I really liked this book even though it's kind of a hybrid mystery - women's fiction? I think it's best compared to Mary Kay Andrews recent novels. Quirky characters, a loose mystery, humor... a fairly easy read that gets bogged down *slightly* in the third act by the emotional arcs of about six people.

Has a promising premise, but falls flat thanks to the choice to tell the story from multiple perspectives. It results in a lot of repetition that kills the suspense.

Jesse Q. Sutanto’s latest novel is not as hilarious and as over the top as her 2 previous ones (Dial A for Aunties series). It’s more subdued and toned down, though it still possesses that Asian women’s grit and “wholesomeness” that would endear readers to no end. It’s a cozy mystery, but its core is all about family. We have Vera, the main character — a widow and empty nester who owns a teashop but feels her time has passed and is longing to feel useful again. Her chance came when she discovered a dead body inside her shop! She knows that with her Asian tiger mom skills and determination, she’ll be able to solve the case and sniff out whodunnit! I truly loved Vera - she reminded me of my own grandmother, who liked to cook a feast every meal. You’ll be drooling with all the food Vera doles out in the book. And you’ll also want to hug and please her and be on her good side lol! I just love the found family aspect of the story. The plot’s simple really, but so heartwarming to read. There were parts that moved me to tears!!!! For me, it’s comfort reading at its best. I wished there’d be part 2, if only I could read Vera’s methodical sleuthing skills again! A huge thanks to @berkleypub and @netgalley for my ARC. I truly truly loved reading this book! 💕

It’s a little slow to start and putting all the narrators straight in my head took a minute, but once it got going I was hooked. There’s something so cheeky, wrong, yet endearing about Vera and her antics but it all builds to a delightful story. It has all the markers of a cozy mystery but with a little something extra and head shaking humor. The found family elements make it heartwarming and the mystery is engaging. Fun and surprising with some decent emotional depth, it’s a must-read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for access to this arc.

Vera Wong is very regimented in how she starts her day. Young people these days sleep hours away that they could be using to do things. She carefully chooses ingredients for the specialized teas she sells though sadly, due to the aging Chinese immigrant population around her, her clientele has been declining. In fact, there’s usually only one person who shows up each day but he and Vera enjoy their time discussing their children and lamenting this new generation. So when she discovers a dead body in her shop one morning, Vera is actually a bit energized. She watches TV crime shows and knows what to expect once the police arrive. Only they don’t seem to be treating it as Vera thinks they should so she guesses it’s up to her to solve what is obviously a murder.

She puts an obituary in the paper and sure enough, suspects appear – just as she thought they would. There are four possible ones and while Vera works to eliminate the innocent, she’ll just tidy up their lives a little. She is, after all, a Chinese mother and they can sniff out lies, force confessions with just hard stares, and delight in matchmaking.

It helps Vera that three of her suspects are of Asian ethnicity and have been raised to treat Aunties with respect – and a little fear. Before long, Vera is uttering commands and snapping out orders that Riki, Sana, and Oliver don’t dare not follow. It’s for their own good. Without the others realizing it, all of them actually do have things to hide about their relationships with the dead man and all fear what might happen if those things are revealed.

The plotting is tight, the pace is good, the relationships are tangled but make sense. Did a murder take place? There’s enough doubt to keep things interesting and enough suspicious activity before the death to spice things up: Could she have …? Did his action cause …? Well, he’s felt that way for a while … Wait, he wrote what …? She stands to inherit how much …? And yes, what about that evidence that Vera herself removed from the scene. Excuse Me??

When All Is Revealed I gasped (just a little) at how clues were cleverly, yet lightly, inserted and then just left to all be wrapped up (maybe a little bit too easily) at the end. Yes, of course! I remember now. That makes perfect sense. So the death is explained (Shsss, I’m not telling), a romance begins, two lives begin to be repaired, and Vera has a family again. This is a fun, cozy mystery with flawed but likeable characters, and an ending that didn’t come from nowhere. B+

Jesse Q. Sutanto has become one of my favorite authors, and her latest, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, didn't disappoint!

Vera Wong has a strict schedule for herself. She gets up at the same time, takes the same walk around San Francisco, then opens her tea shop every day. She doesn't get many customers, which is a shame, because she is a wizard at figuring out what tea would be perfect for each person she meets. Her husband has passed away, and her son barely responds to her texts.

One morning, when she goes downstairs, there's a dead body in her shop. The dead man's name is Marshall, and no one knows why he broke into her shop just to die on her floor. Vera calls the police, but she also does a bit of investigating on her own, and draws a (Sharpie) chalk line around the body, just like the police do on the television. For some reason, the police don't find her "help" all that helpful!

