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.

Savvy Summers & The Sweet Potato Crimes introduces a seasoned widow and southern food proprietor, Savvy to the cozy mystery world. Savvy is not new to changes or challenges. Her 50+ years have seen her through two marriages, two kids, a divorce, career changes and the death of a husband. Quick wit, intuition and strong will have helped her a lot over the years.

But the sudden death of a local cheater has her fully perplexed and concerned when allegations of his death are linked back to her and her cafe. Determined to track down the truth and clear her reputation and save her business, Savvy buddies up with her detective ex-husband and shopaholic employee. 

When diving into this book I was surprised by the emotional loss our main character carried around on her shoulders. But it had a great impact on Savvy's character as we get to know her through the weeks following the death(s). The case provides an unexpected catharticsism for Savvy to find a way to process her own losses and accept when it's time to let go and move on.

And I love, love, love cozy mysteries that deliver on world building and character depth.  I laughed at some characters and felt sorry for others. And pitied the murder victim(s) Savvy was hunting down answers for. Oh and did I mention that certain people are deliberately trying to force Savvy out of business on top of the suspicion of her pies being linked to the incident(s)? 

I wish there was a better way to explain the cultural context behind the resistance that Savvy faces within her community over the death(s) that non-black readers may not pick up on. Like the beliefs and opinions or expectations of older generations, even though our main character is closer to them in age, there's still a barrier Savvy attempts to respectfully challenge.

This book was so much fun to read. I found Savvy  reminded me of my grandma in so many ways and I loved her. She is fiery but has boundaries. She's observant but not terribly nosy or too obvious. She's an amateur sleuth that stands on business but not too caught up not to think about informing law enforcement--this may be because her ex is a detective though. 
Steeped in African American colloquialisms, slang, references and lore, I can see Savvy becoming a favorite among other black cozy mystery readers.

I can't wait to see what Savvy's next chapter will be. And I'm excited to read more by this author. I highly recommend readers to check out this book .

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.

I loved this! This book was hilarious, and mysterious with lots of action. I really enjoyed all of the pop-cultural and political references to the 1900's. The narrator was wonderful! 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.

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.

I may be biased as I'm from Chicago, and I am near the age of the FMC!
This is a cozy mystery; it is fun and at times, may be a little over the top. But I enjoyed Savy, the humour, references to those places and things special to the Chicago area, and if you are Gen-X, those things that are familiar to our generation.

Follow Savy, along with her friend Penny (who is hilarious!) and ex-husband (Yes, it's complicated), as they try to solve a series of deaths that seem to be murders! This book has an interesting cast of characters (so easy to see the South Side, and Penny's Westside!). This book will have you chuckling!

The story did start slowly, but eventually picks up.
I enjoyed the narration, and the voice fits exactly how I pictured Savvy!
I love that the recipes are included at the end. I would love to have a physical copy of the book just for the recipes!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin press for the advanced audiobook!

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.

Great book!! Thank you for the Advanced copy. I kept hearing so many good things about this book and the description really made me interested in reading it. The book gave you all the factors needed to make a great book. It had drama, humor, suspense and romance. I love the overall plot about a business owner following her deceased love one’s recipes but putting her own spin on them to make them her own. She ran her own business, faced opposition but never gave up. I love reading about her need to get to the bottom of the crimes all around her not just to prove her innocence but to help find the actual killer. I throughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. I hope that this is the beginning of a series of books.

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!

It’s been a minute since I got lost in a good murder mystery, and this one hit the spot. Funny, fast-paced, and full of charm, with just the right amount of chaos. I loved Savvy she’s quick, a little messy, and easy to root for. The mystery kept me guessing, and the whole vibe was just fun from start to finish. If you’re into murder mysteries with personality, this one’s worth picking up.

This was a cute book. Taking place in Chicago in a soul food restaurant (and around town), there is a well fleshed-out cast of characters all adding their flavors to the story. The audiobook narrator has a pretty strong Southern accent which for some reason took me a bit to get used to (and I live in the South!), but I did and soon wasn't focused on it.
I thought the mysteries which Savvy is trying to solve (at some points to clear her own name) were well played out. A definite "pick this one up" if you are a fan of cozy mysteries like me.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #MacmillanAudio for generously giving me an arc audiobook for me to listen to and review.

