Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto -> Restarting April 13th, 2026

[Aly]

Put the kettle on, there’s a mystery brewing…
Tea-shop owner. Matchmaker. Detective?

Sixty-year-old self-proclaimed tea expert Vera Wong enjoys nothing more than sipping a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy ‘detective’ work on the internet (AKA checking up on her son to see if he’s dating anybody yet).

But when Vera wakes up one morning to find a dead man in the middle of her tea shop, it’s going to take more than a strong Longjing to fix things. Knowing she’ll do a better job than the police possibly could – because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands – Vera decides it’s down to her to catch the killer.

Nobody spills the tea like this amateur sleuth.

[Aneta]

Chapter 7
(view spoiler)[I'm surprised we have several POVs. I thought it's going to be just Vera. I already have a theory about who did it (still not sure why though). I was not sure about this book at the start but I'm starting to enjoy it now. (hide spoiler)]

[Aneta]

Chapter 16
(view spoiler)[A lot of these characters sound similar (except Vera). It might have been better if this was only in Vera's POV but I still might change my opinion on this.

Humor is okay in this book. It's over the top and you really have to suspend your disbelief. (hide spoiler)]

[Melanie]

Sorry, running a couple days late. I should be starting this on Sunday.

[Aneta]

Chapter 29
(view spoiler)[I'm not big fan of writing in this book. Using same sentences for all of the character POV's - they are all realizing same stuff in their chapters just after each other so it feel like I'm reading it over and over again. And using stuff like - Part human, part camere - what is this!? (hide spoiler)]

[Aneta]

Finished
(view spoiler)[Wow! I really figured it out. I had a theory about Alex since the beginning. Overall this was really disappointing and I was really rushing to finish it. (hide spoiler)]

[christene_littlelibrary]

25% (view spoiler)[ A multiple POVs confused me at first but I started to like the plot of this book. Its interesting and cozy. (hide spoiler)]

[christene_littlelibrary]

50% (view spoiler)[ I like how Vera socialize with people around her, seems being a tea shop owner doesnt fits her. Also she should be a restaurant owner instead even I'm hungry when reading such delicious meal she prepared. Thinking about Oliver as the killer or another person beside the mc's? I'm starting to like them too (hide spoiler)]

[christene_littlelibrary]

75% (view spoiler)[ So were down to Oliver and Julia. Who do you think kills Marshall? (hide spoiler)]

[christene_littlelibrary]

100% (view spoiler)[ Didn't expect the murderer but overall I loved the new found family and the ending of this book (hide spoiler)]

[Kira]

Read this one today!

Chapter 1-7: (view spoiler)[I may be in the minority here but I personally am finding Vera really annoying with all her little quirks and she knows all attitude, the way she keep texting Tilbert is getting on my nerves. Who in their right mind could think that plucking off a flash drive from a dead body is the right way to go? Atleast the book has multiple POVs making it bearable for now (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 8-16: (view spoiler)[Well it definitely is a murder that's clear but I do not have a suspect in mind yet. It was nice of Vera to take care of Julia and Emma that way and it warmed my heart but I still find her overbearing no doubt. It was resourceful to learn of Julia, Marshall and Oliver's history, I am wondering if this plays a role in how he eventually wound up dead (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 17-24: (view spoiler)[I can't say I am a fan of this book still, it is all very silly and annoying. Apart from the new mystery of art of NFTs popping up, I didn't much care for anything that happened. I do not like Vera and sadly that sentiment grows stronger with every interaction anyone ever has with her. Seems like not reporting the break in could have consequences (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 25-32: (view spoiler)[Oliver's manuscrpit and everything aligning itself so perfectly seems to good to be true, now that Riki and Sana have been cleared I honestly am more suspicious about Julia than Oliver. Then again it could also be someone new altogether so I am really just intrigued to find out who the murderer is (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[Dang I feel stupid for not connecting the dots earlier especially with the children having both Chinese and American names and the whole discussion about the good son and the bad son. What I can't believe though is Alex would go this far because his son turned out to be a bad person. Strange. (hide spoiler)]

[Melanie]

Finally getting to this one.

