SAVVY SUMMERS and the SWEET POTATO CRIMES is a well-crafted, cozy murder mystery with a unique, middle-aged protagonist whose talent for serving the best soul food and sweet potato pie has made her restaurant on Chicago's south side famous. Business is booming . . . until seventy-five-year-old Grandy Jaspers drops dead while sitting at table two eating Savvy's to-die-for sweet potato pie. While police rule the death as accidental, the bad press spreads like wildfire and just like that, the business is in trouble. With suspicions and rumors flying, Savvy decides to go uncover as an amateur sleuth and find out what really killed Grandy. She knows it wasn't her sweet potato pie. Joined by sidekick assistant manager Penny Lopes, Savvy cooks up a plan to clear her name and keep her restaurant afloat.
Author Sandra Jackson-Opoku's debut novel is a cozy mystery with a ton of laughs, soul food, and murder all tossed in a pot and served up as a deliciously entertaining whodunnit that's highly entertaining. Savvy is a strong, spunky character that readers will identify with as is her quirky sidekick, Penny. They play off each other in a manner reminiscent of Lucy and Ethel of I Love Lucy fame which is hilarious. I enjoyed the introduction of a middle-aged main character with a sharp mind unafraid to stand up for herself. A large, convoluted cast of characters seem a bit confusing at first, but roles are soon claimed, and the story is off and running. A sea of red herrings threatens to spoil the stew, but Savvy Summers won't stop until she sifts through facades and unearths the truth. Afterall, her reputation as a chef and her famous sweet potato pie are at risk.

SAVVY SUMMERS and the SWEET POTATO PIE is an entertaining cozy mystery with charismatic characters serving up a plate full of soul food. Armchair detectives will enjoy figuring out whodunnit while rolling on the floor in laughter. I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for Savvy and her crew. Highly recommend to fans of cozy mysteries.

I was so excited to read this book! It is the perfect cozy mystery- a great lead character, interesting secondary characters and a mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I can’t wait to read the next installment in the series..
Thank you to Net Galley and St Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a wonderful cozy mystery based in my favorite city, Chicago! Savvy is an owner of a cafe known for her cooking but when a man dies while eating one of her sweet potato pies the suspicions around her and those around her rise. Savvy is determined not to let that get to her and she must prove her innocence! With her assistant manager, Penny, at her side together they start to piece together who was actually behind these murders.
It was a fun and entertaining read and the "how" the murders happened actually made me giggle, it was so silly.

This book was exactly what I needed. If you're looking for fun and quirky with just enough mystery to keep me from being able to put it down.

I will fully admit I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but it was just such a fun read, Every time I thought I had it figured out I hadn't and that's what I love about mysteries.

Savvy is one of those characters that's going to be in my mind for a long time, she's smart and witty and seems to attract adventure like she's a post-it it but I love her and would love to see more of her crime-solving feats... and food, there needs to be more food in books.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sandra Jackson-Opoku for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes coming out July 29, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really love cozy murder mysteries. I definitely thought Savvy Summers was set in summer. I didn’t realize it was the character’s name until I started reading it. But I really enjoyed the setting. I enjoyed the characters. I thought it was a good group of different characters. I loved the food references. I would definitely check out more books by this author!

Who is poisoning these men around her? After being present in two different situations where a man mysteriously dies, Savvy must do something to figure out who is going after these people. Especially since it is hurting her cafe, and after the first incident, it hasn't recovered. Even though those around her try to discourage her, Savvy knows that she must figure out who is behind the killings before someone else or even she ends up dead. It's a fun, quick read that leaves you wanting to figure out who is behind the murders.
Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the eARC!

This first entry in new cozy mystery series is a charming surprise. I love Savvy, her café, Penny and all of the characters. The author has created a fabulous sight for future entries and if she continues to serve up delectable mysteries like this? I’ll be back to binge on more!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sandra Jackson-Opoku for giving me access to this eARC!

Savvy Summers provided a lovely reprieve from the heavy books I have been reading lately. This book was an easy to read, but satisfying, mystery. At first, I would have called it cozy but I think Jackson-Opoku added some interestingly dark themes to the latter half of the book which made some of the characters more complicated and interesting. This novel focuses on chef Savvy Summers as she takes matters in to her own hands when two of her "best" customers seem to drop dead by her hands. The story-building and background in this novel was really well done. I feel like I had a great grasp of the Chicago politics and life as a Black person in the area.

I do think some plot points were expanded on a bit too much, there were times when certain chapters were a bit too wordy. I would have enjoyed more about the background and lives of Tuck, Mattie, and Grandy rather than some of the stream of thought Savvy chapters.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and I think mystery lovers will gobble it up! A solid 3.5.

Savvy Summers is the owner and operator of a soul food cafe in Chicago and when the death of an elderly gentleman who was a regular customer of her cafe, occurs after he has eaten at her cafe, people begin to question whether or not her food was involved. She and her assistant, Penny, know that is not the case so they begin to investigate on their own. Another murder occurs not too long after the first and occurs in the same manner as the first. There are plenty of twists and turns in this book and it makes for a very interesting read. Don’t want to give away any spoilers so I won’t say anything further, just recommend that you read.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I have really been getting into reading, and enjoying cozy mystery books lately. Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is a charming, fun, highly engaging debut novel. This quick, and easy read was perfect for summer. I liked everything about this book from the strong, independent-minded female main character, all the various character relationships, the location of the story, witty dialogue and the murder mystery itself. A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, the author and NetGalley for the eARC of book.