Savvy Summers is known for her award-winning soul food, but when the elderly neighborhood womanizer falls dead in her restaurant shortly after eating her sweet potato pie, folks are quick to point fingers of blame in Savvy's direction. When it becomes clear the police might not take what becomes a series of circumstances that seem too suspicious to be a coincidence seriously, will Savvy need to take matters into her own hands?

This was a cozy murder mystery with lots of humor, and I was rooting for the main characters throughout the book. There were a lot of side characters to keep track of, which was a little confusing at times, but it was still manageable enough to follow the plot. The American black English phrases were well-timed and alternated between sage wisdom and outright humor. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review. The narrator was fantastic!

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

Pub date: July 29th, 2025
Publisher: Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio
Rating: 4.5 / 5


Savvy Summers serves the best soul food in Chicago. Her claim to fame: a sweet potato pie that is simply to die for. When an unfortunate accident happens right at Table 2 of her café, Savvy's business is in jeopardy. A week ago, the once-divorced-now-widow just wanted to cook food for her people and compile her aunt's recipes into a legacy cookbook. Now? Savvy is solving a murder.

SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE SWEET POTATO CRIMES is a fantastic debut with charming characters, an investing mystery, and a delicious combination of heart and humor. Savvy is such a fun heroine. Her grandmotherly affection and Southern hospitality adds immediate comfort to the narrative. She also helps the more unsavory ensemble members be just a smidge more palatable. The plot is easy to follow with twists to keep the whodunnit interesting. A highlight of the story is the representation of Black history, community, and culture. Between Savvy's life experiences as a Black woman and the story being set in the south side of Chicago, there is so much cultural context that adds layers to this story. The pace does ebb and flow as Savvy works to find the true killer, and some readers may guess their identity. Still, the mystery isn't all it seems...

The audiobook, narrated by Karen Chilton, is an absolute delight. Chilton wonderfully imbues life into all of the characters, taking Jackson-Opoku's already solid writing to a whole new level. Listening to the novel also helps give subtext to the turns of phrase used by Savvy and other characters. This could help readers unfamiliar with Southern expressions or AAVE better understand dialogue in scenes. Chilton also does a good job distinguishing characters from one another. Despite the large cast of characters in the novel, it is easy to identify who is speaking and feel connected to people through Chilton's narration.

Fans of cozy mysteries, lovers of soul food, and readers in need of a fresh, entertaining novel should not miss this debut!


(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!)

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is the first mystery in the Savvy Summers series. Savvy Summers owns Essie’s, a soul food cafe, in Chicagoland. She never expected to become part of a murder investigation, but when a costumer dies in her cafe she’s pulled into the case whether she wants to be or not. In order to clear her name and her cafes reputation Savvy starts looking into the case, unwilling to stop until she gets to the bottom of it.

I am a cozy mystery fan and am glad I got a chance to read this first book in this new series. I enjoyed Savvy and thought she was a great lead. Her background was well built out and she is a great, in-depth character that was so easy to love. I was pulled into this mystery from the beginning and found it easy to get through. The mystery kept me guessing until the end and I enjoyed the ride this book took me on. Overall, this was an enjoyable cozy mystery read and a good start to a promising new series.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku; Narrated by Karen Chilton

I usually request books written by authors whose work I’ve enjoyed in the past, but the title and book cover for Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes drew me to read this novel, written by a “new to me” author, Sandra Jackson- Opoku. It was a fun read and I’m looking forward to/hoping for the next mystery Savvy and Penny get pulled into!

The story begins when Savvy Summers, the sassy, smart, chef-owner of Essie’s, is catering for a 50 year anniversary party - pulling together her special sweet potato pie as a last minute substitute when the cake is destroyed in a mishap. Matty, married to Grandy, a known womanizer, doesn’t hold back in her toast bringing a quick finish to the party. The following day, when Grandy shows up at Essie’s for his daily breakfast, eats a piece of Savvy’s experimental vegan version of the sweet potato pie and drops dead. Food poisoning? Natural causes? Or something more sinister – did someone kill him? Savvy and her assistant, Penny Lopes, find there are plenty of suspects, including themselves.
This was a pleasure to listen to. I enjoyed the story, the cameradie between Savvy and Penny, many laugh out loud moments.

