2.5* Rounded Up

I wanted to love this book, but I had a hard time getting into it and wanting to come back to it. The first third of the book didn't feel very mystery-like to me as it was focused mostly on Savvy and her café. Yes there was a death...in her café and it was quite hilarious ("death by Viagra!"), but the mystery aspect of the book took longer to flush out. The pace did pick up a little for me around the halfway mark, but nothing was pulling me back begging me to finish it and find out whodunnit. I think part of the problem for me was there were so many characters introduced that reading it over multiple sittings meant I kept reorienting myself.

Despite that all sounding a little on the negative side, I didn't dislike the book! I appreciated the setting, the FMC, and the humor. I could see this becoming a series and would be interested to read more if so (as well as future books by Jackson-Opoku. Some have mentioned the language used being hard to understand, but I think it really added to the authenticity of the characters. The ending was good, but a little drawn out. I appreciated the recipes

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sapphire "Savvy" Summers, former school principal, and now proprietor of Essie's Place, a soul food café, is the main character in this cozy start to a series. Savvy's dishes are inspired, partly by her great-aunt Essie, partly her own imagination and are big hits with her customers.

At an event she's catering, 75-year old Grandy Jaspers, a well known womanizer, drops dead, and Savvy's sweet potato pie is first thought to be the cause, which means her restaurant takes a big hit to its reputation. This is soon ruled out, but Savvy's business is still struggling in the wake of the murder.

Savvy is annoyed that the police don't seem to be taking the death, or her business' situation, seriously, including her ex-husband Fanon, a police sergeant, so she ropes in Penny Lopés, her assistant manager, and they begin digging into Grandy's life, and the lives of everyone involved with him. At the same time, a smarmy and pushy investor hopes to take Essie's off Savvy's hands, now that the business is losing money, and particularly as it's one of the last hold-outs on the street, which is being considered for redevelopment.

Savvy and Penny expose all sorts of messy relationships, betrayals and double-dealings, which all lead to a frightening confrontation.

The story kept me engaged, particularly as Savvy is such a great character. She's smart, hardworking, kind, and a whiz in the kitchen. There is a lot of humour in the story, but there are also interesting, complex relationships between the dead man and his circle, but also between Savvy and her community.

I went back and forth between the book and audiobook, and greatly enjoyed Karen Chilton's narration. She brought all the characters to life, particularly Savvy Summers and her no nonsense but warm self. Chilton's Penny was hilarious.

3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and to Macmillan Audio for these ARCs in exchange for my review.

Did Not Finish @40%

Absolutely not. So. MUCH. ICK. Death by "little blue pill" was sort of an interesting premise [and one that is new to me], but the descriptions were just ICK [I was not anticipating multiple V E R Y blunt conversations about Viagra {and what happens when one takes too much} and slimy older creeping creeper male characters harassing/"flirting"/telling them they cannot live without them [the creeping creepers; AS IF!] all the females through the entire book. Ick. It became very tedious V E R Y quickly] Add in all of the seriously unlikeable characters [including all the men who felt they had the right to tell the women around them just WHAT and HOW to do things], a very tepid story and no real movement in the search for the killer, and I just gave up. I was so bored and found I really didn't care about the end at all. I was really looking forward to this book and am very disappointed.

Audiobook narrator - 4 Stars
I L O V E Karen Chilton as a narrator [I love it when she pops up in a book I am looking forward to] and was so excited to read this because of her always excellent narration. She does a fantastic job here, but she is the best part of this book. She does as well as she can with what she has been given [and I truly wish that I could have finished it just so I could listen to her], and I admire her for that. I really hope I get another book soon with Ms. Chilton as the narrator; I highly recommend her!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, Karen Chilton - Narrator, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

"Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes" by Sandra Jackson-Opoku is an engaging cozy murder mystery that kept me entertained from start to finish. The plot is well-crafted, offering just the right blend of intrigue and charm. The pacing is smooth, making it an easy and enjoyable read.

