Oodles of Noodles and, Yes, a Caboodle

One of the good things about this quarantine is getting lots of time to read.  And as you know, there are few things I find more comforting than a good old-fashioned murder mystery.  The cozier the better.  And when it comes to gimmicks?  Bring 'em on!  That's why I was so happy to stumble upon Vivien Chien's noodle shop series when browsing books on Target.com.  In them, Cleveland-based heroine Lana Lee is fueled by a main course of managing her family's Chinese restaurant with a tasty side order of sleuthing.  The other characters almost always call her by her full name, which makes her sound like a superhero and/or Dave Kim from The Goldbergs.  Before you ask, yes, she's dating a detective, and, yes, she's smarter than he is.  Oh, and also, her family drives her nuts.  But whether she's dyeing her hair a new crazy color or scarfing down her beloved doughnuts, Lana doesn't let them -- or Detective Trudeau -- get her down.  I don't even like Chinese food, but I've gobbled up three of these books so far, and they've been chockful of chow fun.  Here are some of my favorite parts, most of which don't involve murder:

Death by Dumpling

"Jasmine's great.  She gets me.  And she gets my hair.  Hair's important to me.  It's a statement.  Hair and shoes.  If you have those two things going on, you're pretty much solid." (68)

"As I stepped inside, I stopped and took a deep breath, closing my eyes and taking in the intoxicating smell that is the Modern Scroll.  This was my favorite store of all.  It was a small slice of heaven, and I came in any chance I got just to be around the books.  Books were my solace, my escape." (97)

Egg Drop Dead

"Saturday evening should be spent either doing something incredibly fun, or doing something very relaxing.  It should not be spent talking about murder suspects with your significant other while you binge-eat cheesy popcorn and doughnut holes." (199)

Murder Lo Mein

"The bathroom was immaculate and might have been nicer than my apartment.  At times, I wished there was such a job as restroom connoisseur.  I would have a blast rating all the bathrooms in the city . . . and there were quite a few that would make it on the . . . well, you know what list I'm talking about." (192)

"He was the professional, and I was just a gal with an overactive imagination and a ratty notebook." (238)

Most of these are about the kind of human interest minutiae and humor that I find so delightful.  Except for the last one.  That's about Lana Lee questioning her whodunit prowess thanks to Trudeau, who, under the circumstances, I feel compelled to call a private dick.  Thankfully, Lana rises above this nonsense, proving herself to be more than, as Gwen Stefani put it, "just a girl."

But enough heaviness.  Chien's books, along with Jewel Divas Style and Pinterest, made me want to take this picture of elbow macaroni in a Caboodle:  

Elbows may not be lo mein, but they're what I had on hand (see above about me not eating Chinese food), and I figured that one weirdly staged carb is as amusing as another.  Just think of the pompoms as meatballs.  Also, that's my elbow in the mirror, so happy pic pun accident.  Anyway, Jewel Divas is a blogger who loves -- and writes -- about Caboodles more than anyone ever.  And Pinterest has provided me with many a Caboodle pic to add to my Righteously Retro '80s and '90s Childhood board.  Pinterest is also where I learned about Violet Tinder Studios, which photographs everyday objects in unexpected and glamorous ways.  My pic in no way reflects the sophistication of that outfit's output.  But Violet's spirit still shines through my effort, and so I must give credit where credit is due. 

So, that's lo mein (sort of) and Lana Lee.  She's a Nancy Drew disciple (she said it, not me) who rocks takeout and taking out bad guys. 

And who sure knows how to use her noodle.