Karen Chilton, as narrator, was fabulous with her characters – I could hear each one; and building suspense or hilarity in her voice modulation. Her timing was perfect – neither too fast nor too slow.

Thanks to Sandra Jackson-Opoku, NetGalley, Karen Chilton and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audio book.

I will DEFINITELY be continuing this series. The entire read, I couldn’t stop thinking about a dear friend who makes famous sweet potato cheesecakes and how I couldn’t wait to get him a copy. I love when a book reminds me of someone or someplace and Savvy Summers was all about that. From the Chicago references to all the mouth-watering recipes, this entire experience felt like a warm hug …with a couple murders, obviously.
Miss Savvy is a realistic sleuth. She didn’t put herself in danger or do extraordinarily dumb things to solve the mystery and her reasons were entirely justified as her business and reputation were on the line. And her sidekick(s)! Yes! Penny Lopés killed me and her ex-husband was an unexpectedly sweet and complex surprise. I even enjoyed our local detective and her personality quirks/twists.
4.5 stars rounded up, because, while some of parts may have dragged a tad, it’s an excellent kick-off to a new series!
The audio narration is really well-done, too!

Audiobook/Book Review 📖🔪🥧
Thank you so much partner @minotaur_books @macmillian.audio for the gifted copy and audiobook!

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes
by Sandra Jackson-Opoku
Narrated by Karen Chilton

About the book 👇🏽

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.

🔪 My thoughts:

I had such a good time with this one! It’s been a while since a cozy mystery hit the spot for me but this one did. This was a hybrid read, split equally between physical read and audiobook listen. I couldn’t tell you which one I loved more because they were both equally addictive. The narrator was a fabulous choice and held my attention throughout the listen. The two best parts… I didn’t guess the killer AND the recipes that had my mouth watering. And now I have a crazy craving for sweet potato pie with a ton of whipped cream! If you enjoy page turning cozy mysteries, fun characters, and books with food… you need to read this one! I will definitely be continuing the Savvy Summers series. Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is out July 29th!

Happy reading 📖🔪🥧

American culture includes many sub-cultures, and most of us are comfortable in our own little niche. It’s fun, however, to learn about other cultures, and anyone who’d like to experience the African American sub-culture, can start by reading a delightful new cozy mystery series, Savvy Summers Mysteries, by Sandra Jackson-Opoku. The first installment in the series is Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes, finds Sapphire Summers (known as Savvy to her friends), having problems in her soul food restaurant/catering business due to an old client dying in her restaurant. At first her sweet potato pie was blamed, and then when the autopsy showed he died of a heart attack, something didn’t seem right and it turned out he died of an overdose of Viagra. At that point she became suspicious that the victim was murdered, and started what is sure to be an amateur sleuthing career.

It is recommended that readers listen to this first novel via audio book because the narrator does such an excellent job and makes readers comfortable with the culture. The book, however, is well-written and easy to follow if one is reading it rather than listening to it. Jackson-Upoku does an excellent job of developing her characters, and they are likeable (Savvy and her friends; not some of the low-lives who are trying to ruin her business) and seem real. She also does a good job of making readers hungry with descriptions of Savvy’s soul food delights. Fortunately, there are some recipes included, but certainly not enough.

Even though it is a cozy, there is sexual innuendo and other inferences that differ from basic American culture. They aren’t overdone, however, and the novel is fun and delightful.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

What happens to the neighborhood restaurant when regular customers start dying after coming in contact with the famous sweet potato pie? Join Savvy and the rest of her crew as they work to figure out what happened before the wrong person is arrested! I enjoyed this book through the audiobook and the narration was just right. It kept me engaged and interested through the whole adventure. I loved that the main characters are all older adults who were still enjoying life. It was very cozy and I would love to see it continue as a series because I felt like there is so much more to know about the characters, although the mystery is solved nice and tidy in the end.

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.
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.

This book was an quick and easy read.