I love Vera Wong! This book was so much fun, with twists and turns all the way through. Again, you have a good mix of characters who each have secrets and all need Vera’s support. The plot was really interesting and took a turn I didn’t expect. If you are looking for an entertaining read, check it out.

DNF at 65%

I was really looking forward to this book and was hoping to love this as much as the first one.

But while the first had me laughing out loud and loving the characters, I was frustrated with Vera and how easily she got away with everything she did. She gets away with the most annoying behaviors because she feeds people? She manages to either wow or intimidate people with the bare minimum and everyone LOVES Vera now. I preferred it when she was more flawed and nuanced in the eyes of others too.

I was also bored by the lack of plot in the book. Overall, this wasn't for me.

Thanks to Netgalley & HQ for the e-copy!

Vera is that adorable yet annoying, bullish, determined adoptive Auntie that everyone secretly wants, because she's always in your corner, supporting you, fighting for you, without question no matter what happens. With a no-nonsense outlook, nothing will stop her, from helping anyone she feels needs it even if they say otherwise.

An intriguing murder mystery with a great protagonist who ensures that everyone will take away a little something more than just an entertaining experience after reading this

I love love love Vera Wong! I think she is a brilliant main character and you get sucked into her adventures right from the beginning. Such a well written story, you really care what happens, and although there are some very serious themes, on the most part, it’s a light hearted romp. I appreciate all the research Jesse did for the book, and I thought she handled the difficult subject matter really well. Hoping Vera gets another outing. I definitely recommend this book, thank you #netgalley

In the previous novel, Vera found a dead man dead in her tea-shop, which led to her gaining a found family as she investigated his murder. In this book, Vera is bored and is hoping for another mystery to keep her busy. After being scammed on the phone, she finds herself investigating the disappearance of a mysterious young man.

I loved this book as much as I did the first one. Main character Vera is so fun to read about (although I'm sure she would be very annoying to deal with in real life!). Despite the humour, this book deals with some darker themes such as immigration and the world of influencers.

A recommended read for fans of Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers and Dial A for Aunties.

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this one! Vera is a great character and the way she investigates the crimes is brilliant. It brings humour to a mystery which is one thing I love the best. The character development is fantastic and I felt I really connected with each of them. It is very character driven which is always a positive. I love everything about Jesse writing style. I love multiple views of characters each leading to a new development in the case. I was hooked on the mystery straight away and really enjoyed reading this one.

After solving one murder, life seems to be good for Vera Wong. She is surrounded by her loved ones but something may also be… missing. Vera craves the thrill of solving mysteries so when she meets a young woman whose friend has gone missing she throws herself into solving the puzzle. And of course, he isn’t just missing- his body has been found but no one can seem to identify him properly.

This is a delightful mystery starring a sweet and clever amateur detective. You can’t help but love Vera for her confidence and bravery. She dedicates herself to the mystery and what a mystery it is! There are plenty of twists and riddles that make you desperate to get to the end.

I would recommend this book to fans of cosy mysteries with more mature characters and, at times, some more serious themes. It is a wonderful blend of funny and emotional.

Vera Wong is back!

This is the second book in Vera Wong’s series and if you haven’t read Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, you should do so now! I loved the first book and I was excited to pick up the copy of this one, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Vera Wong is a teashop owner, a Chinese mother, and an amateur sleuth. She is a force to be reckoned with and absolutely nothing gets past her.

She’s still close with the people she’s met in the first book (she investigated the death of Marshall Chen): Oliver, Marshall’s twin brother; Julia, Marshall’s ex-wife; and little Emma, Julia and Marshall’s daughter.

Vera has a son, Tilly, who is a lawyer, and now he has a girlfriend, Selena, who is a police officer (she also featured in the first book). I was hooting with laughter every time Vera referred to Selena as ‘future daughter-in-law’ and told them to have ‘sexy time’ so she has grandbabies to look after.

In this book, someone scams Vera over the phone. Because she’s very quick to report it to Selena, who tells her to immediately go to the police who freeze her bank card, she’s lucky that she hasn’t lost any of her money.

However, there is a young woman standing outside of the police station. Vera, being Vera, takes the young woman under her wing, and soon enough discovers that the young woman is called Millie and she’s looking for her missing friend, Thomas.

