This did what it needed to do! Cozy and funny, a bit at times flat but I was here for a good time and that is what I got. Super charming debut :)

The premise of the story was good but the execution was a bit over the top even outlandish.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a fun and cozy read. I enjoyed the restaurant setting and characters. I don't usually read mysteries, but liked this one. I will be venturing out and reading more like this.

A great debut with a good plot and fun twists.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.

Review for “ Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimesby Sandra Jackson-
Opoku

1. Plot Uniquenes : 4/5
2. Pacing and Coherence : 3.5/5
3. Emotional and Interllexrual Engagekent : 3.5/5
4. Twists and turns : 3.5/5
5. Protagonist Character Development : 4/5
6. support character development : 4/5
7. Setting and atmosphere : 3.5/5
8. Chapter Organization : 4/5
9. Conclusion and tied loose ends : 4/5
10. Overall rating of book : 3.5/5

This was an amazing debut cozy mystery, I wasn't sure what to expect since I was invited by St-Martin Press to review this book and seriously. I just loved it. Got some The Maid Vibes into it.

This do not disappoint at all.

🥧🔍 A Cozy Mystery as Sweet as Pie (with a Dash of Sass)! 🔍🥧

Savvy Summers thought running a soul food café was hard enough—until her famous sweet potato pie becomes the crime scene centerpiece. When a notorious neighborhood flirt keels over at table two, Savvy finds herself tangled in a deliciously twisty whodunit, with bad press, nosy customers, and an ex-husband all stirring up trouble.

Sandra Jackson-Opoku serves up a warm, witty, and utterly charming mystery, complete with a feisty heroine, an eccentric cast of characters, and plenty of mouthwatering food descriptions. Savvy’s determination, paired with her hilarious sidekick Penny, makes for a delightful ride as they race to clear the café’s name.

✨ Final Verdict: If you love cozy mysteries with strong, sassy heroines and a dash of Southern charm, Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is an absolute treat!

⭐ 5/5 sweet potato pies! 🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

A food café owner makes a deadly sweet potato pie. Customer ends up dying from consuming t as she finds herself having to clear her name and reputation. N ths new mystery will have you wondering who wanted the person dead. It’s a sweet treat that will keep you entertan and craving a slice of pie.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Savvy Summers is catering the fiftieth anniversary celebration for Matilda and Granderson. She’s struggling to keep her business, Sapphire Summers Soulfood Café and Catering Company, afloat so for many reasons it’s important that everything goes well.

Only things haven’t gotten off to a good start.

The delivery man from Annabelle’s Sweet Stuff Bakery had dropped the cake; the number of guests at the anniversary celebration was easily double the number she’d prepared for since the majority of them did not send their RSVP and simply arrived at the Majestic Ballroom ready to celebrate with Mattie and Grandy. Then the party imploded when Mattie offered a none-too-loving toast to her husband.

And when Grandy drops dead in Savvy’s café, it isn’t too long before she finds herself the prime suspect in his death.

Can the café and catering company survive? And what of Savvy? Can she find the real culprit?

=========

Quirky characters, a small-town feel to the Chicago setting, and an intriguing mystery all work together to keep the pages turning in this cozy mystery. As might be expected, Savvy’s food is blamed for Grandy’s death; a few unexpected twists add to the telling of the tale and keep readers guessing. A subplot involving Savvy being pressured to sell her business keeps tension building.

A strong sense of place, captivating details, and a clever amateur detective ultimately bring the story to a satisfying denouement.

Highly recommended.

Readers are sure to find the celebration of family a definite plus within this story

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley
#SavvysummersandtheSweetPotatoCrimes #NetGalley

This was a bit slow for me I didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted togahnkbuou for allowing me to read it

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes which is a quirky, fast-paced mystery with a side of Southern charm. While the plot has potential, the execution feels uneven at times. Savvy Summers is a likable protagonist, and her determination to save her café keeps the story moving. However, the mystery surrounding Grandy Jaspers' death is a bit predictable, and the characters, though entertaining, lack depth. The blend of humor and suspense is enjoyable, but it can be a bit too light at times. Overall, it’s a fun read for fans of cozy mysteries but may leave others craving a bit more substance.

I received an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This book had a lot of characters that were difficult to keep up with at first but the more I read the more I got into it. The descriptions of the main characters cooking kept me hungry the whole time so the recipes at the end were a cute touch. The story meandered in some places but overall it was an entertaining cozy mystery with a satisfying ending.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is not a book to read when hungry. Every page is filled with amazing sounding food! The book is also filled with an amazing cast of characters. Savvy has a feel that we don't get much in mysterious, but I hope we see more of it.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is a decently entertaining cozy mystery set on Chicago's South Side. I didn't get into it right away – the beginning introduces a bazillion (mostly unlikeable) characters and a ton of food talk, and I just didn't feel super invested in the plot. But as the mystery progresses and Savvy gets more and more into her sleuthing, the story really picks up and I found myself curious as to where things were headed. After all, it's not every day that someone commits murder via Viagra.