She figures it was murder, even though the police don't necessarily think so. So she figures that the murderer always returns to the scene of the crime, and looks out for new people in the neighborhood and in her shop that day (which is easy, because Alex is the only customer she gets most days). Her "suspects" that come by include: Marshall's twin brother, Oliver, Sana, who says she is doing a podcast, Riki, who says he's a reporter for Buzzfeed, and Julia, Marshall's wife. Vera invites these four people into her life and gives them no chance but to like her, even though she suspects that they could be murderers.

Vera isn't the only narrator; we also get to hear from Oliver, Sana, Riki, and Julia. Each of their stories adds to the mystery and gives a full picture of just what a bad man Marshall was.

As always, Sutanto's writing is full of crisp dialogue, laugh out loud moments, and exciting plot twists. I would recommend it for anyone who loves a good mystery and a book that doesn't take itself too seriously. Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

In Jesse Q. Sutanto's Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, Vera is the owner of a tea shop that has seen better days. She makes fabulous tea concoctions for her only remaining customer, Alex. Vera keeps busy with her daily routine of exercise and sending 'motherly' texts to her son (who rarely answers or visits). There is no change to her routine until she discovers a dead body in her shop. Since Vera believes the police aren't going to treat this death as a murder, she investigates as only she can - with whimsy, charm and sass. She has four suspects, but these four people become the extended family that Vera has needed. She is the adopted grandmother, aunt/mom and matchmaker who is the center of the love and care that develops with these relationships. Vera may be a tough cookie at times, but everyone is better for having her in their lives. The characters are well-written with interesting secrets and insecurities. This is a great addition for libraries with cozy mystery readers.
Thanks to the publisher Berkley, Jesse Q. Sutanto and NetGalley for this ARC.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers has it all. It's a story of love, hilarious hijinks, found family, growth, and - of course- murder!

I went into this book not really knowing what to expect. The title alone was enough to capture my attention, but the story kept me reading into the late hours of the night.

When she finds a body in her teashop one morning, Vera appoints herself to handle the case. Convinced that the death could only be caused by murder, she compiles a list of suspects and then befriends them. Every suspect has an interesting story and secrets, which are perfectly revealed throughout the book. Although not a thriller, the ending has the unexpected and satisfying ending of one.

I absolutely adored Vera, and how she seems to bring out the best in everyone. The supporting characters are dynamic and captivating in their own, unique ways. I especially loved the theme of found family, which is a favorite of mine!

I would recommend this book for anyone looking for the perfect combination of a cozy mystery, interesting characters, and laugh out loud humor.

I wish I had all the words to describe just how brilliantly wonderful Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers is. It’s hilarious and heartwarming and will make you hungry…I just wanted another h adjective to describe the book…but it actually will make you hungry! I went searching for recipes, but I decided I just need Vera to be my second mom and cook for me since she’s got skills I’ll never have. And if you’re a tea lover, you’ll have tea envy. I’m always so jealous of people who know how to mix different teas.

But I digress…

I loved this book so much! The characters are extremely well-written. Their struggles, fears, failures, and successes make them feel so real. I wanted to be a part of this “family” and part of this story. I wanted them to jump out of the book and live in my world. I laughed so hard while reading. And I cried both happy tears at the heartwarming parts and sad tears during heartbreaking scenes.

I’ve described this book to others by saying it’s like a cozy mystery but with lots of swearing. (kind of like Only Murderers in the Building on Hulu…) I can’t recommend it enough! I am envious of those of you who will read it for the first time. I hope you enjoy Vera as much as I did!

Loved this! If you loved Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting, this is another "old woman who finds purpose through other peoples' lives" story." It's primarily a heartwarming story of unlikely friendships, with a side of murder mystery.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I'll be recommending this one to library patrons and my friends!

I received a gifted galley of VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDER by Jesse Q. Sutanto from Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for an honest review.

VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDER follows the titular Vera, an elderly woman who owns and operates a floundering tea shop in San Francisco’s Chinatown, a spot easily missed. When she comes into the shop one day to discover a dead body, things take a turn for the exciting. Vera is convinced the police are not taking this death as seriously as they should considering this is most definitely a murder!

Vera takes it upon herself to investigate and if she’s a bit underhanded in some of her methods, it is all for the common good. Soon she’s gathered up all her suspects, several people who would have had cause to want the man dead or are just generally acting suspicious. How better to discover the truth than to gather them all in one place? The only problem is they’re beginning to feel more like friends than suspects.

