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Singaporean Mystery #2
Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials
Rosie “Aunty” Lee, the feisty widow, 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 involving prominent citizens 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 at their opulent house.
Rumor has it that the Sung’s fortune is in trouble, and Aunty Lee wonders if the gossip is true. But soon after arriving at the Sung’s house, her curiosity turns to suspicion. Why is a storage house she discovers locked? What is the couple arguing about behind closed doors? Where is the guest of honor who never showed up?
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. Aunty Lee has never carelessly prepared a dish. 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 whose next victim may just be Aunty Lee.
Few know more about what goes on in Singapore than Aunty Lee. When a scandal over illegal organ donation involving prominent citizens 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 at their opulent house.
Rumor has it that the Sung’s fortune is in trouble, and Aunty Lee wonders if the gossip is true. But soon after arriving at the Sung’s house, her curiosity turns to suspicion. Why is a storage house she discovers locked? What is the couple arguing about behind closed doors? Where is the guest of honor who never showed up?
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. Aunty Lee has never carelessly prepared a dish. 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 whose next victim may just be Aunty Lee.
387 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2014
230 people are currently reading
875 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
March 10, 2022
As before, I loved Aunty Lee character. She's a very upright and honest person and smart. I read this book on Scribd.com.
Synopsys: "Rosie “Aunty” Lee, the feisty widow, 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 involving prominent citizens 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 at their opulent house.
Rumor has it that the Sung’s fortune is in trouble, and Aunty Lee wonders if the gossip is true. But soon after arriving at the Sung’s house, her curiosity turns to suspicion. Why is a storage house she discovers locked? What is the couple arguing about behind closed doors?
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. Aunty Lee has never carelessly prepared a dish.
To save her business and her reputation, she’s got to prove it — and unmask a dangerous killer."
Synopsys: "Rosie “Aunty” Lee, the feisty widow, 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 involving prominent citizens 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 at their opulent house.
Rumor has it that the Sung’s fortune is in trouble, and Aunty Lee wonders if the gossip is true. But soon after arriving at the Sung’s house, her curiosity turns to suspicion. Why is a storage house she discovers locked? What is the couple arguing about behind closed doors?
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. Aunty Lee has never carelessly prepared a dish.
To save her business and her reputation, she’s got to prove it — and unmask a dangerous killer."
July 13, 2019
Suicides and murders in the safe city of Singapore
Aunty Lee has been accused of poisoning her customers
Day breaks with a deadly crash
TGIF Morning Drive Time News:
Though several residents of the Ang Mo Kio Housing Development Board block of flats heard a loud crash sometime after midnight early Friday morning, none of them made their way downstairs to investigate.
Our reporter spoke to Mr. Toh Kang, 78, who said, “I thought it is car crash. Car crash what for rush downstairs to see? So late. Car will still be there tomorrow, what.”
But it was the body of a young People’s Republic of China woman that two students found at the foot of Ang Mo Kio Block 352 on their way to the bus stop just before 6 A.M. this morning.
“There was blood everywhere,” Tristan Tan, 14, told reporters. “She was just lying there wearing a lacy white dress all covered with blood. It was so shocking I almost fainted and I couldn’t go for band practice and my mum had to call my teachers and say it was because of the trauma so that I wouldn’t lose points.”
Introducing Aunty Lee
Rosie “Aunty” Lee was a plump Peranakan supercook who divided her energies between fixing meals for people and helping them fix their lives (whether they liked it or not). As far as Aunty Lee was concerned, the two were different sides of the same coin. How could you feed someone well unless you understood them? And how could people appreciate her food if the rest of their lives was out of balance? It was no use simply letting people decide what they wanted to eat because Aunty Lee had long ago realized most people had no idea what foods suited them. They remembered dishes prepared by loving grannies or shared in the first flush of romance and spent the rest of their lives complaining that nothing tasted the way it used to. Aunty Lee also believed Peranakan food was the best food in Singapore, possibly the best food in the world. Her definition of Peranakan food had got her into trouble with Peranakan purists, because as far as Aunty Lee was concerned, “I am Peranakan. So all food I prepare is Peranakan food!”
Introducing Nina
Her Filipina domestic helper, Nina Balignasay, was the opposite of Aunty Lee. Nina was slim, dark, and minded her own business. But in Singapore it was Nina’s business to keep Aunty Lee happy. Her already considerable powers of observation had sharpened considerably in her time with this busybody aunty. She had also learned not to worry that her employer would lose a finger or eye as she speed-sliced, diced, and waved her chopper around to emphasize her points. After all, Nina, who had been trained as a nurse, was nothing if not adaptable. Even if her nursing degree was not recognized in Singapore, she would have been able to stanch the bleeding should Aunty Lee have a slip of the knife. And she had learned it was dangerous—and pretty much impossible—to stop Aunty Lee from doing what she wanted to.
Gossip based on romance, betrayal, and death
“Did you read in the papers about the Mainland Chinese woman that committed suicide?” Cherril threw this in to distract Aunty Lee from imagining possible weather disasters. Nothing tickled Aunty Lee’s mental taste buds so much as a strange death.
“Of course! But the newspapers never say everything. I can tell there’s some funny business there!”
“Madam, the woman write a letter and say she is going to jump off the balcony and then she go and jump off the balcony. Even you cannot say there is funny business there!” Nina said firmly. Catholic Nina did not approve of suicides any more than she approved of the murders Aunty Lee had a tendency to get herself involved in.
“The Chinese papers said her boyfriend phoned her right before the operation to tell her that everything was going to be all right. She said she already knew something was wrong because even over the phone she had heard angels singing.”
“The English papers didn’t report that.” Aunty Lee looked put out. “Nina, I wish you would learn to read Chinese. Chinese news is much more interesting than English news. What else did the Chinese paper say?”
“The Chinese papers interviewed one of the women staying in the one-room flat where Bi Xiao Mei stayed. She said they pay five dollars a day to sleep there. Bi Xiao Mei went out to search for her fiancé all day, then went back and cried all night. She could not find any record of his death or of the operation. Because the operation was illegal, she was afraid the people who did it did not bother to properly dispose of his body but just dumped it somewhere.
. . . .
Aunty Lee’s lips pursed appreciatively. There was nothing she liked more than a good gossip based on romance, betrayal, and death.
In this suicide/murder/mystery we have lawyers, doctors, faith healers, and the cream of Singapore society mixed up with illegal organ transplants.
Not all will live happily ever after . . .
Enjoy!
Aunty Lee has been accused of poisoning her customers
Day breaks with a deadly crash
TGIF Morning Drive Time News:
Though several residents of the Ang Mo Kio Housing Development Board block of flats heard a loud crash sometime after midnight early Friday morning, none of them made their way downstairs to investigate.
Our reporter spoke to Mr. Toh Kang, 78, who said, “I thought it is car crash. Car crash what for rush downstairs to see? So late. Car will still be there tomorrow, what.”
But it was the body of a young People’s Republic of China woman that two students found at the foot of Ang Mo Kio Block 352 on their way to the bus stop just before 6 A.M. this morning.
“There was blood everywhere,” Tristan Tan, 14, told reporters. “She was just lying there wearing a lacy white dress all covered with blood. It was so shocking I almost fainted and I couldn’t go for band practice and my mum had to call my teachers and say it was because of the trauma so that I wouldn’t lose points.”
