Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

Vera Wong #1

by Jesse Q. Sutanto

La novela más encantadora y reconfortante del año
«Hilarante, tremendamente entretenida y con el toque justo de misterio.»
The Washington Post

Nadie investiga mejor un crimen que una madre suspicaz y con mucho tiempo libre…Vera Wong es una solitaria mujer mayor —o, mejor dicho, señora de cierta edad— que vive encima de su olvidada tetería en pleno Chinatown de San Francisco. Lo que más le gusta es saborear una buena taza de oolong y navegar por internet, sobre todo para averiguar si su hijo sale con alguien. Pero, una mañana cualquiera, su tan apreciada rutina se ve afectada. Vera baja las escaleras y se topa con un imprevisto: alguien ha dejado un cadáver en medio de la tienda. ¡Qué calamidad! Después de llamar a la Policía como haría cualquier ciudadano responsable, se acerca al cuerpo y, al ver que tiene una memoria USB en la mano, la recoge y la guarda en el bolsillo de su delantal. ¿Por qué? Porque Vera está convencida de que ella puede hacer mejor trabajo de investigación que cualquier agente. Sabe que el asesino volverá a por la memoria USB; lo único que tiene que hacer es observar a todo aquel que entre en su tienda. Aunque lo último que esperaría Vera es entablar amistad con los clientes y empezar a preocuparse por todos y cada uno de ellos.

«Deliciosa. Una combinación perfecta de tés, comidas exquisitas y entrañables personajes.»
Library Journal

«Muy reconfortante.»
Kirkus Reviews

«Sutanto da en el clavo.»
BookPage

«Escriba sobre lo que escriba, el gran mérito de Sutanto es que lo hace con pasión y corazón.»
The Jakarta Post

«A veces necesitamos un libro que nos levante el ánimo. Eso es precisamente lo que Sutanto consigue.»
Reader’s Digest

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Book Club, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary

339 pages, Paperback

First published March 14, 2023

About the author

Jesse Q Sutanto grew up shuttling back and forth between Jakarta and Singapore and sees both cities as her homes. She has a Masters degree from Oxford University, though she has yet to figure out a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious. She is currently living back in Jakarta on the same street as her parents and about seven hundred meddlesome aunties. When she's not tearing out her hair over her latest WIP, she spends her time baking and playing FPS games. Oh, and also being a mom to her two kids.

Reviews

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

I am here to “spill the tea” on the Audible version of this book-narrated by the wonderfully engaging Eunice Wong-this has been my FAVORITE audible listen so far this year!!

Vera Wong was born a rat, but she should have been a rooster-that is according to the characteristics of the signs in the Chinese horoscope!

Owner of Vera Wang’s World Famous Tea Shop in San Francisco’s China Town, she wakes up promptly at 430 AM each morning, without an alarm, texts her Gen Z son, Tilly, with “helpful” advice, and makes her way downstairs to open the store.

The shop is struggling, and she only has one regular customer despite being an expert in the lost Art of preparing tea. Then one morning, Vera finds a dead man in the middle of her tea shop with a flash drive in his outstretched hand.

Vera doesn’t know what comes over her, but after calling the cops like any good citizen would, she sort of . . . swipes the flash drive from the body and tucks it into the pocket of her apron for safekeeping.

Why?

Because Vera KNOWS she would do a better job at solving the crime than the police possibly could. All she has to do is wait for the murderer to return to the scene of the crime!

After all, NOBODY sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands.

And, since she knows that one of the keys to staying young is to keep up with the times-she is quite proficient at using “the TikTok” and “the Google” too!!

Soon she has befriended her “suspects” all NEW customers who have suddenly started frequenting her tea shop-
Oliver-the twin brother of the Victim
Julia-his widow
Sana- alleged PodCast host and
Riki, who claims to be a journalist

But as she gets to know them, she finds that she is hoping to be wrong this time-she doesn’t want any of them to turn out to be a murderer that she has to turn over to the inept Police.

This is a COZY mystery that actually did SURPRISE me! Plus it’s filled with LOTS of good humor that will make you smile and warm your heart! I highly recommend that you give it a listen!

I am glad that I didn’t miss out on meeting the marvelous, meddlesome Vera Wong!

UPDATE: TV rights to Vera Wong were bought by Warner Bros. with Oprah Winfrey and Mindy Kaling attached to produce.

Thank You to the Chandler Public Library for the loan of this Audible!!
AVAILABLE NOW!

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️💙🍵💙❤️🍵❤️💙🍵💙❤️🍵❤️💙🍵💙❤️

Sixty-year old, Vera Wong, is a widow, mother and owner of a small, rarely visited, tea shop in San Francisco.

Vera, adheres to a strict schedule, and can be opinionated when it comes to other's lives and scheduling, particularly her son, Tilly. For example, if you aren't up by 4-4:30 a.m., you're basically wasting the day away.



As our story begins, you get to meet Vera and learn all about her little peccadilloes from her perspective. I loved her from the very start. She's perfect.

Vera's ordered world is suddenly turned upside down when one morning she discovers the body of a deceased man inside her tea shop!



Suspecting she will do a better job than the police, Vera decides to take the investigation into her own hands. The police don't seem to suspect foul play, but Vera knows, something funny is going on here.

Through a random series of events, Vera comes up with four likely suspects: Julia, the dead man's wife, Rikki, Sana and Oliver, the dead man's twin brother. She then inserts herself into the suspect's lives, because how else is she going to determine which one is guilty?!

Thus, her super-stealthy, and by that I mean over-the-top, often hilarious, slightly-meddling, yet well-intentioned, investigation begins.



