitely lazy trying to make his case fit what had already decided. Ms. Chien plotted out a story that kept the protagonist on her toes and this reader guessing right up until the exciting reveal.
The author does a great job of setting every scene whether it be the noodle shop, Megan and Lana’s apartment, the bar where Megan works, or the community college. It is so easy to visualize every place Lana goes. The little subplot of Lana updating the decor of the restaurant is so funny. Her mother tells her to do whatever she wants but then pans all her ideas.
I totally enjoyed this story. Well-plotted and written with engaging characters. Fatal Fried Rice checks all my cozy boxes. I am so excited for book 8, Hot and Sour Suspects.
April 25, 2025
Really enjoyed this installment in this series! Definitely a good change in direction.
December 21, 2020
“Fatal Fried Rice” is the seventh installment in the Noodle House mystery series featuring Lana Lee. Lana has signed up for Asian cooking classes in order to surprise her coworkers and family. She discovers the body of her teacher and becomes one of the prime suspects after butting heads with the lead detective.
This is a stronger novel than “Killer Kung Pao,” the sixth in the series. Lana flails around much less in this book, and doesn’t jump to as many conclusions. In fact, she may jump to too few conclusions, leading her to land in trouble once again.
The plot in this one is a bit weaker than in other books, too, as is the killer’s motive. Lana once again disregards the advice of several of her friends, relying on her somewhat questionable instincts and luck to serve up the killer. Lana is a lot of fun to read about, though, as are her relationships with her friends, family, and Asian Village community. This may not be the life and career she chose, but she’s made it work for her.
Recommended.
I received a free copy from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.
This is a stronger novel than “Killer Kung Pao,” the sixth in the series. Lana flails around much less in this book, and doesn’t jump to as many conclusions. In fact, she may jump to too few conclusions, leading her to land in trouble once again.
The plot in this one is a bit weaker than in other books, too, as is the killer’s motive. Lana once again disregards the advice of several of her friends, relying on her somewhat questionable instincts and luck to serve up the killer. Lana is a lot of fun to read about, though, as are her relationships with her friends, family, and Asian Village community. This may not be the life and career she chose, but she’s made it work for her.
Recommended.
I received a free copy from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2021
Lana signs up for an Asian cooking class. But after the first class she stumbles on the dead body of the instructor. Clearly no more cooking lessons will be occurring. Fatal Fried Rice once again finds Lana investigating a mystery, although a jerky detective wants to pin it on her. I was stumped for most of the book about who the culprit was. It's action packed and the pieces of the story fit very well together. Chien continues to write what is one of my favorite cozy mysteries series. Keep them coming. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the early read.
May 22, 2022
I’ve probably said this about a third of the books in the series as I’ve read them, but this one is my favourite. Out of all the mysteries, I was the most invested in this one (and my theory was close enough to being correct). I’m serious this time.
We got to learn more about Asia Village and see Megan develop more as Lana’s best friend. And Kimmy as well. She was very entertaining and chaotic to read once she started tagging along. And also Detective Trudeau actually helping her out this time (a bit) and being an adorable couple about it too. I love their banter so freaking much.
We got to learn more about Asia Village and see Megan develop more as Lana’s best friend. And Kimmy as well. She was very entertaining and chaotic to read once she started tagging along. And also Detective Trudeau actually helping her out this time (a bit) and being an adorable couple about it too. I love their banter so freaking much.
January 27, 2022
I love escaping into this series! If you have not read it yet, PLEASE add it to your pile. It is so fun following Lana through the mystery & I like that Megan jumps in to encourage her right off the bat. We get to see more of Kimmy too. This one was cool because Lana had only met the victim that evening, so there were no previous connections to help her investigate. Each book can be read alone, but starting at book 1 will give you some back story of the characters.
