Audiobook

Savvy Summers becomes entwined in a murder investigation when patrons die after eating her sweet potato pie at Essie's soul food café. Hijinks ensue as Savvy and her friends attempt to uncover the killer and save the restaurant.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is a charming, cozy mystery that will have you craving some good comfort food while you read. Savvy was a relatable FMC trying to navigate grief and the future. I also enjoyed the cast of side characters.

Advanced copy provided by Macmillan Audio and Minotaur Books. All opinions are my own.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is a flavorful first book in the Savvy Summers series. It introduces a lively community, a strong protagonist, and a soulful culinary twist on the cozy mystery genre. Savvy herself is a solid lead—smart, determined, and engaging—and her banter with assistant manager Penny adds a welcome touch of humor and camaraderie.

That said, the book isn’t without its missteps. The opening scenes are abrupt and a bit confusing, making it hard to get a grip on the characters and their relationships at first. And while the mystery eventually finds its footing, the zenith and resolution felt a bit far-fetched, though still satisfying in a cozy kind of way.

One minor drawback is the over-reliance on humor in some of the passages, which often feels forced and more focused on punchlines than progressing the plot. Similarly, there’s a fair amount of gossip, rivalries, and squabbling—while sometimes entertaining, it occasionally veers into mean-spirited or excessive territory.

The cultural and social references to the 1960s were interesting and added depth, but the use of "Black English" vernacular may be a mixed bag for readers. On one hand, it brought a distinctive voice and rhythm to the narration, which I really enjoyed; on the other, it wasn’t always clear whether it enriched characterization or leaned too heavily on stereotype to mark race or economic status.

In the end, Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes offers a quirky-yet-close-knit community, a memorable lead, and a promising setup for future entries.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book. And thank you to author Sandra Jackson-Opoku and Minotaur Books for sending me a free physical copy. All opinions are my own.

Sapphire "Savvy" Summers owns a soul food cafe in her South Side Chicago neighborhood, Woodlawn. To get an idea of who and what is important to Savvy, take note of the three portraits hanging on her walls: Jesus, President Obama, and her late Great-Aunt Essie, who raised her and inspired her to open the cafe. Even from the grave, Essie's influence and wise, encouraging presence were prominent in the book, from the food Savvy cooks, to the way she lives her life, to the phrases that pepper her speech (example: "Lord have mercy on their naked souls!")

Savvy herself has lived some life too. She's trying to get back into the groove after the passing of her second husband Francis last Thanksgiving. Her life gets a bit more exciting when her cafe and her food are implicated in two murders: first philandering septuagenarian Grandy Jaspers, who just celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with wife Mattie at Savvy's cafe. Shortly thereafter the local alderman goes down in a similiar fashion, and something seems off to Savvy. Aided by her friend and employee Penny Lopes and her police-officer first husband Fanon, Savvy embarks on some amateur sleuthing to find out what really happened and clear her food and her name.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery! Some aspects reminded me a little of my beloved Three Pines series, especially all of the mouthwatering food descriptions. There's a pretty decent chance you'll get hungry while you read! I was especially grateful for my gifted hardcover copy when I saw the recipes in the back of the book. And although I did just make a comparison, this book truly has a flavor all its own. I loved the chance to change up the cultural context compared with the cozy mysteries I often read. The cast of characters was never boring, each with their own connections to at least one of the dead men and each with their own unique traits. Some side characters were more loveable than others, but all the same I enjoyed the journey I went on with Savvy to find out what really caused the titular Sweet Potato Crimes.

I mostly listened to this book thanks to the ALC from @macmillan.audio through NetGalley. I loved Karen Chilton's narration, voices, and characterizations. These features really created a sense of place and culture that enhanced my reading experience.

Overall I recommend this book to other cozy mystery lovers, especially those of us who love a vibrant community and a taste of delicious food mixed in with some murder. I'll definitely have an eye out for more books about Savvy and the other characters I met while reading!

if you enjoyed Arsenic and Adobo and Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder but want something messier -- look no further! I found this audiobook incredibly interesting, and the killer keeps you guessing. The initial few chapters were a little slow, but it was mostly just the character introduction (it was a lot at once) but overall, I enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the next one!

I think this title was a debut for the author and I enjoyed it. Savvy Summers soul food chef-turned-Agatha Christie—I love a cozy that pushes the boundaries, and the humor, sass, and friendship/relationships that makes it stand out. The characters were wild and the mystery was not hard to figure out nor was it easy. There is a welcomed bonus at the end for the reader. Yummy!!

