Another fantastic trip into the world of Vera Wong! I love these characters, and the humour in the book. I liked the author's note about the real-life inspiration for part of the plot. I found the whole read cozy and compelling!

Vera Wong's life took a turn when a dead man turned up in her tea house - a turn for the better, that is! Her son now has a girlfriend, she found a family from her list of (former) suspects, and she is less lonely. But now she's feeling a bit bored. Lucky for her, her future daughter-in-law, Officer Selena Gray, left her briefcase out when Vera was cat-sitting, and of course Vera just wants to help! She stumbles across the murder case of mysterious influencer Xander Lin. But the cast of characters she meets/forces herself upon don't seem to know the real Xander and they all have secrets they're hiding. But if Vera knows anything, (and she does, in fact, know just about everything, being a Chinese mother and all) good food, tea, and company can get people talking. The investigation takes some dark turns and it's up to Vera, now a TikTok star no less, to save the day. Anything for her future daughter-in-law, after all.

The dedication says this book is for those who aspire to be like Vera - sign me up! Vera is outgoing, hilarious, nurturing, a bit forceful, very snoopy, and persistent. From her aggressive morning walks, to her soothing tea making and her desire to feed everyone she meets, she is a force to be reckoned with. There is no outsmarting Vera, but she also has a tender side that's sweet to see when she interacts with the kids in her life. I also loved meeting the new suspects turned family that Vera harassed... er, helped. This book delved into some real life issues (don't want to spoil it!) and I appreciated the way this was handled with care. A cozy mystery at its core, this was clever, heartwarming, funny, and will make you crave pork dumplings!

Vera is a delight and it was fun reading a new group of potential murderers fall under her spell.

Much like the first book, there are a lot of characters and this story is told with several POVs. Of course, Vera is at the center and manages to get more out of everyone, but knowing everyone has some sort of secret really keeps it fun.

Plot wise, it's a low stakes, sort of cozy mystery. There isn't any real tension or build up, it just unfolds at a meandering pace. And the last chapter is absolutely wonderful.

Overall, it's a fun slice of time with characters to really root for. I hope there's another story after that ending.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

Vera is definitely a force. :) I really enjoyed this one. I think I liked it better than the first book. I was more used to Vera and her ways and it didn't seem as intrusive as it was before. The mystery was great and kept me guessing. And I loved the new characters. The overall theme/plotline was a little heavy, but important.

Vera Wong does it again! Jesse Q. Sutanto brings delightful humor, a new cast of damaged, devilish and dangerous characters, and of course, more delicious descriptions of food for another fun (and funny!), intriguing mystery set in San Francisco. I love that this book includes all of the characters from Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, so I’d recommend reading that book first. While there are some dark themes in this book, Sutanto’s deliberate and delicate use of humor makes this a light and entertaining story that I did not want to put down! Perfect to read with a cup of tea, and I see Chinese dumpling take-out in my near future! 4.5 stars

United States Publication: April 1, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

Ever since Vera Wong found a dead body on the floor of her tea house, life has been good. Then, life was flat and uninspiring and very lonely. Now, life is full and vibrant and Vera is surrounded by people. Yes, life is great. Well. Okay, maybe Vera would like a little more action - is it too much to ask for a new dead body to present itself for solving? When Vera Wong meets a distressed young woman, to substitute for no new dead body to investigate, she makes it her business to get involved in Millie's business. Millie, equal parts cautious and longing for connection, tries to not allow Vera too close, but let's face it, Vera has a way of getting people to enter into her orbit, and before long, Vera gets Millie to confide in her. Millie's "brother" is missing. She fears the worst but hopes Vera, with her vast investigative experience (she was in the news a few months ago for solving that dead body in the tea shop crime), can locate him alive and safe.

When Vera snoops around Tilly and Selena's house and finds a file with a picture of Millie's brother under a different name, she gets excited. Finally, a mystery to solve, and maybe there will be a dead body at some point! But as Vera starts looking at this "brother" of Millie's, who seems to have several identities, it becomes clear that something devious is at play, and Millie can't risk Vera and her other newfound friends to find out what she and her "brother" were really up to. The problem is that what Vera uncovers puts Millie and Vera's adopted family in danger.