[Melanie]

Still reading this one.

[Melanie]

Chapters 1-10
(view spoiler)[
I'm enjoying this so far although Vera is annoying me at times. It's interesting that all of these people showed up to her shop after the obituary. I'm curious how they're all connected to Marshall and if it was any of them that killed him.
(hide spoiler)]

[SavsLibrary]

Chapters 1-7: (view spoiler)[ I truly LOVE Vera. Really curious as to what Riki and Sana are up to and how they're connected to Marshall (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 8-16: (view spoiler)[ The narrator of this audiobook is chef's kiss. Also loving the found family vibes already. It might be the fake podcast cover from Sana, but I really think that it's giving Only Murders in the Building vibes. Vera is so quirky and disconnected from what she SHOULD do as a crime scene owner. Also, the unabashed nosiness and meddling. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 17-27: (view spoiler)[ So two suspects down and two to go... Julia or Oliver. I'm leaning towards Oliver because I love Julia. That might be biased because I'm a photographer but oh well. (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[ PLOT FUCKIN TWIST. I was not expecting Alex to have been Oliver and Marshall's dad. and he killed his son? Woah. I'm glad that he figured out that Marshall was a piece of crap but then he killed him over what M said about Emma...? I was kind of expecting them to not tell the police because Alex is an old man and Marshall was the worst, but I guess c'est la vie. Overall I had so much fun reading this. Super long review ahead because I loved it. (hide spoiler)]

[Melanie]

Chapters 11-20
(view spoiler)[
Vera's behavior is still a bit frustrating at times but she's growing on me. I'm with her that Marshall was murdered, an allergic reaction just seems too convenient. I do like how Vera is determined not to give up and her notebook with all her clues. So Sana had her art basically stolen by Marshall, what's Riki's connection to him? Julia and Ollie have the family connection but they're both pretty closed off. I wonder which of them killed him? Or was it someone else?
(hide spoiler)]

Chapters 21-30
(view spoiler)[
This is getting interesting. So Vera has eliminated Sana and Riki as suspects leaving Oliver and Julia. I don't want it to be either one of them, hopefully it's someone else. I like how Vera is helping everyone in the group, she just bulldozed her way in and is turning everyone's life around.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 31 - Epilogue
(view spoiler)[
Well I wasn't expecting Alex to be the killer and the he was Marshall and Oliver's father. Vera grew on me a lot in the second half of the book. I loved how she changed the lives of her four "suspects" so much and how the group became like a family.
(hide spoiler)]

I really enjoyed this one.

[BabyLunLun]

Starting this!!

[BabyLunLun]

Chapter 10 (view spoiler)[ ok no one looks like the killer. We know very little to even guess whos the killer (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 18 (view spoiler)[ Sounds like Sonna got raped by Marshal? Hmm what they gonna find from Marshal's rented apartment (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 31 (view spoiler)[ I dont care about the story. Looks like the killer could be Oliver though (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Such a drag . No one even suspected its Alex (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie]

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RESTARTING APRIL 13TH, 2026


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[Kim]

Just got my Libby loan. Will start tomorrow

[Jessie (Saffity)]

I'm ready to go too :D

[Kim]

