"Vera Wong Zhuzhu ... is a pig, but she really should have been born a rooster." From the first sentence, I knew I was going to love Jesse Q. Sutanto's latest book set in San Francisco's Chinatown. It has all the cozy mystery feels, and then some, with abundant humor and plot twists. Vera is the sixty-year-old owner of a tea shop that has exactly one customer. She's OK living alone, as long as she can have her just-right-for-the-occasion cup of tea, access to Google, and an aiya-listen-to-your-mother-themed text thread aimed at her only son. When she descends from her lonely apartment one day into her equally lonely tea shop, she finds a dead man in the middle of the shop floor. She's pretty sure she can do a better job than the police in solving this mystery, so amateur sleuth Vera Wong sets off a series of events that draw a cast of curious characters into her tea shop and into her life, which will never be the same lonely existence again. I love Vera, I love her tea and cooking prowess, and I love the wit and warmth of this book. 5 stars.

[Thanks to Berkley | Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

i loved the premise of this, but it felt like it dragged on a bit. the found family aspect was lovely, and i enjoyed vera as a narrator immensely, but the murder kind of seemed unnecessary. this could have been a book completely void of crime and would have worked well, maybe better. by the end i was reading for the characters and not to find out who did it, which to me is more about sutanto’s character creation then murder mystery skills.

This book was amazing. The multiple POVs and watching these strangers come together made me so happy. I love how Sutanto infused humor into serious topics while still handling them delicately. My mouth was watering and my heart was so happy and full

Vera Wong has been living a quiet, and lonely life since her son has grown, and her husband passed away. She opens her tea shop every day but customers are thin and besides texting her son “helpful” advice, which he mostly ignores, nothing much happens out of her normal routine until she wakes and discovers a body in her tea shop. The police’s response is lackluster in Vera’s opinion and so she sets out to solve the murder on her own, because everyone knows the killer always returns to the scene of the crime! All Vera needs to do is sit back and wait for her suspect to arrive.

Vera was very sure of how life should go and was puzzled why people didn’t automatically agree with her, like the police. She was hilarious!

Of course, there were people connected to the dead man that did show up and Vera adds them to her suspect list as she makes them tea, cooks for them, asks them questions and then tells them what they should be doing with their lives. These “suspects” end up benefiting from her help and they brighten Vera’s life, too, but is one of them a murderer?

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers was such fun! I had to laugh at her “helpful” texts sent to her son at 4:30 am, “reminding him that he’s sleeping his life away”! I remember being annoyed by early phone calls from my dad or grandma, and they weren’t at 4:30 am! It was heartwarming to see Vera’s love and attention help others, helping her in turn. The story was humorous, moving and uplifting and I’d definitely recommend it to others!

I have loved Jesse Q. Sutanto's writing since I read Dial A for Aunties, and this book captured the laugh out loud humor and fast pace that I have come to expect from her as an author.

Vera Wong is the owner of a world famous tea shop. Well, not world famous, but she's named it that anyway. When one day she enters the store to find a man dead on the floor, she sees only one solution- she must solve this obvious murder herself, because the police are clearly not up for the task. Embracing her role as a novice sleuth, she assembles a list of suspects made up of the man's newly separated wife, his twin brother, a man posing as a reporter, and a woman who claims to run a true crime podcast. Vera wants to solve the crime, but she didn't anticipate the bond that she would form with the very people she believes could be murderers.

This book was so. dang. chaotic. And I loved every moment of it. Vera was an absolute icon, from how stubbornly she just blows past every conceivable boundary to her blunt nature, and I completely adored her. I had so much fun reading her POV because she is, quite simply, unstoppable. She is a born meddler, and the other characters can do nothing but give in to her persistence.

I did not expect there to be so many different perspectives in this book, but I was living for each one that was introduced. Julia, Sana, Riki, and Oliver all have something to hide, and I could not put the book down until all the secrets are out in the open. A special shout out must be given to little Emma. I hated to see how Marshall treated her and Julia, but it made it even more heartwarming to see how she gets brought out of her shell by Vera and the rest of the gang.

Speaking of our gang, the thing that stood out to me the most was the found family dynamic. It was the last thing I expected from a book like this but I was so in love with how quickly the characters formed friendships with each other. They were all brought together coincidentally, but their presence in each others lives improved them all for the better in such heartwarming and wholesome ways. Never did I expect a book in which you are trying to deduce the murderer from a group of suspects as "wholesome" but here we are.