I really, really enjoyed this story. The cast of characters, led by Vera, was truly the highlight for me. They were all relatable people, who ended up bonding with Vera in their own ways and for their own distinct reasons.

Vera was definitely a force to be reckoned with. She has such a big heart, is quirky as heck, sweetly innocent in many ways, but also willing to bulldoze anyone in pursuit of her goals. When Vera tells you to jump, you ask how high.



I loved learning about the characters and watching their relationships develop. It was like they all needed support and ended up, through these unfortunate circumstances, finding exactly what they needed.

The overall story was cute, cozy and heart-warming. At times, I did wish for a slightly more intriguing Mystery to help propel the plot, but the found family elements were so strong, it more than made up for that, in my opinion.



I always feel like I connect well with Sutanto's humor and characters. I just really enjoy her writing style. It's become such a comfort for me and she is an auto-buy author because of that.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. As expected, this was super fun and cute! I cannot wait to pick up more from this author in the future.

[Yun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Then again, maybe the reason why her investigation is going so well is because no one expects a tea expert to also be an expert at solving murder mysteries.

The mystery here was undoubtedly a fun one. But the real question is, how did I feel about Vera? Well, the verdict's still out on that.

Let's start with the mystery. What really worked for me was its simplicity. Sometimes, it feels like authors kind of go crazy trying to cram as many twists and turns and red herrings as possible into one story, and the result is so convoluted, it leaves you more confused than anything else. But with this one, we have just a few "suspects" and so as a reader, you're really able to settle in and enjoy the ride without being overwhelmed by too much intricacy.

And when we get to the big reveal, it's very satisfying. The simplicity makes everything easy to understand and hence the eureka moment feels like it has a bigger impact. So kudos to Jesse Q. Sutanto for doing such a good job on that, which can often be the most challenging component in a book of this genre.

But where I ran into trouble is with Vera. She's very abrasive, to the point of being unlikable. Now before you all come at me to explain what satire is, I get what the author was trying to do. Vera is meant to be a fun, tongue-in-the-cheek representation of the sort of overbearing and overreaching Asian parent we all know and love. And believe me, I know them intimately.

But Vera's personality is taken so far in the direction of being bossy and pushy and just plain wacky that it's hard to see her humanity. In other words, the satire turned into a caricature, and that just didn't work as well for me.

It isn't just Vera though. All the characters seemed a little bit off, their reactions forced, their conflicts exaggerated, their feeling of being wronged inflated and theatrical. This led to the persistent feeling that everything's for show and we're being sold a story, and that it's more farcical than genuine.

No doubt this story could've benefited from a more deft and subtle sketching out of Vera's character. But maybe that's on purpose. I read one of the author's other books, and it very much had the same over the top vibes, so it could very well be that this is the style Sutanto was aiming for and has achieved.

Thankfully, once the story gets going after the first 100 pages, it becomes more tolerable and even a little bit fun. We now have a mystery to solve, so Vera has something to occupy her attention other than just harassing the unsuspecting people around her. We also get more time with the other characters, which is a welcome reprieve from Vera, though they were often nutty in their own way.

