In Cleveland author Vivien Chien’s 2023 “Misfortune Cookie,” Lana Lee and her sister Anna Mae dodged a blizzard to attend a restaurant convention in California. They’re back home in “Peking Duck and Cover,” 10th in the Noodle Shop Mystery series about Lana Lee, who solves murders between dishing up wonton soup and noshing on Shanghai Doughnuts.
Lana manages her parents’ Ho-Lee Noodle House in the popular Asia Village, a fictional version of Cleveland’s AsiaTown and Asian Town Center. She’s been imposed upon by Asia Village’s property manager to oversee the annual Chinese New Year festival, complete with food, drink, a raffle and the crowd-pleasing lion dance, with costumed performers weaving through the audience.
Sister and brother Rhonda and David Hong run the lion dance troupe Lana has hired. Rhonda is an accomplished dancer but David has replaced her in the lead role with Angela, his fiancée. It’s clear there’s some professional jealousy going on, and Rhonda stomps off during a rehearsal.
The festivities are going well and anticipation is building for the lion dance when Rhonda is found dead behind the stage curtain. The investigation kicks into action, involving Lana’s police boyfriend. The property owner and the manager expect Lana to solve the crime, because she’s done it before and to stifle bad publicity. They’re backed up by the delightful Mahjong Matrons, four regular customers who have their own booth.
A police officer tells Lana: “From what I’ve heard about you, I don’t think you should be throwing any more parties.” He’s not wrong.
These delightful mysteries provide a look into Chinese tradition and describe some delicious food as a bonus. Lana and her friends show impressive respect for their elders. A chilly relationship between Lana and her sister Anna Mae is not resolved.
“Peking Duck and Cover” (304 pages, softcover) costs $9.99 from Macmillan .
Events
Loganberry Books (13015 Larchmere Blvd., Shaker Heights): The 17th annual Author Alley book fair brings more than 70 authors to the alley next to the shop, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. See the list at loganberrybooks.com.
Fireside Book Shop (29 N. Franklin St., Chagrin Falls): Justin Montello signs his environmental thriller “Grow,” 1 p.m. Sunday. At 11 a.m. Saturday, Jacob Cranmer reads from his storybook “Grandma’s Letter Exchange.”
Mentor Public Library (8215 Mentor Ave.): Mark Dawidziak talks about “Stephen King and the Shawshank Redemption Revealed: How One Story Keeps Hope Alive,” about the 1994 movie he covered from its early production, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday. Register at mentorpl.org.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Strongsville branch, 18700 Westwood Drive): Comic book author Ryan Drost presents “The Art of Comic Book Creation,” 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Berea branch, 7 Berea Commons): Allan R. May talks about “Petro: Cleveland’s Handsomest Public Enemy, 7 to 8 p.m. Monday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Wadsworth Public Library (132 Broad St.): Mark Strecker talks about “Lost Ohio Treasure,” 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Cleveland Public Library Book Box (Edgewater Park, 7600 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway): Cleveland author Angela Crook joins the Writers Unplugged series to talk about her novel “Hurt Mountain,” 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Register at cpl.org.
Lakewood Public Library (15425 Detroit Ave.): Lakewood native Thomas Kelly, author (with David Geisser and Erwin Niederberger) of “The Vatican Cookbook: 500 Years of Classic Recipes, Papal Tributes, and Exclusive Images of Life and Art at the Vatican,” appears at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Mayfield branch, 500 SOM Center Road, Mayfield Village): Mark Dawidziak talks about “Shawshank Redemption Revealed,” 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Orange branch, 31975 Chagrin Blvd., Pepper Pike): Jeremy Kahn discusses “Mastering AI: A Survival Guide to Our Superpowered Future,” 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library : Former Stanford admissions officer Irena Smith joins the Online Author Talk Series with “The Golden Ticket is Not What You Think: Redefining Success for Parents and Teens,” 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday. Register at smfpl.org.
Barnes & Noble (28801 Chagrin Blvd., Woodmere): Jeremy Kahn discusses “Mastering AI,” 5 p.m. Thursday.
Angel Falls Coffee Shop (792 W. Market St.): Tim Carroll signs “World War II Cartoons of Akron’s Web Brown” and “World War II Akron,” 6 to 8 p.m.
Heights Libraries (Coventry Village branch, 1925 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights): Poets Jeanne Bryner, Jonathan Graham and Marc Harshman read from their work, 7 p.m. Thursday.
Ashland Public Library (224 Claremont Ave.): J.P. Mitchell reads from her storybook “Sweet Fire,” 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Register at ashland.lib.oh.us.
Learned Owl Book Shop (204 N. Main St., Hudson): Brooke Balamenti signs “The Mind Field,” her novel for young adults, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
Canal Fulton Public Library (154 Market St. E.): An Author Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Parma-Snow branch, 2121 Snow Road): Connie Schulz reads from her storybook “Lola and the Troll,” 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday. Free books will be distributed while supplies last. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Warrensville Heights branch, 4415 Northfield Road): Richard Koloda talks about “Holy Ghost: The Life and Death of Free Jazz Pioneer Albert Ayler,” 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Visible Voice Books (2258 Professor Ave., Cleveland): Donna J. Nicol talks to Timeka Thomas Rashid, vice president for student affairs at Baldwin Wallace University, about Nicol’s book “Black Woman on Board: Claudia Hampton, the California State University, and the Fight to Save Affirmative Action,” 2 p.m. Saturday. Register at visiblevoicebooks.com.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Fairview Park branch, 21255 Lorain Road): David Lee Morgan signs “Black Trailblazers in Sports,” part of his series of biographies for young adults, 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Registration has opened for Lit Youngstown’s Fall Literary Festival, three days of workshops, panels and readings Oct. 17-19. General admission is $65 but sponsorships are available. Go to lityoungstown.org.
Email information about books of local interest, and event notices at least two weeks in advance to beaconbooktalk@gmail.com. Barbara McIntyre tweets at @BarbaraMcI.
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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland author Vivien Chien serves ‘Peking Duck and Cover’ | Book Talk
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