Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man” by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Loved the first one; hyped to receive the eARC for this one. A breezy sequel that introduced more characters to the ensemble and gives some insight into our ragtag suspects from the first novel.

If you loved the optimism, camaraderie and shenanigans of the first novel, then this one won’t disappoint. While the mystery was more intriguing in the first novel, this one holds a lot of heart especially for those victimized by human trafficking.

Hoping this isn’t the last I get to read of one of my favorite Chinese meddling aunties. Solid sequel.

Literally loved this novel. This was the second installment in the Vera Wong series. In this novel, Vera Wong is back at it, meddling in things that do not concern her. This time, she meets a young woman outside the police station who expresses concern for her missing friend (who ends up being dead). Vera is on this strange case of the missing young man whose identity is unknown. We met new characters who Vera of course adopts into her ever expanding family and also sees some characters from the previous novel. There were so many layers to this mystery, I absolutely loved it. I loved reading about the author's inspiration to this novel and thought it was an interesting topic to shed light on. Looking forward to the next novel in the series!

Jesse Q. Sutanto brings Vera Wong back in Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man). Once again, be prepared for lots of chuckles. Vera misses the excitement of investigating a murder. But murders just don’t crop up to be investigated. But then, Vera meets a young woman whose friend is missing and Vera decides she should help. She learns the young man is a John Doe in the morgue. Before you know it, Vera has introduced herself to a group of the dead man’s acquaintances and marched her way into their lives.
Sutanto introduces all the persons of interest with their own POVs. We learn that each is harboring a secret and their own guilt. But for what?
The joy of Vera is that nothing stands in her way and no secret is safe from her. But in her own way, she’s such a caring soul, you can’t help but love her. And what fun to watch Vera become a social media star!
Sutanto manages to combine humor, a good mystery and a heartwarming story all in one. This one just made me happy!
Make sure to read the Acknowledgments. What was shocking was to learn that some scammers are victims of human trafficking.
I can only hope that there will be a third in the series. Oh and this would work as a stand-alone but you should definitely check out the first.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book.

I loved this second book about Vera Wong. Such an entertaining, quirky and funny character. The found family aspect of these books is particularly heartwarming.
I love Vera as a character and would love to hang out in her tea shop and have her cook me a meal while she offers me some perfect life advice in her own unique way !

I absolutely loved this book in the series and loved the characters!! Vera Wong and her beloved tea shop is the perfect setting for this mystery nook. Vera Wong is somebody that cares for others and is very smart. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this!!

Vera Wong Returns: A Mystery with Heart

If you thought Vera Wong would settle down after solving her first case, think again. Our favourite meddlesome tea shop owner is back, and this time she's poking her nose into a very strange disappearance.

It starts when Vera meets a young woman searching for her missing friend. Then, while cat-sitting, she finds a file about a dead influencer – who turns out to be the same missing person. Coincidence? Vera doesn't think so.

What makes this book shine is Vera herself. She's a sixty-something Chinese American widow who acts half her age, armed with endless curiosity and a tendency to give advice whether you want it or not. The mystery is solid, the characters are lovable, and Sutanto weaves in themes of family and belonging that'll warm your heart.

New to Vera's world? No problem. While you might miss a few inside jokes, this story stands on its own. It's perfect for anyone who likes their mysteries cozy, their heroines quirky, and their tea properly brewed.

4.5/5 stars – This book is like a perfect cup of tea: comforting, satisfying, and leaves you wanting more.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was SO GOOD!! I fell in love with Vera in the first book that Jesse Sutanto wrote and when I saw this one was coming out, I got super excited. Happy to say that Vera is just a funny, quirky and mischievous as she was in the first novel. You are taken on a wild journey with lots of characters and of course a satisfying ending. I hope the author continues to write more Vera Wong adventures in solving murders!

Vera Wong is the Chinese grandmother we all wish we had. I am hoping she adopts me next. This is another great cozy mystery starring Vera, her family, and more friends she meets along the way. A great read for some light and laughter in your life.

*Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!*

I ADORED THIS. And I adore Vera with my whole heart. She is quite possibly one of my favorite characters ever! Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) contains all of the charm, hilarity, and warm-fuzzies as the first book while bringing awareness to an entirely new kind of crime.

Rating this 4 stars because while this new installment was so much fun, the first book was tighter in terms of plot and character. I love seeing Vera in action again, but part of what made the first book so endearing was seeing her battle her loneliness and gather a found family she very much needed. While this second book introduces lovable additions to Vera’s inner circle, the circumstances don’t feel as poignant because Vera already has meaningful connections.

That being said, I really appreciated some of the new characters and I found their stories very interesting!

I will definitely be picking up any Vera Wong book I see in the future!!

I’m a big Jesse Q. Sutanto fan, particularly when it comes to her murder mysteries because even though they can be quite wild and crazy, they’re also just so much fun and wholesome. Plus, I always love the nods to Chinese culture!

Everyone’s favorite quirky and loving, Chinese (grand)mother is back and after helping solve a murder case in the past, she finds herself playing detective once again. Set in San Francisco (which I also love), Vera finds herself surrounded by some past character favorites and some new ones to solve the case of Xander Lin who’s body has been recovered, but there is otherwise no information on who he is.

While some of the antics are quite a stretch, I think part of me charm for me about this series (and the author’s other works) is just how entertaining it is through all the ridiculous and far-fetched situations. I’m not going into this expecting something completely realistic, but instead this is the perfect kind of cozy mystery for me.

I love that despite Vera’s formidable exterior, she is really just a sweet and caring person at her core who is always looking to take care of others, even if she has a different way of going about it. There was also quite a bit going on where I didn’t find myself losing track of things at a certain point, but it didn’t necessarily take too much away from the reading experience.

What I did also enjoy about this story was that even though this does fall into that cozy mystery genre, one of the main plot points/ crimes that comes up is human trafficking so it did really add some levels of depth and emotion to the story. I also appreciated the author’s note at the end discussing a bit more on the inclusion of this topic.

Overall, if you enjoy cozy mysteries with some found family themes and want to crave Chinese cuisine, this could be a book for you!

My girl Vera Wong is back in action in Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a dead man). I never love sequels as much as the original, but there’s something about Vera that just draws you in; she’s such a likable character.

Just as Vera is easing back into her routine after all the excitement from solving the murder in her tea house, Vera finds herself with another mystery falling into her lap. Add in a handful of suspects-turned-into-friends, and you have all the makings of an exciting and heartwarming story.

5 stars, would read again.

thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC for review!

Oh how I love a good bossy and chaotic older character, especially in cozy mysteries. I love their banter and their ‘take no prisoners’ attitude. After loving Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers in 2023, I was stoked to get an advanced copy of Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man).

With the success of her ‘first case’, Vera Wong is ready to dust off her investigative chops. After falling prey to a telephone credit card scam, Vera runs into Millie outside of the police department. Sensing the girl needs help, she demands Millie join her for a cup of tea and discovers that a recently dead influencer Xander happens to be Millie’s friend; and Millie is convinced that he was murdered. Vera is determined to figure out what happened to Xander. Along the way she’ll adopt even more lovable but lost characters and lovingly bully them to face their problems.

Is the story a bit over the top and completely unrealistic, yes. Do I still love it, absolutely. Again, Sutanto has whipped up even more desperate characters, that could all use a big of overbearing love from the infamous Vera Wong, not to be confused with Vera Wang. This easy read is fun, witty, and Vera collecting ‘strays’ like lost cats is just the best!

I cannot wait to see what Vera’s next murder to solve is, especially if Winifred is going to be involved. If you’re a fan of Finlay Donovon or Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Aunties series, you’ll love the second Vera Wong book! And if you need another book to hold you over til the third comes out, check out Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson.