Clearly, my dislike of Vera is in the minority. I see tons of reviewers being charmed by the very facets of her personality I find objectionable and offensive. And my only explanation is that maybe her character hits a bit too close to home for me to find it funny. But if you don't come from a culture with a lot of Veras, then maybe this story would inspire more of the delightful reaction it was undoubtedly going for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
Dial A for Aunties
~~~~~~~~~~~~

✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧

[Claire Mahoney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only finished because I had to for book club. Somehow the 60 year old main character came off more like an 80 year old, and the 2 year old character was talking about inflation 😵‍💫. No character depth or development. Cheesy and unrealistic storylines. Cringey, forced dialogue between characters. It was just all around bad. The whole book came off as super juvenile and cheesy, and I couldn’t stop rolling my eyes.

[Dorie - Cats&Books :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little suspect to begin this novel as it featured yet another older woman as the main protagonist. There have been a plethora of books featuring older adults but this one was a winner!!

Vera Wong is not a complainer – she has a routine that she follows religiously. Up at the crack of dawn, a long walk, a brisk shower and she’s down in her tea shop!! She may send a quick text to her son, Tilly, reminding him that he gets up too late and he needs to find a wife!!

Her routine is interrupted one morning when she comes downstairs to find a dead man!! What does she do?? She calls the police of course but not before drawing an outline with permanent marker around the dead body – she’s seen this on numerous crime shows. She also may have checked his pockets for clues!!

Vera immediately finds the police to be lackluster and useless as they don’t check for DNA, fingerprints or ANYTHING!! They aren’t even considering that this might be a murder. Vera knows that she has to get things done on her own.

The dead man is Marshall and there are a lot of people who aren’t sad that he is gone!

The novel then quickly ramps up with suspects including Marshall's wife Julia and several others who stop by the shop because Vera knows that “MURDERERS ALWAYS RETURN TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME!!”

There is so much heart in this novel. This is more than a cozy murder mystery as Vera slowly wins over the hearts of the suspects and they become friends. Each of them is struggling in some way and Vera has a way of getting people to open up. She even wins the heart of Julia’s demanding 2 y/o daughter Emma, who has never warmed to anyone before! I loved watching Vera interact with all of the characters who were all very well described.

The mystery itself is quite good and I really didn’t know who killed Marshall!

The less said about the plot the better, go into it blind and enjoy – I certainly did!!

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

live laugh love, vera wong🧎🏻‍♀️

[Khalilah D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so heartwarming and hilarious. Everyone needs a Vera Wong in their life

[Rosh (on a medical break) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: Great as a dramedy; decent as a mystery. Straddles well the thin line between being comical and being stereotypical. Entertaining but predictable.

Story Synopsis:

Vera Wong is a sixty-year-old teashop owner in San Francisco, and like every Asian mom, she is an expert not just in tea brewing. She loves her son Tilly though he doesn’t have time for her, and she stays updated about everything from “the Google.”
When she wakes up one morning to find a dead man in the middle of her teashop, Vera knows that she can do a much better job than the police at catching the killer. Within a couple of days, Vera has her list of suspects ready. Now to nab the culprit!
The story comes to us in the third person perspective of Vera and her various “suspects”.

Here’s what you need to know about the goods and the not-so-goods of this work:

👉 The title and blurb support the idea that the book will be a murder mystery. It is so, but not primarily. The main genre is more like contemporary drama or women’s fiction, with a strong found-family trope. Going into this expecting a mystery novel, even a cozy mystery, would be disappointing. (It doesn’t help that the ‘mystery’ is fairly guessable at the halfway mark.)

👉 Vera Wong is a force unto herself. Basically, she carries the whole story on her shoulders. She is opinionated and loving, funny and interfering. She considers herself perfect and knowledgeable; whether she is or not is another matter. As such, there are many times when she will get on your nerves. Your enjoyment of the book will depend on how you can accept this bulldozer of a woman who shoves away anything that stands in her path, either with fondness or with force, or sometimes, even with food. I am still trying to decide how I felt about her – she was equal parts adorable and aggravating.

👉 As a Chinese immigrant to the US, Vera’s character includes quite a lot of ’Asian Mom’ tropes. These can be seen as either funny or clichéd, depending on your approach to the representation. (I remember this same issue with Counterfeit by Kirsten Chen; what I took as satirical was taken by some other readers as insulting.) However, this book doesn’t laugh at Vera, but laughs with her. I think the rep was spot on. (I am an Asian mom, so I can say this with some authentic authority. 😉)

👉 The rest of the characters are diverse as well. We have an Indian and an Indonesian too. The Indian rep was spot on. A welcome change. (I think the Indonesian one would also be authentic as the author is an Indonesian.)

👉 There are many humorous scenes in the book when Vera is around. I especially loved Vera’s comments about the Chinese-French patisserie. On entertainment value, the book rates quite high.

👉 All the “suspects” get enough shared space under the spotlight. At the same time, their arcs are mostly predictable, and their personalities are typical goody-goody pushover kinds. A layered portrayal would have added to the mystery factor. (Coming to think of it, there was just one negative character in the whole book, and even that portrayal was one-noted.)

👉 There is a child character who was quite sweet. I felt quite sorry for her as none of the adults in her life, except Vera, seemed to know how to handle her. That said, the child’s behaviour and her speech didn’t seem age-appropriate. I think she was written as a two-year-old just to avoid plot elements about school [thus making it easy to always have her around when needed], but she never sounded like children aged two usually do.


The audiobook experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 10 hrs 41 min, is narrated by Eunice Wong. She was outstanding! Right from the emotions to the character voices to the overall vibes, she narrated the audiobook to perfection. I’d definitely recommend the audio version as a great way of experiencing this book. Even with multiple characters, the writing doesn’t make the plot confusing, so it could be a great option for audio newbies too.


Basically, this is a book you read for sheer, straightforward entertainment. The storyline is mostly guessable, so it is the characters, especially Vera, that will make or break your experience. I wish the book could have included some surprises as well, but that wasn’t to be. Still, it's a fun novel, not to be taken seriously.

