Although I enjoyed it, it was pretty far outside of my normal range! Not a genre I would normally pick up on my own, but I enjoyed it for the most part

This book was flawless. A laugh-inducing, heart-warming, absolute delight, filled with marvelous characters, and honestly a joy to read.

As cute as the cover is, I wasn’t sure I was a fan of Vera when I started the book. But boy was I a fan by the end. She’s a little eccentric. And the posse she picks up as her sidekicks are a little quirky too. Part mystery, with a little bit of romance, and a little bit about the cultures of the group, this cozy mystery is fun. Vera’s posse is also her suspects after she finds a dead body in her tea shop and she thinks the police aren’t doing enough. I’m not sure I’ve ever rooted for all the suspects to be innocent.

I keep reading these books with delectable sounding food as I am trying to lose a few pounds. It’s killing me. I wanted to try everything Vera made. And I am happy to see that we are getting more likable and relatable mature characters in books. Vera might be my favorite new amateur sleuth. I really hope this is the start of a new series, because I would love to see more of these characters.

I switched back and forth from reading and listening to this one. And while I liked reading it, I loved listening to it. Eunice Wong was the perfect narrator for this book.

Vera, a 60-year-old who owns a tea house in Chinatown, could be a bit intense and demanding at times, but she always showed love and humor. As the story progressed, I began to suspect that Vera had arranged Marshal's murder to add excitement to her life. However, my opinion quickly changed as each of Vera's suspects made their appearance.

As the characters and their backgrounds were revealed, I found it difficult to choose a favorite since they each added their own unique flavor to the story. I am uncertain if Jesse Q. Sutanto plans to continue this series, but I truly hope she does. Vera and her group of misfits have grown on me, and I would love to see where their adventures take them next.

Vera is my favorite amateur detective. Sutanto peppers this novel with humor and heart and characters we can hope to see more of. The mystery eventually takes a backseat to the found family that Vera gathers around her, which makes the mystery all the richer. I highly recommend this novel. #VeraWongsUnsolicitedAdviceForMurderers

This book had me laughing out loud. Vera was hysterical, especially as she most definitely was not trying to be funny. I did find all the murder suspects to be charming and quirky characters, but I liked that. I also figured oit the real murderer pretty early however I was still able to enjoy the story.

Get ready to fall in love with Vera Wong! She is unstoppable and she has answers for everything. She immediately inserts herself in the lives of those who she believes needs her and she cooks and makes tea... well, Vera really seems to be able to do anything.
An older woman living on her own who adapts to new trends and technology? Yes, please! Who doesn't need Vera in their life?
Great characters, engaging storyline, fun setting... and all the people you want to win, will. Who could ask for more?

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. More, please!! We love Vera!

Another #fivestarread for me this month. I loved so many things about this book. It’s funny, sad, warming, uplifting and heartfelt.
I loved Vera and her meddling ways, loved how she jumped to conclusions and rationalized her thinking.
It was so fun to watch her go through so many characters as she tried to solve this murder mystery.
Speaking of characters, each one of them were “connected” to the murder but also had their own mini story which enlightened and made this book so much fun.

When Vera Wong wakes up to find a dead man in her tea shop, there is no way she was leaving the crime solving to the police. No, she is determined to catch his killer herself.

Jesse Q. Sutanto has quickly become a go-to author when I’m looking for a book that is going to have me howling with laughter. And as someone who loves to investigate neighborhood mysteries via twitter and NextDoor, I quickly became invested in this story. Vera in particular was such a fun, loveable character. Even with all of her meddling, her heart was in the right place, and the situations she found herself in were hilarious. I love that she somehow was able to turn this group of suspects into a chosen family of sorts. This book had my heart from the beginning and I loved every minute of it.

I am so excited this book will be making its way to screens soon because we all definitely need more Vera in our lives!

Thanks to Berkley Publishing for the advance copy and to @berittalksbooks and @dg_reads for the buddy read!

This mystery was all the best parts of chosen family, cozy, and rich culture - I really enjoyed following Vera along on her sleuthing. I felt like in the end, she became my auntie too. Would recommend this to readers new to thriller, or those who enjoy a light mystery here and there.

Vera Wong is an older Chinese lady who lives above her not-so-successful tea shop. She spends her time making special tea blends for her one customer and harassing her son about what he should be doing with his life. She is startled one morning to wake up and find a dead man in the middle of her empty tea shop. Before contacting the police, she discovers a flash drive in the hand of the dead man. Knowing she can do a better job of solving the murder, she takes the flash drive and keeps it a secret from the police.

When the friends and family members of the dead man start showing up a her shop looking for answers, she befriends them in order to conduct her own murder investigation. It seems that they all have a motive for the man’s murder, but she starts to let these people into her life and she begins to care deeply for them and her investigation becomes a muddled mess. She cannot let the police solve the murder investigation as it seems they are at their wits’ end. Will one of the close friends she has now let into her life turn out to be the murderer?

This was a cute little cozy mystery debut from Jessie Sutanto who is well known for her other books featuring Asian American characters. I enjoyed reading this book and learning more about the Chinese culture and how others see them in an American society. At times, the story dragged a little slowly, but other than that this was a great quick read that should be enjoyable to mystery lovers everywhere.