If you're looking for a fast-paced cozy mystery with characters that are to-die for, and a mystery that will keep you hooked until the end, then you should absolutely check out this book.

Vera Wong is a sexagenarian - not a little old lady in my view - whose once busy tea shop has only one customer. A customer with an ailing wife and who can only visit for scant moments. One day, when Vera heads downstairs to the tea shop, she makes a shocking discovery. There is a dead man lying on the floor of her shop.

Vera is no wilting flower. In fact, even before she calls the police, she takes specific measures because she immediately has decided in her mind to figure out who the man is and why he was killed in her shop. Not only do the police soon arrive, but no less than four different individuals who have never once visited her shop show up soon thereafter.

Her logic tells her that one of the four of these strangers must be the killer. With tasty food and good company, Vera gets to know these four individuals, and these include the victim’s wife and his twin brother Oliver. For the first time in her lonely life, Vera dons the hat of an amateur sleuth. As far as she is concerned, the police aren’t doing enough and considering the body was found in her shop, she is doing exactly what she should be doing.

What a charming story. Vera was easy to love, as were her four new “friends”. I felt like I was arm in arm with Vera as she sought answers. With the chapters alternating in POVs, this was definitely an engaging and easy read. One thing is for certain: I am about to go make a cup of tea.

Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S VERA WONG'S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS ABOUT?
I'm not sure that I can answer this question without just recapping the entire novel—but without the charm and warmth.

JUST TRY...
How much time do you have?

IT PUBLISHES TODAY, YOU NEED TO GET SOMETHING POSTED. JUST GIVE US THE SETUP
Okay, okay, I'll attempt it—but I really want to spend the next hour just regurgitating the whole thing.

Vera Wong is an older Chinese woman, the owner of a small tea shop in San Francisco's Chinatown. It's dark, dingy, and doesn't get much in the way of customers. She has one regular that she can count on to stop in early in the morning, and then spends most of the rest of the day waiting for someone else to walk in and order. Typically in vain. But it's her life—she has nothing else to do with her time—her husband is dead, and her son is busy with work. So busy that he rarely has time to visit—or acknowledge all of the super-helpful advice she gives him to succeed at work and/or to find a wife. This doesn't stop her from texting or calling him frequently to offer the advice, it should be noted.

Then one day, she comes down the stairs from her apartment above the shop to discover a dead body in the middle of the floor. She has little faith that the police will be able to tell her who killed the man, so she decides to discover the identity of the killer for them. How hard can it be? She's watched plenty of procedurals, is smart, and (unlike Sherlock Holmes) is a suspicious Chinese mother. The murderer doesn't stand a chance.

So she helps herself to a little bit of the evidence before the police arrive so that she can hunt for the murderer. It'll be a good change of pace for her.

She sets a trap for the murderer and ends up with four good suspects, it'll just take her some time to figure out who killed him and why. In the meantime, she sees at least three younger people that need some guidance to get their lives in order—she decides to take that on along with her murder investigation.

VERA
I'd like to spend a few pages talking about Vera—I'm certain that if you ask me in December, she's still going to be one of my favorite characters of 2023.

She is so human—such a mass of contradictions and differing impulses. The fact that at her, um, advanced age she's able to chart a new course for her life, to let people in, and adapt gives me a little hope.

But it's her spirit, her way of looking at the world, and not backing down that's really inspiring.

Once she's done with these characters, I could use a grandmother like this.

BE CAREFUL
Vera knows her tea, she spends a lot of time and energy on it—certain that she can make someone just the right kind of tea for whatever they're facing to help them through the day. If you can make it through a chapter or two (especially in the early chapters) without needing a cup of your own, I'd like to know how.

But other than needing to take the time to boil water and steep your tea, that's not a big deal (unless you're inspired to go shopping for more teas, which can get expensive—and can distract you from your reading). However, Vera also spends a lot of time cooking for her new friends and suspects. And she ends up spending more time cooking than making tea.

This is where you need to be careful—if you're not, you could find yourself putting on a few pounds before the killer is identified. Sutanto's descriptions of Vera's creations—and the way everyone responds to them—are so vivid, so enticing, they can send you to your pantry for a snack—or to your food delivery app of choice to order some Chinese food.

