Review: Death by Dumpling

Title: Death by Dumpling
Author: Vivien Chien
Publication Date: March 27, 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Recommended If You Like: unique characters, the beginnings of romance, strong female narrators, surprise solutions to mysteries

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

The Book:

Lana Lee is back working at her family's restaurant, but when their property manager is found dead after eating dumplings from said family restaurant, Lana finds herself embroiled in a mystery that forces her to question what she thought she knew about the place she calls home.

What I Liked:

Lana is a great, strong, funny, relatable  protagonist and narrator. She stands up for herself, but also tries to meet her family halfway, and refuses to give up on solving a mystery that directly affects her. She's surrounded by a unique cast of characters who all matter in some way to the story-her best friend is especially great.

And the (budding) romance! I was rooting so hard for Lana and a certain character (who I won't name so as not to spoil anything) to get together. I need the next book now so I can see their relationship develop.

It's also a great mystery. I honestly did not see the reveal of the murderer coming.

Anything I Didn't Like?

Honestly, this is a cozy mystery it's hard to find fault with. I just really enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading it.

So...?

This is a great first entry in a really promising cozy mystery series. I definitely recommend it.