In exchange for my thoughtful and honest review I received a Galley from Netgalley

I tried reading the digital copy and ended up DNFing. I went back and tried the audio version, and it was MUCH better. I still felt the characters and the story in general were just messy, but the audio gave the characters a voice, and I found them much more tolerable in this format. I was able to listen to the book in its entirety, but Im not sure that I would read more from this author. Even though there was no on page sex, I just felt it was too sex heavy for me as everything revolved around Viagra, affairs, dirty old men, etc.

SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE SWEET POTATO CRIMES by Sandra Jackson-Opoku is a brand-new culinary mystery. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Karen Chilton – she did an excellent job. I liked the voice, the cozy story, and the clever use of language (e.g., "looking back from the intersection of hindsight and regret..."). This mystery debut is set in Southside Chicago so hearing about familiar locales was fun for me (despite the disparaging remarks about the beloved Cubbies baseball team). The title character is a woman trying to be strong and to give back to her community. She runs her own business, a soul food café based on her great Aunt Essie's recipes. But when a patron dies suddenly, Savvy's livelihood is threatened, and she (along with her nosy assistant and policemen ex-husband) tries to figure out what happened. Savvy persists, often reflecting on Aunt Essie's truisms like there are three sides to every story: "her side, his side and the dad-gone truth." Library Journal gave SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE SWEET POTATO CRIMES a starred review, praising its "engaging community of characters."

When a customer dies in Savvy Summers’ soul food café on the south side of Chicago, she and her assistant must solve the murder to save her business and reputation.

This audiobook is fantastic. The narrator is fantastic, perfectly capturing the voice and tone of the book. The plot is compelling from the start, with a fast pace and an intriguing cast of well-developed characters. Savvy is a relatable and clever amateur sleuth, one I enjoyed spending time with. The book is witty and fun—I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I thoroughly enjoyed Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku. It is (hopefully) the first book in a cozy mystery series set in the South Side of Chicago. Savvy and her assistant manager, Penny Lopés set out to solve a couple of murders that are affiliated with her soul food café. I absolutely loved the quirky characters and all the references to food. Recipes are included at the end of the book.

I read part of the book and listened to part of the book. Karen Chilton did a fantastic job bringing all of the characters to life.

Synopsis:
When Savvy Summers first opened Essie's soul food café, she never expected her customer-favorite sweet potato pie to become the center of a murder investigation. But when Grandy Jaspers, the 75-year-old neighborhood womanizer, drops dead at table two, she suddenly has more to worry about than just maintaining Essie's reputation for the finest soul food in the Chicagoland area.

Even as the police deem Grandy’s death an accident, Savvy quickly finds herself—and her beloved café—in the middle of an entire city’s worth of bad press. Desperate to clear her name and keep her business afloat, Savvy and her snooping assistant manager, Penny Lopés, take it upon themselves to find who really killed Grandy.

But with a slimy investor harassing her to sell her name and business, customers avoiding her sweet potato pie like the plague, and her police sergeant ex-husband suddenly back in the picture, will Savvy be able to clear the café’s name and solve Grandy’s murder before it all falls apart?

After all, while Savvy always said her sweet potato pie was to die for, she never meant literally.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced digital copy of the book and the audiobook. Publication date is July 29, 2025

Savvy Summers is having a bad week-her grandmother just died, her famous pie is under investigation, and she has people trying to undercut her at every step. As she tries to navigate the treachery surrounding her, she figures out what she wants out of all this.


I enjoyed this story. It was fun, empathetic, and realistic while set in a quirky unique setting. The characters tugged at your heart, and the villains where villains you loved to hate.

SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE SWEET POTATO CRIMES by Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Thank you @minotaur_books & @macmillan.audio for my gifted copies.

🥧 Book one in the Savvy Summers Mystery Series

📖 In this debut cozy mystery set in South Chicago, soul food café owner Savvy Summers finds herself in hot water when a customer drops dead after eating her famous sweet potato pie. Though the police call it an accident, the bad press threatens her business. Teaming up with her nosy assistant Penny, Savvy sets out to uncover the truth behind the suspicious death.

💭 There's so much to love about this book: witty dialogue, vibrant characters, a strong sense of place (South Side Chicago feels like a character all on its own), and a heroine you can’t help but root for. Savvy is smart, stubborn, and hilarious, and the sweet potato pie murder hook was so fresh and fun. I read this one alongside the audiobook, and Karen Chilton absolutely NAILED the narration. She brought every character to life with such personality and warmth. I had such a great time with Savvy and look forward to the next book in this fun new series! 🥧

If you're a fan of cozies, add this to your list immediately!

