Savvy Summers and the Po'boy Perils - A Review

 Review

SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE PO'BOY PERILS
By Sandra Jackson-Opoku
The Second Savvy Summers Mystery 

 

Savvy Summers may be the best soul food chef in the South Side of Chicago, but she's always willing to expand her culinary offerings. After taking a course in Cajun cuisine, Savvy finds herself experimenting, much to her sous chef Penny's annoyance. But her foray into New Orleans cookery helps when her old friend Dori asks for a favor. The new face of Dori's business is all about the Big Easy so Savvy agrees to cater a luncheon. What she finds is concerning, a greedy woman wanting free food, an intern who vacillates between mousy and bossy, and the new company face-a fake charmer. When a prank turns deadly Dori becomes a suspect and Savvy determines to get to the bottom of things. Not only will she prove her friend's innocence, but she'll uncover the underhanded business at work at Dori's company.

 

While I like Savvy Summers, my favorite characters in SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE PO'BOY PERILS are Jimmy Blue and his dog, Sergeant Stubby. While it's fascinating how Jimmy is teaching his dog to use talking buttons, what I love even more is their kinship and smarts. I appreciated the backstory of the mysterious patron at Essie's Place and the secondary mystery Savvy helped to solve.

 

The mystery was well plotted with lots of clues as well as misdirection, but as important as the mystery is, it's the characters, their relationships, backstory, and dealings that truly make the story. 

 

Whether you prefer sweet potato pie, king cake, or a soul food version of bread pudding, get ready to savor a well seasoned mystery in SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE PO'BOY PERILS. 

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes - A Review

 Review

SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE SWEET POTATO CRIMES
By Sandra Jackson-Opoku
The First Savvy Summers Mystery 

In Chicago's South Side Savvy Summers is known for her soul food cooking and reasonable prices. Hired as the caterer for Mattie and Granderson's fiftieth wedding anniversary Savvy is witness to the bad behaviors of many a relative and the surprise when Mattie calls her husband out for all of his affairs. The party abruptly ends with Savvy wondering if she'll ever see the rest of the money she's owed. When Grandy comes to her cafe the next day claiming he's not feeling well she supplies him with his usual coffee and a sample of her new "veganish" sweet potato pie-after which he drops dead. They say trouble comes in threes and an older man keeling over dead in your cafe is definitely #1, unfortunately followed by the health department closing her down, and the widow suing her. When Grandy's death is ruled a heart attack Savvy is back in business, but a business the weaselly Noble McPherson is trying to buy out. Could he somehow be behind all her troubles? 

I like Savvy. She's a smart no-nonsense woman with a big heart and generous spirit. I appreciate the soul food cooking that honors her Great-Aunt Essie, but also has a modern flair to it; collard green quiches, salmon croquettes, or veganish sweet potato pie anyone? I also really like her ex-husband, Fanon. Noble is a nasty piece of work and a good villain to hate. The mystery was fun with suspects whose lifestyles are quite colorful. While Savvy may get her South Side up, Shysteen is straight up ghetto.

There is no doubt that SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE SWEET POTATO CRIMES is a cozy mystery. It does, however, push the boundaries as the author herself admits in her acknowledgments. Savvy is definitely cozy, but the language and scenarios can be a bit more coarse that what some cozy readers may be used to. I had no problem with it because everything felt true to the environment.

With lots of soul SAVVY SUMMERS AND THE SWEET POTATO CRIMES is an intriguing start to a new series.

Currently Reading...

I'm currently reading Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku. This is the first book in the Savvy Summers Mystery series and was released yesterday.

In Chicago's South Side Savvy Summers is known for her soul food cooking and reasonable prices. Hired as the caterer for Mattie and Granderson's fiftieth wedding anniversary Savvy is witness to the bad behaviors of many a relative and the surprise when Mattie calls her husband out for all of his affairs. The party abruptly ends with Savvy wondering if she'll ever see the rest of the money she's owed. When Grandy comes to her cafe the next day claiming he's not feeling well she supplies him with his usual coffee and a sample of her new "veganish" sweet potato pie-after which he drops dead. They say trouble comes in threes and an older man keeling over dead in your cafe is definitely #1, unfortunately followed by the health department closing her down, and the widow suing her. When Grandy's death is ruled a heart attack Savvy is back in business, but a business the weaselly Noble McPherson is trying to buy out. Could he somehow be behind all her troubles?