April 5, 2021
Lana is one of those characters that you either love or hate; there is no in-between. In the newest installment, Fatal Fried Rice, fans will love Lana and hate her at the same time. Managing a Chinese restaurant isn’t precisely non-stop action, and Lana can’t cook, so she is determined to learn and put a bit more life into her day-to-day work. Once again, she finds a body, and once again, she sticks her nose in a murder investigation even though she shouldn’t. Yes, she found the body, but there is no evidence suggesting that she even knew the victim previously, so why would anyone think she killed her cooking teacher? There are plenty of suspects for readers to question, and the evidence is easy to follow. Even without, or despite Lana’s interference, the killer will be caught.
Unfortunately, this addition to the series isn’t a strong entry. The characters are okay, but none are very likable. The restaurant and the plaza, which have been the main focus in previous books, play a minimal role in this one; this actually hurts the story rather than helps it. Having Lana not be able to make something as simple as fried rice is not believable. Her family’s Chinese restaurant has been around a long time; wouldn’t someone have taught her how to make this staple dish by now?
The killer is not hidden, I knew who it was the moment the character was introduced. The resolution of the case is brought about almost by accident and happenstance and isn’t very satisfying. Some subplots were interesting and could have been explored at greater length to give the story more substance. Some of the supporting characters are becoming tiresome and detract from the main story. Overall, I have enjoyed other books in this series far more than this one. Fatal Fried Rice has some interesting scenes but isn’t anything to get overly excited about. I love Chinese food, and the setting of this series has always been intriguing and mouth-watering, but this book misses the mark. I recommend that readers who are new to this series start with the first book and not delve into this latest one until they know a bit of the character’s background and the main premise.
Unfortunately, this addition to the series isn’t a strong entry. The characters are okay, but none are very likable. The restaurant and the plaza, which have been the main focus in previous books, play a minimal role in this one; this actually hurts the story rather than helps it. Having Lana not be able to make something as simple as fried rice is not believable. Her family’s Chinese restaurant has been around a long time; wouldn’t someone have taught her how to make this staple dish by now?
The killer is not hidden, I knew who it was the moment the character was introduced. The resolution of the case is brought about almost by accident and happenstance and isn’t very satisfying. Some subplots were interesting and could have been explored at greater length to give the story more substance. Some of the supporting characters are becoming tiresome and detract from the main story. Overall, I have enjoyed other books in this series far more than this one. Fatal Fried Rice has some interesting scenes but isn’t anything to get overly excited about. I love Chinese food, and the setting of this series has always been intriguing and mouth-watering, but this book misses the mark. I recommend that readers who are new to this series start with the first book and not delve into this latest one until they know a bit of the character’s background and the main premise.
November 30, 2021
Another great book from Vivien Chien - About a murder after a cooking class. Lana Lee is on the prowl to see who murdered the chef and implicated Lana in the process!
July 11, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
February 12, 2021
Lana Lee has a secret. She's the manager of her family's popular restaurant, the Ho- Lee Noodle House, but she can't cook. Lana decides to learn how and surprise her family. On the first night of her cooking class, at a local college, the instructor is murdered and Lana discovers her body. Now, Lana must use her sleuthing abilities to find out who the murderer is before she becomes the next victim.
What a fun mystery! Lana is a perfect amateur sleuth who is smart, determined and independent. With her friends Megan and Kimmy, she sorts through the lies and half truths to solve the mystery. Not only is Lana likable, but the supporting characters are wonderfully written - the Mahjong Matrons, the staff at Ho- Lee Noodle House, Adam (Lana's detective boyfriend), her family and her sometimes fussy sister Anna May are a delight to read.
I'm looking forward to the next book!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
What a fun mystery! Lana is a perfect amateur sleuth who is smart, determined and independent. With her friends Megan and Kimmy, she sorts through the lies and half truths to solve the mystery. Not only is Lana likable, but the supporting characters are wonderfully written - the Mahjong Matrons, the staff at Ho- Lee Noodle House, Adam (Lana's detective boyfriend), her family and her sometimes fussy sister Anna May are a delight to read.