3.75 stars.


My thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.




———————————————
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[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vera is a 60 year old woman who, despite owning a tea shop and being in great health, is incredibly lonely.
And bored.
She misses her husband who died years ago, and she misses her son who doesn't call her back often enough. <--but that doesn't stop her from leaving unwanted messages telling him what time he should be getting up in the morning, going to bed at night, or that he needs to settle down with a nice girl.



So when she wakes up one morning to discover that a man crashed through the front door of her shop (with his body!) and then died on her floor?
Well, she isn't one to let a good opportunity go to waste.
She's going to help the police investigate!



And what does Vera Wong's idea of help look like?
Well, it looks like she will go ahead and draw a chalk outline...in Sharpie. And it also looks like she might have to take a teeny bit of evidence out of his hand before the police get there.
BECAUSE SHE'S HELPFUL.



Ok, this is less about a murder and more bout a quirky character introducing the reader to other quirky characters, and then all of those oddballs forming a quirky little family.
It was a sweet story about lies, healing, love, and (of course) murder.



I will say Vera read like she was quite a bit older than 60 to me. BUT! That's just my opinion and maybe that has been the author's experience with women that age. Or maybe I'm freaking out because I'm edging closer to 60 myself and I still think I'm cool.
Then again, I do have a visor...

Recommended!

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I heard this was a funny mystery full of complex, lovable characters with a heartwarming family.

I heard I would salivate over the many descriptions of food.

I heard that it would be light and fun and that I would laugh out loud.

I heard I would cry and fall in love with the characters.

I lasted a few pages. I think. I couldn't concentrate. I thought it was silly. It was a DNF for me. I am probably the only one who felt this way.

[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️ rounded up!

“People always say that your wedding day is the happiest day of your life, but honestly, people should try solving murders more often.”

Sixty-year-old Vera Wong Zhuzhu owns and runs Vera Wang’s World- Famous Teahouse in San Francisco. Widowed, she lives alone on the floor above her tea shop and constantly keeps tabs on her adult son Tilly, checking in with him often through phone messages. Vera leads a disciplined life, wakes up early every morning and goes about her business. Unfortunately, her tea shop isn’t doing too well, but that does not deter her diligence or devotion to her business. One morning, she wakes up to discover a dead body in her shop. Vera does notify law enforcement but not before she, given the “helpful and resourceful” person that she is, prepares the crime scene which involves outlining the body just like she has seen on television, much to the annoyance of the police officers who are assigned to the case. The deceased is identified as Marshall Chen. Vera isn’t too happy with how Officer Gray and her team go about handling the crime scene and their somewhat indifferent attitude does not instill much confidence in Vera who considers herself a sleuth in addition to being a “tea doctor".

In the days following Marshall’s death, Vera meets several people who visit her shop and try to extract information about the case - Riki who claims to be a journalist, Sana who introduces herself as a podcast host, Marshall’s twin brother Oliver and Julia, Marshall's wife. Vera decides that one of them must be the killer because, according to her, the murderer is bound to return to the scene of the crime. Vera is confident of her sleuthing skills primarily because “nobody sniffs out wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands” and she has honed her knowledge by closely following crime procedurals on television. As the narrative progresses, we follow Vera as she goes about unraveling the mystery behind Marshall Chen’s death.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto is an entertaining, cozy mystery. I loved how the author depicts the friendship that develops between Vera and her “suspects”. Though the mystery angle isn’t quite as gripping as I had hoped and the pace does drag a bit in parts, I did enjoy following Vera as she unabashedly pokes her nose into everyone’s business in her attempts to identify the murderer, all the while cooking up a storm (the list of delicacies Vera prepares will have your mouth watering!), matchmaking , sharing her wisdom and offering advice to all her "suspects" on their personal problems. Vera Wong is a force to be reckoned with. Sharp and quirky with a heart of gold, Vera is an endearing character. Overall, I found this to be a heartwarming, feel-good read that I would not hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy cozy mysteries and/or are looking for something lighthearted in between heavier reads.

I paired my reading with the wonderful audio narration by Eunice Wong that definitely enhanced my experience. I can’t remember when I last laughed so much while reading/listening to a book.


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[JanB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was everything I wanted the recent glut of books featuring elderly female sleuths to be, but wasn’t.

But THIS book? It was delightful!

4.5 stars

Vera is the owner of a tea shop in San Francisco’s Chinatown, and lives a regimented life. Until the morning a dead body is found in her shop….

Knowing she’ll do a better job than the police possibly could – because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands – Vera decides it’s up to her to catch the killer.

Vera narrows the suspect list and inserts herself into their lives, changing them (and her) in ways that are unexpected. There are secrets of course, and Vera is determined to uncover them. But for me, the mystery and the secrets take a backseat to Vera herself. She is the star of this story and the one that kept my AirPods glued to my ears.

Vera is bold, straight forward, and pulls no punches when she voices her opinions and meddles in the younger generation’s lives, which provides much of the humor in this novel. I found myself laughing out loud more than once.

I adored Vera and I want a Vera in my life. Plus, she cooks amazing dishes for her “suspects” and the descriptions made my mouth water.

This is not my usual genre and I found it to be utterly delightful, especially on audio. I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it as much in print because hearing her voice on audio with perfect comedic timing, was perfect.

Heartwarming and charming this is one I highly recommend. I hope this isn’t the last we hear from Vera.

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jesse Q. Sutanto’s fascinating new cozy mystery, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers , features Vera Wong as an amateur sleuth. She’s a widow with one son who she doesn’t get to see very often. Vera lives above her dilapidated teashop in San Francisco. One morning she goes downstairs and finds a dead man in the middle of her shop with a flash drive in his outstretched hand. After calling the police, she takes the flash drive and hides it in her apron pocket. Vera is positive she can do a better job than the police can in discovering who killed the man on the floor. She feels she only needs to investigate the people who come to her shop after the murder and she will discover the killer.