What truly stands out are the exciting characters, particularly Savvy Summers, who brings both wit and warmth to the story. Each character is distinct and adds depth to the narrative, making the mystery more compelling.

If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries with vibrant characters and an inviting storyline, "Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes" is a delightful choice. Highly recommended for a relaxing yet thrilling read!

I will admit, I was drawn to Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by both the cover and the title. Both are enough to pull you into the book. And at under 350 pages, it’s easy to stick around and read.

One thing I like is when mysteries offer multiple suspects to choose from. And Savvy finds herself with a list close to ten when she starts her investigation. As the book progresses, she does narrow that list down, but also finds herself adding to it as she goes along. I had my suspicions about the culprit, and while I may have been correct, I was also wrong, especially regarding the motives.

My biggest issue with the book was the excessive use of slang. While I appreciate what many would call local flair, I found some of it a stumbling block as I didn’t understand what they were trying to say. There were a few instances when they tried to explain it to a character, and it only further confused me. As someone who grew up in the South, I had no problems understanding Great-Aunt Essie’s sayings, as several of those are commonly said.

Overall, Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes was an okay read. Though I will admit, I’m not sure if I will continue with the series, if it’s to become one.

What a fantastic debut! This book is a delight to read, with Savvy being a truly enjoyable character. The urban cozy mystery setting on Chicago's south side is filled with witty and charming characters, plus plenty of sweet potato pie! Multiple mysteries are woven throughout, keeping you guessing. The twists and turns are told in a heartwarming way, making you laugh and feel like you're part of the story. The ending is unpredictable, and the suspects are cleverly misleading.

This is a fun new cozy mystery series. I loved the characters and the story. I would highly recommend!

I loved this! This book was hilarious, and mysterious with lots of action. I was hooked from the first line, "help me Obi-Wan Kenobi." I really enjoyed all of the pop-cultural and political references from the 1900's. I laughed out loud a few times at Savvy and Penny and the things they said. When Grandy, the local lothario, drops dead at Savvy Summer's cafe while eating her sweet potato pie, Savvy is not only worried about being accused of murder, but also about losing her customer base. While Savvy and her pie are quickly cleared, she and Penny decide to start investigating to find out who killed Grandy. This was a great cozy, and I am looking forward to seeing what Savvy gets up to next! The phrase "bless her/his/their naked soul" could be used less, but other than that, fantastic.

Savvy Summers just wants her cafe and catering business to take off so she can write a cookbook, but instead a man dies after eating her sweet potato pie and she's drawn into a murder mystery.
This book felt underdeveloped to me, like it could have used a few more round of edits to clarify the story and make the mystery more compelling. It kind of plods along, carried more by the characters than the plot. The characters are well-rounded and interesting, but I have a hard time figuring out what type of reader at my store would enjoy this. It's on the cozier side, but it has a slower pace than I think they would want.

This was a nice read. The pacing was a little slower than I expected in this type of mystery, but def loved the overall plot!

Savvy Summers is a refreshing main character. I really appreciate stories of women in their 50s, as they seem to be few and far between. A solid cozy mystery, heavy on the mystery, less so on the cozy.

I knew I was in for a good time when the victim dropped dead at table two, right after eating sweet potato pie, and our heroine’s first reaction wasn’t screaming but more like “...seriously?” Because that’s the exact kind of chaos I want in a cozy mystery. “Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes” kicks off its debut like someone tossed cinnamon, crime, and messy men into a stand mixer, and I loved every minute of it.

Savvy Summers is 57, recently widowed, and running a soul food café named Essie’s on the South Side of Chicago like it’s her personal mission from heaven. She’s not here to play. She’s here to serve collards with a side of sass, cater community events, and maybe, accidentally poison someone? I mean, she didn’t, but try telling that to the neighborhood gossip mill once Grandy Jaspers (noted horndog and walking HR violation) keels over after a bite of her experimental vegan sweet potato pie. Murder by pie? Iconic. Immediately yes.

