Jackson-Opoku has introduced us to a wonderful new character in this debut mystery (teased as Savvy Summers #1). Savvy is the owner of a soul food cafe, Essie's, on the southside of Chicago. This cozy mystery all starts at Essie's when Grady Jasper falls over dead at table 2. Everything for Savvy and her cafe goes downhill from there. Savvy and her assistant, Penny, do their investigating to try to determine who killed Grady.

There are a lot of characters. At times, I was a bit confused as to who they were and how they were connected. I almost needed to write down the names to keep track. It didn't distract me from the story, though.

The narration was smooth, making the listening experience enjoyable. How she performs Aunt Essie's epithets is masterful, and I am so glad they are reviewed at the end of the book.

Savvy is a fun new character. I look forward to reading more about her adventures at Essie's.

OMG, y’all this book. I have a new mystery series I’m obsessed with.

Savvy Summers owns her small cafe and catering company. When a notorious cheapskate customer dies in her restaurant the night after his anniversary party that SHE catered….all eyes are on her.

Savvy can’t leave it alone, she has to find out what’s happening. A little amateur sleuthing per usual draws out the actual suspect. And y’all it blew my mind, I did not see the ending coming and highly enjoyed the ride there.

And this was their debut novel. 🤯🤯🤯 I’m so excited to see more of this series

This is a great debut book from author Sandra Jackson-Opoku. This book has a great mystery and I “devoured” it in one day. I enjoyed spunky, sassy characters, this book has that in force. Of course, Savvy was my favorite, followed closely by Penny. Their back and forth way of talking and their relationship was enjoyable and real.

Savvy is no nonsense and tells it like it is. Savvy takes it upon herself to find out why her sweet potato pie is the alleged culprit in the local player’s death, Grandy Jaspers. The author does a fabulous job of laying down the law with hints and red-herrings. Jackson-Opoku also does a great job with the backstory of Savvy and the other characters, while keeping the reader engaged with the present.

I loved most Great Aunt Essie’s sayings that Savvy quoted throughout the book and I really liked how blunt and spot-on they were to Savvy’s character and the situations. I appreciated the author bringing them all together at the end.

The audio narrator, Karen Chilton, was excellent. She brought the author’s words to life with her excellent tone and expression that were perfect these characters. I also enjoy the culinary mystery parts of the book as well. I think I want to make myself some of the hot chocolate.

Thank you to the publisher for the NetGalley widget, and the approval for the audio ALC. All views are my own. Mentions of body parts and viagra and some strong language.

I was so excited to see a new cozy mystery by a Black author! I really enjoyed this story! Great characters and the plot was well done! I hope there will be a series!

What a fantastic book. I listened to and the reader was outstanding. It’s been a while since I had a book that I was SO into that I couldn’t or wouldn’t put down. I tried to find things to do so I could just listen to it. The writer had a cast of characters that all blended so well. The lives, twists, the turns, the suspense was mind whirling. Can’t highly recommend this enough.

What an absolute FUN read and introduction to this author! I look forward to more books in this series. Savvy was so enjoyable to listen to and follow along with her antics. I liked the banter between characters, I appreciated how Savvy was not a typical FMC in a mystery book, and I liked how her relationships were conveyed. Thanks so much to NetGalley for an ALC to review.

I loved this book! It was high drama and delicious and a lot of fun. It was a mystery with a cozier side, but I would not describe it as the genre "cozy mystery". There is an amateur sleuth, but other than that it was definitely only the edgier side which I loved. It was on the slower side, but there was also a lot going to parse through. The descriptions of the soul food made me hungry and I loved Savvy's passion for her cafe and her desire to keep innovating. There are a bunch of different threads here and I am so impressed Savvy was able to muddle through, because there were so many secrets and people with sketchy intent, that I kept changing my mind about my suspicions. I love how she had no problem looking into things and how everything came together in the end was so well done (loved the tai chi). Mostly I loved getting to know Savvy and her cafe and hope we get to see more of her!

Note: I listened to the audiobook and the narration was great; she did an amazing job bringing this interesting group of characters to life and expressing all the drama.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes was such a fun read! Cozy and fast-paced, it pulled me in with its snarky humor, vibrant characters, and emotional depth.

Savvy Summer, the owner of the beloved, family-run Essie’s Soul Food Café, is known for her award-winning sweet potato pie. During a community wedding anniversary celebration, a shocking revelation stuns the guests. The next day, the husband visits Essie’s, eats a slice of Savvy’s famous pie… and dies. Suddenly, Savvy finds herself accused of poisoning him—jeopardizing not only her business but her freedom.

From there, we’re taken on a whirlwind journey to uncover the real culprit and their motive. The world Sandra Jackson-Opoku builds feels incredibly real—this could be any small town, despite being set in bustling Chicago. I was especially impressed by how she created that cozy, small-town vibe within a major city. That’s not easy to do, and she pulled it off beautifully.