Vera is lonely, inquisitive, intelligent, fiery, bold, and funny. She has very set ideas on how an older generation should be treated and lets others know if they don’t meet her expectations. The main supporting characters are Riki Herwanto, Sana Singh, Oliver Chen, Julia Chen, and Emma Chen. Their character angles lent focus, originality, and depth. The characters’ natures and backstories are shown using action, not just descriptive prose.

Told from five points of view, the novel gives readers extra insights into Vera, Julia, Riki, Sana, and Oliver. Amazingly, this did not cause pacing issues. Vera remains the focal point; ordering her suspects around as she gets to know them and their secrets. This relieves her boredom and gets her to enjoy life again. However, will she find the killer?

The story brilliantly captured the characters and the cultural lifestyles and traditions of the group. The plot has some twists and turns, but this story is about more than solving a mystery. Threads include found family, family relationships, loneliness, boredom, jealousy, personal boundaries, and regret, as well as generational differences and expectations.

Diverse characterization and great world-building details made this a fast and enjoyable read. I kept wondering what Vera would uncover next and how that would affect the story line. There are multiple believable suspects with motives to kill the man found in Vera’s shop. The joy of food, tea, and friendship are interwoven with the investigation into alibis and motives.

If you’re looking for an entertaining, heartwarming, lighthearted, and funny cozy mystery with a mature protagonist, I highly recommend this novel. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author. I would love to see a series featuring Vera.

Berkley Publishing Group and Jesse Q. Sutanto provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 14, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.05 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Liz · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up
For those in need of a murder mystery filled with more humor than angst, check out Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.
Vera runs Vera Wang’s World Famous Tea Shop and no, that’s not a misspelling. When she finds a dead body in the shop early one morning, she’s expecting the full police treatment, just like in one of the tv shows. But the police aren’t nearly as convinced it’s murder as she is. So, of course, Vera feels compelled to begin her own investigation.
Vera is a wonderful main character. Her son doesn’t pay her the attention she deserves, maybe because she still wants to run his life and find him a wife. She has a knack for brewing the perfect cup of tea for each specific person. And she is full of opinions and not afraid of butting her nose into others’ lives. As someone who thinks of Chinese mothers as “Tiger Moms”, Vera provided me with a more nuanced, well rounded version.
This is a surprisingly heartwarming story. Yes, it’s a murder mystery, but the murder isn’t really the main focus. The story switches between the POV of Vera and her four “suspects”. Sutanto has developed the perfect backstory for each suspect and I loved how they all came together.
The story isn’t fast paced, but I was engaged throughout. I figured out who the murderer was early on. But even then, there was a twist I didn’t see coming.
I listened to this and Eunice Wong was the perfect narrator. She could differentiate the voices and has one of the few child’s voices that doesn’t grate on my nerves.

[Emma Griffioen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I can officially say that Jesse Q. Sutanto's books are not for me. I honestly don't know what I was thinking picking this up, I gave both Dial A for Aunties and Four Aunties and a Wedding 2 stars... but this cover was so cute, I had to give her one last chance.

This is a very character-driven story. Vera, the main character, who is a 60-year-old widow and tea shop owner, turned amateur detective, was very witty, however, her "I'm just an old lady I can do whatever I want" pushiness got old fast. The supporting characters were interesting enough, however, the plot was so weak that the characters didn't make up for it. I was waiting the entire time to figure out who had murdered Marshall in Vera's tea shop and it was underwhelming to say the least. It was "solved" in the last 2 chapters, and they briefly mentioned a trial but gave no real closure. There was way too many pop culture references, especially TikTok, which really wrecks the longevity of the book in my opinion.

I think one of the fundamental problems with Sutanto's books is that they are marketed wrong. For example, the blurb about Jesse at the back of this book described Dial a for Aunties as "women's fiction" and that is (in my opinion) entirely wrong. all 3 of her books have also been described as thrillers which couldn't be further from the truth. I really think they should all be labeled as young adult/humour. It is safe to say I will not be picking up her next book, however, I do think there is an audience out there for Sutanto's books, it is just not me.

Read my reviews for Jesse Q. Sutanto's books here:
Dial A For Aunties - 2 stars
Four Aunties and a Wedding - 2 stars
The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties - 2 stars (Release date: March 26th, 2024)
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers - 2 stars

[Holly B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vera Wong is a 60 year old busybody, tea shop owner/ tea pusher) and amateur sleuth.

Vera was such a great character. She was determined to solve the crime that took place in her tea shop and goes all out in her investigations. She gives herself pep talks and seems to seek out all the drama. She even keeps her own little murder notebook. She is a bit of a bother to Officer Gray who calls her CSI educated and wishes she would go away let her handle the case!

Vera was described as an elderly, frail "old lady" , but I thought she was energetic and lively!

This one is on the lighter/cozy side, but beware there is a bit of swearing if that bothers you (not squeaky clean).

I was anxious to learn who the killer was and who would solve the case, but the journey and following Vera along the way is what kept me reading! The tea shop setting was also a plus.

Thanks Libby for the listen! Narrated by Eunice Wong/ 10 hours, 41 min

[Vivian Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️ Omg I had the BEST time reading this book! Vera had me cracking up every other page. I absolutely adored her! I loved how she was always cooking entire feasts for everyone! It reminded me a little bit of my own mom and grandmother 🥹. This was also really heartwarming and sweet. I liked how the unsolved murder brought all characters together in such a clever way. Now I can’t wait to read more books by this author! 💖

If you’re looking for a feel good and funny story with some found family and a little bit of a mystery, then I highly recommend this one!

”Only those who are so privileged can make right decision all the time. The rest of us, we have to struggle, keep afloat.”