I have loved all of Jesse Q. Sutanto’s books that I have read so far and this one was no different – it was a really fun read! Cozy mystery type books aren’t always for me, but the humor that her characters bring into the story and the relationships that develop really set the book apart from the crowd.

I was not convinced in the very beginning that I was going to like Vera. She reminds me quite a bit of the opinionated aunties from DIAL A FOR AUNTIES, but it brings a very different feel when we’re reading directly from her POV. She is strong willed and not always making the best decisions, but she delivers her criticisms and pushy inquiries with delicious sounding food and soon I was won over just as much as the other characters in the book.

This is a fun found family mystery with a lot of potential suspects (even if you wind up not wanting any of them to be to blame) and a victim who really deserved it! VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDER is well worth picking up!

Thanks to @netgalley and @berkleypub for the gifted copy of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, by Jesse Q. Sutanto. This exciting read comes out on March 14th. In it, a lonely woman named Vera finds a dead man in the middle of her small tea shop, and she then tries to solve the murder herself.

While I didn’t love this one as much as Sutanto’s other reads (Dial A for Aunties), I still thought it was entertaining and funny. Vera is a hoot of a person, and so sweet at her core. I loved watching her develop through the book, and see more of her personality come out. The “suspects” were all extremely well developed too. No stone was left unturned, which I appreciated.

Vera Wong is a lonely senior lady who owns an un-busy tea shop. One morning she enters her shop to find a body, which grabs her attention and she becomes determined to find the killer since she doesn't feel the police are doing an adequate job. Vera immediately attaches herself to several people who the victim had wronged, and becomes the person each of them needed in their lives. As Vera helps set their lives straight, the weight of knowing any one of them might possibly be the killer (even though the victim deserved it) causes rifts among their growing relationships.

This book was a very fun read - Vera is hilarious as a senior woman who delights in her age and experience and is certain she knows what everyone needs (and she is usually right even though presentation can be frustrating.). Vera builds a family out of the possible suspects to replace her deceased husband and busy son, and becomes torn between doing the right thing and sniffing out the murderer and protecting those she has come to love and feel accepted by. Vera is the grandmother everyone wants. This is a fun, cozy, unique read. Grab this one if you are looking for something different!

This was a delightful and mostly light-hearted cultural expedition into an older Chinese woman's sleuthing attempts after she discovers a dead body in her tea shop.

Vera Wong is a widow with one grown son who isn't nearly attentive enough to suit her, even though she reminds him daily at 0530 with text messages. Vera steamrolls her way through life, dispensing food, unwanted advice, tough love, and plain facts. What does Vera do when she discovers the body? Why, she tidies up a bit and then helpfully makes a Sharpie outline of the body as she has seen on TV shows. She is disgruntled when her assistance is not appreciated by the cops.

She also boosts a thumb drive found on the dead man and that fact she keeps to herself. She finds it highly suspicious when several people wander by her shop the morning after the death and she starts making a suspect list. The problem is, she is becoming friendly with all her suspects and tries to confirm alibis and motives while she is plying them with Chinese banquets and making herself indispensable.

Vera is an unforgettable character. The ending is not as predictable as you might think as we are allowed to see a few chinks in the indomitable Vera's armor. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you, netgalley for my gifted copy of this book.

I adored this one. This was such a cute, feel-good mystery with some laugh out loud moments. Vera is just the best and by the end of the book, I cared more about the characters and their well-being than I did about solving the mystery part.

Highly recommend this one!

This is a super cozy mystery with lovable characters and a story that can’t be called right away! Love the book!

Simply a delightful mystery! Funny and sweet, with absolutely charming characters and a surprise ending.

I loved meeting Vera Wong and the other characters. The mystery was also interesting, and I would read more with Vera and her crew.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed Jesse Q. Sutanto's latest book, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers! All the characters were likeable, even though they were flawed. I loved the background scenery in San Francisco. This was a comfortable, heartening mystery that wasn't scary or misogynistic and kept a quick, interesting pace throughout. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was honestly one of the most heartwarming, funniest books about a murder I’ve ever read, and I was shedding happy tears at the end of it. I didn’t want it to end!

I did have a reasonable (and correct) guess as to who the killer was not too far in, but I still had a fun time figuring out the motive and if I was right! And honestly, the murder angle was completely secondary to the characters and their relationships to the victim, and more importantly, their growing relationships with each other. Seeing them all grow and get to know each other? So beautiful. I want more Vera Wong books! I have to know how the Teahouse is doing!