Introducing Aunty Lee
Rosie “Aunty” Lee was a plump Peranakan supercook who divided her energies between fixing meals for people and helping them fix their lives (whether they liked it or not). As far as Aunty Lee was concerned, the two were different sides of the same coin. How could you feed someone well unless you understood them? And how could people appreciate her food if the rest of their lives was out of balance? It was no use simply letting people decide what they wanted to eat because Aunty Lee had long ago realized most people had no idea what foods suited them. They remembered dishes prepared by loving grannies or shared in the first flush of romance and spent the rest of their lives complaining that nothing tasted the way it used to. Aunty Lee also believed Peranakan food was the best food in Singapore, possibly the best food in the world. Her definition of Peranakan food had got her into trouble with Peranakan purists, because as far as Aunty Lee was concerned, “I am Peranakan. So all food I prepare is Peranakan food!”
Introducing Nina
Her Filipina domestic helper, Nina Balignasay, was the opposite of Aunty Lee. Nina was slim, dark, and minded her own business. But in Singapore it was Nina’s business to keep Aunty Lee happy. Her already considerable powers of observation had sharpened considerably in her time with this busybody aunty. She had also learned not to worry that her employer would lose a finger or eye as she speed-sliced, diced, and waved her chopper around to emphasize her points. After all, Nina, who had been trained as a nurse, was nothing if not adaptable. Even if her nursing degree was not recognized in Singapore, she would have been able to stanch the bleeding should Aunty Lee have a slip of the knife. And she had learned it was dangerous—and pretty much impossible—to stop Aunty Lee from doing what she wanted to.
Gossip based on romance, betrayal, and death
“Did you read in the papers about the Mainland Chinese woman that committed suicide?” Cherril threw this in to distract Aunty Lee from imagining possible weather disasters. Nothing tickled Aunty Lee’s mental taste buds so much as a strange death.
“Of course! But the newspapers never say everything. I can tell there’s some funny business there!”
“Madam, the woman write a letter and say she is going to jump off the balcony and then she go and jump off the balcony. Even you cannot say there is funny business there!” Nina said firmly. Catholic Nina did not approve of suicides any more than she approved of the murders Aunty Lee had a tendency to get herself involved in.
“The Chinese papers said her boyfriend phoned her right before the operation to tell her that everything was going to be all right. She said she already knew something was wrong because even over the phone she had heard angels singing.”
“The English papers didn’t report that.” Aunty Lee looked put out. “Nina, I wish you would learn to read Chinese. Chinese news is much more interesting than English news. What else did the Chinese paper say?”
“The Chinese papers interviewed one of the women staying in the one-room flat where Bi Xiao Mei stayed. She said they pay five dollars a day to sleep there. Bi Xiao Mei went out to search for her fiancé all day, then went back and cried all night. She could not find any record of his death or of the operation. Because the operation was illegal, she was afraid the people who did it did not bother to properly dispose of his body but just dumped it somewhere.
. . . .
Aunty Lee’s lips pursed appreciatively. There was nothing she liked more than a good gossip based on romance, betrayal, and death.
In this suicide/murder/mystery we have lawyers, doctors, faith healers, and the cream of Singapore society mixed up with illegal organ transplants.
Not all will live happily ever after . . .
Enjoy!
February 27, 2024
I recently read Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers and really enjoyed it and it reminded me of Aunty Lee. I read Aunty Lee's Delights for a Halloween Bingo a while ago and this seemed to be a good time to visit Singapore again. I had forgotten what an unstoppable force Rosie Lee can be!
It seems that everyone knows Aunty Lee, by reputation if not personally. And she is interested in other people, analyzing them via food: what do they like and how do they eat it? She sees Edmond Yong sneaking the more expensive food items from her buffet and know that he's cheap, but he also eats as much as he can, revealing that he's short of money.
Rosie is willing to go visit people she barely knows, people she knows a bit, old friends, whoever might have the information she craves. She always packs up a selection of delicious food to grease the wheels of social interaction and give a reason for her visit. As the police inspector observes, trying to stop her is like attempting to prevent ice from melting in the sunshine.
When everyone else is satisfied with the simple answer, Aunty Lee wants the correct answer. She's like a dog with a bone, unwilling to let go of a problem until she's sure she's found the truth. I love her determination and willingness to go after the information. Like Miss Marple, she's willing to act like a dotty old lady to disguise her purposes. I will be happy to read more of her adventures.
It seems that everyone knows Aunty Lee, by reputation if not personally. And she is interested in other people, analyzing them via food: what do they like and how do they eat it? She sees Edmond Yong sneaking the more expensive food items from her buffet and know that he's cheap, but he also eats as much as he can, revealing that he's short of money.
Rosie is willing to go visit people she barely knows, people she knows a bit, old friends, whoever might have the information she craves. She always packs up a selection of delicious food to grease the wheels of social interaction and give a reason for her visit. As the police inspector observes, trying to stop her is like attempting to prevent ice from melting in the sunshine.
When everyone else is satisfied with the simple answer, Aunty Lee wants the correct answer. She's like a dog with a bone, unwilling to let go of a problem until she's sure she's found the truth. I love her determination and willingness to go after the information. Like Miss Marple, she's willing to act like a dotty old lady to disguise her purposes. I will be happy to read more of her adventures.
July 20, 2014
My favorite cozy mysteries have some extra element to intrigue me and hold my interest, and the Auntie Lee series is a perfect example. Set in Singapore there’s an international multicultural cast of Singaporean residents who are ethnic Chinese, Indian, Malay, Eurasian, and Filipino, plus there’s lots of woven-into-the-plot tidbits about life in Singapore, including its laws--this time around especially relating to medical practices and gay rights--culture, family dynamics, and, of course, food. Auntie Lee, a wealthy widow of a certain age, runs a restaurant featuring Singaporean specialities just for the fun of it. She’s curious, nosy, likes to be around people, and is determined to be of service, even when her “services” aren’t exactly appreciated.
As this book opens Auntie Lee and her restaurant crew are catering a party that becomes the scene of two deaths: the hostess, a highly controlling local bigwig who owns her own law firm, and her bedridden formerly wildchild son. Food poisoning? That’s the easiest answer. Auntie Lee would get a slap on the wrist for being careless and everyone could just move on with their lives. The police are under pressure to accept that explanation and close the case, but Auntie Lee has other ideas. With distractingly delicious gifts of homemade delicacies and the ability to act strategically befuddled Auntie Lee pursues truth without worrying about the trouble she’s stirring up.
This is the kind of book that makes me miss hanging out with its characters when I’ve finished reading. Though the focus is on Auntie Lee the narrative point of view shifts around between the characters, and there are several developing relationships (including maybe a love interest for Auntie Lee?) that I look forward to catching up on in future books.
As this book opens Auntie Lee and her restaurant crew are catering a party that becomes the scene of two deaths: the hostess, a highly controlling local bigwig who owns her own law firm, and her bedridden formerly wildchild son. Food poisoning? That’s the easiest answer. Auntie Lee would get a slap on the wrist for being careless and everyone could just move on with their lives. The police are under pressure to accept that explanation and close the case, but Auntie Lee has other ideas. With distractingly delicious gifts of homemade delicacies and the ability to act strategically befuddled Auntie Lee pursues truth without worrying about the trouble she’s stirring up.
This is the kind of book that makes me miss hanging out with its characters when I’ve finished reading. Though the focus is on Auntie Lee the narrative point of view shifts around between the characters, and there are several developing relationships (including maybe a love interest for Auntie Lee?) that I look forward to catching up on in future books.