Millie is originally from China and when she came to the States, Thomas was her first friend. However, she hasn’t seen him for over a day and she’s very worried.

As Vera begins to dig deeper, she discovers that Thomas had a different identity of Xander Lin, and that he had a massive following on the social media platforms. Vera further discovers that Xander had a girlfriend, Aimes, who was also a social media influencer. Xander had a talent manager, TJ, and grandfather called Qiang Wen.

Aimes, TJ, Qiang Wen, and even Millie, all have their own secrets. Will Vera get to the bottom of this mystery?

I adored this book from start to finish. I was so addicted to it that I finished it in two sittings.

I feel that we all should have a Vera in our lives. She is someone who is always there for you when you’re in a need of a shoulder to cry on – however, in Vera’s case, she would probably give you a row! But she always carries lovely food around, and she makes amazing pots of tea. She actually reminded me to eat and look after myself better.

Vera is such a remarkable character and I am sure that you will lover her as much as I do! I loved the ending and I’m looking forward to her next adventure already.

Many thanks to HQ for my finished copy and the NetGalley widget.

Cosy mystery is definitely where my taste falls on the mystery/thriller genre. I adored the first book in this series and this one did not disappoint.

After falling victim to a phone scam, while reporting it to the police, Vera bumps into a distressed looking young woman named Millie, whose friend has gone missing. Being bored with her life, Vera decides this is chance to get notebook back out and solve another mystery.

As with the previous book this adds a whole cast of new found family characters that are both suspect and friend. At times I did find that the cast of characters was a little too big with new characters and old becoming a little confusing.

Vera is the most loveable and humorous main character and is really what makes me love these books so much. This definitely had me giggling to myself in many parts. Vera consistently playing the "helpless old lady" card when it suited her while also quoting 60 is the new 40 in the same breath, while also effortlessly becoming a social media sensation. I am just obsessed with Vera and can not wait to read more about her adventures.

This book dealt with the heavier topic of human trafficking, however only on a very surface level.

Thank you to @HQstories and @netgalley for a copy of the e-book in exchange for an honest request.

I sadly DNFd this. I really loved book 1 and couldn't wait for this one but it was just too slow and I couldn't get into it

This brilliant follow up once again shows why Jesse Sutanto's popularity continues to grow and grow with my students. A fantastic read.

Vera Wong is the fictional character I would most like to meet in real life! She is fascinating, insightful, direct but with the best of interfering intentions and ultimately beloved by all who cross her path. Yet again, she assembles a cast of people as she endeavours to get the bottom of her latest mystery. I love getting to know the characters from the viewpoint of Vera and feeling her genuine concern for their futures and eating habits. Highly recommended and I can't wait for the next Vera installment.

"I am your grandmother, so this is now your heritage also, you better learn."

Having solved a m*rder last year, Vera Wong is no longer content to just serve tea from her tea-house, she is just waiting for another m*rder to solve. When a young woman called Millie requests her help to find her missing friend, there is no way that Vera will turn down this opportunity to become a private investigator once more.

I absolutely loved this story, I'm inclined to say that I enjoyed it just as much, if not more than the first book in the series.

There is something about Vera Wong that feels so personable & grandmotherly. I simply adore her. She is such a charming, caring character, that you just cannot help but love her. With her wisdom & her ack & white view of the world, she offers everyone that she meets something that we seem to lack when the odds are against us: Hope (not Winifred though, she low key hates that lady lol).

Over the last 3 years the publishing industry has been going ham with the influx of social media & influencer culture representation within literature. This was explored really well in this story without it feeling like overkill. Through Aimes & Xander we are given a stark reminder that SM only offers us a curated version of reality for our "influencers".

I also appreciated the exploration of loneliness through the characters. Loneliness can drive us to make a lot of questionable choices & it can also propel us to welcome toxicity into our lives to bridge the gap that loneliness creates.

There is also a really dark theme which is explored in this book but I think that will give away a major part to the plot, but I was glad it was included.

If you are after a fun read & are a lover of murder mysteries, I am inclined to tell you to add this book to your TBR list.

I hope that there will be more from the Vera Wong series in the future.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Once again Vera is attempting to solve the crime and the problems of a random group of people she stumbles across. This is a very humorous mystery but has a very dark thread running through the story.

Vera happens across a young woman outside the police station and instantly decides that they need her help, in the course of helping the mystery woman she stumbles across the case of a dead man that her future daughter in law is investigating.

