Vera Wong is one of my favorite, check that Vera Wong is my favorite character. She is what I want to be when I am older. In everyone's business, cooking meals that make everyone drools over, unapologetically herself. Vera does what she wants, when she wants, and no one can get in her way or change her mind. If you are in her orbit, you will do what she wants. I was psyched to find out that the old cast of characters from the first book are all here and a part of the story. They have weekly meals, they check in with Vera, and they are all integrated into each other's lives. I love that!

There is a new suicide/murder that Vera stumbles across, in her future daughter-in-laws locked briefcase. She goes headlong into the investigation. Coming up with a list of suspects and another group of people she can care for and turn into her friends and family. That is once she crosses them off her list of suspects. This case is wrapped up in a horrific trade that will make you tear up and have you laughing in the next second. It was an amazing balance of emotions.

I must push you into reading this series if you have not done so already. It is phenomenal! Vera is in a class all her own. I dream of her cooking, and I wish I was on her list of people she drops food off too. Thank you to Jesse Q. Sutanto and Berkley Publishing for my gifted copy.

Vera Wong is back in all her irascible, bossy, but kindhearted glory, adding to her found family as she encounters a young woman who is obviously anxious about her missing friend Thomas, but is unwilling to go to the police. When Thomas turns up dead (and with another name - Xander) Vera decides to investigate. While Xander is a highly-successful influencer online, appearing to be wealthy and well-connected, it's odd that nobody who knows about him has actually met him. Even his girlfriend seems to have little inside knowledge.

The crime Vera ultimately uncovers is quite dark for a cozy mystery. The author is skillful in developing complex characters who are keeping secrets from each other and the reader, revealing enough bit by bit to keep us guessing. And there are lots of cozy moments to relieve the darkness.

I love Vera. Can I get my own please?

She's back up to her shenanigans again, trying to solve a murder and getting involved in random people's lives. This time she finds a group that really makes her feel....loved? Not lonely? I dont know really, but it was special. Also I want her to cook for me and care for me like she does these strangers through the book.

I love her. She's hilarious, loving, smart, and apparently a rising influencer!

This is the second book in the Vera Wong series and I continue to love her. Vera is bored and hoping for a murder to entertain her, instead she gets scammed and her credit card information is taken. Going to meet her "daughter-in-law", the respectable police detective, who helps her file a report. As she heads home, happy that those evil scammers will be taken down, she runs into Millie, a distressed young woman who wanted to report her friend has disappeared, but is worried that her "mother" and "father" will be upset with her. Vera being Vera, takes on Millie's case and slowly jumps into the world of social media. Along the way she picks up more "strays" including a new granddaughter, as she pokes and prods and feeds everyone until she finds the truth. Vera's character is such a delight and her ability to get everyone to trust her and agree is very impressive. In the end she solves the mystery of what happened to Millie's friend Xander, and helps Millie escape into a new life. The epilogue gets us ready for a new book, which I eagerly await. Filled with love and humor and enough descriptions of food to make you think you're starving, this series keeps getting better.

When I read the first Vera Wong book, I wasn't expecting there to be a sequel, but wasn't upset when one happened. Given the premise of the first one, I was a bit skeptical about how a sequel would really work, though. And plenty of the scenarios in this second Vera Wong book are indeed pretty absurd and over-the-top. But, for me, it's done better, and easier to tolerate, than some of it's contemporaries (the Finlay Donovan series, for example). Ultimately, escaping into the life of Vera Wong again was a pleasant way to pass a handful of hours. And if we get a third in this series, I'll be glad to read that one, too.

In this second installment of the fun and humorous Vera Wong series, tea shop owner Vera is now much happier when this book begins, she has her found family from investigating a murder and her son is living with Selena, his police girlfriend - all is right with the world except that Vera misses the excitement of murder investigating. At the police station Vera begins talking to a young women who appears to be in need of some help, Vera's speciality. The girl's friend Thomas is missing. Luckily Vera's happens upon Selena's file of a dead, mysterious social media influencer who turns out to be the same person the girl was looking for. The dead man had multiple names and identities and his death has been ruled a suicide, but Vera begins to dig and the hijinks begin again.

I was so excited to see that there was a second novel with this character because the first was such fun to read (although Sutanto is the author of the Aunties series so I should have assumed there'd be another). Vera seems a bit more realistic in this one, a little bit less out there and I enjoyed her character even more this time. I could not figure out everything so that was a successful mystery. I love the audiobooks for Sutanto's novels - they are fun and entirely entertaining and this one was no different. I read this on vacation and it was exactly what I was looking for - light, funny and engrossing. If you enjoyed the first you will like this one as well and if you haven't what are you waiting for?

4.25 stars

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC to review

Jesse Q Sutanto is an autobuy author for me and I count myself as incredibly fortunate to have been able to read an advanced copy of this book. I adored Vera and the cast of characters in Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers and was happy to be spending more time with Vera & these characters again, as well as some new ones!

Vera is still riding high from helping solve the case in the first book & is hoping for more murders to solve so she can work as a PI. While she doesn't come across a dead body, she does come across a young woman who appears distressed. Vera takes her under her wing - making her tea, feeding her, and just being her usual Vera-self. The young woman is looking for a friend & concerned about his well-being.