September 18, 2021
What attracted me to this book was the category "A Singaporean Mystery". I've read a couple of books set in Asia of which I really know very little and it intrigues me. This book dealt with the illegal selling of body parts which I have heard is more common in Asia. The following sentences were rather chilling "Alive, Zhao Liang had been worth a minimum wage but little more. Semi-alive he had been worth millions of dollars of transplant organs. Now dead, he was worth nothing.." Fortunately, author Ovidia Yu weaves this rather dire tale with her engaging heroine Aunty Lee who owns a restaurant. She is widowed and runs her business with the help of her friend, former stewardess Cherrill who married an Indian lawyer (frowned upon in that society) and her foreign maid, Nina. There is much mention of foods unknown to me, some which sound delicious and some which sound horrifying (squid ink ice cream anyone? although to be fair, this was a Japanese creation). Highly entertaining; don't be put off by the subject matter.
March 24, 2016
Originally published at Reading Reality
For a book that uncovers a very serious topic, Aunty Lee’s Deadly Specials still retains its feel as a cozy mystery. While so much of the trouble revolves around Aunty Lee’s catering business, the case she finds herself in the middle of deals with the very dark side of compensated organ donations and medical tourism.
A lot of the people involved in this case turn out to be really sick, and they didn’t get that way from eating Aunty Lee’s cooking – not that they don’t try to blame the whole thing on her and her catering. Aunty Lee would probably have involved herself anyway – she does that for fun – but attacking her catering business closes out her one method of dealing with loneliness and widowhood – by fixing other people food and fixing other people’s problems.
(Word to the wise – just as in the first book in the series, Aunty Lee's Delights, Aunty Lee cooks a lot, and it all sounds exotic and positively yummy. Even the things that may seem very strange to us, like fried anchovies. Do not read this book when you are hungry – you will find yourself spontaneously raiding your own kitchen, and possibly kitchens for several houses around!)
The story begins with Aunty Lee scouring the newspaper, and having her friend and companion Nina scouring the internet, for news of a suicide victim. A young woman came to Singapore to find her missing fiance, and commits suicide when neither he nor his body can be found. Her young man disappeared after agreeing to come to Singapore to donate a kidney. This type of organ donation for cash is strictly illegal in Singapore, but the young couple needed the money to get married. When he disappears, she is left bereft and pregnant.
While at the beginning Aunty Lee’s nose for trouble seems to be leading her to something unrelated to her own life, as usually happens the case quickly draws closer to home, even though the police and everyone else urge her to drop it – sometimes with threats.
Things start out simple. Aunty Lee caters a party for a family that seem to be movers and shakers in the Singapore upper crust. One of the fun things about Aunty Lee is that while she acts as if she is just a caterer and restaurant owner, she herself is actually a member of that upper crust. And as is often the case, the people who are looking down on her for working are really people that she could buy and sell several times over.
The house party falls apart fairly spectacularly. First a young man gatecrashes the party looking for his missing friend. Then two members of the family are found dead after eating one of Aunty Lee’s more famous dishes, a delight that is notorious for poisoning diners if the dish is not prepared properly. Of course, Aunty Lee always prepares everything properly.
But even as she is cleared of any possible involvement in what now looks like a murder-suicide, the family is still determined to drive her out of business so that she publicly takes the blame for the mess. It seems to Aunty Lee that the family is moving heaven, earth and their powerful social network, in order to suppress any attempt to search for the real killer.
And that’s where Aunty Lee steps in, up to her neck. Her honor is under threat. And she is all too aware that she will be prey to loneliness and depression without her business (and her need to look into everyone else’s business) to keep her occupied.
As they say, curiosity killed the cat. And if Aunty Lee isn’t careful, she might find herself in the same pickle.
Escape Rating B: At the beginning the case, or Aunty Lee’s involvement in it, seems more than a bit shambolic. There are too many suspects, many too many motives, and no clear path to zeroing in on a single one of either. Even Aunty Lee comments to herself, or to the portrait of her late husband that she regularly talks to, that she has all the elements of a case but they aren’t fitting together quite right. This recipe is missing a key ingredient.
Which she doesn’t find for about the first third of the story. At that point, things start making more sense and the pace picks up considerably. We’re still not there yet, but you can feel Aunty Lee closing in on a solution.
Aunty Lee sometimes plays herself for comic relief, pretending to be a confused little old lady when in fact she’s sharp as a tack and surprisingly spry for her age. As well as quite well off. And the police commissioner is an old and dear friend, which always helps when you insert yourself into murder investigations on a regular basis.
But the underlying story in Aunty Lee’s Deadly Specials is not funny at all. The world of compensated organ donation is ugly and brutal. While the results in this particular case are ultimately tragic, as well as deadly for too many people who didn’t even know they were on the fringe of this dirty business, the problems that are exposed are dire and have no good solutions. The needs of people who will do almost anything in hopes of a better life are easily exploited by those who have enough money to circumvent the rules. And because it all operates under the table, it becomes a criminal enterprise where even the innocent are at risk.
That part of the case leaves the reader, and Aunty Lee, with no good answers. Only hard questions.
For a book that uncovers a very serious topic, Aunty Lee’s Deadly Specials still retains its feel as a cozy mystery. While so much of the trouble revolves around Aunty Lee’s catering business, the case she finds herself in the middle of deals with the very dark side of compensated organ donations and medical tourism.
A lot of the people involved in this case turn out to be really sick, and they didn’t get that way from eating Aunty Lee’s cooking – not that they don’t try to blame the whole thing on her and her catering. Aunty Lee would probably have involved herself anyway – she does that for fun – but attacking her catering business closes out her one method of dealing with loneliness and widowhood – by fixing other people food and fixing other people’s problems.
(Word to the wise – just as in the first book in the series, Aunty Lee's Delights, Aunty Lee cooks a lot, and it all sounds exotic and positively yummy. Even the things that may seem very strange to us, like fried anchovies. Do not read this book when you are hungry – you will find yourself spontaneously raiding your own kitchen, and possibly kitchens for several houses around!)
The story begins with Aunty Lee scouring the newspaper, and having her friend and companion Nina scouring the internet, for news of a suicide victim. A young woman came to Singapore to find her missing fiance, and commits suicide when neither he nor his body can be found. Her young man disappeared after agreeing to come to Singapore to donate a kidney. This type of organ donation for cash is strictly illegal in Singapore, but the young couple needed the money to get married. When he disappears, she is left bereft and pregnant.
While at the beginning Aunty Lee’s nose for trouble seems to be leading her to something unrelated to her own life, as usually happens the case quickly draws closer to home, even though the police and everyone else urge her to drop it – sometimes with threats.
Things start out simple. Aunty Lee caters a party for a family that seem to be movers and shakers in the Singapore upper crust. One of the fun things about Aunty Lee is that while she acts as if she is just a caterer and restaurant owner, she herself is actually a member of that upper crust. And as is often the case, the people who are looking down on her for working are really people that she could buy and sell several times over.
The house party falls apart fairly spectacularly. First a young man gatecrashes the party looking for his missing friend. Then two members of the family are found dead after eating one of Aunty Lee’s more famous dishes, a delight that is notorious for poisoning diners if the dish is not prepared properly. Of course, Aunty Lee always prepares everything properly.