Ch.1-5 (view spoiler)[ idk what I was expecting but it was not a precious sassy granny. It was also so sudden to have a dead dude in her shop like what?! I love how the other POVs are set up in a way to make you question their innocence because obviously they’ve all got something so now it’s like what is going on that we don’t know about yet. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Ch. 6-20 (view spoiler)[ Vera is hilarious and I hope I can be a fraction of how saucy she is when I'm 70. I have no hopes on the early rising or active lifestyle, since I'm no where near that now. She is a little cringey at taking the flash drive and how she straight up called these people suspects to their faces. I love how she makes connections with the teas she brings but it is wild that she is using that to maneuver her way into this investigation. I'm so curious as to where the contact came from with the bird dander, there's no way it's not fowl play right? *laughs at own pun* (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Ch.21-34 (view spoiler)[ oh no Vera has gone too far! Setting up Sana and Ricki is sweet and providing them a caring respectful ear is lovely. But so negligent on some of these pieces. I had a feeling that Vera had done something at her shop so she could stay with Julia but I didn’t expect her to have been actually broken into. There’s obviously another player in the game, that shadowy figure at the park? Why do I feel like it’s gonna be Alan the sweet old guy from the mornings and he’s actually been using Vera’s shop in the evenings for bad guy meetings… (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Finished and ended up loving Vera in the end! (view spoiler)[ I’m glad I was right but also didn’t expect it to be their dad! Fun little twist, neatly tied up at the end, and a sweet epilogue. Cute book, great audio narration. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Jessie (Saffity)]

30 % done

(view spoiler)[ I'm glad to hear you liked Vera by the end because right now she is equal parts hilarious and infuriating. Everything she did with the crime scene and the fact that she truly thought she was in the right had me almost giving up on the book right then and there.

I'm at the part where they just showed up to Julia's house with food. All the 'suspects' are what has kept me going so far. It's interesting how they try to come up with legitimate reasons for being there, and that Vera is seeing through them.

I'm really holding on to hope that I come to love Vera too, because right now, I'm struggling. (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Jessie (Saffity) wrote: "30 % done

I'm glad to hear you liked Vera by the end because right now she is equal parts hilarious and infuriating. Everything she did with the crime scene and the fact that she truly thought sh..."

yea it was definitely rough at first because you're like ma'am! stop meddling and it would've been handled correctly!

[Jessie (Saffity)]

43%

(view spoiler)[Y'know, for a woman who continuously talks about all the research she puts in to stay up to date with technology, she sure lives in a fantasy world when it comes to how police stations work.

Her interactions with the little girl was so cute. I'm interested in finding out what Marshall did to Sana, it's all hinted but no details. I'm guessing it has something to do with the jump drive.

I'm also guessing that The Cafe is the smoking gun. It's been brought up too much to not have something to do with the story.

(hide spoiler)]

[Jessie (Saffity)]

63%

(view spoiler)[I get that everyone's guilty but how STUPID can you be to not involve the cops on a break in. Do they really think a huge break-in in the middle of China Town wouldn't be nattered about until someone got it back to the police.

I will say, I'm not sure if it's intentional to make readers feel off kilter, but the fact that the timing of everything is all over the place is bothering me a bit. One character will say it's been a couple of weeks since Marshall died, next POV will be "not even 7 days" or something similar. Same with the break-in. Vera moves in with Julia, it seems to be a day, maybe two, before the others go and clean up, but Oliver claims to have gone to dinner a few times, and implies not going others.

It just feels off, and may be supposed to be a whole unreliable narrator thing, but it bothers me.

Sana just met up with Vera to discuss the laptop where I'm at now, so it will be interesting figuring out that part of the fall out. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessie (Saffity)]

Appreciative snaps for that Fowl Play pun.

[Jessie (Saffity)]

Finished!

(view spoiler)[I don't know that I LOVE Vera at the end. She's endearing, and I can see where she cares, but I can also see why Tilly pulled back from her. (I too have an overbearing mother and mother-in-law and have to take them in small doses). The way each of the four side characters had their trauma that stems from Marshall, and the healing that comes from Vera was a nice string plot.

I kind of got to thinking that it might have been the father who had something to do with it, because the lack of him being in the story seemed odd. Especially when Julia decided to not have a service or anything for Marshall and him being the golden child. I'd have expected the father to show up at some point. I didn't tie Alex and the father together until Vera asked the name, and even then I was wondering when he remarried.

It was a cute book, but I'm not sure I'm interested in reading the sequel. Dial A for Aunties might go on my TBR though.

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
(hide spoiler)]