3 Cozy Mystery Books By Asian Authors
Mystery lovers, get ready to embark on a literary journey that combines suspense, charm, and a touch of cultural richness. Join us as we explore three cozy mystery books that are not only engaging but also provide a unique perspective from Asian voices in the genre. So, grab your favorite reading nook, a warm cup of tea, and let's dive into these charming stories!
Arsenic & Adobo by Mia P. Manasala
The first book in a new culinary cozy series full of sharp humor and delectable dishes—one that might just be killer....
When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She's tasked with saving her Tita Rosie's failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case.
With the cops treating her like she's the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila's left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block…
Why should you read it? When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, she's tasked with saving her Tita Rosie's failing restaurant. But when her ex-boyfriend, a notoriously nasty food critic, drops dead moments after a confrontation, Lila becomes the prime suspect. This culinary cozy mystery is filled with sharp humor, delectable dishes, and a murder to solve!
Dial A For Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
What happens when you mix 1 (accidental) murder with 2 thousand wedding guests, and then toss in a possible curse on 3 generations of an immigrant Chinese-Indonesian family?
You get 4 meddling Asian aunties coming to the rescue!
When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is inadvertently shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working at an island resort on the California coastline. It's the biggest job yet for the family wedding business—"Don't leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!"—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie's perfect buttercream flowers.
But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy's great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend?
Why should you read it? This story is a delightful blend of unexpected mishaps and quirky characters where a hilarious scenario where an accidental murder, a grand wedding with thousands of guests, and the potential of a family curse collide. Along the way, there's romance, suspense, and a heartwarming reunion with a past love, all while striving to ensure a picture-perfect wedding. It's a comical, heartwarming adventure you won't want to miss!
Counterfeitby Kirstin Chen
For fans of Hustlers and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, the story of two Asian American women who band together to grow a counterfeit handbag scheme into a global enterprise--an incisive and glittering blend of fashion, crime, and friendship from the author of Bury What We Cannot Take and Soy Sauce for Beginners.
Money can't buy happiness... but it can buy a decent fake.
Ava Wong has always played it safe. As a strait-laced, rule-abiding Chinese American lawyer with a successful surgeon as a husband, a young son, and a beautiful home--she's built the perfect life. But beneath this façade, Ava's world is crumbling: her marriage is falling apart, her expensive law degree hasn't been used in years, and her toddler's tantrums are pushing her to the breaking point.
Enter Winnie Fang, Ava's enigmatic college roommate from Mainland China, who abruptly dropped out under mysterious circumstances. Now, twenty years later, Winnie is looking to reconnect with her old friend. But the shy, awkward girl Ava once knew has been replaced with a confident woman of the world, dripping in luxury goods, including a coveted Birkin in classic orange. The secret to her success? Winnie has developed an ingenious counterfeit scheme that involves importing near-exact replicas of luxury handbags and now she needs someone with a U.S. passport to help manage her business--someone who'd never be suspected of wrongdoing, someone like Ava. But when their spectacular success is threatened and Winnie vanishes once again, Ava is left to face the consequences.
Swift, surprising, and sharply comic, Counterfeit is a stylish and feminist caper with a strong point of view and an axe to grind. Peering behind the curtain of the upscale designer storefronts and the Chinese factories where luxury goods are produced, Kirstin Chen interrogates the myth of the model minority through two unforgettable women determined to demand more from life.
Why should you read it? "Counterfeit" offers a captivating blend of high-stakes drama, friendship, and social commentary. The novel introduces us to Ava Wong, a Chinese American lawyer whose seemingly perfect life is unraveling, and Winnie Fang, her enigmatic college roommate from Mainland China, who has transformed into a world-savvy luxury goods entrepreneur. Their collaboration in a counterfeit handbag scheme leads to tremendous success, but as their empire grows, so do the risks. Delve into the realms of fashion, crime, and the complexities of female friendship while also challenging the stereotypes of the model minority.
