I did like Death by Dumpling (2018). The author, Vivien Chien, already has 11 books in the series as I post.

The 1st is far from a brilliant murder mystery. There’s no way I could have guessed the killer from the clues.

BUT I was charmed by Lana Lee, our investigator.

It’s a short, easy read. A cozy mystery. Almost Young Adult.

The last place Lana Lee thought she would ever end up is back at her family’s restaurant. But after a brutal break-up and a dramatic workplace walk-out, she figures that helping wait tables is her best option for putting her life back together. Even if that means having to put up with her mother, who is dead-set on finding her a husband.

Lana’s love life soon becomes yesterday’s news once the restaurant’s property manager, Mr. Feng, turns up dead―after a delivery of shrimp dumplings from Ho-Lee.

But how could this have happened when everyone on staff knew about Mr. Feng’s severe, life-threatening shellfish allergy?

Now, with the whole restaurant under suspicion for murder and the local media in a feeding frenzy―to say nothing of the gorgeous police detective who keeps turning up for take-out―it’s up to Lana to find out who is behind Feng’s killer order. . . before her own number is up.

The book ends with Lana heading off on a date. There’s hope for her.