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uutopicaa's review
4.0
Estoy disfrutando un montón de estos libros, pero creo que todavía no salió el tercero.
iffer's review
3.5
I enjoyed this book even more than the first. The characters and their relationships have grown a bit, which makes them more pleasant to be around. I particularly like the inclusion of family/generational dynamics, and the fact that the "bad" people usually have good intentions. Unlike many food cozy mysteries, this also felt realistic since the characters spend so much time chatting while doing dishes and prepping veggies 😂
alle_kat97's review
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kimdavishb's review
5.0
HOT POT MURDER is the second book in the L.A. Night Market series by Jennifer Chow. Once again, the reader is taken for a delicious sensory journey set amongst the backdrop of the L.A. night market scene while trying to solve a puzzling murder. I greatly enjoyed the first book in the series, but with this second book, Ms. Chow has found her stride and the story and the character development is even stronger. Protagonist Yale Yee and her cousin Celine run Yale’s family food stall at the L.A. night market. Early on, they had a contentious relationship but have now bonded after solving a murder. I enjoy how they have their own strengths and weaknesses, which they recognize and use to support each other, whether it’s making the business a success or solving a crime.
There’s also a very strong sense of family and community displayed on the pages. Ms. Chow offers a bit of Chinese customs along with a tantalizing view of Los Angeles settings. I especially enjoyed the visits Yale and Celine make to the local restaurants as they visit the people who were at Yale’s father’s restaurant when tragedy struck. With the strong descriptive voice, the characters and the food jump to life on the pages as the two young women seek answers to the death of the president of the restaurant owners’ association.
Given that the murder takes place during a Thanksgiving gathering at Yale’s father’s restaurant, it resembles a closed room murder. And, because the attendees were colleagues or close friends, Yale and Celine are faced with trying to find clues without alienating the people they know so well. I like how they work in together, asking questions, and listening to gossip, to find justice. As the clues come together, so does the suspense of the killer’s actions. I didn’t suspect the perpetrator and at the reveal, I was on the edge of my seat to find out what happens next. Jennifer Chow’s well-plotted mystery weaves together a story filled with wonderful characters, mouthwatering food, and a fun meander through the tantalizing L.A. night market. I’m looking forward to finding out what’s in store next for Yale and Celine!
There’s also a very strong sense of family and community displayed on the pages. Ms. Chow offers a bit of Chinese customs along with a tantalizing view of Los Angeles settings. I especially enjoyed the visits Yale and Celine make to the local restaurants as they visit the people who were at Yale’s father’s restaurant when tragedy struck. With the strong descriptive voice, the characters and the food jump to life on the pages as the two young women seek answers to the death of the president of the restaurant owners’ association.
Given that the murder takes place during a Thanksgiving gathering at Yale’s father’s restaurant, it resembles a closed room murder. And, because the attendees were colleagues or close friends, Yale and Celine are faced with trying to find clues without alienating the people they know so well. I like how they work in together, asking questions, and listening to gossip, to find justice. As the clues come together, so does the suspense of the killer’s actions. I didn’t suspect the perpetrator and at the reveal, I was on the edge of my seat to find out what happens next. Jennifer Chow’s well-plotted mystery weaves together a story filled with wonderful characters, mouthwatering food, and a fun meander through the tantalizing L.A. night market. I’m looking forward to finding out what’s in store next for Yale and Celine!
hellokk's review
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
nnbb's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
spyralnode's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I sadly didn't think that this second volume of the installment was as good as the first. It tries hard to keep a similar pace, create intrigue and sprinkle clues throughout the scenes, but it doesn't pull through unfortunately.
From the very beginning the prose is clunky. In general I don't like the way many authors re-establish context in the further volumes of a book, the details don't fit into the prose seamlessly and read as if they have been added on top, interrupting the flow of the narrative. The same happens here, with reminders like what the Chinese elements are when Yale, the main character, mentions how she has always connected more with water.
In 'Hot Pot Murder', the events take place during a meeting of the Asian American Restaurant Owner Association at Mrs. Ho's establishment. While fetching a second power extender, the president of the association is electrocuted and dies, with the extender previously sitting next to the sink and having gotten wet.
In reading this, the weaknesses in the author's prose have become stark. The characters are underdeveloped with a lot of their dialogue being so similar to each other that it's hard to distinguish their voices, particularly new ones like Trisha and Misty. These characters are introduced with a lot more rapidity and less nuance than previously, and they haven't been given as much care in order to make them stand out.
This, plus the fact that there are very few details about the victim both before and after the murder, made me not care about what I was reading. I wasn't feeling committed to avenging him (in fact I'm writing this review after barely finishing the book and all I remember from his name is that it starts with a J), or blaming anyone because they didn't leave me with strong impressions. In a cosy mystery, a lot of this sense of warm is brought by wholesome characters and wholesome interactions, and here everything was resolved quickly, without that depth of emotion that I know for a fact Jennifer J. Chow can do.
Similarly disappointing was also more modest detail about the dishes that appear. 'Death by Bubble Tea' featured scrumptions descriptions about every food and drink that appeared, and something I found particularly interesting was also that with many of them the author discussed how their provenance has become murky in time, whether they are originally from Hong Kong or Taiwan for example. But in this book there is far less of that level of deliciousness. There's a wee bit about chai and xiao long bao, but those were the only memorable ones really.
This could've been sweet.
From the very beginning the prose is clunky. In general I don't like the way many authors re-establish context in the further volumes of a book, the details don't fit into the prose seamlessly and read as if they have been added on top, interrupting the flow of the narrative. The same happens here, with reminders like what the Chinese elements are when Yale, the main character, mentions how she has always connected more with water.
In 'Hot Pot Murder', the events take place during a meeting of the Asian American Restaurant Owner Association at Mrs. Ho's establishment. While fetching a second power extender, the president of the association is electrocuted and dies, with the extender previously sitting next to the sink and having gotten wet.
In reading this, the weaknesses in the author's prose have become stark. The characters are underdeveloped with a lot of their dialogue being so similar to each other that it's hard to distinguish their voices, particularly new ones like Trisha and Misty. These characters are introduced with a lot more rapidity and less nuance than previously, and they haven't been given as much care in order to make them stand out.
This, plus the fact that there are very few details about the victim both before and after the murder, made me not care about what I was reading. I wasn't feeling committed to avenging him (in fact I'm writing this review after barely finishing the book and all I remember from his name is that it starts with a J), or blaming anyone because they didn't leave me with strong impressions. In a cosy mystery, a lot of this sense of warm is brought by wholesome characters and wholesome interactions, and here everything was resolved quickly, without that depth of emotion that I know for a fact Jennifer J. Chow can do.
Similarly disappointing was also more modest detail about the dishes that appear. 'Death by Bubble Tea' featured scrumptions descriptions about every food and drink that appeared, and something I found particularly interesting was also that with many of them the author discussed how their provenance has become murky in time, whether they are originally from Hong Kong or Taiwan for example. But in this book there is far less of that level of deliciousness. There's a wee bit about chai and xiao long bao, but those were the only memorable ones really.
This could've been sweet.
sarah2's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A fun mystery with loveable characters. I enjoyed seeing the recurring characters from the first book continue to grow and develop over the course of this second book. The plot was well paced and easy to follow. Overall a fun reading experience.
princessofpups8's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5