Cozy Midwest Chicago Who Dunn It
I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved this book. I found myself annotating one liners that I would like to use in my everyday life. Like B.M.W AKA Black Man Working, I know that’s right.

If your from Chicago, author Sandra Jackson-Opoku gives you a play by play of the people, places and sounds of the city. As Chicagoan myself it was nice to see my home accurately represented on the pages. The audiobook… Baby 10/10 I loved hear the colloquialisms. This is a great cozy read with funny moments and viagra lol. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the AlC

Sapphire Summers retired from her Chicago Public Schools job seven years ago and opened her dream soul food café. When one of her regular customers dies at table 2, it kinda causes some issues with business. Savvy may have to solve the crime herself just to prove her Sweet Potato Pie was not the culprit.


I loved this book. I needed to read it from the moment I saw the cover the momentum of the story is addictive and exciting. I will say, this is one of those books where if I hadn't been reading it on a plane, I'd have yelled at the character for being so bad at being a sleuth. She ignored evidence that was right in her face. But Savvy is, personality-wise, a new addition of my favorite citizen sleuths club. And the fact she isn't somehow hypercompetent at being a detective adds to the charm.


I am a bit tired of hearing "May God have mercy on her naked soul." I really hope that the catchphrase gets toned down a bit in the next book.

The audiobook was pretty good. Editing is fine, the narrator is lovely to listen to.

A slow-paced but engaging debut murder mystery set in a soulful Chicago café. When a customer dies after eating Savvy’s famous sweet potato pie, she and her quirky assistant dig into the truth to save her business and clear her name. A cozy, character-driven whodunit with charm and heart.

This is the first cozy mystery in a possible series set on the south side of Chicago. The book description doesn’t cover the complexity of the storyline surrounding Grandy Jaspers. The police don’t think that Grandy’s death is murder or the further death that follows.
There is a large cast of people to meet and keep track of. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator does a good job with the culture of the south side of Chicago.
This book felt long. Savvy keeps looking into things even when there is no real evidence that the deaths were murder. There is little to go on until the climax of the story reveals the culprit.
This is a very different sort of mystery than I’m used to. I didn’t really connect with the characters. I did have enough curiosity about the outcome to finish the book, but I’m not sure that I would pick up the next if this is a series.
Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to read this book.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is a cozy mystery from Sandra Jackson-Opoku

"A longtime regular drops dead in Savvy's soul-food cafe and suddenly her sweet potato pie is supposed to be killing people. A shady businessman keeps harassing her to sell her business. (He was there that morning) Did he poison Grandy? With so much negative publicity can Savvy find answers and save her business?"

There are lots of fun characters in this story. Lots of big personalities. And some hilarious interactions especially at the anniversary party and funeral.
Karen Chilton is phenomenal with the audio - lots of characters, ages, men and women - she gets them all. She gets the attitude in Penny's voice and so much more.
I was pulling for Savvy to find answers and keep her cafe growing and successful. The ending will surprise you.

Jackson-Opoku also includes several recipes at the end if you want to try cooking some of Savvy's signature dishes, including her Sweet Potato Pie.

Fun story from Jackson-Opoku.

I went into this story expecting a cozy mystery, but I’d say it leaned more toward a sassy, spicy whodunit — so heads up: there’s swearing, some sexually suggestive content, and a bit more edge than your typical cozy.

The story is packed with mouthwatering descriptions of Southern dishes that had me craving sweet potatoes and soul food the whole way through. It added such a warm, flavorful layer to the mystery.

Also, I listened to the audiobook, and Karen Chilton’s narration was spot-on — she really brought Savvy’s personality to life.

this cozy mystery had such a fun and unique vibe. i loved the southern flavor, the sweet potato pie references, and savvy summers as a main character was full of charm. the mystery itself took a little while to build up, but once it got going, it was engaging and full of twists. some parts felt a bit slow or predictable, but overall, it was a warm, feel-good read with a side of murder and a dash of humor. definitely worth checking out if you like food, family, and small-town secrets.

⭐️ 3.5 stars!!

I was hooked by the title alone. I mean who doesn’t love a sweet potato? This was a very well written drama with a plot line that was both believable and entertaining. The characters themselves were hilarious and sometimes making themself a suspect.

What a debut this is! I appreciated puzzling through a mystery with a 50 plus woman whose culture reflected my own. Further, Karen Chilton narrated this book with gravatas and intrigue: I remained curious to unravel who committed these crimes-even the ones that didn't end in death. All told, this will be a great selection for a book club.