I'm not saying that you should avoid these portions of the book—just be prepared so you can fight temptation (or have a handy justification to indulge yourself, if that's more your preference).

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT VERA WONG'S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS?
By the time I got halfway through the opening paragraph, I'd started coming up with a list of people to recommend this book to. There was something about the voice that just jumped off of the page (er, screen) and said, "You're going to have fun with this." And I absolutely did—but there was more to it than that, being around these characters felt comfortable. I just wanted to spend time in their presence—like Stars Hollow, CT; the locker room of AFC Richmond; the Parks and Rec Department of Pawnee, IN; the Jigsaw Room of Cooper's Chase retirement village; or Knight's Bookstore in Abbi Waxman's L.A. I don't remember the last time that I read a cozy mystery that was so worthy of the title "Cozy."

Yes, I wanted to figure it out. Yes, I wanted to know what happened to the characters and wanted closure for this period in their lives. But I read as slowly as I could because I wanted to linger.

It's not just Vera that creates that feeling—it's the other characters' reactions to her, as well as their relationships with each other. Yes, she is undeniably the center of this little world, but it wouldn't work without the others.

There's a lot of gentle humor and heart—that's what fills this charming work. But that's not all of it—there are laugh-out-loud moments, as well, and real emotions. There's a budding romance, a rekindled friendship, family ties, and a lot of people finding the confidence to step out into something new—or into something they've tried before and have been scared to try again. The found family that's created along the way makes all of that possible—particularly the last part—the mutual support (in various forms) and encouragement from the others enable the others to make those steps.

I don't want to give the impression that this book is all sunshine, flowers, and good times. There are portions of this that are hard to get through, sure—there's a suspicious death, criminal behavior—at the very least the actions of a scoundrel—heartbreak and a great deal of loneliness and despair. But Sutanto doesn't leave us there for long—she grounds the book in it, but provides a way forward—through grit, determination, and the help of others.

The murder investigation was fine—probably more than fine, actually. It was a clever little story, with plenty of good suspects and nice twists. But the book isn't all that interested in the murder investigation, really. It's just an excuse for these people to come together and start interacting. Vera herself doesn't really want any of her suspects to be guilty—she's too busy meddling in their lives to improve them (in selfless acts of assistance only, she'd hurry to tell you). But she keeps plugging away at her little list of suspects because it's something she's started—and wouldn't it be exciting to actually find a murderer? (even if it's someone she doesn't want to get into any kind of trouble).

I talk about mysteries more than anything else here, and the fact that I'd started wrapping up the post without addressing the mystery part of this book says a lot to me. It's the driving force behind the plot and the instigating incident—but again—it's secondary to the rest of the storylines. Still, most readers will have a hard time finding sympathy for the murdered man, and more than once you'll likely wonder if it'd really be that bad if no one figures out who did it. You probably won't feel the way you usually do when a murder is solved when the culprit is named, either.

There's just so much to commend about this book—and so little to quibble with—I'm on the verge of repeating myself and/or overhyping this thing (but boy howdy, does it deserve a lot of hype!). So I'm just going to leave it with this—go get your hands on a copy, brew yourself a nice pot of tea (I promise you're going to want tea), and lose yourself in this book for a few hours.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

An absolute slay by Jesse Q. Sutanto! If you love the hijinks of the Aunties series Jesse published, then VERA WONG is your girl! She's got the humor, the doting grandmother vibe, and when she discovers a dead body in her tea shop, she turns into a private investigator, with the help of some "suspicious" friends that walk through her doors, all with different backstories & relationships to the dead man in the shop, Marshall Chen.
There was a lot that I loved about the book that hit all the right notes with me: set in San Francisco, Chinese doting grandmother MC, the humor that takes me back to my own life, but what I always love most about these novels is that Sutanto generates a sense of family with her characters, that just makes these mysteries feel a sense of cozy that I love. A stellar read this year!

Funny, heartwarming, and entertaining, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers wrapped me up and warmed my insides like one of Vera's delicious cups of tea. It was a fun read filled with mystery and wonderful moments.