While snooping in her son's house while cat-sitting, Vera comes across a police file of Selena (future daughter-in-law) about the death of a social media influencer .... The young woman's missing friend, Xander Lin.
Online, Xander leads a very charmed life with a million friends. But, Vera soon discovers that no one claims to actually know Xander.

In true Vera fashion, she compiles a group of individuals who had met Xander (if that's his real name) to work to uncover who he really is and what happened to him,

I loved this book as much as I loved the first Vera book (and as much as I loved the Aunties books!).
There were many moments that had me laughing & there were also moments that had me crying. There is so much heart in this book. The relationships Vera builds with these people comes from a genuinely good place & they all care for each other.

Jesse Q. Sutanto has quickly become one of my favorite authors! She’s just so FUNNY and her characters are as charming as they come. I can’t get enough of them. Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping [On a Dead Man] is the second book in the Vera Wong series and I do recommend reading them in order as the books follow the same MC, Vera. Vera’s a 60 something women with a teashop and penchant for solving murders! Is she a professional? Of course not and that’s what makes this series so much fun. While I was a little surprised that the twist was so serious, I thought the book as a whole was fantastic. It’s a funny, lighthearted mystery with an excellent set of characters and a plot that kept me invested from beginning to end. I also want to point out that this book is JUST AS GOOD as the first in the series. Sometimes sequels aren’t as great but that’s not the case for this book! I very much recommend it!

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Vera Wong is back and as meddling as ever in this follow-up to the hit Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers....

Ever since a man was found dead in Vera's teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She's surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly's girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn't be ungrateful, even if one is slightly...bored.

Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena's, Vera finds a treasure trove: Selena's briefcase. Inside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer - who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for.

Online, Xander had it all: a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can't seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.

Vera is determined to solve Xander's murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, and there is nothing she wouldn't do for her future daughter-in-law."

Yeah, perhaps don't go rummaging around in her briefcase if you want her to become your daughter-in-law...

I read the first book in this series for my book club, so when I saw this one available on NetGalley, I couldn’t resist applying. I wasn’t optimistic about getting approved—Berkeley titles usually elude me—but I was in for a treat. I got approved!

Vera is back to her usual tricks, running her tea shop and getting herself tangled in yet another mysterious event. One day, while out for a walk, she comes across a young woman named Millie, hesitating outside the police station. Vera, being Vera, whisks Millie back to her tea shop, sits her down, listens to her story, and soon becomes deeply invested in the case of Xander’s death. Naturally, she decides she must investigate.

This book introduces some delightful new characters who become part of Vera’s ever-growing found family. Once again, she’s cooking up mouthwatering meals that practically and stirring up trouble. I enjoyed this installment even more than the first, and I sincerely hope we get a third book! Vera has only become more lovable, and her eccentricities are as engaging as ever. I especially adore her love-hate dynamic with her neighbor, Winifred, who runs the French pastry shop next door.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to Berkeley and NetGalley for the review. I loved Vera’s first story and jumped at the ARC chance as soon as I saw she was back.
This story had me cackling and giggling until the final moments. Witty, snarky, and charming all at once. Everyone needs a Vera in their life!
5/5!
Favorite Character (other than Vera!): Winifred is growing on me

Thank you @prhaudio & @berkleypub @netgalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I am really enjoying the Vera Wong series. Although I always love reading print versions, I have to give a special shout out to the audio version of each book in this series. Narrated by Emma Wong, she does an exceptional job providing the voice of Vera and it really adds an extra element of enjoyment to this already great series.

VERA WONG’s GUIDE TO SNOOPING (ON A DEAD MAN) is the second book in the series and it is a thoroughly entertaining and laugh-out-loud read! Vera embodies everything you might expect from the quintessential Asian mother depicted in literature and on television: overprotective, convinced she knows what’s best for everyone, and unafraid to speak her mind! Vera loves solving murders and along the way, collecting new members for her growing “family.” In this book, Vera encounters a troubled woman outside the police building, and ultimately coaxes her into opening up about her struggles. Determined to help, Vera embarks on a little snooping of her own, eventually unraveling a web of insidious evil. I sincerely hope we will see more of Vera in future adventures!

I loved the first book in this series and this one is just as delightful. Vera Wong is an unique and fun character who loves to insert herself into situations. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a cozy and funny mystery.

I didn't have high hopes for this title. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the first Vera Wong book, I really thought it was kind of a "one trick pony" plot. I was wrong. Vera becomes an inadvertent social media influencer, and she uses this to "crowd source" information on a mysterious death of a young man that a lot of people "knew" online but who no one seemed to know IRL. Great characters.

And even though I'm not an adventurous eater, I wish there had been recipes for some of the "easier" of Vera's culinary offerings! I want some Chinese jiggly cake!

Thanks to @berkleypub for the gifted e-ARC and to @prhaudio for the ALC!

It’s not often that a sequel is even better than the original, but here that’s the case. Vera Wong is back! With her nosy personality and her arms full of food she’s cooked up, she’s ready to adopt every young person who needs some direction in life and dispense her brand of loving nagging as she solves another murder.

