Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials: A Singaporean Mystery by Ovidia Yu

(Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

Rosie “Aunty” Lee, the feisty widow and amateur sleuth and proprietor of Singapore’s best-loved home-cooking restaurant, is back in another delectable, witty mystery involving scandal and murder among the city’s elite.

Few know more about what goes on in Singapore than Aunty Lee. When a scandal over illegal organ donation makes news, she already has a list of suspects. There’s no time to snoop, though—Aunty Lee’s Delights is catering a brunch for local socialites Henry and Mabel Sung. Rumor has it that the Sungs’ fortune is in trouble, and Aunty Lee wonders if the gossip is true. But soon after arriving at the Sungs’, her curiosity turns to suspicion. Why is the guesthouse in the garden locked up—and what’s inside? Where is the missing guest of honor? Then Mabel Sung and her son, Leonard, are found dead. The authorities blame it on Aunty Lee’s special stewed chicken with buah keluak, a local black nut that can be poisonous if cooked improperly. She’s certain the deaths are murder—and that they’re somehow linked to the organ donor scandal. To save her business and her reputation, she’s got to prove it—and unmask a dangerous killer.

my thoughts:

Singapore, again! Love it!  This time round, I'm visiting this beautiful country through Ovidia Yu's fantastic story, Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials.  Its the second book in her A Singaporean Mystery series about a widow named Rosie "Aunty" Lee who serves mouth-watering dishes at her restaurant and manages to solve crimes at the same time. Talk about the epitome of a cozy mystery!

In this new mystery, Aunty Lee is the accused.  The food she served at an event is said to be the culprit in the deaths of two people.  Ack!  What is Aunty Lee to do?  Sleuth!  Yep, she knows her food was properly prepared and is determined to figure out what really happened to the two that died.  In her quest to absolve her name, she manages to get caught up in an organ donor scandal, as well.  Its mysteries galore for Aunty Lee and she is on the case!

Yu has written a charming and delightful book filled with quirky characters that are diverse in their eccentricities and personalities.  She brings Singapore to life with her rich details about the people, the food, and the places around the city that they frequent.  She makes you feel as if you could taste and smell the country that she writes so dearly about - I loved it!  And, I wanted that food!  Luckily, she include a few recipes to whet your appetite.  Yu incorporates Aunty Lee's kitchen know-how as a means of helping her solve the case, which I found endearing.  Aunty Lee is a determined woman with a big heart and she happens to be a bit of a busybody, but you just know that when push comes to shove she will be on your side.  After reading this book, I definitely want to read the first in the series and get to know Aunty Lee even better.  Plus, I enjoy getting lost in Singapore through Yu's words.

So, if you are looking for a terrific new cozy foodie-mystery series to read, check out Ovidia Yu's, A Singaporean Mystery series - you will love it!

Here's the TLC Book Tour schedule for: Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials

Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!