Savvy Summers is the proprietor of Essie’s Soul Food Cafe in the heart of Chicago’s South Side neighborhood. Her sweet potato pie has become legendary amongst her customers. But when one of her customers, Grandy kills-over at a table in her restaurant, not only is Savvy’s reputation at stake, so is her beloved business. Hopelessly trying to clear her restaurant from all the bad press coverage, and keep the doors of her establishment open. She and her assistant manager, Penny decide to solve the murder themselves. Her customers have all but abandoned her sweet potato pie, and now she is also being annoyingly harassed by a shady investor to sell the business. Can Savvy and Penny figure out what’s really going on, and who actually murdered Grandy before all is lost.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is a debut full of memorable characters, witty banter, lots of delicious soul food, along with some unexpected twist, which makes it a delightfully unique and very entertaining culinary mystery.

This review is my opinion and my opinion only. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin Press/Minotaur Press for access to this book.
This is the first book in the Savvy Summers series. It’s about Savvy being an amateur sleuth. The banter between Savvy and Penny Lopes adds humor to the story. I love how Savvy is a strong woman who knows who she is and what she wants.
Sandra Jackson-Opoku did a great job at keeping you guessing on who killed the two men.
It was an enjoyable read

For Fans Of: It’s Elementary, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕
Genre: Mystery
Violence: 🪓
Spice: 🚫
TW: infidelity, loss of spouse

Premise: When rumor spreads that a customer died from her cooking, restaurateur Savvy vows to solve the mystery & save her soul food cafe.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed seasoned author Jackon-Opoku’s 1st foray into cozy mysteries & will definitely return for seconds. This series premier has all the right ingredients: characters brimming with life; memorable settings; & a pleasingly complex mystery. Savvy is a main character who lives up to her name: a whip-smart entrepreneur full of courage who takes no sass from anyone but consistently demonstrates a deep well of empathy. But Savvy is just a start to the delightful cast that includes her brand-name obsessed, true-crime loving sous chef, her teddy bear of an ex-husband, and an unpredictable roster of suspects. Evocative details make Savvy’s cafe burns bright in my mind’s eye, & I found myself salivating over the descriptions of her elevated take on soul food. But as always, I show up 1st & foremost for the mystery, and Jackson-Opoku does not disappoint. What at 1st appears to be a straight-forward question—who poisoned septuagenarian Grandy—grows more twisty as the novel proceeds. Let’s just say that Savvy’s community will be dishing on this revelation for years to come. If you like your cozies with great characters, a touch of comedy, & a complex puzzle, pick up Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes.

Thanks to Minotaur & NetGalley for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Savvy Summers opens a soul food restaurant, Essie’s” in Chicago’s south side. When an elderly womanizer dies after eating at her establishment.
I had a hard time when first starting this book. It moved slowly but gave so much information that it was hard to remember who was who. However, at around the 25% mark, I really started to enjoy the story. I skipped over some words that I didn’t understand but I think I still got the gist of them. It was a good mystery with a whole panel of people who may have wanted Grandy dead.
The characters were well written and I like the personalities of the main characters. I will definitely read the next book.

Essie’s is a popular soul food eatery on Chicago’s South Side. Savvy Summers is the proprietor of the highly regarded diner. She’s taken her Aunt Essie’s recipes and made them her own. When not one but two customers die after eating her sweet potato pie, suspicion falls on Savvy. Police dismiss the deaths as accidental, but Savvy thinks otherwise and is determined to root out the killer.
This charming cosy has likable characters you can relate to. I absolutely loved all Aunt Essie’s epithets. She was one wise, and funny, role model for Savvy. The author has thoughtfully included a list of all of them in the back of the book along with recipes for the sweet potato pie as well as others featured in the story. I liked Savvy and her sidekick Penny too. Penny is not afraid to speak her mind! This is fun, solid entertainment wrapped in a mystery. 4 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed the writing in this book and the characters. It gives all the witty feels of down gown country but takes place in Chicago so you get a sense of that as well. I would love to see what Savvy and Penny get into next. I also loved the unexpected twist at the end. I have shared more full thoughts on IG

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku is a fun cozy mystery with small town vibes. I felt like the plot plugged along then raced to the finish, but all was explained in the end. Loved the cafe recipes in the back- a nice touch.

This is the first book I've read by this author. It's also a first in a series. Savvy is an interesting character and is likable. The other cast of characters are all a little quirky. I liked the setting in Chicago and is written by someone who is familiar with the city. The story was good, but it took me a while to get into the story. The resolution was good and the pace picked up as we neared the end of the story. I think this will appeal to cozy mystery fans. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thank you NetGalley, publisher, and author for this ARC!! I really enjoyed this book a lot and cant wait to checkout more from this author!!

Ok this was a fun book to read! Loved the mystery, loved the cozy aspect, summer and culinary parts! Everything was just a perfect blend. We need more little gems like this!

The first book in a series carries a lot of responsibility. It needs to engage the reader in a plot while at the same time introducing a lot of characters and getting the reader to care about (some of) them. There is a lot of background in this introduction and I think I would have liked it if some had been saved for future installments. Yes, I do intend to read the continuing adventures of Savvy, Penny, Fanon, etc. But I would have liked them just as much had there been a bit fewer characters and more plot focus. I also felt like some of the story lines could have arched into future books. Basic statement: I want more Savvy Summers and am worried it was all given to us too quickly in this first book! Savvy is sassy, intelligent, and offers a refreshing narrative in the very full food-based cozy genre!