Now, everyone thinks Savvy’s food is lethal, her reputation’s melting faster than hot butter on cornbread, and her ex-husband just slinks back into her life, all gruff police vibes with lingering chemistry and bad timing. And because the Chicago PD is out here acting like “heart attack” means case closed, Savvy’s got to put down the spatula and pick up the amateur sleuthing hat. Enter Penny Lopés: assistant manager, expert eavesdropper, chaos gremlin. I love her like a favorite cousin who’d absolutely text you “OMG I found a clue” from a crime scene.

The plot gives cozy mystery vibes with just the right amount of WTF. There’s a shady investor pushing to buy Savvy out, a suspicious pattern of older men dying under bizarrely horny circumstances, and a neighborhood that will absolutely cancel you over dessert-based conspiracy theories. But what makes this sparkle isn’t just the whodunit, it’s the vibrant community, the unapologetically Black cultural richness, and the absolute flavor (literal and metaphorical) baked into every scene. Like, I would die for Savvy’s cookbook. I would sell secrets for that lemonade recipe.

And can we talk about the audiobook? Karen Chilton understood the assignment. Her narration gives each character so much voice and personality that I honestly forgot I wasn’t eavesdropping on real people. I could hear Savvy’s exhaustion, Penny’s gleeful nosiness, even the flirty ex-husband energy oozing out of Fanon like a man who knows he’s still got it and regrets every choice that led to their divorce.

Yes, the pacing gets a little soft in the middle, like someone left the cornbread in the oven just a few minutes too long, but the humor, heart, and wild twists kept me all in. Savvy isn’t out here running into danger like a reckless twentysomething. She’s methodical, mature, and motivated. This is her life’s work on the line. And watching her navigate grief, legacy, and trust while also maybe dodging a pie-based homicide charge? Iconic behavior.

Honestly, this is exactly the kind of first-in-series chaos I want. A fierce, funny woman with a complicated love life, a lovable mess of a bestie, and a murder that brings out the nosy auntie energy in all of us. I’m already emotionally invested and planning my next visit to Essie’s. Solid 4 stars.

Whodunity Award: For Turning Dessert Into a Deadly Weapon and Still Getting a Michelin Star in My Heart

Big thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ARC and audiobook! Now please excuse me while I interrogate every slice of pie I meet.

This cozy mystery was really just THAT, I loved small town everything and the characters are funny!!! poor Grandy, but he was not so nice lol. The book is a slow burn though but we pushed through. I am not a fan of slow burns, lol.

I wanted to love this book because it has so many things I tend to enjoy but, for the life of me I couldn't get into the book. I genuinely think this is a case of the right book at the wrong time for my serious mood reader self and have no doubt that Savvy will find a whole mess of people who love her!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Savvy Summers is an interesting character with a vivacious personality who knows how to cook. The descriptions of the food were enough to make me salivate and added to the reasons to read this book. Cozy mysteries are always enjoyable for this reader because of the amateur/armchair sleuths, which is what readers are doing as we try to solve the mystery as well.

It was a good mystery, but was a little slow at times. I think there were too many characters in the story, but that is just my thoughts. Overall it was a solid mystery with a likable main character.

Thank you to St. Martins Press for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an ARC to read and review.

Savvy Summers, the main character in a sprightly multigenerational cast (mostly related), is true to her name. She is the intelligent and skilled owner of Essie’s Cafe, named for a beloved aunt who left her with a love of Southern cooking and a Southern Black vocabulary as her rich cultural heritage. Her summery personality is reflected in her talent for ´handling’ the often cantankerous and outright punchy people she has to deal with in this debut novel.
As to the sweet potatoes of the title, they also prove to be major characters. The VIP ingredient in Savvy’s signature pie, the entire mystery revolves around their implication in Grandy Jasper’s sudden death.