The dedication to Vera Wong's newest book says, "To those of us whose ambition is to turn into a Vera when we grow up." And that hit right. Vera Wong is someone who has several admirable qualities. One quality she possesses that I'm starting to lean into as I age is settling into my own skin and quitting making apologies for being who you are. I love how Vera's adopted family, which includes her actual son, humors Vera and helps her. I love how they expand their circle to welcome someone else in. The crime in this specific title was dark, and it was partly reading so dark because it is a very real problem in our world. Vera, as a character, is entertaining to read, but her wider circle is also fun to get to know. I also love the growth Vera, as an older person steeped in her culture, is open to experiencing and learning from. I've not read any of Sutanto's titles, but Vera Wong has piqued my interest in other characters and storylines she has crafted.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series so I was obviously so excited to receive this advanced copy. Thank you NetGalley!

I listened to the first Vera book and I must say I probably would have also preferred the audio on this one as well. There is just something about listening to Vera as opposed to making up her voice in your mind, but I will say her fun and quirky personality still came through.

The crime in this book is a little more serious than in the last book, but the ability of Vera to acquire quirky friends and companions is just so fun and I love going on her adventures with her.

If you liked the first book you will surely like this one, but I think the audio would be the best way to consume Vera and her investigations!!

Vera does it again! Combining laugh out loud humor, an intricate mystery, and a found family vibe, Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man is absolutely delightful. Though the tone of the mystery is much darker than the last book, there is enough levity to keep this book balanced. It was nice to see the characters from the first book make an appearance and new members added to Vera's extended family. Vera might actually be my favorite senior sleuth!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House/Berkley for an advanced reader's copy of the book.

Vera Wong is the absolute best character! Book one changed my life! I'd say this book wasn't nearly as good as book one, but it had the same Vera charm and wild group of individuals that came together as a found family. I think this one definitely needs to be listened to on audiobook from Eunice Wong. SHE IS VERA. I love her.

I adore Vera and hope this series continues for a long time. This second book was both as delightful as the first but also had a heartbreaking plot. An excellent combination that almost brought me to tears at the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced review copy! All opinions are my own.

I liked this book better than the first one in the series. Vera is a goofy, middle-aged woman who likes to be involved in everything. Her broken English is humorous and her banter is entertaining. This had a good story-line with serious subject matter. I cared about the characters in this installment and can't wait to see the antics that Vera gets into next.

Spolier-Free Synopsis: Fresh off her successful debut as an amateur sleuth in Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, Vera Wong is basking in the glow of newfound appreciation from her friends and family, who have finally learned to accept (and maybe even secretly enjoy) her "aggressive love" and strong opinions. But Vera's peaceful existence is disrupted when she encounters a woman in need of help, igniting her investigative instincts once more. This time, Vera's mission is to track down a missing influencer, a man whose online persona is far from his reality.

Review: Jesse Q. Sutanto is back with more of Vera Wong's delightfully nosy escapades in Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man). Vera, feisty as ever and soaking in the success of her previous sleuthing adventure, dives headfirst into a new mystery involving a missing influencer, armed with her culinary prowess, her uncanny knack for reading people, and a healthy dose of newfound confidence. The familiar, quirky cast from Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers returns as Vera navigates a fresh batch of suspects, all tangled up in a web of intrigue that's bigger than anyone imagined. Sutanto cleverly peels back the layers of Vera's character, revealing not just a busybody with strong opinions, but a fiercely loyal friend you'd absolutely want in your corner – especially if you've got a secret that needs uncovering. If you, like me, have a soft spot for cozy mysteries starring deceptively clever older women (think Miss Marple meets Jessica Fletcher with a dash of three-cup chicken), then grab a cup of tea (Vera-approved, of course) and prepare to be thoroughly entertained.

Star Rating: 4.5

I loved this one!! It totally stands alone IMO, even though there are many references to the first book.
I love Vera's character - she's spunky and fun to read. I thought the whole thing had a slightly goofy Crazy Rich Asians vibe until the middle/end when it turned into a legit serious mystery (but still with lighthearted characters). Absolutely looking forward to another one by Sutanto!

This follow up to "Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers," has accomplished something I didn't think was possible - I enjoyed it even more. Vera Wong is back, and she's packing food, even more food. And friends. Our favorite characters from "Unsolicited Advice" are back, and thanks to Vera, wrapped up in the next mystery.

