Aunty Lee's Delights

Aunty Lee's Delights has been on my TBR list for several years. I finally got around to reading this wonderful cozy mystery.  This first installment of the series was published in 2013. The series takes place in Singapore.

The publisher's summary:

"The culture and culinary delights of Singapore come alive in Yu’s novel. Rosie “Aunty” Lee, something of a busybody, has shrugged off widowhood to open her own restaurant. But when she gets drawn into a local murder investigation, it soon becomes clear she has a real talent for sleuthing... Guaranteed to make you hungry!--Sarah Weinman, New York Times Book Review

This delectable and witty mystery introduces Rosie “Aunty” Lee, feisty widow, amateur sleuth and proprietor of Singapore’s best-loved home cooking restaurant.

After losing her husband, Rosie Lee could easily have become one of Singapore’s “tai tai,” an idle rich lady devoted to an aimless life of mah-jongg and luxury shopping. Instead she threw herself into building a culinary empire from her restaurant, Aunty Lee’s Delights, where spicy Singaporean home cooking is graciously served by Rosie Lee herself to locals and tourists alike. But when a body is found in one of Singapore’s beautiful tourist havens, and when one of her wealthy guests fails to show at a dinner party, Aunty Lee knows that the two are likely connected.

The murder and disappearance throws together Aunty Lee’s henpecked stepson Mark, his social-climbing wife Selina, a gay couple whose love is still illegal in Singapore, and an elderly Australian tourist couple whose visit—billed at first as a pleasure cruise—may mask a deeper purpose. Investigating the murder is rookie Police Commissioner Raja, who quickly discovers that the savvy and well-connected Aunty Lee can track down clues even better than local law enforcement.

Wise, witty and unusually charming, Aunty Lee’s Delights is a spicy mystery about love, friendship and home cooking in Singapore, where money flows freely and people of many religions and ethnicities co-exist peacefully, but where tensions lurk just below the surface, sometimes with deadly results.

I was hooked from the first chapter. The setting was prominent here and I loved all the references to the food and slang terminology. I must admit, though, that I had to look them up on Google. Aunty Lee is as charming as I have been told. She is a vibrant, loveable character who loves experimenting with flavors as well as cooking the usual Singapore fare. Aunty Lee is a caterer and an intriguing investigator. She can determine the true character of people from the way they eat her cooking.

The murder occurred in the second chapter. I love it when an author gives the reader an upfront kill so that the rest of the book can be about the investigation of the death. Aunty Lee becomes interested in a news story about an unidentified body found on a beach near a luxury resort. She and her maid, Nina, then scour the news sites for more information.

I adored this novel and definitely will be reading the series. 5 out of 5 stars.

At Death's Dough

At Death's Dough is the 5th Deep Dish Mystery by Mindy Quigley. I love this series. It takes place in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin which is a resort town that I have visited and am familiar with. The pizzeria scenes make me hungry as pizza is my favorite food group. What's not to like? The book was published in October 2025.

The publisher's summary:  

It’s February in the ritzy lakeside resort town of Geneva Bay, Wisconsin, and love is in the air. Pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is gearing up to celebrate her first Valentine’s Day with hunky police detective Calvin Capone, great-grandson of the infamous Chicago mobster. But their romance is put on ice when a shocking discovery plunges them into a century-old crime with ties to Capone’s notorious forefather.

As old secrets surface, Delilah realizes that nearly everyone in town―from Capone’s cagey cousin to her own quirky customers―has something to hide. With the pressure mounting and the past closing in, Delilah must help Capone follow a trail of clues that could lead them to a priceless treasure... or into a deadly trap. Can Delilah serve up justice before history repeats itself? Or will she and Capone end up sleeping with the anchovies?

I enjoyed getting reacquainted with my favorite characters. Delilah is the main character and she is dating a police officer who is Al Capone’s grandson; Calvin Capone. Her sous chef and best friend Sonya is rather quirky. Sonya is always doing something new and exciting and the something usually ends up being related somehow to the murder. In this installment of the series, the death did not occur until the one third point in the story and we don't know whether it's a murder just yet. Normally I get prickly when the death/murder doesn't happen in the first couple of chapters. That did not happen because I was enjoying the setting and the characters. Another fun character is Delilah’s Aunt Biz. Biz is an octogenarian with a sassy mouth and zest for life. It seems that Delilah is the only character with common sense. She navigates all of these fun folks with aplomb.

The death investigation didn't actually happen. No witnesses were interviewed. I found this unbelievable but remembered that cozies require a suspension of belief. It seems that Capone’s shady cousin Dominic was secretly in town for an unknown reason. Delilah believes that he was searching for a treasure that disappeared after a train robbery 100 years ago because who, in their right mind, would scuba dive under a frozen lake in the winter. When Delilah and company realized that the treasure might be stashed in Geneva, she and friend Daniel dived under the ice to see if it was buried there. The results of the dive could determine whether Dominic was murdered or accidentally drowned under the ice.

I loved this cozy mystery and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Death on a Scottish Train

I have anxiously been awaiting the publication of this book. Death in a Scottish Train is the 4th book in Lucy Connelly's Scottish Isles Mystery series. It is a cozy mystery featuring Dr. Emilia McRoy, an American who moved to Scotland for a new start in life. She acts as both a physician and the coroner in the village of Sea Isle. The book was published on October 14, 2025.

The publisher's summary:

Dr. Emilia McRoy, an American in Scotland, has a killer in sight in the fourth installment of the Scottish Isle mystery series, perfect for fans of Paige Shelton and Connie Berry.

Summer is coming to a close on beautiful Sea Isle in Scotland, and Dr. Emilia McRoy is celebrating one year since her big move. With a weeklong festival to end the season, the town gathers for a magical ride on the newly refurbished Storyteller’s Train, but the launch’s success is dampened by an unexpected death.

What appears to be a case of deadly allergies is soon revealed as murder. As Emilia, her assistant Abigail, and the local constable Ewan McGregor unravel the mystery, the killer sets their murderous intentions on them.

If they want to survive, they will need the help of all of their friends—before they become the latest victims.

While the story is a mystery, what I immediately feel when I open any book in this series is the coziness of the Sea Isle village. Everyone gets along and they all look out for each other. Everyone also seems to be happy. If I could move there I would. This is the only cozy mystery that gives me that feeling.

The plot was captivating. It revolved around the investigation of the death of accountant Donald Jacks. Jacks was scheduled to be a storyteller for a vintage train ride. While he was seen at the train station, he didn't board the train. He was later found stuffed in a cupboard at the station. Em and Ewen quickly learn that he invested several residents' retirement funds in risky schemes and they lost everything. The pool of suspects is wide but perhaps Jacks just met his karma. Jacks had an allergy to bees that few people knew about. Since he constantly put lip balm on his lips, the killer decided put bee venom in the lip balm. As Jacks used it he was not aware that he was killing himself with it. There were plenty of suspects and red herrings as Emilia and Ewen investigated the death, The big reveal is in the last chapter.

Emilia has now resided in Sea Isle for one year. There is a hint of her having romantic feelings for Ewen who has been always been a  annoyance to her. I think we are going to see these two characters becoming close in future installments of the series.

Death on a Scottish Train was a fun and relaxing read. Cozy lovers who haven't read the series yet should look into it. 5 out of 5 stars.