I am even more in love with Vera after this book. I want to try her cooking and have her give me life advice! I found myself grinning as I listened to her monologues. The new cast of found family that she gathers around herself is delightful. Because this book didn’t set all the characters up as suspects, I was able to enjoy getting to know them without worrying they were actually bad guys. So I liked these characters even better than those in book one!

The plot was mysterious enough to keep me guessing and the conclusion was actually fairly realistic.

This is a sequel and without reading book one, I think the cast of characters might seem overwhelming. Plus there’s definite spoilers to book one.

I thought the narrator really brought Vera to life. The accent she gave her made the character come alive. I do wish that book had had multiple narrators for the multiple POVs. But I thought the single narrator did a good job.

I can’t wait to get a paper copy of this one for my shelf. Definitely recommend!

What is it about Vera Wong that wants me to be part of her world?
Is she overbearing? Yes.
Is she uninformed? Yes
Is she careless? Yes.
But despite all those things, it is clear she has a good heart. She just wants people around her to be well fed, safe and happy. How can that be a bad thing?

After her success of helping solve a murder in book one, she is eager for more. So, when she runs into a young girl at the police station, Millie, she sees the chance to make a difference once again. Little did she know, she had stumbled into a dangerous world, where threats are treated accordingly.

Like book one, she quickly assembles a group of suspects . . . *ahem* . . . acquaintances of Millie's friend, "Thomas" who has died. The death is ruled a suicide, but Vera is quick to challenge that and digs in to find more. I adore how quickly Vera insinuates herself into these strangers' worlds, and somehow becomes a social media star in the process. And before you know it, she has a group of new mouths to feed, and is being called Grandma.

While I figured out Millie's situation midway, the mystery of this book is not what has hooked me to the series, but the characters and community that develops along the way. I can't get enough of her and her growing family.

Let's hope the jokes about solving crime in France come to fruition. I know I'm packing my passport in advance!

I loved the first Vera Wong book, and I was quite giddy to be granted an ARC of book 2.

"Vera" reminds me a bit of the Thursday Murder Club series, though it's generally more silly. I don't read a lot of cozy mystery, since I'm not a huge fan of the cutesy gimmicks that are generally involved, but there's something about Vera's mix of pushy drama and genuine affection that really works for me.

I did feel like there were too many characters for me to keep track of at times, since we get a whole new cast in this book and very little reintroduction to the old crew. As a result, there were times when I wasn't as emotionally invested in some of the character as I would have liked, as falling in love with all the side characters was such a big part of my love for the first installment. There were times when this was a bit choppy, and I wish we'd spent a bit longer on the finale, but after feeling like the book was mostly fluff, I found the dramatic reveal really moving. I won't spoil it even with hints, but Sutanto tackles something quite heavy here, and the explanation at the end explained some of her inspiration for the story.

All in all, Sutanto sometimes drifts into the realm of gimmickry here, but I still love Vera. The extended cast allows this book to tackle slightly different themes than the first, and the mystery has a different scope. Part of my love for book 1 came from the fact that I had no idea what to expect. In this one, I did know, but it was still charming. Mostly, I think Vera's fans will just be glad to have her back, regardless of how they feel about the current state of TikTok. ;)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this as an ARC.

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) is the second appearance of the beloved and pushy Vera Wong and I was ecstatic when I heard that Jesse Q Sutanto was writing a sequel to Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. I have loved Jesse Q. Sutanto's writing for a while now through her Aunties series and some standalones and this book was no exception. In this novel, we get to see Vera but into yet another group of people's lives and solve yet another murder.

Overall, I could not put this book down and enjoyed traipsing into Vera's world again, especially when I got the chance to see the characters from the first book who filtered in and out through this new novel. There is a good balance of the old and new throughout the book that brings about a familiarity as if Vera is brewing a custom tea, just for you.

While I feel like at times, Vera was almost TOO overbearing and controlling of her surroundings that made it hard to feel like the new characters would open up to her, I was willing to suspend that disbelief as the mystery being solved is one that needs to be shared about. Additionally, getting to see Vera out of her element at parties and hearing her inside thoughts drew me in even more.

This was an exciting, easy, and familiar read and I gave it 4.5/5 stars. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

5 Stars

This series is so delightful and entertaining! Vera and her collection of adopted found family grows in this novel, as she attempts to solve the murder of a social media influencer. After all, she is a celebrated crime solver now, right? We get to see the return of so many faces from the last book and follow along with Vera as she finds herself in even more impossible yet hilarious situations (like becoming TikTok famous). The ending was so profound and inspiring and honestly, I hope the epilogue is truly setting us up for an international mystery next! I cannot recommend this book enough!

Vera is back! I loved the first book, and I adored the second just as much. Vera, my favorite Chinese grandmother, is back to solve murders and help the lonely souls in her orbit. The mystery this go-around actually leads to a far more serious problem than social media and influencers. I had my suspicions while reading, but it was handled with care. Vera is still meddling with love and adopting more into her "family," and I loved it. Might be my favorite aspect-- watching Vera grow as a character over the series so far.