“Vera Wong Zhuzhu, age sixty, is a pig, but she really should have been born a rooster. We are, of course, referring to Chinese horoscopes. Vera Wong is a human woman, thank you very much, but roosters have nothing on her.”

This opening line introduces the theme of Culture and Intergenerational Relationships. These opening lines introduce the novel’s humorous tone. This humor will be used to balance out the gravitas of murder to achieve the light-hearted tone that cozy mysteries are usually known for.

“‘Oh, wonderfully, just wonderfully. He is truly favored by the gods. He’s been in such good spirits these days; he says that things are going swimmingly with his business.’ ‘Ah yes, of course.’ Vera nods sagely as she sips her tea. ‘Well, there is no chance of him not succeeding with you and Lily as his parents.’ She’s not flattering Alex; like many Chinese elders, Vera truly believes that the bulk of anyone’s success is thanks to their parents’ hard work and sacrifice.”

This quote reinforces the theme of Culture and Intergenerational Relationships by introducing filial piety. In an ironic twist, it is later revealed that Alex is Marshall and Oliver’s father and has misjudged both sons due to Marshall’s deception. In this sense, he has failed as a father—though Oliver has turned out to be a son any parent would be proud of.

“‘Ma’am, can you step outside for a moment? I need to take your statement.’

‘Oh, no, thank you,’ Vera says quickly. ‘I need to stay and make sure your friends don’t miss anything.’ ‘What the—?’ the first officer mutters. ‘Hey, ma’am, who drew the outline around the deceased?’

‘Ah.’ Vera swells with pride. They have noticed just how helpful and resourceful Vera is. ‘I do it. I save you some work.’”

This quote highlights Vera’s loneliness and her tendency to overstep boundaries to feel seen and needed. She also suspects that the police might not investigate properly, with her theft of a flash drive creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.