Savvy and her assistant manager, Penny Lopes, make a great duo. Savvy is calm and level-headed; Penny is bold and impulsive. Their friendship adds so much charm and levity to the story—listening to them felt like sitting in on a conversation between two witty aunties. The supporting characters were also thoughtfully developed, each playing a meaningful role in the plot and adding emotional depth to the story.

Karen Chilton did a fantastic job narrating the audiobook. Her voice was soothing and expressive, giving each character their own distinct voice and personality. She expertly conveyed the emotional nuances of each scene. Listening to her read the recipes as Savvy made her desserts felt so comforting—like hearing a beloved family member talk you through a cherished tradition. Her seamless transitions between humor and seriousness made the story feel that much more authentic and immersive.

Having the ability to tandem read—switching between the audiobook and the eBook—was an absolute dream. It allowed me to dive deeper into Savvy’s world. I caught jokes and snide remarks I’d missed while reading alone, which made the story even more enjoyable.

I can’t wait to see what mystery Savvy gets pulled into next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sandra Jackson-Opoku for the ALC of this book!

I am not an audio book person but I really enjoyed this audio book. The voice actor did a great job. I also loved the area of Chicago it’s set in. I like the south side a lot and I could just imagine eating at her restaurant. I really liked our main character a lot as well, I thought she was really interesting character and I want to read more stories with her in it.

I know this deals with a cheater but there was just so much misogyny. Calling women degrading names cause a partner cheated and a lot of cat calling and talks about women’s body in sexual ways was a little much for me at times. I also think the story telling felt a little lost at times. I enjoyed hearing about her family and her two husbands but sometimes these side tracks felt odd cause I didn’t understand how we got there from a story perspective.

3.5 and I think that the audio adds to the story telling.

🌟4.5🌟 rounded up
This was quite LITERALLY a dose of southern comfort!

I will most definitely be re-reading this book during the fall! This would be the absolute PERFECT! cozy fall read. It has everything we all love A good mystery, great banter, and soul food so delicious you'll swear you can smell it through the pages.


One thing I absolutely LOVE is when books make the mood jump off the pages & this little gem is definitely one of those! Our author does a phenomenal job creating a superb atmosphere for her story

I was a little sad when I found out there wasn't more of some giant conspiracy against her shop. But that's honestly my only " critique" & it's much more of a useless opinion.

omg!!!!!!! And before I forget, because HOW can I forget?! I also absolutely LOVE! that she includes the recipes at the end of the book to a lot of the dishes that are used throughout! We love all anti-gatekeeping queens over here! I think that was pretty cool of her to do

All & all this book was really great! If you're a cozy mystery girlie.. or burlie, you can go on ahead and add this to your TBR now!

Great start for a new series! I enjoyed getting to know Savvy and her friends; the community she has built around her is full of interesting characters. The ones she was investigating, however, were all unlikeable, so I wasn’t as invested in her clearing anyone’s name. Both the method of the murders and the conclusion were unique and I had no idea who the guilty party was until the very end. Where this lost points for me is the sheer number of characters that I had to keep track of to follow along. Otherwise, the writing was good, although it started out a little slow for me, and I will continue with the series.

I listened to the audiobook and found this to be a fun light cozy mystery. The characters were well developed and likable. While I usually tend to dislike the use of clichés, the author made them work well in this book, and in my opinion, they added to the book’s charm. The narrator was a perfect fit. I’m looking forward to the rest of this series.

Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy in exchange for my review.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes: A Mystery had a charming premise and a quirky Southern backdrop that caught my attention, but it took a while to really get going.

The beginning felt a bit slow, with a lot of character introductions and small-town details that, while colorful, didn’t immediately pull me into the mystery. However, I’m glad I stuck with it—once the story found its rhythm, the plot picked up, and the final third delivered some genuinely unexpected twists and turns.

Savvy is a likable lead with a curious streak, and the town itself has that classic cozy mystery feel. The community dynamics and Southern flavor were nice touches, but I was hoping for a bit more urgency earlier on to keep me engaged.

If you enjoy slow-burn mysteries with a dash of small-town charm, this one might be worth the read—especially for the twisty ending.

This was an exceptional cozy mystery!! We really got to see Savvy running her business and making all that great food. There were some events that she worked on that weren’t extremely detailed, but I thought it helped it flow well with the way Savvy was telling the story. The murder and investigation and the secrets were well done. It could have descended into something grittier and smuttier, but it didn’t. It managed to be funny and maintain the cozy. The people around Savvy were supportive and a great addition to the story. This book is just what I wanted. It is cozy, but less twee than some cozies. I can’t wait to see what Savvy gets up to next.