I'm looking forward to the next book!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
December 24, 2020
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Paperbacks and Netgalley.
Lana decides to take a cooking class because she's sick of being mocked by her family for not being able to cook Chinese food.
So she takes class and because this is a cozy mystery she stumbles across the body of the instructor.
Now a horrible detective is on the case who is absolutely convinced that she had something to do with it.
This is the seventh book in this series but it works just fine as a stand alone.
I love Lana's relationship with her family and the series is a lot of fun.
Lana decides to take a cooking class because she's sick of being mocked by her family for not being able to cook Chinese food.
So she takes class and because this is a cozy mystery she stumbles across the body of the instructor.
Now a horrible detective is on the case who is absolutely convinced that she had something to do with it.
This is the seventh book in this series but it works just fine as a stand alone.
I love Lana's relationship with her family and the series is a lot of fun.
May 21, 2021
FATAL FRIED RICE by Vivien Chien
The Seventh Noodle Shop Mystery
Lana Lee may manage the Ho-Lee Noodle House, but that doesn't mean she can cook Chinese food. Wanting to prove herself, Lana quietly enrolls in a Chinese cooking class hoping to impress her family and boyfriend. Bonding over similar family issues, Margo Han, the instructor, even agrees to provide Lana with extra one on one classes once the course concludes. Lana is riding high, until she returns to pick up the ingredient list she forgot. Instead of a list of supplies, she finds Margo lying on the floor, dead. The detective in charge finds her suspicious, not helpful, so once again Lana is taking out her trusty notebook and starting her own investigation.
The seventh Noodle Shop Mystery still has me laughing with and rooting for Lana Lee. I love how she tries to improve herself...even if she is primarily doing it to get back at her sister. Kimmy is a trip and I definitely have a soft spot for Lana's grandmother.
The actual mystery in FATAL FRIED RICE is unique in that it's not one Lana would usually get involved with. She just met the victim the night of the murder and if it wasn't for her innate curiosity and the fact that the detective in charge seems determined to believe she's a viable suspect, this could have been one murder she didn't investigate. I appreciate Lana's method to find a killer and got quite a kick at how she avoided shopping with her mother and grandmother. While I was suspicious of all of the new characters this complicated mystery had me surprised by the penultimate reveal.
FATAL FRIED RICE serves up a delightfully delicious mystery steeped in flavors any foodie or crime fiction lover will enjoy.
The Seventh Noodle Shop Mystery
Lana Lee may manage the Ho-Lee Noodle House, but that doesn't mean she can cook Chinese food. Wanting to prove herself, Lana quietly enrolls in a Chinese cooking class hoping to impress her family and boyfriend. Bonding over similar family issues, Margo Han, the instructor, even agrees to provide Lana with extra one on one classes once the course concludes. Lana is riding high, until she returns to pick up the ingredient list she forgot. Instead of a list of supplies, she finds Margo lying on the floor, dead. The detective in charge finds her suspicious, not helpful, so once again Lana is taking out her trusty notebook and starting her own investigation.
The seventh Noodle Shop Mystery still has me laughing with and rooting for Lana Lee. I love how she tries to improve herself...even if she is primarily doing it to get back at her sister. Kimmy is a trip and I definitely have a soft spot for Lana's grandmother.
The actual mystery in FATAL FRIED RICE is unique in that it's not one Lana would usually get involved with. She just met the victim the night of the murder and if it wasn't for her innate curiosity and the fact that the detective in charge seems determined to believe she's a viable suspect, this could have been one murder she didn't investigate. I appreciate Lana's method to find a killer and got quite a kick at how she avoided shopping with her mother and grandmother. While I was suspicious of all of the new characters this complicated mystery had me surprised by the penultimate reveal.
FATAL FRIED RICE serves up a delightfully delicious mystery steeped in flavors any foodie or crime fiction lover will enjoy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews