I liked the premise of the book as well as the main character. Unfortunately from the starting point of the death by erection pill it lost me. There was too much focus on passages that felt like they were written purely out of trying to be funny rather than adding to or moving the plot forward. I also found that they story jumped around a bit and took too many liberties in what the author wanted to assume the reader already knew. I didn't really enjoy this one and if it were to become a series I don't think that I would press on.

Sometimes a book truly transports you to another time and place. Author Sandra Jackson-Opoku's debut cozy, foodie mystery was a delightful reprieve from our current national nightmares. Overwhelmingly enjoyed.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Such a fun and cozy debut! Liked how all the recipes from the story were included at the end of the book. There were times when the story slowed down a little bit and felt like certain parts could’ve been edited out. Also there were a few too many characters to keep track of and I had to write down who was who. Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this digital arc.

When Savvy Summers, owner of Essie's Place, agrees to cater a 50th anniversary celebration, little does she know it will set off a chain of events that threaten to ruin her restaurant. When half of the anniversary couple drops dead after eating a piece of Savvy's sweet potato pie the morning after the party, rumors start flying, and she is determined to get to the bottom of the matter before she is run out of business.

This mystery is a lot of fun. There is a huge cast of colorful characters, and I appreciated the Chicago setting. Savvy's relationship with her ex-husband, a detective who is reluctantly dragged into helping her, is one of the more memorable parts of the story. There's a subplot involving a shady real estate deal which adds some tension to the story but has nothing to do with the murders.

Savvy is no sleuth, but she does manage to stumble onto a solution aided by a rather inept pair of murderers. I would file this under the cozy mystery, amateur detective category. Extra points if you're a fan of soul food. Recipes are shared at the end of the story.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Savvy Summers is an engaging heroine surrounded by well-developed supporting characters. As she investigates a sudden death in her restaurant, she comes across several mysterious circumstances that could have led to murder. Many characters have secrets and are up to no good. Savvy enlists the help of her ex-husband and her friend/employee to help figure out which secret led to murder.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read with interesting characters, and I would read more about these characters if a sequel was released. I appreciate that it’s connected to food without being super kitschy about it. It also really feels rooted in Chicago, and I like books that are like love letters to their setting.
I would recommend this book for fans of contemporary cozy mysteries, especially those who are looking to read more Black authors.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes was a fun, fast-paced cozy mystery that kept me entertained from start to finish. The humor, the food talk, and the dynamic between Savvy and Penny made the story shine. While a few moments dragged, the twists and lovable characters more than made up for it. If this turns into a series, I’m in! Solid 4/5—great read, just a little slow at times.

I don’t usually have such a difficult time reading books but this one really had me flustered. I think some elements of the story were lost in translation for me or I just couldn’t understand. There were too many characters for me to remember, so many different nicknames or explanations behind characters that were already introduced and I forgot what the plot of the story even was. I really wanted to enjoy this book like others and I was so excited to read something fresh as well as a new to me author but man am I confused. The writing also felt clunky and loaded with unnecessary detail which made it even harder for me to retain. I loved Savy Summers, her quick combacks and no nonsense attitude. I appreciated the plot and Savy as a whole but everything else was hard to get through. I’ll definitely try this author again but there was just so many different aspects of this book to take in it really lost the story for me.

I was drawn to Savvy right from the beginning—I felt her determination to protect Essie’s soul food café, and I admired her resilience as she faced such overwhelming challenges. I could feel her frustration and desperation as she tried to clear her name and keep her business afloat. The whole idea of her sweet potato pie being at the center of a murder investigation hooked me immediately, and I couldn’t wait to see how she and Penny unraveled the mystery. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Savvy and her assistant manager, Penny. I felt their energy and camaraderie as they worked together to solve the case, and I couldn’t help but laugh at Penny’s antics. I also loved the tension brought by the slimy investor and Savvy’s ex-husband—it added so much drama and kept me on the edge of my seat. I felt like I was right there with Savvy as she navigated these complex relationships and tried to stay one step ahead of the chaos.

Overall, I thought this book was such a fun and engaging read. I loved the twists and turns, and the ending left me feeling satisfied and eager for more of Savvy’s adventures. It’s a story full of charm, wit, and a strong, relatable heroine. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy mystery with a lot of flavor!

I enjoyed the food talk.

There are a lot of characters thrown at us right away, and that was a bit much.

As a debut cozy, it has the hallmarks. A cop in the picture, a restaurant, and a dead man who had been eating sweet potato pie.

The men were awful. For me this was a bit much.

NetGalley/ July 29, 2025 St. Martin’s Press

This was an enjoyable and fast-paced whodunit that I could not put down until all was said and done. The author did a great job in staging this mystery with a list of potential suspects, sprinkled with savory and sweet clues to keep me in the game. With visually descriptive narrative, engaging and witty dialogue, and a quirky yet lovable cast of characters that brings the spirit of Chicago to the page. Everyone played a hand in how well this story was being told. When I thought I had a handle on the perpetrator, the author changed directions all to enhance my reading pleasure. I love the pairing of Savvy with her employee Penny. They bring humor to the pages as they traipse after a killer hiding in plain sight.

This was a delightful appetizing story that will have you salivating for more time with Savvy and her friends. I hope this is the start of a new cozy mystery series.

Savvy Summers is a great main character who I would love to see in future books (and be friends with). The entire cast of characters was a lot of fun to read and were perfect for the story. I also loved that there were explanations of Aunt Essie’s sayings along with a collection of her recipes at the end. There were a few times where I felt the story was a little slow but overall it was a good read.

Good humor as well as mystery and adventures. What a wild ride this was especially towards the end. Highly recommend.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wonderful story that keeps you guessing till the end. Savvy Summers has a restaurant/catering business. We start off the book with an anniversary party that doesn't go well. I mean the food is great, music is wonderful but the couple seem to be breaking up. We get to meet many of the characters at the party that will be seen thru the book. Including the dead body. It was a fast read, colorful characters, along with some humor throughout.

Overall I thought this was a cute mystery. At times I found it hard to follow and it didn’t quite hook me but I still enjoyed it.

This cozy mystery was fun to read and I enjoyed the main character of Savvy and her assistant Penny. There is a lovely assortment of characters and anyone of them could have committed the murders so the ending was a surprise, but a realistic resolution which is nice. There is lots of food talk, lots of great aunt epithets, fun chapter titles, and lots of humor in the banter. This book made me hungry! I wanted to try all the things Savvy cooked and appreciated the few recipes at the end. If this is the beginning of a series I would happily read the next book to see where the characters go next.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first time reading a book by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. As a mystery lover, I appreciated the well-crafted plot and intriguing storyline. While I was able to pick up on some of the clues early on, the overall execution still managed to surprise me in the best way.

The characters were engaging, and I found myself invested in their journey. I truly hope the author considers turning this into a series—I would love to spend more time with these characters and see where the story goes next.

The cover is absolutely stunning. I’m a fan of illustrated covers, and this one immediately caught my eye. From the visual appeal to the plot and pacing, everything came together beautifully.

It’s always exciting to discover new authors, and this book was a great find. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this. I really enjoyed this.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is a very cute story about Savvy, the owner of Essie’s Cafe, determined to prove a customer’s death was not cause by her once famous Sweet Potato Pie! Throughout the book we follow Savvy as she becomes a “detective” seeking answers in her customer’s death! The highlight of the book for me were the wonderful recipes at the end. This is a quick charming…must read! I am so grateful for the chance to review this amazing book.

4✨ Such a charming story! Savvy Summers owns Essie’s, a popular soul food restaurant where everyone raves about her delicious sweet potato pie. Business is thriving, until one of her regular customers dies while eating the pie, and Savvy gets blamed for poisoning him. The book follows Savvy as she hilariously plays detective, trying to figure out who is responsible. It turns into a complex game of Clue! While some parts of the book felt a bit slow, I really enjoyed it and couldn’t wait to find out "who done it"!

Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced readers copy for my honest opinion.

This is a fairly good cozy mystery that had some solid parts, but at times, felt a bit flat.
The main character, Savy, is a good character and I enjoyed getting to know her.
I haven't decided if I will read more in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book .