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Vera, she was a blast. But the other characters felt so alike, all having a low expectation of themselves and no self-esteem.

[Miranda Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

“People always say that your wedding day is the happiest day of your life, but honestly, people should try solving murders more often.”

Vera Wong, owner of Vera Wang's World-Famous Teahouse, knows her life has stagnated - the loss of her husband, the dwindling of her business, her son being so busy without her - but then something really exciting happened.

Someone died in her shop.

And what's better - the police are completely useless at solving the crime.

Finally, something for Vera to do.

“In her experience, it’s best to nod and agree with what people say before doing exactly what you wanted from the very beginning.”

She knows she will be perfect in this role. She's got the experience - okay, she's watched enough shows to know what to do - and no one is better at meddling and finding out the truth than a mother!

However, the more suspects that Vera collects...the more she realizes how much she likes this community of people she's brought together.

But she won't let personal feelings get in the way of crime solving...though maybe a bit of meddling here and there to push the young people in the right direction wouldn't be out of line...

“Destiny, Vera thinks, is something to be hunted down and grabbed tightly with both hands and shaken until it gives her exactly what she wants.”

OH. MY. GOSH. I loved this book so much.

I picked up Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by the same author this year and adored it. So, I've decided to start reading more by the author and I'm so glad that I did.

I've read so many meh or depressing books recently that when I picked this one up...ahhh...breath of fresh air.

I love a character who utilizes a little bit of luck and a whole lot of pluck to get her way - and this motherly bully (armed with amazing food and a can-do attitude) was just the kind of person I needed.

The side-characters were amazing as well. Every one of them tugged my heartstrings until I was on Vera's side - wanting to figure out the murderer but desperately hoping it wasn't one of them.

The plot was pretty good - I did guess a bit here and there but definitely not the full picture. Enough was up in the air that I was glued to the book for the latter half.

Overall, really excited by this one and cannot wait to continue the series!

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

Misrepresented as a cozy mystery, when it’s actually a simplistic and saccharine romance novel with an insufferable “old” busybody as the central character. Said to be 60, she reads more like 80. What little mystery there is doesn’t come close to being solved until the lightbulb goes off in the last 20 pages. What an overrated book. The best thing about it is the (thoroughly inaccurate) title.

[JaymeO · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grab an egg roll and a cup of matcha tea and settle in for an adorable heart-warming cozy mystery!

Welcome to Vera Wang’s World Famous Tea House. No, not that Vera Wang. This tea shop is owned by savvy business woman, VERA WONG. Her store used to be the talk of Chinatown. However, now she just has one regular customer. On her own since the death of her husband and without the support of her successful son, Vera must keep the shop running. When she awakes to find a dead man in her store, she is determined to catch his murderer. Befriending a group of suspects and wooing them with her delicious homemade Chinese food, Vera vows to uncover the truth behind the murder. Who killed Marshall?

I listened to the audiobook, which is read by Eunice Wong. I highly recommend listening to this one, as Wong’s representation of Vera is terrific! Vera is hilarious and her chapters were my favorite.

This character driven cozy mystery is very predictable and over the top. However, I was still rooting for all of the suspects to be innocent. Vera’s mouthwatering food really made this book shine and had me craving a Chinese feast. Ayah! Don’t read this book on an empty stomach!

I hope that this is a start to a new series, as I would gladly read more about Vera and her new friends!

3.5/5 stars rounded up

[Jaclyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

An example of a book I would never revisit.
I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. This is the problem! This book didn’t inspire any strong feelings in me.

Vera Wong is cute in places. It’s wholesome, but it also feels strangely out of place. Is this novel trying to be a cozy mystery, or is it trying to be a found family story? Is this a dramedy or is it a tragedy?

Let’s start from the beginning:

Vera Wong is the proprietor of a down and out tea shop in China town. She has a son that doesn’t respond to her texts or take much interest in his Chinese heritage. She’s lonely, and has one customer per day.
Until she finds a dead body in her shop!
Overbearing Vera decides to get to the bottom of this, even if the police don’t think it’s suspicious.
Vera finds four suspects: Julia, Olivia, Riki, and Sana.

Now, this is where things get a little bit off the rails for me.
Do these people find Vera’s accusations accusatory? Nope! They all become fast friends, almost like a found family. Sure, because I’d love to hang out with potential Murderers and the strange woman accusing me of murder.
*I think this concept could have worked if it was over a longer period of time, but as it stands the plot occurs only over the span of a week or two. It’s all very fast (and yet the book is sooo long!)

It was like one of my least favorite tropes: insta love, but instead insta family.

Now the good: the beginning is the strongest part of the story, it sucks you in and makes you want to keep reading. The ending twist I also was surprised by, and was glad it wasn’t completely predictable.

Sutanto writes SCRUMPTIOUS SUMPTUOUS! scenes around food. She should really play to her strengths and include more of this comfort food based writing to more stories. (I’d love to read about Vera cooking and bringing food to loved ones, a lot more than I loved reading about her murder investigation. Something along the lines of a Becky chambers-esque series involving cooking would be so cozy.)

And drum roll… the bad
Unfortunately I thought the book was all over the place and largely unbelievable. Disbelief I can handle… but it was also so long that it constantly reminded me that the characters and the plot were behaving in ways I didn’t find realistic.

I don’t think the writing is bad. I don’t think the initial plot is bad. But I do think the author got lost in it. The story meanders, it stumbles.

And don’t get me started on a two year old character speaking on a level more on par with a five year old.

Also don’t get me started on the contrived good twin versus evil twin fall in love with the same girl trope. Maybe this just makes me roll my eyes because my husband is a twin and my sister in law is also a twin, but I just think it’s so cheap. There are better tropes.

Initial review: 2.5 stars. I’ve decided to round down. I objectively don’t think this is a bad book, and I do think it will work for others, but for me this story didn’t work. I have too many issues with the construction.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a full spoiler version of this review, please check out my book review blog here: https://spoiledbooks.blogspot.com/