Set in a soul food café on Chicago’s South Side, the story begins when a beloved neighborhood regular dies after eating a slice of Savvy’s famous sweet potato pie. With rumors swirling and her café’s reputation in question, Savvy—along with her sharp and curious assistant manager—sets out to uncover the truth behind what really happened at table two.

This was such an enjoyable read! I loved the strong sense of place, the community ties, and Savvy’s grounded, determined personality. The Southern flair adds a unique twist to the cozy mystery genre, and the food descriptions made me hungry more than once. The book ends with some tempting recipes I haven’t tried yet—but I definitely plan to!

The audiobook narration was excellent—easy to follow, engaging, and really brought the characters to life.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes has a fun mix of characters, a twisty murder case, and mouth-watering recipes; exactly what I like to see in a cozy mystery! I think this would be perfect for a late autumn / Thanksgiving read, although I fully enjoyed it during summer too. I'm definitely going to keep up with the author and see what they'll write next! I feel like the narration lifted the story to the next level. While the story itself was already enjoyable, with the audiobook I felt fully immersed in the life of Savvy Summers. I will be posting a review of the book in my socials as part of my autumn book recommendations in the beginning of September, and my review is already up in the Storygraph for people to read.

I will start off by saying I love how this book is unapologetically black! From the second I read "aw sookie-sookie now," I just knew I was going to enjoy this book! The language, the ebonics, the epithets, the food, the dialogues, certain mentions, and references - loved it! It all added a particular coziness and, for me, one that was relatable and hit home.
Savvy Summers And The Sweet Potato Crimes is a cozy mystery, with the murder being on the lighter side and more palatable than your regular murder mystery. The story itself was good, however, I felt like some chapters were simply fillers. Good thing the chapters are short! The pacing was steady enough to hold the cozy feel of the book, and the characters were very highly likable.
I like that this book is very unique, with unique characters (like Grandy) and a death like his (viagra overdose). This book is fun and has lots of banter, and at some points, felt like a hug to me (with mentions of grands, community, upbringing, etc.) I loved Savvy in particular and can't wait to see what else is in store for her!

Thank you NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and Sandra Jackson-Opoku for this ARC!

All Savvy Summers wants to do is run her local cafe, Essie's Soul Food, but suddenly she is involved in a murder mystery that threatens her freedom and her business. Local womanizer Grandy Jespers dies while eating Savvy's famous sweet potato pie. Savvy is quickly thought to be a suspect and rumors spread. She knows it is up to her to solve the crime to restore her reputation and her business.

I had a good time with this book. I really enjoyed Savvy. She is smart and hardworking. I also appreciated how the story dealt with her grief from the loss of her second husband balanced with a possible rekindling of a romance between her an her other ex husband. The mystery was interesting and had some good twists. I enjoyed the group of people around Savvy. The story is set in Chicago but still managed to have a nice community feeling. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, I will be keeping my eye out for it. Karen Chilton did a great job with the narration of the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGally and Macmillian Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to the ALC for Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku and narrated by Karen Chilton. The narration is absolutely terrific. This is a cozy mystery set on the south side of Chicago. Savvy Summers is the proprietor of a soul food cafe. I loved Savvy and her assistant manager, the perpetually broke and always needing an advance, Penny Lopez. Savvy finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation when Grandy, a 75 year old customer, Grandy Jaspers, and neighborhood womanizer, dies at table 2 in Savvy's cafe, Essie's Soul Food Cafe. This was a smart, fun read. The writing is good, the pacing wasn't perfect but was pretty good throughout, and the characters were great. The plot was intricate enough without being obvious or impossible to solve. I really enjoyed listening to this book and I recommend it. The book releases on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for my advance listener copy.

Sandra Jackson-Opoku is not a debut author, but this is her debut cozy mystery. It's a real treat!

Set on the South Side of Chicago, with plentiful mentions of the various component neighborhoods (including my own childhood neighborhood—Hyde Park), the story includes quite a range of fully developed characters—mostly members of the immediate community. Savvy is an especially appealing and interesting character—we learn about her childhood, family, relationships, and careers. The story also includes elements of the Great Migration, politics, greed, infidelity, culture, and music. It makes for an immersive experience.

By the time this story takes place, Savvy's Great-Aunt Essie—who raised her after she was orphaned at age 10—has been dead for over 40 years. Unsurprisingly, though, Savvy continues to be heavily influenced by Aunt Essie's expressions, which add so much color, emotion, and humor throughout the story. There is a section at the end of the book that “translates” Essie's expressions, as well as a section with some of her recipes.

It appears that a series is planned. I'm looking forward to reading more!

I was wowed by narrator Karen Chilton—another South Side native. Chilton is multitalented: an award-winning narrator, actor, and writer.