Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)
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4.7 • 6 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
Vera Wong is back and as meddling as ever in this follow-up to the hit Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.…
A New York Times' Best Mystery Novels of 2025
2026 Edgar's Lilian Jackson Braun Memorial Award Nominee
2026 Audie Award for Best Mystery Finalist
Ever since a man was found dead in Vera's teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She’s surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly's girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn't be ungrateful, even if one is slightly...bored.
Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena's, Vera finds a treasure trove: Selena's briefcase. Inside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer—who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for.
Online, Xander had it all: a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can't seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.
Vera is determined to solve Xander's murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, and there is nothing she wouldn't do for her future daughter-in-law.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
We loved our first introduction to Jesse Q. Sutanto’s charming amateur sleuth in Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, and her second case is just as great. Life in Vera’s San Francisco tearoom is lovely—and it will get even better once her son Tilly and his new police-detective girlfriend, Selena, get married and hurry up with the grandbabies. But when Vera meets a young Chinese immigrant named Millie whose friend has disappeared, she gets pulled into a brand-new mystery. One that involves social-media influencers, possible murder, and, of course, an enormous amount of delicious food. Sutanto weaves some heavier themes with lighthearted humour in this cozy mystery. But the focus remains on Vera’s stubborn devotion to finding the truth and to her quirky and ever-growing found family. Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man) is light, frothy, and fun, with just enough kick.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Edgar winner Sutanto's quirky second adventure for the eponymous tea shop owner (after Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers) opens with Vera falling prey to a phone scam. After reporting the incident to Officer Selena Gray—who's dating Vera's son, Tilly—Vera notices a distressed young woman waiting outside the police station. Vera insists on taking the woman, Millie, to her shop, where the woman reveals that her friend Thomas went missing three nights earlier. Then, while feeding Selena and Tilly's cat, Vera stumbles upon Selena's briefcase, which includes a file outlining the apparent suicide of social media influencer Xander Lin. Using her well-honed sleuthing skills, Vera discovers that Xander and Thomas are the same person, and she then proceeds to ingratiate herself with a group of suspects including Xander's girlfriend, talent manager, and grandfather to suss out the young man's fate. Laugh-out-loud antics from the nosy, no-nonsense Vera keep the plot moving at a steady clip, but fans of the first book may be jarred by the somber final reveal. Still, Sutanto's lively storytelling will keep readers on the hook for Vera's next case.