Vera is queen of her own kingdom. She lives above her tea shop where she carefully considers the right tea for the right person and situation. She's a widower who spends a lot of her time alone. Her son is pretty absent, but despite this, she texts him regularly and asserts her loving brand of worry upon him and his life choices. One morning she enters her shop and discovers a dead body. After being disillusioned with the police's handling of their investigation, Vera decides to do a bit of sleuthing of her own. She gathers a group of suspects who just happen to insert themselves into her life. Each one of them is unique and has their own questionable involvement in the death. Jumping between five points of view, readers get insight into each of the characters, their motivations and the victim. Overall, while this is definitely a who done it, there are themes of friendship, family, and grief sprinkled with plenty of wit and heartwarming moments. It's a cozy mystery but so much more.

“‘Um, I’m . . . I have a podcast,’ she says finally. Vera’s eyebrows wrinkle together. ‘Oh dear. I’m sure I have some cream for that.’”

Vera Wong is a widowed Chinese woman who owns a dilapidated tea shop that she has the utmost of pride in. And she is one of my favorite characters in recent memory!

What a hoot she is. When a man is found dead in her tea shop, Vera Wang’s World-Famous Teahouse, she takes it upon herself to solve the crime after the cops prove to her that have 𝓃𝑜 idea what they are doing.

This book has the most wonderful cast of quirky characters and I was fully engrossed in the murder mystery of it as well. It is a laugh out loud funny story of love, redemption, and what makes a family. Vera is just the best and I want her to be my grandma! My heart is fuller for having read this.

“I notice that this girl @NotChloeBennet has liked TWO of your videos on the TikTok! I think this means she likes you. I look at her profile and she pout a lot…Perhaps you should slip and slide into her DM. Kind regards, Mama.” Oh Vera 😂.

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vera Wong is a 60-year-old widow who still opens her teahouse every day. Vera Wang’s World-Famous Teahouse is a staple of San Francisco’s Chinatown (she named it after the designer, to try to draw more customers in). Only, the world-famous teahouse is almost always empty. Vera has one loyal customer, Alex, whose wife has Alzheimer’s. She feels good about giving him a warming cup of tea every day, but she is sad by all the young people who are going to the new place, The Café, and buying coffee. They would all be better off coming to her and letting her make them a cup of tea. She will know just what they need.

And then came the morning she came downstairs and found the dead body in her shop. She knew immediately that he had been murdered, and she was ready for the police when they came to investigate. She had drawn the outline around him already so they don’t have to, and she made tea for the whole investigative team, to help them think clearly to find the killer. Because she knows that the man was murdered.

When the police show up, they are ungrateful for the work that Vera had done and refused to drink her tea. They didn’t dust for fingerprints or take any DNA. Clearly, she will have to investigate herself.

Vera watches the shop, thinking that the killer will come back to the scene of the crime. That’s how she meets Riki, who says he’s a reporter for Buzzfeed. She meets Sana, who says she has a true crime podcast. She meets a man who looks exactly like the dead man, who turns out to be his twin brother Oliver. And the woman with the toddler who looks into the teahouse and runs away is clearly the dead man’s wife and daughter.

Vera takes it upon herself to get to know these people, bringing them together in ways that none of them expect. She makes them teas that warm and comfort them. She makes them food that evokes memories of childhood. And when their defenses are down, Vera asks them if they killed the dead man. And while they all insist that they didn’t kill the man, they all also agree that Vera is a force of nature. She has brought them all together, creating a community of people who need each other, and as it turns out, who all need Vera too.

But when it turns out that Vera has been keeping secrets from them—and from the police—along with all of her suspects, will she destroy the trust that her new friends have in her? Or will she really be able to find the killer, putting herself in danger that not even her lawyer son can protect her from?

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers is the latest novel from Jesse Q. Sutanto, who burst onto the publishing scene several years ago, writing young adult thrillers and comedic mysteries at a rate that would make Vera proud. This novel is part murder mystery, part family drama, and part study of how to be a traditional Chinese mother.

Like Vera herself, this book is a force to be reckoned with. There is a clear story line to the murder, but this novel is so much more than just a mystery. It’s filled with personality and soul and comfort, like the complex teas that Vera can pull together in mere minutes, and it has the ability to heal your soul. Watching this woman work her way into the lives and hearts of her “suspects” is sweet and hilarious in equal portions, and seeing them all come back to life under her care is inspiring. I adored this novel, and I think Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers will be a balm for anyone needing the warmth of an excellent cup of tea, a grandmother’s hug, and the encouragement to go after your dreams.

