by Jesse Q. Sutanto
#VeraWongsGuidetoSnoopingonaDeadMan #NetGalley
Take a look at the cover. What you will see is Vera Wong; she is in some ways like a modern day Emma, always sure that she is right and interfering in the lives of others but, at the same time, doing some good detective work. And please don’t forget feeding others; a reader will feel hunger pangs every time that they read a chapter.
I did not read the first book in the series. There are characters from that first book here but this can be read on its own. Readers who enjoy this title will probably want to read the first book however.
The story opens with Vera being scammed. This is a cautionary tale as, in real life, this is all too common an occurrence. As is typical, Vera feels that she handled this perfectly, only to find that she was wrong.
Vera connects with a young woman whose friend, Thomas, is missing. This leads to Vera’s sleuthing about this man who went by many names and had connections to people Vera knew or gets to know in this title.
Readers can feel pretty certain that the intrepid Vera will solve the case. The fun is in getting there.
In many ways, Vera is a delightful character. For example, she helps a teen without a mom to buy her first bra. This is quite sweet and an example of how Vera will do anything for those in her circle. Readers should be aware that Vera speaks in English that reflects this not being her first language. She now lives in San Francisco.
Sit back, relax and enjoy a fun read. I look forward to the next book by this author.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 01 April 2025
From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
“A warmhearted valentine to the families built by the heroine—and an exposé of the costs of false families everywhere.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Like its predecessor, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers (2023), it’s a fun mystery with heart.”—AARP
Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 