Happy book birthday to me! HOT POT MURDER is out today! I've already gotten a few lovely reviews I'd like to share: “Great characters and a delightful mystery filled with luscious descriptions of food.”—Kirkus Reviews“The second installment of Chow’s cozy mystery series set at a California market, Hot Pot Murder is as charming and delightful as the first…Spending time with these characters is a treat, but—full warning—this book will make you hungry.”—Parade ABOUT THE BOOK Trouble is … [Read more...]
Agatha Award Nomination
January 27, 2023 Leave a Comment
I grew up on Agatha Christie--I mean, after I read stuff like Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew. There was something transportive about puzzling out a mystery. The Queen of Crime was great at stumping me. Later on, as a writer, I appreciated her skill at varying scenarios and clues (unreliable narrator, anyone?). My mom also loved Christie and was the one who first introduced me to her. That day, I wasn't sure what to borrow at the library, and the beginning of the adult section was right behind … [Read more...]
What’s the Buzz?
November 28, 2022 Leave a Comment
Hey, all! Author friends of mine are starting to explore the Hive Social app, so I figured I'd try it out. Hive Social app icon It's been easy to navigate so far, with a few loading hiccups and screen flickers. Unfortunately, it's solely a phone app. Well, you can use a phone emulator for your computer if you'd like--go research that if you're really inclined. Otherwise, it's available for Android and iPhone users. I've been on the fence about Twitter for a while. I'm still unsure what … [Read more...]
Mustache Pretzels
July 22, 2022 2 Comments
I’m a fan of the soft pretzel. Sure, I like crunchy pretzels to munch on for snacking, but I have the fondest memories of soft pretzels. I think it all stems from a school trip I took to the Exploratorium in San Francisco. Using some spending money, I bought and devoured my very first soft pretzel—it was fabulous. I’m still hard-pressed to beat that initial savory taste. Growing up, I sometimes went to the local mall and browsed. The alluring scent from Auntie Anne’s would often follow me … [Read more...]
Hitting the SoCal Indie Bestseller List
July 15, 2022 2 Comments
I’ve blogged before about how tired I got during release week. Launching a new book (and a new series) requires dedication. I’m grateful to all the publications and bloggers and podcasters who gave me media coverage. I’m thankful to the great bookstagramming community, who’ve been sharing images of Death By Bubble Tea (including a few bubble tea selfies). Of course, I’m very appreciative of the readers who supported me. In fact, it’s the fans who clamored for my book and went out of their way … [Read more...]
ICYMI: NYT
July 11, 2022 2 Comments
This is what nobody tells you about release week: you get very tired. It’s exhausting riding the wave of needing to respond to every comment and tag. (Apologies to anyone I missed!) That plus guesting on blogs and doing multiple book events. In the meantime, you’re biting your fingernails, hoping that all of this work actually translates into sales—or more accurately, readers. Is someone out there really enjoying your work? But there are times when the unbelievable happens. I was floored … [Read more...]
At the Grocery Store
July 9, 2022 Leave a Comment
I like grocery shopping. Really, I do. I cherish it even more now than I did before. Having used grocery pick-up services back in 2020, I appreciate the chance to actually hold produce in my hands. Maybe food selecting is also enjoyable for me because it reminds me of past times with my mom. I’d tag along with her, pick fruit from the bin and maybe even weigh them on those nifty silver scales. If I was really good and well-behaved, I’d get a treat from the bakery (usually a roll). Or Tic … [Read more...]
Happy Book Birthday to Me!
July 5, 2022 Leave a Comment
That's right. It's time for me to do a happy dance because DEATH BY BUBBLE TEA has been released into the world! Synopsis: Two cousins who start a food stall at their local night market get a serving of murder in this first novel of a delicious new cozy mystery series by Jennifer J. Chow, author of Mimi Lee Gets a Clue.When Yale Yee discovers her cousin Celine is visiting from Hong Kong, she is obliged to play tour guide to a relative she hasn’t seen in twenty years. Not only that, … [Read more...]
The Great Unboxing
June 29, 2022 2 Comments
This festivity happens (hopefully) once a year—or maybe more if you’re lucky. It’s the celebration known as The Great Unboxing. Authors finally get to hold their literary lovelies in their hands, right before it reaches the rest of the public. Almost every writer I know does an unboxing video on this occasion. Check out my Instagram reel for the unboxing of Death by Bubble Tea (out July 5). There are a few things that I’ve learned along the way about receiving and unboxing author copies. … [Read more...]
Who Wants Cookies?
June 14, 2022 Leave a Comment
I’ve always been fond of cookies. Maybe because they were a rare treat we got from the local bakery only once in a while. We didn’t actually bake any cookies growing up. Our oven was used mostly for roasts. Somehow, though, we did have a cookie cookbook in our household. I can’t remember how young I was, but I was still too small to “touch the oven” when I had my first baking adventure. I decided to microwave the cookie batter (not sure if you’d call it that since the dough was mostly flour … [Read more...]
![Thanks for spotlighting Hot Pot Murder, @bookscatsbaseball! Love the matching colors of the butterfly mural!
Posted @withregram • @bookscatsbaseball Happy Pub Day to Hot Pot Murder by Jennifer J. Chow!
*Thank you @NetGalley @BerkleyPub for my digital review copy*
QOTD: Do you like Asian food, do you have a favorite? If you don’t have one, what are you having for dinner? I’m Chinese, but I also love Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian.
Hot Pot Murder is the second book in the LA Night Market series. I love the main characters, cousins Yale and Celine, who are total opposites, but bring out the best in each other.
When the president of the local restaurant owner’s association dies, Celine wants to figure out what happened once his death is ruled a homicide. There are plenty of red herrings and no shortage of suspects. I was surprised who the murderer turned out to be, although I did suspect this person was up to no good.
The underlying themes of family and food are once again prominent in this sequel. After reading all the yummy descriptions, I was left craving fan tuan (stuffed sticky rice roll) and youtiao (Chinese doughnut).
[image: a kindle with the cover of Hot Pot Murder held in front of a strip of a monarch butterfly mural]](https://jenniferjchow.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