But even as she is cleared of any possible involvement in what now looks like a murder-suicide, the family is still determined to drive her out of business so that she publicly takes the blame for the mess. It seems to Aunty Lee that the family is moving heaven, earth and their powerful social network, in order to suppress any attempt to search for the real killer.
And that’s where Aunty Lee steps in, up to her neck. Her honor is under threat. And she is all too aware that she will be prey to loneliness and depression without her business (and her need to look into everyone else’s business) to keep her occupied.
As they say, curiosity killed the cat. And if Aunty Lee isn’t careful, she might find herself in the same pickle.
Escape Rating B: At the beginning the case, or Aunty Lee’s involvement in it, seems more than a bit shambolic. There are too many suspects, many too many motives, and no clear path to zeroing in on a single one of either. Even Aunty Lee comments to herself, or to the portrait of her late husband that she regularly talks to, that she has all the elements of a case but they aren’t fitting together quite right. This recipe is missing a key ingredient.
Which she doesn’t find for about the first third of the story. At that point, things start making more sense and the pace picks up considerably. We’re still not there yet, but you can feel Aunty Lee closing in on a solution.
Aunty Lee sometimes plays herself for comic relief, pretending to be a confused little old lady when in fact she’s sharp as a tack and surprisingly spry for her age. As well as quite well off. And the police commissioner is an old and dear friend, which always helps when you insert yourself into murder investigations on a regular basis.
But the underlying story in Aunty Lee’s Deadly Specials is not funny at all. The world of compensated organ donation is ugly and brutal. While the results in this particular case are ultimately tragic, as well as deadly for too many people who didn’t even know they were on the fringe of this dirty business, the problems that are exposed are dire and have no good solutions. The needs of people who will do almost anything in hopes of a better life are easily exploited by those who have enough money to circumvent the rules. And because it all operates under the table, it becomes a criminal enterprise where even the innocent are at risk.
That part of the case leaves the reader, and Aunty Lee, with no good answers. Only hard questions.
December 30, 2016
So many fiction series start out well then hit a sort of sophomore slump: Ovidia Yu's Aunty Lee mystery series manages not only to avoid this pitfall but to improve (vastly, in my opinion) on her debut. While the food writing and observations regarding Singaporean mores and personalities are as excellent as before, the mystery is much stronger, with a denouement that felt far less contrived than in its predecessor. It's not a perfect book by any means -- it doesn't feel like a seamless read due to several rather odd transitions -- but it was an incredibly satisfying read for a crime novel junkie like myself, who misses her Southeast Asian homeland.
I also felt that Ms Yu was getting more comfortable with her characters, and with saying perhaps unpopular things. Her first book in this series felt much more circumspect in her treatment of homosexuality; Deadly Specials, however, has a liberal tone in addressing the subject. Similarly for her gentle poking at both government and Singaporean rigidity, exemplified by Aunty Lee's casual, "Suitable art is just propaganda" when warned that the portfolio she's about to look at may contain art that's not very "suitable" for a lady of her age and station. But what I really enjoyed were Ms Yu's observations, via a discouraged Aunty Lee, regarding the purpose of life
Why bother cooking chicken curry and catching murderers and exercising to lose weight when at the end of it all you wound up dead and not caring about anything?
(don't worry, she bounces back and tells you) and, even better, her critical examination of class and privilege and religion, extrapolating the issues in the book to hint at how they're a universal problem
"According to [her], the laws necessary to maintain social order are not the same as God's laws. To her, that meant she had a God-given right to save her son by any means that did not upset the social order."
Heady stuff for a cozy mystery, and very promising for future installments. I already have the third book on my wish list!
I also felt that Ms Yu was getting more comfortable with her characters, and with saying perhaps unpopular things. Her first book in this series felt much more circumspect in her treatment of homosexuality; Deadly Specials, however, has a liberal tone in addressing the subject. Similarly for her gentle poking at both government and Singaporean rigidity, exemplified by Aunty Lee's casual, "Suitable art is just propaganda" when warned that the portfolio she's about to look at may contain art that's not very "suitable" for a lady of her age and station. But what I really enjoyed were Ms Yu's observations, via a discouraged Aunty Lee, regarding the purpose of life
Why bother cooking chicken curry and catching murderers and exercising to lose weight when at the end of it all you wound up dead and not caring about anything?
(don't worry, she bounces back and tells you) and, even better, her critical examination of class and privilege and religion, extrapolating the issues in the book to hint at how they're a universal problem
"According to [her], the laws necessary to maintain social order are not the same as God's laws. To her, that meant she had a God-given right to save her son by any means that did not upset the social order."
Heady stuff for a cozy mystery, and very promising for future installments. I already have the third book on my wish list!
November 19, 2017
Aunty Lee, restaurant owner/sleuth, finds another case.
While catering for an obnoxious lady lawyer and her more obnoxious son, the jerks are killed, and one of Aunty Lee's dishes is framed for the deed. Aunty Lee has to get her establishment out from under the cloud of suspicion and find the real killer. This leads her to a Christian prayer group, organ sellers, and a bunch of other illicit activities. For a place that's so law abiding, there sure is a lot of crime going on in Singapore.
Pretty good stuff.
While catering for an obnoxious lady lawyer and her more obnoxious son, the jerks are killed, and one of Aunty Lee's dishes is framed for the deed. Aunty Lee has to get her establishment out from under the cloud of suspicion and find the real killer. This leads her to a Christian prayer group, organ sellers, and a bunch of other illicit activities. For a place that's so law abiding, there sure is a lot of crime going on in Singapore.
Pretty good stuff.
October 6, 2014
Things turn deadly when Aunty Lee is hired to cater a party for a local law firm!
Rosie Lee is known for her tasty Peranakan specialties, which leads to a special request from the Sung Law Firm. Mabel Sung hires Aunty Lee to cook for a party honoring the new promotion of her daughter, Sharon. For the buffet, they have two specific requirements - a nasi lemak spread and Aunty Lee's special chicken buah keluak. The chicken dish is one that has its risks, if prepared incorrectly the nuts used in the dish can be deadly. When both Mabel Sung and her son Leonard are discovered dead, fingers immediately begin pointing at Rosie and the buah keluak. But Rosie knows her food can't be responsible. Never one to stand idly by, Aunty Lee quickly inserts herself into the investigation. This time, though, catching the killer is the only way to clear her own name and save her business!
There is an undeniable charm to Ovidia Yu's series. These characters - Rosie, Nina, Cherrill, Mark, Selina, Salim... are so richly drawn. All of their personality quirks, their signature mannerisms, everything about them comes through.
As with the first installment, Aunty Lee's Delights, the plot is fun and moves along at a rather quick pace. But, as with the first installment, the somewhat choppy prose is still present. Fortunately, it's much less of a distraction this time around. Whether this is a mark of improvement, I honestly can't say - I suspect it's more the investment in the characters at this point that's allowed me to move past some of this. The biggest issue I noticed in this particular outing is the repetition. It is consistent, though, so I believe it's intended. As a style quirk it's easy to look past and doesn't detract from the overall readability.
I'll warn you - these are food based mysteries and I don't know about you guys but there are no Singaporean style restaurants in my area! Yu's description of the meals and dishes prepared by Aunty Lee set my stomach immediately growling. As a tiny bonus she does include some recipes, including the potentially deadly buah keluak! Don't worry, macadamia nuts are an alternative!
It's a nice twist, though, the inclusion of the food. While culinary mysteries aren't rare, it's the overall Singapore setting as well as the cultural details AND the food that elevate this series beyond the normal cozy fare.
