Reading: KILLER KUNG PAO - Vivien Chien

Prose (Story): Book 6 in Vivien Chien's wonderful Noodle Shop cozy mystery series takes crime closer to home when, during Lana Lee's hair coloring appointment at the Asian Accents salon just down the way from her own family-owned Ho-Lee Noodle House in the Asia Village shopping plaza, a fellow salon customer - the notorious Mildred "Millie" Mao, known for frivolous lawsuits and stirring up trouble wherever she goes - is electrocuted via her foot bath. When it's learned that the only woman disliked more in Asia Village than Millie Mao - June Yi, co-owner of Yi's Tea and Bakery, who'd just gotten into a minor traffic accident with Millie the day before, and made no pretense of how much she hated the woman - was also a customer in the salon that morning, seen nearby Millie just before her death, the case seems cut-and-dried even for Lana's cop boyfriend, Adam Trudeau ... until June's sister comes begging Lana for help in clearing her sister of murder, the put-upon restaurant manager grudgingly taking on another case.  

Don's (Review): How I love this series, and couldn't be happier finding the bulk of this one takes place on Lana's home turf at Asia Village, so we can spend even more time with the Mahjong Matrons, Lana's family, and the other residents and business owners inhabiting the amateur sleuth's world. Author Vivien Chien impresses upfront with the deliciously original method of murder, and throughout the rest of the book as well, as we - along with Lana - go back and forth on trying to decide whether the hateful, mean-spirited June Yi actually is guilty of murder, or not. Red herrings, potential side motives, and recurring characters from past books in the series all rev up to a denouement this reader found both very suspenseful, surprising, and hugely satisfying. Perhaps my favorite in the series so far, Killer Kung Pao is another winner for both author Chien, and the always likable Lana Lee. 4.5/5 stars

NOTE: I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.