⭐ 5/5 stars — Hilarious, heartwarming, and hands down the best cozy mystery I’ve read in years.

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Sutanto is pure delight from start to finish. It’s the story of Vera Wong — a 60-year-old tea shop owner, self-proclaimed detective, and professional giver of unsolicited advice — who discovers a dead body in her shop one morning and decides the police are doing a terrible job, so she might as well solve the case herself. ☕💀

This book is laugh-out-loud funny, endlessly charming, and filled with the kind of humor and heart that makes you wish Vera were real so you could invite her over for tea (and life advice). Every scene sparkles with wit, and the found-family dynamic between Vera and her “suspects” is unexpectedly moving. It’s cozy without being sleepy, emotional without being heavy, and funny in a way that feels effortless.

Also — let’s be honest — if you’ve read a few mysteries, you might spot the killer early on (I definitely did 👀), but it doesn’t matter one bit. The joy here isn’t in the surprise; it’s in the journey. And what a delightful journey it is.

Verdict: The perfect cozy mystery — heart, humor, and humanity all in one teacup.

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vera Wong is a quirky, humorous lady who is comfortable in her own skin and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. She enjoys micromanaging her son’s life and sticking her nose where some say it shouldn’t belong, but I for one am glad that she does, as it brought us this delightful book! To be honest, I think the mystery took a bit of a backseat to the other aspects of this novel, especially since I had a hard time buying that the murderer would do what they did and why, but what a delight watching Vera bring together this list of suspects and somehow connect them all in a way that they never would have imagined. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery full of heart and chuckles, this one is it!

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.

[Ярослава]

Жила-була і переклала cosy іронічний детектив - перший детектив у моєму перекладацькому доробку, уррра! Я люблю цей жанр як читачка, але попрацювати з ним досі не випадало!

Що треба знати про Віру Вон, головну героїню цього роману?
Віра Вон - старенька самотня іммігрантка у Сан-Франциско, власниця "Всесвітньо відомої чайної Віри Вонг" - закладу з відразу кількома помилками в назві (скажімо, насправді ніяка вона не всесвітньо відома, бо більшість клієнтів - такі ж старенькі самотні іммігранти, як власниця - вже померли).
Ще Віра типова китайська мама - на наші гроші це як єврейська мама: жінка з етнічної меншини, яка відчуває вразливість своєї спільноти й тому допхає своїх дітей до конвенційного успіху (хочуть вони того чи ні).
Віра живе впорядкованим життям: щоранку прокидається о 4:30, пише повідомлення своєму дорослому сину (в дусі "прокидайся, бо все життя проспиш, ну й молодь пішла") (син не відповідає, що цілком очікувано), робить зарядку, чекає приходу єдиного відвідувача чайної, чекає на вечір, чекає на банкрутство, чекає на смерть.
І так би життя котилося без пригод до самого фіналу, але одного ранку вона спускається у чайну й бачить просто посеред зали труп. Ніхто не має кращого нюху на почуття провини, ніж китайська мама, - думає собі Віра. Й вирішує повести самостійне розслідування, бо поліція не впорається сама ("ну й молодь пішла").
Вона шукає вбивцю - але знаходить родину, яку сама собі обирає, обростаючи еклектичним кастом прийомних дітей-внуків-племінників-і-племінниць, яким готує, влаштовує особисте життя й допомогає розкрити свій хист (самі вони не впораються, бо, як ви вже зрозуміли, "ну й молодь пішла"). Ну й що, що всі вони підозрювані в убивстві, щось приховують і мають вагомі мотиви? Це ж не значить, що вони погані люди!

У мене є до тексту певні питання:

* по-перше, я не розумію, як можна жінку 60 років описувати як вразливу крихку стареньку??? Мадонні 66, Ніколь Кідман 57, середній вік піхотинців, які тримають фронт і рятують нам Україну, теж наближається до цієї вікової категорії. Знайомі мені 60-літні жінки (і чоловіки) ще цілком собі живуть життя. Якби читачам не уточнювали вік, я б думала, що головній героїні далеко за 70?
* для мене не зовсім працює цей фінал. Оскільки це cosy іронічний детектив, авторка докладає всіх зусиль, щоб того типа, чиє вбивство розслідують, було максимально не шкода - мовляв, сам догрався й заслужив. І він справді бісив усю дорогу, але в фіналі його стає шкода, бо виявляється, що він не найбільший соціопат у тексті - але це явно не задуманий авторкою ефект.
* є кілька моментів, де текст веде до одного, а потім turns on a dime і виводить до чогось протилежного (авторка в післямові пояснює, що писала дуже швидко, тож, думаю, she didn't have the time to fully blend in her red herrings)

Але розповідь дуже атмосферна + я люблю цей троп про родину з вибору і люблю таке поєднання абсурдної, трошки slapstick комедії і гомеопатичної дрібки екзистенційного розпачу (бо смійся-не смійся, а в смерть кожен входить один) (розпач досипали дуже маленькими дозами, це цілком оптимістичний текст). Якщо ви таке теж любите, то ця книжка напевно вас розважить і потішить!

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 solid stars for book 1 in the Vera Wong series. I read book 2 and really enjoyed it, so I decided to read book 1. This is just as funny, with some sad moments, and some budding romances, helped along by Vera. Vera is a lonely old woman, running a run down tea shop in present day San Francisco with very few customers. But then, in the words of the blurb: "But when Vera wakes up one morning to find a dead man in the middle of her tea shop, it’s going to take more than a strong Longjing to fix things. Knowing she’ll do a better job than the police possibly could – because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands – Vera decides it’s down to her to catch the killer."
Vera impulsively keeps a flash drive that she finds on the dead man, instead of giving it to the police. She does solve the mystery and makes some new friends.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries with heart, humor and a satisfactory ending.
This was a library book.

[K.J. Charles]

A very enjoyable cosy mystery, in which an elderly Chinese widow living a rather lonely (but doggedly determined) life in the US finds a dead body in her teahouse and decides to solve the mystery, mostly for something to do. In the process, she turns most of the suspects into a found family.

Very amusing caper, with some horrible and many difficult people, and sharp edges but a kind, open heart. I do like a murder where we don't have to regret the murderee's passing in the slightest.

[Anne Bogel]

This is the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club February 2026 selection. The author will join us for a live discussion!

This was a fun romp! This adorable tea shop murder mystery has serious Only Murders in the Building vibes and boasts a pleasantly large cast of (mostly) likable characters. When the titular 60-year-old widow awakes one morning to find a dead body clutching a flash drive on the floor of her tea shop, she calls in the authorities. (She doesn't want to, but her son convinces her she has to). But, unimpressed by their approach to the case and unconvinced they can get to the truth of what happened, she takes matters into her own hands, with delightful and chaotic results and a feel-good ending I didn't expect. This was a wonderful palate cleanser after a string of serious reads.