Rosie Lee is known for her tasty Peranakan specialties, which leads to a special request from the Sung Law Firm. Mabel Sung hires Aunty Lee to cook for a party honoring the new promotion of her daughter, Sharon. For the buffet, they have two specific requirements - a nasi lemak spread and Aunty Lee's special chicken buah keluak. The chicken dish is one that has its risks, if prepared incorrectly the nuts used in the dish can be deadly. When both Mabel Sung and her son Leonard are discovered dead, fingers immediately begin pointing at Rosie and the buah keluak. But Rosie knows her food can't be responsible. Never one to stand idly by, Aunty Lee quickly inserts herself into the investigation. This time, though, catching the killer is the only way to clear her own name and save her business!
There is an undeniable charm to Ovidia Yu's series. These characters - Rosie, Nina, Cherrill, Mark, Selina, Salim... are so richly drawn. All of their personality quirks, their signature mannerisms, everything about them comes through.
As with the first installment, Aunty Lee's Delights, the plot is fun and moves along at a rather quick pace. But, as with the first installment, the somewhat choppy prose is still present. Fortunately, it's much less of a distraction this time around. Whether this is a mark of improvement, I honestly can't say - I suspect it's more the investment in the characters at this point that's allowed me to move past some of this. The biggest issue I noticed in this particular outing is the repetition. It is consistent, though, so I believe it's intended. As a style quirk it's easy to look past and doesn't detract from the overall readability.
I'll warn you - these are food based mysteries and I don't know about you guys but there are no Singaporean style restaurants in my area! Yu's description of the meals and dishes prepared by Aunty Lee set my stomach immediately growling. As a tiny bonus she does include some recipes, including the potentially deadly buah keluak! Don't worry, macadamia nuts are an alternative!
It's a nice twist, though, the inclusion of the food. While culinary mysteries aren't rare, it's the overall Singapore setting as well as the cultural details AND the food that elevate this series beyond the normal cozy fare.
July 8, 2014
I love cozy mysteries set in foreign lands. I love reading about a different culture and I thought this would be great because it's about Aunty Lee, owner of a Singapore home cooking restaurant. Unfortunately the characters never came alive to me. The story was interesting, the tidbits about life in Singapore were fascinating and the description of the food was mouth watering. It would have a great book if the characters weren't so flat.
Aunty Lee is hired to cater a party for well known lawyer, Mabel Sung. Unfortunately Mabel and her son are found dead and the cause is attributed to her chicken dish with buah kelauk, a local black nut that can be poisonous if not cooked properly. Authorities close her restaurant while they investigate the deaths. Aunty Lee decides to prove it wasn't her food that caused the deaths and sets off to investigate. Along the way she runs into an international organ ring from China that sell organs illegally. How does that tie into the murder?
As I said it's an interesting story but I'd have to care for the characters more to get involved with the series. I was disappointed. I wanted it to be better.
Aunty Lee is hired to cater a party for well known lawyer, Mabel Sung. Unfortunately Mabel and her son are found dead and the cause is attributed to her chicken dish with buah kelauk, a local black nut that can be poisonous if not cooked properly. Authorities close her restaurant while they investigate the deaths. Aunty Lee decides to prove it wasn't her food that caused the deaths and sets off to investigate. Along the way she runs into an international organ ring from China that sell organs illegally. How does that tie into the murder?
As I said it's an interesting story but I'd have to care for the characters more to get involved with the series. I was disappointed. I wanted it to be better.
June 17, 2015
I absolutely loved this book! When Aunty Lee caters a partly for some local socialites, the Sungs, 2 people end up dead. The blame is put on Aunty Lee who served a dish with a nut, which if not cooked properly, can be poison. Aunty Lee must solve the case to prove herself innocent.
June 8, 2022
Aunty Lee believed she was a great cook, in life as well as in the kitchen. When a dish came out wrong you knew that there was something wrong either with the ingredients or with the way they had been put together. In life, it was people and their personalities who were her ingredients.
January 16, 2025
I love the characters, the story and the writing.
October 29, 2014
Book Review & Giveaway: Award-winning author Ovidia Yu has been entertaining Singaporean readers with her delightful Aunty Lee mystery novels and now it’s our turn in the U.S. We were fortunate to review Book #1 in the series, Aunty Lee’s Delights, when it was finally published in the U.S. last year and are delighted to be reviewing Book #2, Aunty Lee’s Deadly Specials. Even better, the publisher has provided us with a copy for our giveaway at http://popcornreads.com/?p=7838. Whoot! Don’t worry if you haven’t read Book #1 because Book #2 will read just fine as a stand-alone novel, although I warn you that you will get hooked on the ever feisty and lovable Aunty Lee.
So, who is most likely to love Aunty Lee’s amateur sleuthing adventures? I’d say if you like Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple or Alexander McCall Smith’s Precious Ramotswe then you’re going to love Aunty Lee. The same is true if you like cross-cultural novels, mysteries with a food theme, and/or cozy whodunits.
So, who is most likely to love Aunty Lee’s amateur sleuthing adventures? I’d say if you like Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple or Alexander McCall Smith’s Precious Ramotswe then you’re going to love Aunty Lee. The same is true if you like cross-cultural novels, mysteries with a food theme, and/or cozy whodunits.
January 20, 2015
I just love Aunty Lee! Enjoy the Singapore setting and really must look at getting back there for a visit. Error in birth order of Tim and Pat but this didn't detract from the overall enjoyment. Good mystery and great supporting characters.
November 6, 2015
Fun and different setting! I kept having to Google the food, though. A glossary would bewelcome.
July 26, 2015
I found this book to be a fun read, and a moderate improvement over the first in the series. They mystery itself, while uncomplicated, allows Ovidia Yu to touch on a host of social issues in Singapore, and it is that aspect which nudges the book, in my mind, up to a 4 from a 3.
The good: Yu does a great job of bringing parts of Singapore alive against he backdrop of a mystery. This book touches on race relations, class issues, and the roles and constraints of many people on the fringes of Singaporean society, including domestic helpers, members of the LGBT community, and illicit businesspeople from other countries. At the center of this, Yu places food at the center of the book, and although the cuisine will be unfamiliar to Western readers, she does a solid job of giving just enough explanation of the cuisine to make it interesting.
The not-so-great: This book suffers from being set in a different culture that requires a LOT of explanation. Yu front-loads a lot of this explanation and then settles into a comfortable pace about a quarter-way through the book. In this sense, the pacing of the cultural explanations is an improvement over the first book, but can still feel heavy-handed in the first section. As the series progresses (and there is a third book on the way) the amount of cultural explanation may level off as readers become familiar with the characters here.
And of the characters, there were a lot of people within Aunty Lee's social circle to keep track of, which shifted the focus of the book from the whodunit to the relations among the characters. Some readers will enjoy this, but I tend to be a mystery-first reader. As such, I found some of the interpersonal relations distracting, and could have enjoyed the book much better if it focused on one or two social themes than touching on the wealth divide, LGBT issues, race relations, grieving after the loss of loved ones, the constraints of a rules-based society, perceptions of Singaporeans of the Chinese, and several others. Readers who like a variety of social themes adding layers to a book will doubtless feel differently from me, however.
