A review by just_one_more_paige
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 
I read Dial A for Aunties a few years ago and it was just...the most fun. So, I was hoping that Sutanto would provide more of that fun here. And she did! 
 
Vera Wong's life is in perfect order, as it should be, until the morning that she comes downstairs to ready her tea house for the day and finds a dead body on the floor. Upon realizing that the police are incompetent (she should have expected that, of course), Vera decides to investigate - what is surely a murder - herself. As she gathers her suspects though, Vera starts to realize she likes them all, and will be sad to see whoever the murderer ends up being taken away to jail. There is Julia, the dead man's wife. Oliver, his twin brother. Sana and Riki, who supposedly are researching the death for their podcast and Buzzfeed article (but are clearly hiding something). And, there is, naturally, the chance that there wasn't any foul play at all, and the man died of natural causes. But Vera won't rest until she rules out every possibility and discovers the truth, even at the potential cost of ruining some of these budding, but promising, new relationships. 
 
Well, Sutanto clearly has a style, and she is so good at it. This is the perfect mix of humorous and heartstrings. Like, despite the fact that all these characters are coming together as a result of a death, a clearly tragic event, so much of this novel is sweet and funny. And it definitely helps the balance of emotions that, as we learn more about the dead guy (Marshal), we realize he was pretty terrible and smarmy and, really, abusive. I mean, not that that means a person deserves to die, but it does make me feel less bad about laughing at all the funny parts and rooting for these lonely characters to find new refuges with each other as my primary emotional engagement with the story. The way Vera becomes a surrogate mother/grandmother figure to so many of these characters, in a way that they need (and that she was overbearing in her attempts to provide to her own son), and facilitates them in recovering from a variety of traumas and confidence-losses, sparking new romances, and rekindling old friendships, is just heartwarming. And Vera herself is hilarious. From her internal monologues to her dialogue with others to her notebook entries about the case, Sutanto does a phenomenal job calling out and (lightly) making fun of many Asian-parent stereotypes, while also highlighting all the ways they are supportive and uplifting in their own way. It's a smoothly crafted juxtaposition. 
 
The highlight of this reading experience is primarily the characters, developing together and creating new relationships. But, of course, the murder mystery is central to the reading experience as well. It's fun, easy and quick; like a cozy mass market winter mystery novel style. Also, props to Sutanto for the meaning of the title. I thought it meant (or would mean) one thing, as I started reading. But as the story developed, the meaning took on a whole other meaning that really emphasized the truly unique and sort of irreverent take on the silver linings that sometimes come with tragic events. It's quite clever. 
 
If you are looking for a low key, entertaining read, let me highly recommend this. It was perfect for my "I hate the colder/dark weather and the Holidays are always so stressful" vibes; so if that sounds like you, give it a go! 
 
“Destiny [...] is something to be hunted down and grabbed tightly with both hands and shaken until it gives her exactly what she wants.” 
 
“This is the problem with creative people; their self-image is divided in two parts - one thinks that they're a genius who will one day create a masterpiece of such breathtaking brilliance that it will still be discussed with reverence hundreds of years later; the other part thinks they are trash racoons rotting around in the dark and coming up with nothing but more trash. THere is no in-between. It's either 'super genius' or 'trash racoon,' and somehow these parts coexist within the head of one very tortured artist.” 
 
“Unrealized dreams are one of the saddest things in life.” 
 
“I agree, we are all more than just one idea.” 
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