Vera Wong is back, and she’s nosier than ever. In Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man), Jesse Q. Sutanto serves up another delightful cozy mystery with a side of dumplings and unsolicited advice.
This time, Vera stumbles upon a case involving a drowned influencer with more aliases than a spy. While cat-sitting for her son Tilly and his detective girlfriend Selena, Vera finds a file in Selena’s briefcase about the mysterious death. Naturally, she takes it upon herself to investigate, because why let the professionals have all the fun?
What follows is a hilarious, heartwarming romp through San Francisco’s Chinatown as Vera inserts herself into the lives of her suspects—who inconveniently start becoming her friends. Between dumpling tutorials, TikTok fame, and full-on emotional interventions, Vera proves she’s as much therapist as detective.
The mystery? Surprisingly layered. It kicks off with a suspicious death and a cast of characters who all have something to hide. While some of the twists are easy to spot, the real joy here isn’t in the shocking reveal—it’s in watching Vera steamroll her way to the truth with sass, insight, and way too much tea.
This book is funny, quirky, and completely entertaining. Come for the murder, stay for the dumplings, and leave with a warm heart and maybe a craving for oolong. Vera Wong is a national treasure.
** Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for a complimentary review copy. The opinions are my own.