The verdict: This book will appeal to the curious non-Singaporean who wants to take a peek at some of the aspects of a familiar-yet-distant society. For the traveler stopping through Singapore, this is a good way of taking a peak into parts of society that are not visible to the traveling Westerner. As far as non-Western mysteries go, this one fares far better than many other entries, and given the scarcity of mysteries set in Singapore, this book has few competitors. I would recommend this book to the traveling reader, and I look forward to the next book in the series.
The good: Yu does a great job of bringing parts of Singapore alive against he backdrop of a mystery. This book touches on race relations, class issues, and the roles and constraints of many people on the fringes of Singaporean society, including domestic helpers, members of the LGBT community, and illicit businesspeople from other countries. At the center of this, Yu places food at the center of the book, and although the cuisine will be unfamiliar to Western readers, she does a solid job of giving just enough explanation of the cuisine to make it interesting.
The not-so-great: This book suffers from being set in a different culture that requires a LOT of explanation. Yu front-loads a lot of this explanation and then settles into a comfortable pace about a quarter-way through the book. In this sense, the pacing of the cultural explanations is an improvement over the first book, but can still feel heavy-handed in the first section. As the series progresses (and there is a third book on the way) the amount of cultural explanation may level off as readers become familiar with the characters here.
And of the characters, there were a lot of people within Aunty Lee's social circle to keep track of, which shifted the focus of the book from the whodunit to the relations among the characters. Some readers will enjoy this, but I tend to be a mystery-first reader. As such, I found some of the interpersonal relations distracting, and could have enjoyed the book much better if it focused on one or two social themes than touching on the wealth divide, LGBT issues, race relations, grieving after the loss of loved ones, the constraints of a rules-based society, perceptions of Singaporeans of the Chinese, and several others. Readers who like a variety of social themes adding layers to a book will doubtless feel differently from me, however.
The verdict: This book will appeal to the curious non-Singaporean who wants to take a peek at some of the aspects of a familiar-yet-distant society. For the traveler stopping through Singapore, this is a good way of taking a peak into parts of society that are not visible to the traveling Westerner. As far as non-Western mysteries go, this one fares far better than many other entries, and given the scarcity of mysteries set in Singapore, this book has few competitors. I would recommend this book to the traveling reader, and I look forward to the next book in the series.
December 30, 2015
Review Excerpt:
Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials moves along at a rapid pace--much like the way Aunty Lee's mind works. This made the close to 400 pages fly by and I liked that this second book was longer and gave more detail to the crimes and their solving than the first book did. It is a bit predictable (cozy mysteries often are), and there were some points where I wanted to push Aunty Lee and the police to just figure it out already--but overall the story kept me engaged. Part of the draw of this series for me (beyond the food) is the look into Singaporean culture and life. Having made several trips there, I recognize some of the characteristics of the people, the food, and even some of the places mentioned which is fun. Author Yu paints a picture of the country with her words and has a sly humor that is reflected in her characters, so even if you have not been there, I think you will feel like you have when you enter Aunty Lee's world. Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials is a quick and fun read that you will enjoy if you are a fan of cozy mysteries, foodie fiction/foodie mysteries, female sleuths, and stories with a strong cultural influence. If you are new to Aunty Lee, start with Aunty Lee's Delights--it will introduce you to the characters and set the story up for this second book. I look forward to the next book with more from Aunty Lee and her friends.
To see my full review and a recipe for 'Cherril's Ginger Lemongrass Doctail'--inspired by (and from) the book, check out my blog post here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Note: A review copy of "Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials" was provided by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials moves along at a rapid pace--much like the way Aunty Lee's mind works. This made the close to 400 pages fly by and I liked that this second book was longer and gave more detail to the crimes and their solving than the first book did. It is a bit predictable (cozy mysteries often are), and there were some points where I wanted to push Aunty Lee and the police to just figure it out already--but overall the story kept me engaged. Part of the draw of this series for me (beyond the food) is the look into Singaporean culture and life. Having made several trips there, I recognize some of the characteristics of the people, the food, and even some of the places mentioned which is fun. Author Yu paints a picture of the country with her words and has a sly humor that is reflected in her characters, so even if you have not been there, I think you will feel like you have when you enter Aunty Lee's world. Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials is a quick and fun read that you will enjoy if you are a fan of cozy mysteries, foodie fiction/foodie mysteries, female sleuths, and stories with a strong cultural influence. If you are new to Aunty Lee, start with Aunty Lee's Delights--it will introduce you to the characters and set the story up for this second book. I look forward to the next book with more from Aunty Lee and her friends.
To see my full review and a recipe for 'Cherril's Ginger Lemongrass Doctail'--inspired by (and from) the book, check out my blog post here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
Note: A review copy of "Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials" was provided by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 20, 2014
Read 10/17-1/19 2014 GoodReads/ First Reads win 5 stars Cosy Mystery, food, a bit of humor
I received this book from GoodReads/First Reads and HarperCollins Publishers. I thank them in advance for their generosity. However, I was not compensated otherwise and my opinions are my own. Now you know, and knowing's half the battle ;)
This is a story very reminisent of a South Indian food based series. However, this book is so much better! Food and a mystery, what could be better
Aunty Rosie Lee has had a great deal if sucess launching her restaurant and food line of traditional Singaporean foods packaged for the next generation. A widow, she is also mourning the loss of her beloved husband ML from a sudden heart attack. The restaurant and catering business have helped her heal as well as keeping traditions alive, even if the next generation doesn't care for them ( she rightfully realizes that its not the food, but the time involved that's the problem)
At a catered event, the hostess and her son die, and everyone makes assumptions that it was the food, especially a traditional dish called buhah keluak, containing a black nut that can kill you if not properly fixed. Aunty Lee is sure its not her food, and that it may be connected to other goings on in Singapore.
Having a background in cooking myself, this type of mystery is one of my favorites. Having some knowledge of traditions and knowing some language makes me feel smack in the middle and I get the asides, I get the double entendre, and I enjoyed it more than I expected to. I will be looking for the first in the series, and will read anything else she writes.
I received this book from GoodReads/First Reads and HarperCollins Publishers. I thank them in advance for their generosity. However, I was not compensated otherwise and my opinions are my own. Now you know, and knowing's half the battle ;)
This is a story very reminisent of a South Indian food based series. However, this book is so much better! Food and a mystery, what could be better
Aunty Rosie Lee has had a great deal if sucess launching her restaurant and food line of traditional Singaporean foods packaged for the next generation. A widow, she is also mourning the loss of her beloved husband ML from a sudden heart attack. The restaurant and catering business have helped her heal as well as keeping traditions alive, even if the next generation doesn't care for them ( she rightfully realizes that its not the food, but the time involved that's the problem)
At a catered event, the hostess and her son die, and everyone makes assumptions that it was the food, especially a traditional dish called buhah keluak, containing a black nut that can kill you if not properly fixed. Aunty Lee is sure its not her food, and that it may be connected to other goings on in Singapore.
Having a background in cooking myself, this type of mystery is one of my favorites. Having some knowledge of traditions and knowing some language makes me feel smack in the middle and I get the asides, I get the double entendre, and I enjoyed it more than I expected to. I will be looking for the first in the series, and will read anything else she writes.
July 2, 2017
Singaporean author Ovidia Yu has published many mysteries, but her "Aunty Lee" series are her only books published in the US. (She also has a play in print). I read - and enjoyed - her first in the series, "Aunty Lee's Delights: A Singaporean Mystery" when it was published here last year.
