Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing an eArc of Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man). Vera is back and hoping for another murder. Not in her tea house this time of course. Well, Vera gets a phone call and provides personal information landing in her in a scamming situation. She reports it to Selena her hopefully soon to be daughter-in-law. Selena makes sure the report is filed and assures Vera that everything will be okay. As Vera is leaving the station she notices a young girl standing outside the station hesitant to go in. She takes her back to the tea shop where she learns about Thomas and how this young girl is worried about him. Vera instantly agrees to help and ends up in many precarious situations and meeting many new friends that she of course willingly takes under her wing as nieces, nephews, grandchildren, etc. The question is can Vera get to the bottom of who Thomas aka Xander Lin is and what happened to him. Read and you'll find out. I am truly hoping that Jesse Q Sutanto will continue writing Vera books as I absolutely adore quirky, loving, caring, Chinese mother, Vera.

I loved the first Vera book, so I was thrilled to get a copy of the sequel and what a sequel it was! The title is hilarious and very Vera. Everyone deserves a Vera in their life. I want a Vera in mine! My favorite twosome was Vera and Winifred - their petty banter was hilarious. I ate so many treats while eating this story, the mouthwatering dishes kept coming, making me salivating with hunger. While the usual friends from book one are still involved, Vera manages to collect a new group of suspects, I mean friends. The heart of the story broke mine, but was an intriguing twist to a steady plot.

Another delightful, funny, and mysterious addition to the Vera Wong canon! Vera unravels a surprisingly timely mystery around the death of Xander while collecting another motley crew of misfits around her on the chase. Sutanto manages to blend comedy and tragedy with perfect pitch and I sighed as I "closed" my eARC - I already miss Vera and can't wait to see what she manages to get herself into in Paris!

I was really hopeful for this book because the first one was really fun. This one was... irritating.

Vera in the first book was a bit clueless, but endearing. Here, I was annoyed by her constant "meddling." Like, she's borderline stupid in this book?

Also, with cozy mystery, there is a difficult balance to strike between cozy and mystery, This book leaned WAY TO FAR into cozy. People just spilled their guts when given food, so there was no real mystery solving on Vera's behalf.

So yeah, disappointing.

I am so happy to have Vera back again! Most sequels can never live up to the original, but I think I may have liked this one even better than the first! Once again Vera, without regard for herself, steps up to solve another mystery. She brings together a rag tag group of friends and strangers to help her—whether they want to or not. I love all of her overstepping and interfering-she is just delightful! If you love a cozy mystery Vera is for you!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

I can't get enough of Vera and constantly recommend Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers to all of my library patrons. We even did it for a book club, so I know they will also be excited as I was to get back in the the world of Vera Wong and her shenanigans. This book is very much like the first where she collects her list of suspects and feeds them constantly to win their trust. This one is laugh out loud funny and I just absolutely adore this series and can't wait for the next one!

Vera is at it again, snooping. Vera's life has been full surrounded by family and friends and the teashop has be busy. Also, Tilly has a girlfriend, Officer Selena Gray that worked the last case Vera involved herself in. Vera goes to visit Selena at the police department and take her lunch when she finds a girl hanging around outside. She is looking for a missing friend and Vera volunteers to help the girl find him and with a little help from Selena (Vera's snooping while housesitting). He is an influencer with a lot of followers and a budding career. With the police being unable to identify him Vera starts digging to solve his murder.

A fun mystery novel that features a 60 year old sleuth who does not always work nicely with the local police force (which is challenging, as the local police force includes her would-be daughter in law). This is the second in the series, but familiarity with the first novel is not key.

This book is a delightful and witty gem that stands out in the mystery genre. Vera Wong, is a charming and quirky character who brings a unique blend of humor and determination to the story. The plot is engaging from the start, with Vera's endearing nosiness leading her into a twisted and thrilling mystery. The writing is crisp and vivid, making it easy to get lost in Vera's world. The supporting characters are well-developed, adding depth and richness to the narrative. The blend of humor and mystery is perfectly balanced, making this book a joy to read. What truly sets this novel apart is the wonderful storytelling and the strong, relatable characters. Vera's journey of uncovering secrets while navigating her own personal challenges is both heartwarming and compelling. The plot twists are unexpected and cleverly crafted, keeping readers guessing until the very end.

This book is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and anyone looking for a fun, engaging, and heartwarming read.

This novel marks the second adventure of Vera Wong, the delightful detective and tea shop owner. In this installment, the mystery kicks off when a woman enters Vera’s tea shop and they strike up a conversation about a missing friend.

This book was an absolute delight and a fantastic way to wrap up my year of reading. Vera is an incredibly endearing character, and I really enjoyed watching her development throughout the story. Having read several of Sutanto’s books, I continue to be a fan of their engaging and lively storytelling style. Excitingly, the book teases yet another adventure for Vera, which I am eagerly anticipating!

I loved this one even more than the first Vera.

I appreciate the skill the author has with weaving dark topics into a book that I could describe as lighthearted & humorous. She doesn’t brush by the harsh subplot, especially in this book. She kind of has two books here, one with Vera and one with Xander & “friends”, but the end result is a perfectly balanced book.

I love Vera, all her food and loving brusqueness, her sleuthing, and how her family keeps getting bigger and bigger. I’m already excited for her next unfortunate adventure.

This sequel does not disappoint! Vera is back with a mysterious death to investigate and a new cast of sweet but lost young folks to take under her wing. The mystery takes on serious issues, but the general tone is light-hearted and heartwarming.

Vera’s back, and she’s as hilarious, heartwarming, and brilliant as ever! This sequel is a real treat. You’ll get to meet some familiar faces from the first book, as well as some new characters who need Vera’s help. It’s a fun and entertaining story that tackles some serious issues.

