I loved the first Vera Wong book, and I was quite giddy to be granted an ARC of book 2.

"Vera" reminds me a bit of the Thursday Murder Club series, though it's generally more silly. I don't read a lot of cozy mystery, since I'm not a huge fan of the cutesy gimmicks that are generally involved, but there's something about Vera's mix of pushy drama and genuine affection that really works for me.

I did feel like there were too many characters for me to keep track of at times, since we get a whole new cast in this book and very little reintroduction to the old crew. As a result, there were times when I wasn't as emotionally invested in some of the character as I would have liked, as falling in love with all the side characters was such a big part of my love for the first installment. There were times when this was a bit choppy, and I wish we'd spent a bit longer on the finale, but after feeling like the book was mostly fluff, I found the dramatic reveal really moving. I won't spoil it even with hints, but Sutanto tackles something quite heavy here, and the explanation at the end explained some of her inspiration for the story.

All in all, Sutanto sometimes drifts into the realm of gimmickry here, but I still love Vera. The extended cast allows this book to tackle slightly different themes than the first, and the mystery has a different scope. Part of my love for book 1 came from the fact that I had no idea what to expect. In this one, I did know, but it was still charming. Mostly, I think Vera's fans will just be glad to have her back, regardless of how they feel about the current state of TikTok. ;)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this as an ARC.

She’s back with another murder mystery to solve! I just love how she can’t help but get involved in things that have no relevance to her and yet manages to build a community with those that are linked to the case. Another fun addition to the Vera Wong series.

Thanks to @berkleypub for the gifted e-ARC and to @prhaudio for the ALC!

It’s not often that a sequel is even better than the original, but here that’s the case. Vera Wong is back! With her nosy personality and her arms full of food she’s cooked up, she’s ready to adopt every young person who needs some direction in life and dispense her brand of loving nagging as she solves another murder. 

I am even more in love with Vera after this book. I want to try her cooking and have her give me life advice! I found myself grinning as I listened to her monologues. The new cast of found family that she gathers around herself is delightful. Because this book didn’t set all the characters up as suspects, I was able to enjoy getting to know them without worrying they were actually bad guys. So I liked these characters even better than those in book one! 

The plot was mysterious enough to keep me guessing and the conclusion was actually fairly realistic. 

This is a sequel and without reading book one, I think the cast of characters might seem overwhelming. Plus there’s definite spoilers to book one. 

I thought the narrator really brought Vera to life. The accent she gave her made the character come alive. I do wish that book had had multiple narrators for the multiple POVs. But I thought the single narrator did a good job. 

I can’t wait to get a paper copy of this one for my shelf. Definitely recommend!

Vera is like a favorite home cooked meal.  This book did not disappoint.  It has sass, a comedic Chinese Mother, descriptions of delicious food and teas and found family. After the fun of the first book, I was really excited to meet a new cast of characters but also we got to catch up with the ones from the first book.  Vera is at it again, solving a suspicious death and bringing about chaos and love. There is a heavy topic that you kind of have an idea of but don't know for sure until the end.  This was a great cozy book and a quick read.  I really hope we get more Vera in the future.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book. 

Another fun installment in this cozy mystery series.

We see Vera just trying to live her life. But she’s a little bored after helping to solve the case from the last book.

Of course she gets herself involved in a new case. In doing so, she meets new people and makes new friends. She cultivates an even bigger found family.

I liked the way things were pieced together. And how the group worked together to solve the case.

Just another fun, enjoyable read.

Thanks PRH Audio for the advanced listening copy.

 OMG!! This is a laugh out loud funny book. Vera Wong is a 61 year old Chinese immigrant woman who tells people that she is an old woman so that they will underestimate her. This is book 2 in the Vera Wong series and I have not read book 1, but it worked fine for me as a stand alone. 
Vera is a meddling woman with time on her hands. In book 1 she solved a murder that the police had not solved and now she wants to do more investigating. Her son Tilly is now dating Selena, a police officer from book 1. The blurb explains: 
"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 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."
Of course Vera dives into an investigation while questioning the people mentioned in Selena's file. She also interposes herself into the lives of the people mentioned in Selena's file. The scene where the 13 year old daughter of a single father is about to be suspended for 1 week due to her refusal to wear a bra is hilarious, with Vera bullying the principal into backing down, while she points out that he is looking at her breasts and she is not wearing a bra. 
She also berates her son telling him that he has to do "the sexy thing" with Selena and give her grand babies, much to the embarrassment of Tilly. Vera is responsible for rescuing the distressed young woman from dangerous people. There is more about the rescue, but it would go into spoiler territory.
One quote on Vera: "Ever since Vera turned fifty, she has been telling Tilly, that she is 'ancient' and 'will die any day now,' and it worked wonders getting him to chores around the house. So, if she wants to be regarded as a venerable old lady, then she will be regarded as a venerable old lady, damn it."
Absolutely 5 shining stars!!! I recommend it to fans of the author, mystery fans in general and fans of humorous crime authors such as Dave Barry and Carl Hiaasen. I read this book in 2 days.
#VeraWongsGuidetoSnoopingonaDeadMan #NetGalley
Thank You Berkley Publishing group for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub Date Apr 01 2025