Yu's mysteries are sort of half-way between "cozies" and "hard-boiled", maybe trending a bit back towards "cozy". Yes, people die but they tend to do so by poison or an unspecified means. That's a bit of a relief for those readers looking for an entertaining look at a place they may never travel to. "Aunty Lee" is a wealthy widow who is renowned for her cooking. Even though Yu doesn't give recipes, the dishes "Aunty" and her partners make in their catering business and eat-in store are mouthwatering. In "Deadly Specials", Aunty is asked to cater a luncheon for the owner of a law firm in Singapore who is celebrating the turning over of the firm to her daughter. Two people die - possibly from poisoned foods - and Aunty is forced to close her business until the murders can be solved. But, some other people are missing and presumed dead and the idea of "body parts" floating around, just waiting to be affixed to ailing bodies are also part of the story. The actual mystery is sort of second rate, but what's enjoyable about the book is the look at Singaporean society and how the city fits in with other Asian societies. The reader learns a lot more about the setting and the characters than "who done what to whom".
Ovidia Yu's mysteries - and I hope there are more coming in the series - are light, fun reads. You'll definitely be hungry after you finish.
Yu's mysteries are sort of half-way between "cozies" and "hard-boiled", maybe trending a bit back towards "cozy". Yes, people die but they tend to do so by poison or an unspecified means. That's a bit of a relief for those readers looking for an entertaining look at a place they may never travel to. "Aunty Lee" is a wealthy widow who is renowned for her cooking. Even though Yu doesn't give recipes, the dishes "Aunty" and her partners make in their catering business and eat-in store are mouthwatering. In "Deadly Specials", Aunty is asked to cater a luncheon for the owner of a law firm in Singapore who is celebrating the turning over of the firm to her daughter. Two people die - possibly from poisoned foods - and Aunty is forced to close her business until the murders can be solved. But, some other people are missing and presumed dead and the idea of "body parts" floating around, just waiting to be affixed to ailing bodies are also part of the story. The actual mystery is sort of second rate, but what's enjoyable about the book is the look at Singaporean society and how the city fits in with other Asian societies. The reader learns a lot more about the setting and the characters than "who done what to whom".
Ovidia Yu's mysteries - and I hope there are more coming in the series - are light, fun reads. You'll definitely be hungry after you finish.
July 8, 2014
I'd read Ovidia Yu's first Aunty Lee mystery and immediately fell in love with the cast of characters in her Singaporean mystery series.
We have Aunty Lee, a wealthy Tai Tai, widow and second wife of a wealthy Chinese merchant. Her stepson and daughter-in-law are annoyingly mercenary and quite crass with their requests for money and advances on their inheritance. Aunty Lee's patience and kindness towards them make her a sympathetic character. But Aunty Lee's generosity come through in other ways - the way that she treats her Filipina assistant, Nina, and the people that come to her restaurant. In many ways, Aunty Lee reminds me of Agatha Christie's Miss Jane Marple - she understands what makes people tick, she's always willing to help out, she's recognized by all as a bit of a busybody.
The Aunty Lee series also makes good use of Singapore as a location - for those of us who haven't visited Singapore in years, it's fun to read about the food, the culture, and the location.
While Ovidia Yu's murder mysteries aren't as complex as Agatha Christie's, Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials is a fun read and a satisfying second novel in the series. I'm looking forward to the next installment of the Aunty Lee books.
We have Aunty Lee, a wealthy Tai Tai, widow and second wife of a wealthy Chinese merchant. Her stepson and daughter-in-law are annoyingly mercenary and quite crass with their requests for money and advances on their inheritance. Aunty Lee's patience and kindness towards them make her a sympathetic character. But Aunty Lee's generosity come through in other ways - the way that she treats her Filipina assistant, Nina, and the people that come to her restaurant. In many ways, Aunty Lee reminds me of Agatha Christie's Miss Jane Marple - she understands what makes people tick, she's always willing to help out, she's recognized by all as a bit of a busybody.
The Aunty Lee series also makes good use of Singapore as a location - for those of us who haven't visited Singapore in years, it's fun to read about the food, the culture, and the location.
While Ovidia Yu's murder mysteries aren't as complex as Agatha Christie's, Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials is a fun read and a satisfying second novel in the series. I'm looking forward to the next installment of the Aunty Lee books.
July 7, 2014
In this book Aunty Lee is catering a fancy party at the Sung's house as their daughter has made partner in her mother's law firm. Early in this book there is a double murder or could it be a murder/suicide? The only problem is everyone keeps trying to point the finger at Aunty Lee's food. They even go so far as to try to shut her down.
This book had so much going on like a victim early on who traveled to Singapore to donate an organ so he could get the money to marry his girlfriend only to find he disappeared in Singapore and his girlfriend is distraught over her missing boyfriend and commits suicide to be with her boyfriend.
Then adding the Sung situation which involves a healing prayer group praying for Mrs. Sungs sick son. Regardless of the fact that the son has led a questionable life. Rumors float around as to what caused him to come home what type of illness he really has.
This was such an intriguing book full of questions more than answers. You go through the book wondering who really did it. I was up late yesterday finishing this great story I couldn't put down!
This book had so much going on like a victim early on who traveled to Singapore to donate an organ so he could get the money to marry his girlfriend only to find he disappeared in Singapore and his girlfriend is distraught over her missing boyfriend and commits suicide to be with her boyfriend.
Then adding the Sung situation which involves a healing prayer group praying for Mrs. Sungs sick son. Regardless of the fact that the son has led a questionable life. Rumors float around as to what caused him to come home what type of illness he really has.
This was such an intriguing book full of questions more than answers. You go through the book wondering who really did it. I was up late yesterday finishing this great story I couldn't put down!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2014
Cover provided to media for use
“Aunty Lee’s Deadly Specials” is the second book in the Singapore Mystery series by Ovidia Yu.
I loved her first book, "Aunty Lee's Delights,"and put it on my list of the top book for book clubs in 2014. It explored another culture with fascinating characters, food and culture.
The second book, “Aunty Lee’s Deadly Specials,” contains the same ingredients as the first, but this book explores the darker side of organ donation. Ovidia Yu skillfully weaves a serious issue in a cozy culinary mystery.
As the story begins, the papers are discussing the suicide of a young woman whose fiancé has disappeared. He came to Singapore to sell a kidney to have enough money to start their life together.
While Auntie Lee is always fascinated by stories like these, she is busy getting ready to cater a brunch for the Sung family in honor of their daughter, Sharon Sung, being named a partner in her mother’s law firm.
To see the rest of the review see: http://www.examiner.com/article/read-...
“Aunty Lee’s Deadly Specials” is the second book in the Singapore Mystery series by Ovidia Yu.
I loved her first book, "Aunty Lee's Delights,"and put it on my list of the top book for book clubs in 2014. It explored another culture with fascinating characters, food and culture.
The second book, “Aunty Lee’s Deadly Specials,” contains the same ingredients as the first, but this book explores the darker side of organ donation. Ovidia Yu skillfully weaves a serious issue in a cozy culinary mystery.
As the story begins, the papers are discussing the suicide of a young woman whose fiancé has disappeared. He came to Singapore to sell a kidney to have enough money to start their life together.
While Auntie Lee is always fascinated by stories like these, she is busy getting ready to cater a brunch for the Sung family in honor of their daughter, Sharon Sung, being named a partner in her mother’s law firm.
To see the rest of the review see: http://www.examiner.com/article/read-...