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ☆

”People always say that your wedding day is the happiest day of your life, but honestly, people should try solving murders more often.”

Vera is the exact type of “meddling old lady” that i can get behind. her way of approaching this whole murder mystery was hilarious. the strongest aspect of this book though is the found family. Vera brought all of her “suspects” together in more ways than one and i loved getting those scenes where she cooked for everyone 🥹. i think it was a perfect decision to add all the povs and not just have it be Vera, it kept the mystery and the drama/romance flowing smoothly. the reveal around who the culprit was tugged at my heart a bit too. none of this was what i was expecting, but i can definitely see why this book is so popular.. absolutely worth the read!

[Sadie E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straight away, you get the full picture of who Vera is. There's no build-up. No gentle easing in. She bursts in like the Kool-Aid man and immediately begins supervising your entire existence. She'll complain about your weight while feeding you, but she'll also complain that you don’t eat enough; she'll tell you your haircut low-key doesn’t suit your face (she learned that on "the Google"); she'll try to set you up with one of your followers on "the TikTok", and then she'll loudly bemoan the rudeness, laziness, and moral collapse of youth today. All this while power-walking around the room, reorganising things that were fine, and making you feel like you’ve somehow disappointed her just by sitting there.

She's abrasive to the point of being genuinely unlikeable.

And yet, she'd go to the ends of the earth for you. No hesitation. No questions. Possibly no sleep.

Vera is a busybody in the purest sense of the word. She knows more than anyone. She knows better than anyone. She decides she can solve a murder more effectively than the police, armed only with her determination and a love of CSI and Law and Order. She’s a one-woman whirlwind of unsolicited help: inserting herself into your problems, arranging your love life, shoving homemade food into your hands, and brewing tea like it’s a medical necessity. She's utterly incapable of minding her own business under any circumstances.

Vera reminds me so much of one of my 60-something, San Francisco-based friends. And she is a lot. Every interaction is exhausting. A short conversation leaves you drained. You need a long nap. You need electrolytes. Vera Wong operates on that exact frequency. She is insufferable. She has an opinion on literally everything, and she will share it whether or not you asked. She’s also a true ride or die.

She knows everything. Vera doesn’t need a fitness tracker because she knows her daily walking route is exactly 3,112 steps. Not approximately. Exactly. And of course she also knows that her heart rate afterwards is “a respectable 92 beats per minute.” This is the level of confidence we’re dealing with. She knows how things should be done, how they used to be done, and how you're currently doing them wrong. She is never guessing. She is never unsure. Reality is simply lagging behind her understanding of it.

I don’t have personal experience with this, but Vera is clearly meant to be a satire of the overbearing, overstepping Asian parent archetype: the micromanagement, the criticism-as-love, the total disregard for boundaries paired with fierce loyalty. Most of the time, that crisp, pointed satire works. Occasionally, though, it veers into caricature territory, where the behaviour is just exaggerated enough to pull you out of the moment.

Likewise, the victim felt a bit too over the top in how awful they were. Their "villainy" is dialled up so high that it occasionally edges into cartoonish territory, which slightly flattens the moral complexity. It’s not a dealbreaker in a cosy mystery (where exaggerated personalities are part of the fun), but it did make certain reveals feel less nuanced than they might have been.

I found it a bit annoying how often the author treated Vera like she was 100 years old. She’s older, sure, but the constant emphasis on her physical limitations sometimes felt overplayed. It undercuts her competence, which is odd given that the book also wants us to believe she’s hyper-capable and running mental spreadsheets at all times. Pick a lane. Either she’s frail and bewildered, or she’s a terrifying force of nature.

Vera’s POV is both the book’s greatest strength and its biggest endurance test. Every moment of her day is catalogued in painstaking detail. Not just actions, but thoughts, judgements, micro-judgements, and follow-up judgements. The tea. The temperature of the tea. The symbolism of the tea. Why everyone else fundamentally misunderstands tea. It’s immersive, funny, and utterly relentless. This book feels like being trapped in a small space with Vera while she narrates nonstop and you can't get away from being fed and lightly scolded. An escape room from hell.

I have a weakness for food in novels, and this book doesn't disappoint. There's so much comfort food, so much tea, so much lovingly described cooking and feeding-as-love that I was constantly hungry while reading. I also make my own tea blends, and the tea descriptions were genuinely great - they're clearly written by someone who cares about tea rather than treating it as a vague aesthetic. Vera doesn’t just like tea; she knows the exact tea to get shit done, whether that’s emotional repair, confrontation, relaxation, or murder-adjacent problem-solving. The food and drink aren’t just set dressing; they’re how Vera communicates care and connection. You will want a snack. Bring more than you think you'll need.

The murder mystery itself is very chill. Low-stakes. Fairly predictable. The murder's almost incidental. This isn't a twisty whodunnit. If you’re here for shocking reveals and intricate clues, this will feel soft. The plot frequently pauses so Vera can emotionally adopt another lonely adult, interrogate them under the guise of concern, cook for them aggressively, and decide they're now under her protection, and the pacing sags in the middle because of this.

It's less about solving a crime and more about loneliness, grief, ageing, and the quiet ways people drift away from others. These are people who are stuck or overlooked. Vera simply refuses to let them stay isolated and she builds a found family not through emotional subtlety, but through sheer force of will (and food).

I started getting a bit bored around the 70% mark. The book's longer than it needs to be, and while I enjoyed the split POV at first (it added texture and helped balance Vera’s very intense narrative voice) but as the story progresses, it starts to feel like it’s bogging things down rather than enriching them.

By the end, I had two conflicting realisations: I'd be a lot more successful and my life would be so much more chaotic if I had Vera in my life. I'd be stressed and micromanaged and I'd never know peace. I would also like to be adopted by Vera, please and thank you.

This isn't a calm book. It isn't subtle. It's not relaxing in the traditional cosy sense. Vera Wong will test your patience. She'll drain your energy and get on your nerves. She'll be unlikeable, but by the end, you'll probably be charmed and emotionally compromised despite yourself.