Savvy Summers is an interesting main character and her sleuthing skills are … adequate. She's no Sherlock Holmes and never quite gets the chance to figure out who the murderer is on her own – they eventually reveal themselves to her instead – but it's entertaining watching her try to piece together the mystery. I particularly enjoyed the chemistry between her and her ex-husband (and less-than-enthusiastic cop co-conspirator) Fanon, and I'd totally read a series where they attempted to solve crimes together. Her employee (and much more enthusiastic co-detective) Penny is a mixed bag, however – she's a multi-faceted character, for sure, but she also has questionable decision-making skills and does one pretty awful thing in the course of this novel that gets almost completely glossed over. And the murder suspects? Well, let's just say that some of them belong in jail whether or not they actually killed anyone.

If you're not accustomed to hearing and/or reading black English, the vernacular in this book can be a little unfamiliar at times and you might find yourself googling a phrase or two. Mostly, though, I'm just confused as to why Savvy is constantly calling people by their first and last names. I mean, at one point she's thinking about her children and calls them both first name – last name in her head, and she's forever calling Penny and Fanon by their full names. It isn't a huge deal, but it did take me out of the story a little whenever it happened.

Overall, though, Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is an entertaining murder mystery that will keep you guessing … or it kept me guessing, at least, as I had no idea who the murderer was until the very end. It isn't an Agatha Christie novel with sweeping twists and turns that will blow you away, but it is a fun story set in an amazing city with a diverse cast of characters. If you generally enjoy cozy mysteries in an urban setting, there's a good chance that you'll enjoy this one too. 3.65 stars, rounded up.

Many thank to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is July 29, 2025.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes was a fun cozy mystery although difficult to get into at first. The book begins at a celebration with so many different characters to keep track of, not knowing if any of them are really all that important. Savvy herself was a fun character and the story was clever. I'm just not sure I'd read a second book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm DNFing this book 25%. The story isn't really remotely interesting. I feel like the other should have maybe written about the death of the FMC's parents as a murder instead of a bum furnace. There wasn't enough real build up to make us feel SOMETHING about the character that DID die, so I have no emotions either way? If that makes sense

thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book

I really enjoyed Savvy Summers and being immersed in her world for a while. What a great cozy mystery with a few twists and many red herrings. I loved all the characters and I felt like the pace was good. If you are looking for a fun and quick read, give this one a try.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this book & would recommend it to read. I did feel that it drug on a bit at times, but still kept my interest to continue on.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes introduces readers to Savvy, a woman in her 60s who has opened her own kitchen in Woodlawn, Illinois, and finds herself playing amateur detective when murders start cropping up in her community. This book excels in characterization, bringing to life a vibrant, deeply familiar cast that feels like they’ve stepped right out of a Black family gathering.

One of the strongest elements of the novel is its rich, colorful characters. From Savvy’s standout sous-chef, Penny Lopez, to her ex-husband Fannin, these personalities are so vivid you can practically hear their voices. Even the suspects she investigates feel distinct and full of life—which makes the core mystery even more frustrating.

Where the novel struggles is pacing and exposition. The story is weighed down by excessive details, often unrelated to the mystery. For instance, Savvy’s habit of mentally correcting grammar due to her past as an English teacher is a recurring detail that doesn’t add much to the narrative. Similarly, her children are mentioned but never developed, and her last ex-husband’s passing is briefly acknowledged before being brushed aside. Her frequent Aunt Essie quotes also lack meaningful connection, making them feel like filler rather than a compelling narrative device.

The result is a mystery that takes far too long to unfold. The book could easily be 25-30% shorter, and by the time the crime is resolved, it feels underwhelming. The most dynamic characters are underutilized when it comes to solving the case, leaving the ending feeling flat instead of satisfying.

That said, there’s a fantastic book buried in here with some solid editing. The characters and setting are charming, authentic, and full of potential. If the exposition is tightened, and the pacing is improved, this could become a standout cozy mystery. I’d love to see how the final, polished version turns out!

A cozy murder mystery set in a soul food cafe in Chicago. Lots of bad men doing bad things and Savvy has to solve the murders. An interesting take.

Thank-you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This murder mystery included a great deal of character development and history. The main character was likeable and had a complicated backstory with a favorable outcome.

At times it seemed I was reading a script. This would translate well into a movie.

Four ⭐️