Book Review: How Pot Murder by Jennifer J. Chow

 

Title: Hot Pot Murder
Series: L.A. Night Market #2
Author: Jennifer J. Chow
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publication Date: June 6, 2023
Publisher: Berkley

Trouble is brewing for cousins Yale and Celine Yee after a hot pot dinner gets overheated and ends in murder in this second novel of the L.A. Night Market series by Jennifer J. Chow.

Yale and Celine Yee’s food stall business is going so well that they’ve been invited to join an exclusive dinner with the local restaurant owners association. The members gather together for a relaxing hot pot feast…until Jeffery Vue, president of the group, receives a literal shock to his system and dies.

Everyone at the meal is a suspect, but the authorities are homing in on family friend Ai Ho, owner of the restaurant where Jeffery was killed—and Yale’s dad is a close second on their list. Yale and Celine step up to the plate and investigate the dinner attendees: the association’s ambitious VP, a familiar frenemy, a ramen king, a snacks shopkeeper, and a second-generation restaurateur. It’s up to the detecting duo to figure out what really happened before their friends and family have to close their businesses for good.

Rating

*I received an advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily*

Hello Fellow Readers, 

This series is quickly becoming one of my cozy favorites, and I am so happy that I am able to read along as it releases and I can grow with the characters. Just like last time I really loved Yale and Celine both are just amazing. I do love that they have grown closer and even though they are so different from each other, they still support each other. 

I was right in my last review and Nik had a bigger role but Chow has made him more likable. I was also partially wrong as I thought he would be Yale's love interest but it turns out this wasn't the case. The case was interesting in this one as we got a closer look at Yale's restaurant community and the recurring people who no doubt will make more appearances in upcoming books. I did guess the killer pretty early but I didn't mind as I was having fun being along for the ride. 

There was also a subplot that had to do with Celine and her parents which I found interesting. It gave more insight into Celine and her family dynamic. I do love Celine and I hope once the series is more established the author will think about doing a novella/ side story with Celine as the main character, and I think it would be interesting.

Overall, a fun second book to a series that is becoming my favorite. 

Book Review: Death by Bubble Tea by Jennifer J Chow

Title: Death by Bubble Tea
Series: L.A. Night Market (Book #1)
Author: Jennifer J. Chow
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publication Date: July 5, 2022
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

When Yale Yee discovers her cousin Celine is visiting from Hong Kong, she is obliged to play tour guide to a relative she hasn't seen in twenty years. Not only that, but her father thinks it's a wonderful idea for them to bond by running a food stall together at the Eastwood Village Night Market. Yale hasn't cooked in years, and she hardly considers Celine's career as a social media influencer as adequate experience, but because she's just lost her job at her local bookstore, she feels she has no choice.

Yale and Celine serve small dishes and refreshing drinks, and while business is slow, it eventually picks up thanks to Celine's surprisingly useful marketing ideas. They're quite shocked that their bubble tea, in particular, is a hit--literally--when one of their customers turns up dead. Yale and Celine are prime suspects due to the gold flakes that Celine added to the sweet drink as a garnish. Though the two cousins are polar opposites in every way, they must work together to find out what really happened to the victim or the only thing they'll be serving is time.

 

Rating

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

 

Hello Fellow Readers,

 

I really enjoyed this book. I knew I was going to since cozy mysteries are one of my favorites genres, but I was surprised at how much. In the beginning, I wasn't sure about Yale. She's a booklover but doesn't like technology, doesn't have a computer or a phone. I thought she would be obnoxious about it, but she isn't. Yale really did grow on me, her quick thinking combined with her tenacity to solve this case really makes you like her.

I was also really surprised that I liked Celine as much as I did. You think she would be this self-centered, airheaded influencer, but she's the opposite. Celine was my favorite characters and I really wished that we got a couple of chapters from her POV. The only person I really despised (besides the killer) was Nik and his whole side story. I felt it was unnecessary and really didn't add anything. This kinda sucks because I have a feeling he's going to get a bigger role with the next book and could become a potential love interest .

 

The story was good, and kept he entertained but I did end up guessing who the killer was although not how thy committed the murder. This doesn't take away from the story at all though and how much I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be looking into Chow's other books because I really like Chow's writing. I will also definitely be picking up the next book in this series.

 

Overall, a very good start to which I am hoping is a solid mystery series.