When Vera finds a distressed person standing in front of the police station and takes her to her tea shop, Vera becomes wrapped up in mystery of missing influencer, Xander, a person who seemingly has it all. But as the mystery unfolds, everything Xander was and had turns out to be carefully constructed and utterly fake. Once again Vera brings people together with food and more food, and then pointed questions. Vera gets to the heart of the matter as the Chinese Auntie/Grandmother we all need. With found family, lots of love, and some tough love, Vera is the heart of this delightful new mystery in the series.

I can't wait for the next in this series!

SO SO SO GOOOOOD like always!!! The first Vera Wong book was a 5-star read for me so imagine how thrilled I was to receive an arc for the sequel!

This latest installement was just as delightful, entertaining and hilarious! Vera is just so endearing and it's impossible not to adore her. She's basically perfection, tyvm.

I thought the mystery was quite predictable this time, but all the characters (even Winifred the frenemy 😂) and found family theme stole my heart once again. There were as many LOL moments as touching ones.

Obsessed with this series and can't wait for more!!!

After her success of solving the murder of the dead man in her tea house last year, Vera’s life has been completely turned around. She has a fabulous group of friends, and her son is moving in with his girlfriend. When he comes across Millie, she convinces her to tell Auntie Vera what’s wrong. Thomas is missing and Vera is determined to find out what happened, leading to a whole new crew being added to Vera’s family.

4.5 stars! Vera is the perfect example of found family. I just adore her and her crazy ways. The only way to describe this book is just an absolute delight. I seriously wanted Vera to adopt me too. I am so ready to head to Paris with Winifred and see what those two ladies get up to!

Thank you to @berkleypub for my gifted copy of book!

This is volume two of the delightful Vera Wong series, following the first title, "Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. This volume picks up shortly after the end of the first and Vera, while still liking to meddle, has become a beloved friend and mother/grandmother figure to many of the characters in the first novel. But while no longer lonely and with a thriving teahouse, Vera is bored and in need of a murder to challenge her. And so it happens again with more complexity and a wonderful cast of new characters. The book does cover some serious topics but the overall tone is heartwarming and a delight to read.

Vera Wong is back and (kinda sadly, truth be told), in a much better frame of mind than she was in Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. Vera is bored again, settled back into life after she found a dead man in her "world famous" tea shop and discovered that his killer was a friend of hers. Now, however, Vera has about her the group of young folks from the first book, cutting down on the humorous bitterness quite significantly. Vera is not to be repressed by such things as happiness, though: she starts looking for trouble, and finds it in the most unlikely place. At the police department while reporting an identity theft, Vera happens across Millie, whose friend is missing ... and we're off.

As one would expect, Vera leaps in with both feet and both hands and without any encouragement from Millie or the police (and direct discouragement from friends and family), and starts investigating. She discovers influencers and Instagram, and even a fake account for the dead man, but no real leads. But Vera knows that everyone that she has tied to Thomas, the missing man, is lying to her ...

In many ways, Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man is very similar to Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, but for two major things: the Vera shock value is gone, and this book goes down the dark path of human trafficking. Vera is as engaging, although not as unpleasant, as in the first book, so this one is slightly tamer as well. We get a new batch of adoptees, who make for a lot of characters to keep straight, but the humor is still there, even if you have to flip back and forth occasionally to remember who's who.

I was very excited about this follow-up and was not disappointed. However, I do think that probably two is enough--the first book was so wonderful that I feel that any further additions would really dillute its exceptionality.

Another fun cozy mystery from author Jesse Q. Sutano. I enjoyed this one even more than the first Vera Wong book. Vera seemed a softer and more likable character this time. She gets involved in the current mystery by talking to a stranger. Vera has a way of drawing secrets from people. I liked all of her new suspects and how she learns to use social media. The ending made me feel happy.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. I voluntarily wrote a review.

Often times I find follow-ups to be a little disappointing but that is completely untrue for Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping. This was an amazing sequel with so many great new characters and Vera was as perfect as the first story. I think I’d read a dozen books on Vera and her sleuthing. I appreciated the level of depth when it came to real life crime and the research that Sutanto did. Even though it covered heavy topics and shed light on these, it was delicately written and the found family was so wholesome that it made the book light enough to read, I absolutely binged reading it! I’m so excited for publication for everyone to read this!