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) comes out April 1, 2025! Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my:

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I absolutely loved this book. I know this is a series, but this is the first book I have read by Jesse Q. Sutanto. I thought it was cozy and tenacious. The theme of the importance of family comes out in this book. The characters were well written, and I loved them. I enjoyed every minute of it. I can't wait to go back and read more by this author. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you Net Galley ARC, Berkley Publishing Group, and Jesse Q. Sutanto

I wanted to read this book for multiple reasons: I love the author’s other books and enjoy Sutanto’s writing style, I previously read the first Vera Wong book and highly enjoyed it, and I wanted to see what crazy antics Vera got into this time. This book did not disappoint. Vera is such a fun and enjoyable character- she’s everyone’s auntie or grandma. While this book touches on some serious topics in terms of types of crime, it does so in an informative and factual way. It is clear the author did deep research in order to make the mystery of this story something that could be very realistic. I enjoyed how the characters from the first book were brought back so that we could see where they are now and the new characters that are at the forefront of this book all felt like good additions. Finally, this book does a good job of using alternating narrators in order to give the reader more in depth knowledge of what is going on. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who read the first Vera Wong story, anyone who enjoyed Sutanto’s Aunties series and anyone that likes reading cozy or humorous mysteries, especially those with added cultural contexts.

The first Vera Wong was such an unexpected favorite book, I couldn’t wait to be back with Vera and the found fam.

Vera’s son Tilly is now dating a police officer and when Vera “happens” upon her briefcase, she notices an ongoing case with a dead man’s face she’s seen before…👀 the joy that fills Vera’s soul when she has a new case to solve! Because I mean, who’s more qualified than a woman in her sixties with a tea shop?!

As with the first book, as Vera meets the suspects we find out their stories and this found family becomes a found family on steroids! A full on squad that have come together with the connection of Vera.

Oh but also the mystery! It’s super compelling! But let’s be honest, the stars of the show are the characters.

I don’t fancy myself particularly a cozy mystery fan, but I just love these books. They’re fun and sweet and compelling. Just don’t expect a realistic crime investigation😅

I love this series so much and this sequel is incredible. I love Vera Wong and all the people she collects in her life. It's a great case about found families and how we need to take care of each other.

Very enjoyable cozy read. I wish Vera was my grandmother. Her tenacity again pays off in this second installment. If you liked the first one, you'll like this one.

Vera can find a mystery anywhere. When she sees a confused Millie outside the police station, Vera has questions. Millie has a mystery she herself wants to solve while avoiding great danger to herself and her siblings. As Vera searches for answers regarding Thomas/Xander, she gathers her possible suspects under her wing and cooks for them - truly magnificent dishes. Everyone needs a Vera.
With Vera's detective "skills", she uncovers more than the mystery of what happened to Xander while gathering more people into her heart and family. Current safety issues and the 'reality' of social media influencers play a part in the story.
I wouldn't be surprised if a Vera cookbook is coming soon. I will be recommending this heartwarming book.
Thanks to Berkley, Jesse Q. Sutanto and NetGalley for this ARC.

I was so excited to see Vera back for more hijinks! Though you could read this entry without having read the first in the series, I think it's more enjoyable if you read the first one first. Vera is a wonderfully meddling older lady and she finds herself in some situations! It's a very cozy mystery and a enjoyable read all around. 3.5 stars rounded up.

I want a Vera in my life!! Someone to feed me and make me laugh, even when I'm having a bad day.

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping is charming! I love how Vera finds (and cares about) all the strays she finds wherever she goes. And I love how she is always feeding people! The characters are well fleshed out, and every word from Vera's mouth makes me either smile, roll my eyes, or say "Aww."

Trigger Warnings: Human trafficking and abuse. Softer and gentler than I've read in other books ... but still there.

Thank you #BerkleyPublishing for providing this book for review consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. This book is #2 in the Vera Wong series, and has an expected publication date of April 1, 2025.

#JesseQSutanto #Humor #Heart #Mystery #Cozy