Although the mystery itself isn’t of the thriller category, it fits the cosy mystery category very nicely. The careful plotting and character development kept my interest throughout a bustling story. Individually and as a group, the characters are rarely predictable, including Savvy herself. The setting is the south side of Chicago, in a tight-knit Black community. The story opens on the day of a fiftieth anniversary that Savvy is pretty much obliged to cater, pretty much without payment. The ´groom,’ the seventyish Grandy, is womanizer who just won’t quit, known to his family and friends for his decidedly nasty disposition and utter cheapness despite his wealth. Lots of people wish him dead, and his advanced age and related health problems suggest he was carried off naturally, if dramatically, during the fraught festivities.

When it is discovered that he died by poisoning—after thoroughly enjoying Savvy’s sweet potato pie—she becomes the primary suspect. Did she poison the pie or was it one of the many possible suspects who had much more serious motives than mere dislike of an unlikeable man?

Along with her reluctant cop ex-husband, Fanon, and her intrepid sous-chef Penny, Savvy sets out to find out whether there was a killer in their midst. The first third drags a bit, with considerable repetition and rumination, but it picks quickly. It is overall an entertaining trip. I really enjoyed the author’s use of the Black language her characters would have used in real life. Plus there is the bonus of a list of Aunt Essie’s favorite sayings and some wonderful recipes, including the infamous sweet potato pie.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and Sandra Jackson-Opoku for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery soooo much. The Southside Chicago setting was perfect. It showed how even in a metropolitan area, small villages are present! As a Cubs and Bears fan, I found the local details to be painful and accurate. You do have to suspend belief for a while to enjoy this novel- there is a part where the Bears are in the playoffs- and as Bears fans, we just know that isn't our reality. :)

Savvy was exactly that, savvy, quick and the best lie detecting skills (affectionately called her "lie-dar"). Savvy was the perfect character to build this mystery around. I loved the full cast of friends, family and suspects!

This book has convinced me that I need to pick up more cozy mysteries!

Narration was incredibly well done. I would love to listen to this narrator again and again!

Savvy Summers will definitely fill you up with soul food & an overabundance of southern epithets! This cozy mystery was unique in its own way.

I will admit, the pacing was slow for me. I also felt like I wasn't the targeted audience for this book. A lot of the cultural & social references were things I feel my mom (early 60's) would love, get & appreciate. For me, they were things I've (maybe?!..or not) heard of before, but ended up highlighting on my Kindle to get a little more background information, especially if it was meant as a joke. I had to remind myself that Savvy is older and these things reflect on her upbringing, as told throughout the book.

I did enjoy how the location of her shop was located in the heart of Chicago, where people found comfort in food & company. There wouldn't be a mystery to solve without Savvy's loyal customers. As her Aunt Essie says, "You do your best listening at mealtimes, 'cause that's when people do their best talking."

How everything wrapped up in the end wasn't as I expected, since many people were suspects with different ties to each other & stories to tell.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. 🩷

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes oozes charm and Savvy is the spunkiest, mystery solving chef and business owner. Super lovable characters and a well paced mystery, this book kept me engaged from beginning to the end.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

How can a sweet potato pie become the center of a murder investigation!?!
75 year old, womanizer, Grandy Jaspers drops dead at table 2 of Essie’s soul food cafe. Now Savvy must work to clear her name and keep the cafe afloat while she works to solve the murder!
Is the pie really to die for?

What a fun debut! The book is well written and Savvy is such an enjoyable character! This urban, cozy mystery is set in the south side of Chicago with a ton of characters with wit, charm and sweet potato pie! While not your typical sleuth, Savvy has heart, home cooking and snooping assistant manager, Penny!

I really appreciate how the author represented the setting and characters- everything was well thought out and done so with heart! I am absolutely hungry for more of Savvy and her sleuthing ways! I love the added recipes at the end of the book- great touch!

Thank you to author, Sandra Jackson-Opoku, publisher Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am leaving my review voluntarily.