Egalleys for Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto was such a joy to read. It’s a cozy murder-mystery that will warm your heart and make you laugh aloud. Vera Wong owns a tea shop in San Francisco’s Chinatown and when a man ends up dead in her shop, she investigates. The tale that unfolds was, in a word, wonderful.

I am still grinning about this story. It’s an elevated cozy mystery that deals with family, friendship and the most ornery, loveable old women. I want to visit Vera Wang’s Famous Tea Shop and have Vera Wong fix me the perfect tea. If I am lucky, maybe she will feed me.

The tale begins by introducing us to Vera Wong, who lives alone above her teashop. We learn about her son, her day and, of course, her shop. I loved Vera from the start and chuckled at her antics. Her talk about young people had my sides hurting, and I easily related to her situation.

Vera is lonely and when she awakens to find a dead body in her shop, she calls the police. From the crime scene to her interactions with the police, I was hooked. Lord, she was hilarious. I want to have as much confidence as she does when I grow up.

When the police rule the death accidentally, Vera investigates. She placing an ad in the paper to catch the killer, keeps a journal and oh yeah, she might have withheld some evidence from the police.

Sutanto then introduces us to, as Vera would like to say, “the suspects.” First there is the widow, next is a young man claiming to be a reporter and a young woman who does a true crime podcast and one other. I loved getting to know each of them. All of them have secrets and it’s up to Vera to uncover them. Along the way, wonderful and not so wonderful things happen.

One part murder-mystery and one part friendship and made family. Vera brings this group of loners together. Foodie lovers will appreciate all the talk of food and meals Vera whips up during the “investigation”. I want to try everything Vera made. A little girl will steal your heart, as will Vera. I am truly hoping we see more of Vera.

This was my first time reading Jesse Q. Sutanto works, but it won’t be my last. Be sure to read the back matter and her message about this book and how it came to fruition. This is a book I would recommend to everyone. You’ll laugh, cry, solve a murder and meet lots of memorable characters. It’s bookshelf worthy.

For a book with murderers in the title, this is not at all what I expected. While it is a murder mystery, it is also a wonderful story of friendship, found families and new beginnings.

Vera Wong is the owner of Vera Wang’s World Famous Teahouse. But unfortunately, business hasn’t been doing too well lately. She only has one customer until one day, she finds a dead man, presumably murdered, on the floor of her shop. Soon after, the suspects start showing up - Riki, Sana, Oliver and Julia. With the police being no help at all, Vera starts her own investigation to figure out who the killer is, while meddling in each of the suspects’ lives to give them a better future, even if one of them ends up being a murderer.

Overall, I loved all the characters, especially Vera and all of her well-intentioned meddling in the lives of the suspects. I will admit that I did guess the killer about halfway through the book, so I wasn’t shocked when it was revealed, but I was satisfied with the ending.

📖My Thoughts📖

First of all, I’m just going to say that I feel like everyone needs a little Vera Wong in their lives. I absolutely loved her character! She’s one tough cookie but at the same time one of the sweetest people. This has got to be one of my favorite mystery books to date! The characters were just so likable and I loved watching them grow and seeing relationships form. This one had me chuckling and was just a very fun and refreshing cozy mystery. This was a little different (in a good way) cozy mystery than others I’ve read in the past. It just had a different feel to it and I really enjoyed it. I didn’t want this one to end! I’m hopeful for some more books with Vera and the rest of the characters. Fair warning, reading this book may cause you to get hungry and crave some good Asian food. This is a must read if you enjoy a good mystery!
Thank you Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Jesse Q. Sutanto for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers was such an entertaining story! An older, Chinese woman lives above her tea shop. Her days are very monotonous and she is lonely. Until one morning, when she ventures downstairs and sees a dead man in the middle of her tea shop. Naturally, she does what anyone would do… and draws an outline of the body in Sharpie, rifles through the deceaseds’ pockets, and then takes the flash drive he was holding in his hand.

When the police brush this off as an accident, Vera takes matters into her own hands, and starts her own investigation.

Vera is determined, bossy, and so endearing. You cannot help but root for her to solve the case. She befriends each of her suspects, which makes solving the case interesting!