May 13, 2015
This is the sequel to Aunty Lee's Delights and it's a delight indeed. Rosey "Aunty" Lee is quite a
character. She loves gossip, and is observant, nosy, smart, and loves a mystery. She has a keen sense of
when something is not right and that usually gets her in trouble. In this book she is hired to cater an
afternoon buffet to celebrate Mabel Sung's new partner in her prestigious Singapore law firm. Her daughter Sharon.
Rosey is asked by Mabel to make her famous chicken stew which is made from a nut that is poisonous. The recipe is
very complicated since part of the nut is not dangerous to eat. Everyone at the party eats this stew with no problems, but Mabel and her son Leonard turn up dead. Sharon, Mabel's husband Dr. Henry Sung, and their son's doctor Edmond
Yong starting in blaming Rosie and she is forced to close down her restaurant. I love Rosie! She is a called a foolish
old lady, but she's smarter than the Sung's and most of the police department!
A really fun mystery.
character. She loves gossip, and is observant, nosy, smart, and loves a mystery. She has a keen sense of
when something is not right and that usually gets her in trouble. In this book she is hired to cater an
afternoon buffet to celebrate Mabel Sung's new partner in her prestigious Singapore law firm. Her daughter Sharon.
Rosey is asked by Mabel to make her famous chicken stew which is made from a nut that is poisonous. The recipe is
very complicated since part of the nut is not dangerous to eat. Everyone at the party eats this stew with no problems, but Mabel and her son Leonard turn up dead. Sharon, Mabel's husband Dr. Henry Sung, and their son's doctor Edmond
Yong starting in blaming Rosie and she is forced to close down her restaurant. I love Rosie! She is a called a foolish
old lady, but she's smarter than the Sung's and most of the police department!
A really fun mystery.
June 30, 2017
This the author’s second book in the series on kiasu, kaypoh Aunty Lee helping to solve crimes in Singapore. Her first book is Aunty Lee’s Delights. The main characters in the first book continue in this second fictional story. Familiarity got me into the second book very quickly.
Ovidia Yu changed her writing style from the first book. The sentences are short and to the point. It is easy to follow and quick to grasp.
Aunty Lee uses her famous Peranakan food to get her around to talk to people and get to the bottom of sudden deaths of two people during a house party. Who can refuse good food and an elderly owner of her restaurant, Aunty Lee’s Delights? Readers are introduced to the various delightful Peranakan food. These are cleverly weaved into the story.
Read this novel to the end to uncover the real culprit(s) and the motive(s) for the deaths.
kiasu - fear of losing out
kaypoh - a busybody, meddling
Ovidia Yu changed her writing style from the first book. The sentences are short and to the point. It is easy to follow and quick to grasp.
Aunty Lee uses her famous Peranakan food to get her around to talk to people and get to the bottom of sudden deaths of two people during a house party. Who can refuse good food and an elderly owner of her restaurant, Aunty Lee’s Delights? Readers are introduced to the various delightful Peranakan food. These are cleverly weaved into the story.
Read this novel to the end to uncover the real culprit(s) and the motive(s) for the deaths.
kiasu - fear of losing out
kaypoh - a busybody, meddling
July 11, 2014
Ovidia Yu has written another winning mystery set in Singapore! I read "Aunty Lee's Delights" last summer and loved it. Now with "Aunty Lee's Deadly Specials", Yu has brought back such lovable characters as Aunty Lee, of course, but also Cherrill Lim-Peters, Mycroft Peters, Nina, Salim, and Raja. Even Mark and Selina were welcome sights. This story centers around a mother-son poisoning at a posh party. Aunty Lee was the caterer and is blamed for their deaths. Her catering company is closed down even though the police--Salim and Raja--know the poison didn't come from Aunty Lee. The story is fast-paced and thrilling down to the very last page. I hope Ovidia Yu will have another Aunty Lee novel next summer!
September 5, 2017
While this is the second book in the series, it's the first one I read, and I loved it!
I think it would have been easier to figure out the relationships of the ongoing characters if I'd read the first one before this, but they were clear enough that I was not left confused.
The plot is nicely complex, with various possible motives for the murders depending on who committed them. So many secrets! Some of them fairly harmless, and some very much not.
Singapore itself is not just a setting, but a character. Yu is a native, and she brings the city to fascinating life, in many different ways- including descriptions of the amazing food. It's said that Singapore is one of the great food cities of the world, and I can believe it!
I think it would have been easier to figure out the relationships of the ongoing characters if I'd read the first one before this, but they were clear enough that I was not left confused.
The plot is nicely complex, with various possible motives for the murders depending on who committed them. So many secrets! Some of them fairly harmless, and some very much not.
Singapore itself is not just a setting, but a character. Yu is a native, and she brings the city to fascinating life, in many different ways- including descriptions of the amazing food. It's said that Singapore is one of the great food cities of the world, and I can believe it!
December 25, 2018
Yes, this took me a while to finish, but this series just keeps getting better! I love Aunty Lee and how she approaches life & food -- and murders. She's surrounded by a cast of characters who each not only bring something unique to Aunty's life, but also care about her.
In this story, Aunty Rosie Lee is catering an event for a high-powered attorney at her home. She's serving a complicated dish, which seems to be the culprit in a poisoning, where the attorney and her not-so-good son die. Aunty's business is shut down, but she's adamant: her food was tampered with. To prove her innocence, she sets out to find out how the attorney and her son actually died, and comes across a terribly illegal medical scheme...
Definitely recommend this one -- as well as the first book!
In this story, Aunty Rosie Lee is catering an event for a high-powered attorney at her home. She's serving a complicated dish, which seems to be the culprit in a poisoning, where the attorney and her not-so-good son die. Aunty's business is shut down, but she's adamant: her food was tampered with. To prove her innocence, she sets out to find out how the attorney and her son actually died, and comes across a terribly illegal medical scheme...
Definitely recommend this one -- as well as the first book!
May 26, 2017
Oh how I loved this book! I loved Aunty Lee and her nothing barred attitude! Nothing is going to stop her from finding out who’s going around murdering people, even if nobody wants her help.
The book is full of a mix of diverse characters, and together they make this book a joy to read. The writing has a good flow that makes it easy to read, and I was surprised by how quickly I was at the end of this fun book.
This is book two in the Aunty Lee series, and now I want to read book one. This is now one of my favorite cozy series, and I hope if you’re reading this review, you’ll pick up a copy of this book and the first book, Aunty Lee’s Delights.
The book is full of a mix of diverse characters, and together they make this book a joy to read. The writing has a good flow that makes it easy to read, and I was surprised by how quickly I was at the end of this fun book.
This is book two in the Aunty Lee series, and now I want to read book one. This is now one of my favorite cozy series, and I hope if you’re reading this review, you’ll pick up a copy of this book and the first book, Aunty Lee’s Delights.
January 30, 2015
Aunty Lee is a caution. If cooking was involved, she would be ruling the world. Well, she may get there anyway. She is a woman ruled by curiosity, and clever in the way of finding out what she wants to know. This second book in the series is even better than the first. Aunty Lee has a restaurant in Singapore, and caters an event in which 2 people are found poisoned. All eyes on Aunty Lee's food and she's having none of that. The right word in the right ear, lots of pretending to be a harmless, silly old lady, masterful nosiness and lots of fascinating food (and I have no idea what any of it is, but it sure sounded good), and the bad guys never have a chance. Lots of fun.
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