This story takes Vera into the disturbing world of social media and explores the realities behind online personas. She once again creates a new family group from a group of reluctant strangers, becomes a viral sensation and solves a crime.

I enjoyed the plot of this group and seeing the story from the viewpoint of the characters was really interesting. However Vera's obliviousness to a dangerous situation and her inability to listen to a sensible suggestion drives me crazy.

I really enjoyed this sequel to the Vera series and will definitely read another if it appears in the future.

Vera Wong is back and with her all the chaos and craziness that ensues when she takes it upon herself to solve yet another mystery.

With Vera Jesse Sutanto has given us such a fun and lovable character. Just like in book 1, Vera does what she does best: meddling. But whilst investigating a murder that she has absolutely no business investigating, she collects yet another crew of motley characters and saves them from whatever they need saving from.

Another cozy mystery with a huge comfort factor that was just so fun to read. I’m already looking forward to the next instalment in this series.

There is something about Vera that makes her so likeable, even though you know on some level that she really is an insufferable meddler. The way people respond to her does feel a little unrealistic at times, but it is so easy to see how she wins people over.

The mystery was engaging enough but there is honestly very little that is revealed that feels like a surprise. It is really the characters, more than the plot, that make this one a joy to experience. It is heartwarming to see how the people Vera meets are changed by her whilst also changing her at the same time. I am a sucker for found family vibes and this book does not disappoint.

Having said that, the topic it deals with is also a pretty heavy one and the book does a good job of balancing that with the lighter cozy vibe.

Whilst I think I enjoyed the first one slightly more, I am definitely hoping for more Vera Wong in my future. This series is pretty much a must-read me at this point.

After solving her last case, Vera Wong is finding running her teashop just a little boring. However when she is taken in by a scammer she meets a troubled girl at the police station and takes her under her wing. Now Vera is propelled onto social media and collects a new group of 'family' who need her support. this time though, Vera is threatened by organised crime who will go to any length to stop her. Can Vera protect those around her?
This book is such a joy to read. Sutanto has created a memorable character in Vera Wong who develops more with each outing. The disparate group of individuals who come into her orbit are sensitively portrayed and feel realistic. There are some unpleasant themes here but they are handled lightly - it really is cosy crime!

It was great to be back in Vera Wang's tea shop with Vera Wong and her mismatched family. Great and entertaining story.

Vera Wong has returned and inveigled herself into another mystery!

Not only does Vera play on the stereotype of elderly Chinese female, she collects lost & lonely people, thinks food solves every problem and wants grandbabies stat! She has a frenemyship with her baker neighbour and with her son now dating Selena, she has an in at the local precinct!

Now she's got a murder, identity theft, human trafficking, scamming syndicates and matchmaking to solve - all at the same time. The twists and turns are brilliant and red herrings are plentiful. I so enjoy Vera and her "I'm just a doddery old lady" routine. She has a belief in herself that verges on egotistical but she tempers it with being kind-hearted and genuinely wanting to help people.

Vera is the perfect amateur sleuth - she can fly under the radar by utilising all those stereotypes and then she hits you with some off the wall plan and everything becomes clear.

There are multiple POV, with Vera being the focal point. The characters all have a job in this story and everyone is all tied together with the theme of loneliness, greed, perceived perfection and they are so diverse in background, ethnicity and age but Vera has moulded her motley crew of friends into a wonderfully non-PC, but loving, family.

I can't wait to see if Vera and her new travel buddy actually make it to Europe before they're pulled into another mystery!

"Vera follows them with a thoughtful frown on her face, her mind tick-ticking along, patiently picking at all the odd angles of the case. If there is indeed even a case to be found. Still, when it comes to maybe-cases, there's no one more well suited to cracking them than Vera Wong."

The second in the series see 'Chinese mother' (auntie and grandmother to a select bunch of San Francisco's waifs and strays) and tea shop owner, investigating another case involving the death of a social media influencer.

I adored the first book and the second is no exception. The titular main character is undoubtedly the star of the show (as she would insist upon) but the returning characters and new ones are equally well-developed and engaging, a treat to get to know. It's funny, poignant and tackles some difficult subjects in Vera's inimitable way. I'd start with the first book, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice For Murderers, for the full Vera experience!