“Hot and Sour Suspects” by Vivien Chien 

Lana Lee may be an amateur sleuth, but she’s no stranger to mischief. Just ask her police detective boyfriend, Adam. This time, though, Lana may have taken on more than she can manage in her latest outing.

The business of impossible odds is how Lana’s friend, Megan, describes their adventures in “Hot and Sour Suspects,” and she isn’t kidding. To bolster business, Lana’s family restaurant, Ho-Lee Noodle House, hosts a speed dating event and everyone expects a night of flirting and food. But when a jilted ex shows up to interrupt the event, and one of the attendees later ends up dead in the company of Lana’s friend, Rina, things take a dramatic turn. Rina becomes a suspect in the case and, for Lana, the odds of exonerating her friend certainly seem impossible. Lana launches her own investigation with the help of her roommate and series regular, Megan Riley. Her cop beau, Adam, is assigned the case and worries her interference could cause headaches for him at the department. Lana and Megan tread lightly, but can’t walk away from saving their friend, even if Rina herself doesn’t seem to want their help. The two take turns investigating the murdered man, discovering a laundry list of suspects along the way, all of whom could have a motive for offing Gavin Oliver. From seedy bars to undercover job interviews, their investigation reveals Gavin’s sordid, toxic past, and puts Lana on a potentially deadly path.

Vivien Chien teases our taste buds and tickles our brains with “Hot and Sour Suspects,” the eighth tasty treat in her A Noodle Shop Mystery series.

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