Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is a well-crafted, cozy murder mystery with a unique, middle-aged protagonist whose talent for serving the best soul food and sweet potato pie has made her restaurant on Chicago’s South Side famous. Business is booming… until seventy-five-year-old Grandy Jaspers drops dead while sitting at table two eating Savvy’s to-die-for sweet potato pie.

While police rule the death as accidental, the bad press spreads like wildfire, and just like that, the business is in trouble. With suspicions and rumors flying, Savvy decides to go undercover as an amateur sleuth and find out what—or who—really killed Grandy. She knows it wasn’t her sweet potato pie. Joined by sidekick and assistant manager Penny Lopes, Savvy cooks up a plan to clear her name and keep her restaurant afloat.

Author Sandra Jackson-Opoku’s debut novel is a cozy mystery with a ton of laughs, soul food, and murder all tossed in a pot and served up as a deliciously entertaining whodunnit. Savvy is a strong, spunky character that readers will identify with—as is her quirky sidekick, Penny. They play off each other in a manner reminiscent of Lucy and Ethel of I Love Lucy fame, which is hilarious. I enjoyed the introduction of a middle-aged main character with a sharp mind unafraid to stand up for herself. A large, convoluted cast of characters seems a bit confusing at first, but roles are soon claimed, and the story is off and running. A sea of red herrings threatens to spoil the stew, but Savvy Summers won’t stop until she sifts through the clues and unearths the truth. After all, her reputation as a chef—and her famous sweet potato pie—are at risk.

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is an entertaining cozy mystery with charismatic characters serving up a plate full of soul food and laughs. Armchair detectives will enjoy figuring out whodunnit while rolling on the floor in laughter. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next for Savvy and her crew. Highly recommended for fans of cozy mysteries.