I really love the Vera Wong books and I'm happy to see that it looks like there will be a third book.

This is a book two so there could be spoilers below from book one.

I already loved Vera and this book made me love her more. I would love to be one of the people she adopts. The found family part of this series is something I love so much. We get a handful of new characters in this one with the others coming back. Vera has found a new death to investigate and also becomes a hit on social media. One of my favorite scenes was at the school. The book made me laugh out loud so many times and the mystery was fun. But I mostly just love the characters this author creates.

I gave this book 5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for my earc.

I loved this story! Vera Wong runs her tea room, solves mysteries dotes on her son, and hopes that he and his girlfriend provide her with grandchildren. She stumbles into a mystery about a social media star who turns up dead.

This was such a fun detective story. I absolutely loved Vera and thought she was so endearing. She plied everyone with delicious food and was a Chinese mother hen who nurtured and was kind and caring to all the people she ran into. She dotes on them and takes care of them. This is the second in a series but could be read as a stand-alone. Some of the characters from the previous story are in this one. I really hope this will be a series. I loved all of the other characters in the story and the bonds she made with them. I do hope this will be a continuing series.

Thanks to @berkley, @netgalley, and the author for this arc

This was an amazing sequel!
Vera Wong is back at it again. She has an amazing found family she spends quality time with, her tea house is doing well, and her son has a serious girlfriend. So she should be happy, right? Nope. Vera wants to get back to sleuthing. Luckily, she finds her way into another case. Along the way there are plenty of laughs, heart-warming moments, and delicious food. However, there also darker and more serious moments. Will Vera make it out of this case alive?
I really liked this book. It was a fun read and I love what a bold character Vera is. Her personality really sets this book apart from other cozy mysteries. I also love found families, so to have her found family not only feature in this book, but to have her add additional members to it, was right up my alley.
My only issue is that this book does get pretty dark in one of the storylines. And that pulls the book somewhat out of the cozy mystery territory and more into the mystery thriller territory. So I felt at times like the book was warring with itself for what type of book it was. It was a bit jarring to have the characters act fun and lighthearted while also facing some serious threats. I get that the author was trying to keep the tone light, but it didn’t always work for me. However, I do want to say that the book did cover a very real and very problematic issue so it was good to have a book that addressed the topic.
A note for readers new to the series: It’s not necessary to read the first book before reading this one, but I would recommend it to readers who want to get more out of the story. A lot of characters from the first book showed up in this one without a lot of background on who they were. It had been a while since I read the first book so it was a bit confusing, especially with all the new characters thrown in, too!
I feel like the ending leaves open the possibility of a third book and I’d absolutely love to read another book in this series!

This sequel did not disappoint. Much like the first book, it is full of lovable characters and found family. Vera is as sharp and funny as ever. I love that though the book is cozy and full of comfort, it also does not shy away from addressing and bringing awareness to difficult topics.

Didn’t know I could love Vera anymore but here we are. A fantastic sequel! Loved each of the characters and enjoyed the integration of technology.

I am filled with a mix of joy and sadness as I finish reading the final pages of Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On A Dead Man). Jesse is a masterful storyteller, and through the creation of Vera, she has opened up a world for people who longed for a loving, familial figure. Regardless of their circumstances, Vera welcomed them to her table with a stern tongue and a compassionate heart.
I've read all of Jesse Q. Sutanto's books because she creates an entire world around her bold characters. Each character is uniquely authentic, and memorable, and tugs at your heartstrings, but the woman at the top of my list is Vera.

In her spare time, Vera Wong, a woman in her sixties, is once again on a mission to solve another murder. Vera finds that these activities are not enough to keep her busy. She cooks delicious meals, always HAS the right answer, learns the latest slang, and talks to her son's girlfriend's boss. Murder is on her mind, and her tea shop is no longer satisfying her desire for excitement.

In this sequel, Vera delves into the lives of influencers, engages with tweens, provides practical parenting advice, and leaves readers yearning for her to find and welcome them into her chosen family. Vera has a special ability to make every character who feels broken, feel whole and loved.. She gives them a sense of purpose and helps them realize that the world doesn't see them the way they think they see themselves. Vera is a healer and wielder of truth. She sees the good in people and through tough love, delicious meals, and box-cutter protection, she will have your back forever.

I had to stop reading this book many times because I didn't want to finish it too fast. I kept checking my progress because the main character reminds me of my grandmother, and how much I miss her. The Vera books warm my heart, and I can't wait to get a physical copy of this one.

This book resonates with me because I am just now developing relationships that I never had the chance to before. My mother and I bonded over the first Vera book, and I can't wait to give her the second one so we can both read together.

With a deep passion that emanates from the depths of her soul, Jesse beautifully pens down her thoughts and emotions. I implore you to check out her work, Vera, and beyond.

Thank you, Jesse, you ensuring I get a copy of this.
In my darkest days, it was the light in my tea house.

Niko

I am new to this series, but I am glad I picked up this book because it was SO GOOD! The story revolves around Vera and her tea shop, her eccentric group of friends, influencers, cults, and an unsolved death. With Vera at the center of it all, the narrative is both intriguing and entertaining. After reading this, I can't help but wonder if Vera Wong could adopt me! She is such a fun character, and her humor makes me laugh out loud. I love her stubbornness, clever wit, and caring nature. Everyone should have someone like her in their lives!

Thank you to NetGallery and to Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for my copy.

I. Love. Vera.

She's found a new dead man to investigate and a few new suspects. Vera brings everything to her search for the truth about Xander and, again, finds that she is adding to her family. She also brings her food along. I kept wishing Vera would drop off some for me too! I found myself laughing, crying a little, and more than willing to go beat up some bad guys at the end.