I had the ending predicted about 1/4 of the way through… so as a “mystery/murder” book, this is “Mystery Lite” in my option. HOWEVER! I found myself grinning as I read, and staying up late because I didn’t want to stop reading. The story was very cute, and so well-written, with such likable characters! I didn’t want to believe any of them could be a murderer! Highly recommend you add Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers to your reading list!

Vera Wong is a sharp, spunky woman (of a certain age) who stumbles upon a dead body in her teahouse one morning. Certain that she could do a better job investigating than anyone else, especially the police, she takes things into her own hands and begins developing a suspect list. From there, a hilarious, heart-warming, twisty adventure unfolds.

This book made me laugh, tear up, and wish for a group of friends like this amateur sleuth and her suspects. I would highly recommend picking up a copy!!

What was a recent book that you absolutely loved???

For me, it was Vera Wong‘s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. I loved it so much. It is the story of Vera, an older woman who owns a tea shop in San Francisco and finds a dead man in her shop early one morning. Vera takes it upon herself to befriend the people she determines to be suspects. This book is everything. There is a murder mystery but as Vera brings these people together, the mystery is overshadowed by laugh out loud humor and storylines about friendship, resilience, forgiveness, family, love (romantic and self-love) and finding your own happiness. It was quirky, heartwarming, intelligent and clever all in one. My heart is full, my cheeks hurt from smiling and I need more Vera in my life. All the stars, all of them.

This is a laugh out loud cozy mystery starring Vera Wong, a sixty something Asian woman who owns a Chinese tea shop. When a dead man is found in her shop she’s determine to find the murderer and along the way she makes friends with her suspects.

It was such a charming and bingeable read, told via the POV’s of Vera and her “suspects.” Vera’s character is funny and quirky, and the other characters are unique and have their own secrets. I enjoyed each individual’s stories and how everything unfolded at the end. The book was entertaining and full of delicious food. I loved every minute of it!

Thank you to Berkley for my #gifted copy.

Widower Vera Wong is fine. She might be lonely in her failing tea shop but there is nothing she can't handle with a bit of gumption. When she opens the shop one morning and find's a dead man, she's convinced there is a murderer afoot. She's seen enough crime shows to know that the murderer will want to come back to the scene, and when they do, she'll be ready for them.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers was an absolute joy to read. Everything about this book just worked. The characters were amazing, loving, lonely, and distinct. Vera was hilariously overbearing in the best possible way. I loved the way she mothered everyone and her efforts to 'stay hip' are hysterical and highly relatable. All of our supporting characters add so much to the story and their flushed-out backstories, conflicts, and actions tied wonderfully into the story. I loved the diverse cast of characters and as always, I love the way Sutanto is able to capture cultural differences in such a succinct and relatable way.

While still hilarious like the Aunties series, I found Vera to be more realistic and less over the top. Cozy mysteries for me can sometimes be 'too much' or to cheesy. Vera was the perfect blend of adorable and fun.

I adored this book and can't recommend it enough. If you're looking for a heartwarming, entertaining, and cozy mystery that isn't completely over the top, then this book is absolutely for you.


Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers is out now. Huge thank you to Berkley Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.  If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.

This is the third book that I’ve read by Sutanto, and it’s definitely my favorite so far!

After Vera Wong finds a dead man (Marshall Chen) in her tea shop and the police refuse to suspect foul play, Vera takes it upon herself to solve his murder. This story follows Vera’s interactions with the four people she has labeled as suspects (Riki Herwanto, Sana Singh, Oliver Chen, and Julia Chen), and there’s no shortage of shenanigans that ensues.

The story alternates between the five different POVs, which I had no issues following since each of the characters are fully developed and unique from one another. Vera is the main character in this story, and we get the other POVs as Vera gets to know her suspects and the secrets that they harbor.
I absolutely loved Vera as a character. She is headstrong, quirky, and determined. I was so envious of all of the incredible meals that Vera made for everyone (just send me some dumplings and BBQ beef please!).

While the whodunnit story line definitely kept me on my toes, what I loved most was how Vera was able to bring together Riki, Sana, Oliver, and Julia and help them get through the many challenges each of them faced. I also adored Vera’s relationship with Julia’s daughter Emma.

Overall, if you’re looking for a hilarious whodunnit story that also features found family and lots of incredible food then this one is definitely for you!