Aunty Lee's Chilled Revenge

It's very funny to me how aunty Aunty Lee is. She has outdated traditional views, offers unsolicited advice, but also remembers a time when she was the young nonconformist pushing back against the norms. To me, her character is so insistently normal, which makes her a much better and entertaining fictional detective. After all, calling someone perceptive and dogged is sometimes just a nicer way of saying they're kaypoh 雞婆.

This was another classic in the Aunty Lee series, with dashes of Singapore life and mores affecting the mystery and how everyone interacts with each other. I particularly enjoyed the multiculturalism portrayed in the book, as well as the social issues and history of Singapore being acknowledged and addressed. The show more mystery itself is not very taxing on the reader, and the story almost unfolds at quite a leisurely pace.

Unfortunately, I only have one more Aunty Lee left. Yu does have other mystery series and while I'm sure her writing remains as clear and understated, I fear that my kaypoh-ness will not get its fill without Aunty Lee. Publishers, hear my plea please! show less

Aunty Lee is somewhat laid up with a twisted ankle, but that doesn’t stop her from nosing around after the death of a much-hated British expat, known in Singapore as the “puppy killer.” Something is definitely amiss, and another death spurs Aunty Lee to ferret out the truth. Though filled with the flavor of Singapore, this book at times drags and seems to lack focus. The solution to some of the mystery is pretty obvious early in the tale. Still, if you like mysteries set in foreign places, this series may appeal to you.

Aunty Lee's Chilled Revenge is a wonderful mystery set in Singapore starring the charming Aunty Lee who has a cafe and a nose for everyone's business. As an American, I loved that this book took me to a foreign land and gave me such a smart sweet heroine. The food of Singapore that the cafe provides is just as much a part of the story as the mystery which does involve murder. I was thinking as I read that Aunty Lee is like a Miss Marple for Singapore. In any case, I am quite happy with this book and will be off trying to find the rest of the series!

Aunty Lee's Chilled Revenge is the third book in the Singaporean mystery series. Keep in mind, while reading this review, that I haven't read the first two in the series. I'm also not generally a big reader of cozy mysteries, so this was a bit outside the box for me. That being said, I actually enjoyed this very much! Rest assured that this is an excellent standalone novel.

Aunty Lee is one of those characters who is instantly likable. She's that incorrigible family member that everyone loves, but also has a tendency to be a bit nosy. Which, of course, makes her the perfect character for a story like this. I loved Aunty Lee, and her amateur sleuthing. She was definitely my favorite part of this story. Even though this was the third book show more in the series, I didn't feel like I missed out on one bit of her personality, which was great.

I can't say the same for the other main characters though. This isn't the book's fault, obviously. Coming in after the initial book is always a gamble. However, that was one of the things that made me a bit wobbly with my foothold in this story. Aunty Lee is an extremely clever, and well drawn out character. So it was just a tiny bit frustrating not to feel that same way about all the characters she interacted with, especially since they were so close to her. The good news is that it makes me want to read the first two!

As for the story itself, it was a perfectly paced mystery. It kept my attention extremely well, throwing out little bread crumbs here and there to keep me following the same path as Aunty Lee. I got a good feel for the way she does things which, well, let's just say that it isn't always exactly orthodox. It was interesting to watch her interact with people, and see the little pieces of her culture thrown in with the standard sleuthing practices.

Overall, this was a pretty solid read! I can attest that this is fine as a standalone, although you'll probably end up like I did and want to go back and catch up on the first two. I enjoyed Ovidia Yu's writing, and I would absolutely come back for more. show less

This is my third adventure in Singapore with Aunty Lee, a motherly sleuth who runs her own cafe and reasons through clues with a sort of food inspired philosophy. As was the case with the first two books, I enjoyed the story and characters of this one so much I was sad to have the book end. Since the books are set in Singapore they have an international multicultural cast, including characters who are Chinese, Indian, Malay, Eurasian, Filipino, European and American, which makes the stories a lot more interesting than your run of the mill cozy. There are always plenty of woven-into-the-plot tidbits about life in Singapore, including its laws, culture, family dynamics, and, of course, food, which also makes these mysteries stand out.

The show more books are told from multiple points of view, with transitions handled smoothly. Auntie Lee, a wealthy widow, makes a wonderful main character. She’s highly observant, loves cooking for and being around people, is curious to the point of nosiness, and is determined to be of service, even when her “services” aren’t exactly appreciated. This episode involves animal rights activists and--of course--murder, and though Aunty Lee’s investigations should be hampered because having twisted her ankle she’s limping, Aunty Lee knows how to work with what she has and the injury really doesn’t slow her down much at all.

I read a complimentary advanced review copy of this book, supplied to me by the publisher through the website LibraryThing. Review opinions are mine. show less

Fiction/cozy mystery - 3rd in series, but works well as a standalone or introduction to the lovably feisty old auntie and restauranteur Rosie Lee. The story is brimming with personality and the humid atmosphere that is Singapore.

Loved this one, enough twisty surprises to keep you guessing a little bit.

Just as good as the first two in the series!

Yu's characters remain vividly drawn, even fairly minor ones- to the point where I hope to see them in future episodes. The plot was very complex and intricate.

The sense of place, though, is probably the strongest component. Yu brings Singapore alive in my imagination, even though I've never been there or anyplace similar. While the descriptions of foods are enticing and make me see why Singapore is reputedly one of the world's top food destinations, her descriptions of the city itself, and life therein, are also wonderful.

My only quibble: there are a LOT of people to keep track of, and a list of who they are and how they're related at the beginning or end would be handy!

Very recommended! You show more could probably start here, but keeping everyone straight would be harder than if you start with #1. show less