[.ca] Dim Sum Dead: A Madeline Bean Culinary Mystery (ISBN 0380817187)

fourth in this charming culinary mystery series is delicious:
Event planner Madeline Bean and her partner Wesley are again surrounded by mysteries, mayhem and celebrity sightings in this fourth instalment to Farmer's charming series of culinary mysteries. This time Hollywood insiders are enraptured with mah-jongg as the partners prepare a dim sum Chinese New Year feast, and the clues to a murder are scattered among Hollywood's oldest secrets. Along the way, you learn about the origins of dim sum, the significance of particular mah-jongg tiles, how to make an authentic Singapore Sling, and the correct way to greet a star. Madeline's personal life is realistic without detracting from the story, and the story is interesting right away and paced well. The mystery is well-integrated but not transparent. The dialogue is fun, and the characters are likeable. This is a lively mix of Hollywood dish, mouth-watering recipes and the Perils of Pauline. Quite fun. Well-written. Looking forward to the next one.

This series shows no signs of cooling off:
Madeline Bean hates surprises. So when her partner Wes surprises her by showing her the antique mah-jongg set he found in an old house he's restoring, she less then thrilled. But when it is stolen and then found in a garbage can, she begins to smell something fishy. And when the rightful owner of the set turns up dead, Madeline knows she must figure out what all this means. I was looking for a light, fun mystery, and this story didn't disappoint. At the same time, this book does have its more thoughtful moments, something I've come to enjoy about the series. As always, the characters are great and provide some truly funny scenes. The plot slows down a little in the second quarter of the book but picks up speed for the second half and doesn't slow down until you reach the climax. This series is high on my favorites list, and this is a wonderful addition to the series. If you've been missing out on these great books, start with the first, Sympathy for the Devil. You'll be glad you did.

Good little morsel:
This book will keep you turning the pages to find out who did it! Drop into the world of aging Hollywood starlets and the new craze of Mah Jong. Sweet little mystery with an upbeat undertone.

Fresh Ingredients Make This A Cook's Delight:
From start to finish, I found this a very entertaining and quick read. California cuisine has long been known for its innovations. In "Dim Sum Dead", we have a caterer who takes great care to appeal to the tastes of all the guests while she's actively snooping and questioning them. What chutzpah! At first, I wanted to read this book solely to see if the Mah Jongg referred to in the description was the Mah Jongg I'm familiar with. I play in a regular weekly game. There are some differences between Farmer's description of how the game is played and how it's actually played but, this didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. Although I enjoyed the Mah Jongg references, there was so much more here. The menu ideas were terrific. We also have a romantic element as well as a mystery and a murder to be solved. Madeline is sure one sharp cookie and a most persistent sleuth.

Delightful, a fun read!:
This was a well written mystery story. The plot moved at a brisk pace, and had lots of colorful characters. For example, Quita, our victim, is a young woman surrounded by mystery, in her death and in her life. I also enjoyed the references to the menus Madeline and Wes were serving at the Mahjong parties; my mouth was watering for Dim Sum several times! I enjoyed Madeline's up and down love life in the story as much as the murder mystery. It is obvious that Madeline has reached a point in her life where she is looking for more from her relationship, and her public breakup with her boyfriend (over a hamburger) seemed quite fitting. The outcome was not obvious, but once all the loose ends were tied up, it was the only ending to this story. Overall, an enjoyable book, with plenty of action, with very little actual violence. A palatable and satisfying reading experience, worth 5 stars.