Overall Rating: 3.5 stars
Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto

Series: N/A

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: March 14, 2023

Pages: 348

Genre: Mystery

Get It: Amazon

Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the publisher, through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.

SO MUCH LOVE FOR VERA!! This was a delight. A funny and heartwarming story of murder, found family, friendships, and FOOD. I hope this isn’t the last we see of Vera and her tea shop!

<i>ARC Provided by NetGalley<i>

This is such a fun book. Vera Wong is the ultimate main character/ amateur detective. If you found a dead body in your quiet, aging tea shop, would your first instinct be to start investigating? Because of course you'd be more thorough than the police assigned to investigate? And assume that the perpetrator will come back to the scene of the crime? And let them know you're investigating?

Vera is an older widow with time on her hands. And this dead body is just the excitement she needs. And suspects do come to the scene of the crime. And Vera feeds them and meddles and they become kind of a lovely found family. Read it to see who did it!

This was an enjoyable mystery that kept me smiling. I'd love to see more of Vera!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy. All opinions are my own.

Vera is an older lady and she finds a dead man in her teashop. The police said was a natural death. She doesn't believe it and starts snooping...
Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). Publication date is March 14th.

This is a complicated story of a man no one liked, not even his wife and child. He has a chance to make money so he leaves them.

Vera has several suspects and goes down the list looking for the possible murderer.

I was amazed over who had killed him. Do you think you can figure it out?

I really enjoyed this read. Lately I've been spending a lot of time in the 'women with other jobs' category of mystery fiction, and Vera and her band of wayward twenty- and thirty-somethings are a fantastic addition to the canon. The author pokes fun at Vera's flaws while also making very clear her love for the people around her and taking seriously the severe repercussions of isolation on the elderly.

I also enjoyed that the mystery was so emotionally complex. While I don't know how I feel about the solving of it as a reader, I think that the disparate elements of the mystery, the motivations, and the ultimate assignation of culpability were deeply interesting - the kind of ethical situation I could turn over in my head for ages. Thankfully, this book isn't one to wallow in what is the objectively right answer to a complex situation. As a reader, I was given the facts and the ultimate way they were received in the fiction and asked to move forward from there, which is absolutely perfect for this decisive and opinionated protagonist.

5 Stars

PURE JOY. MADE ME FEEL ALL THE FEELS. I NEED A VERA WONG IN MY LIFE. NOW.

Vera Wong is a widow who’s son basically ignores her despite her excellent unsolicited advice for him. She runs Vera Wang’s Famous Tea House (so smart to name it after someone so recognizable, huh?) and even though she only has one steady customer, she knows her establishment is something to be proud of.

Until a dead body winds up in her shop. And the police don’t appreciate her assistance (DIDNT THEY LOVE HOW DETAILED HER BODY OUTLINE WAS AND HOW CLEAN HER SHOP IS AND WHAT ABIUT THE TEA AND FOOD SHE MADE THEM?!). Vera does what any sensible grandmother would do…she takes the investigation into her own hands.

Vera befriends each suspect, getting incredibly close, and bringing each suspect close together. As she works through their motives, you can’t help but fall in love with the incredible human that is Vera Wong (unsolicited advice and all).

This story has a mystery, a side bit of romance, a healthy dose of found family, and so much growth. It’s a perfectly formed concoction, much like Vera’s teas.

Jesse has written romance, YA, and now a cozy-ish mystery and I swear this author can do no wrong. Her stories and the characters are so well formed you can’t help but feel every emotion and laugh along the way.

I absolutely recommend to everyone! I read via audio and the narrator absolutely made this book. The accents, language, and enthusiasm made this story one I won’t forget! Also…taking applications for my own personal Vera Wong.

Sutanto's Dial A for Aunties series is one of the freshest series I've read in years. I'm so glad she is continue to stretch her writing skills and imagination. Vera Wong is a delightful character. I fell in love with all of the characters and the book. I rushed out and recommended it to many friends!

When Vera Wong finds a dead man on the floor of her tea shop, she knows exactly what to do: solve the murder. What she doesn’t expect is the number of suspects who turn up and end up being roped into her investigation.

What I liked most was the whole story! Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murders kept me laughing the entire way as the characters try to figure out how to handle Vera and Vera tries to figure out who the killer is. This was such a fun mystery and I enjoyed it so much.

What frustrated me is that I don’t know if a second book is coming. Sutanto says that this idea kind of just came to her and she put off working on her other books to get this one out. So does that mean there will be a second? Who knows! Sutanto has so many other books coming out, it could be a while before we find out about this one.

I recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of cozy mysteries, the sassy older folks, and a multiple POVs in a book.

Vera Wong runs a failing teashop and is wondering what to do with the rest of her days. When a dead body is found in the shop one morning Vera decides the police don't know what they're doing and thanks to all of her hours watching CSI she will do a much better job at finding the killer. I loved this book so much and hope with all my heart this becomes a series. Vera is the Chinese mother/grandmother we all need.

Brimming with heart, humor and all sorts of mishaps and hijinks…this book made me laugh and made me feel. I absolutely it!

The coziest of mysteries featuring one meddlesome old lady, one dead guy, four suspects and a mysterious thumb drive…this book had me captivated from the start! Vera brings out the very best in people. She is a precious national treasure that must be protected at all costs.

This book is for you if you like: cozy mysteries, sassy old ladies, found families and heartwarming stories.

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for my copy.