Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

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.

These book club questions were prepared by Bookclubs staff.

Book club questions for Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

Vera has a strong personality! She is regimented, opinionated and interfering, but also lonely, well-meaning and loving. Did you love Vera, or did you find her to be a meddlesome bulldozer? How did your opinion of Vera affect your overall enjoyment of the book?

Did you agree with Vera’s decision to take the investigation into her own hands? Would you have done the same in her shoes?

In addition to Vera, we also hear the story through her four main suspects, Julia, Riki, Sana, and Oliver. What did you think of the author’s decision to alternate between five different points of view?

The book has been marketed as a cozy mystery, but the real theme of the novel is found family, and it is as much or more about the characters and their growing relationships as it is about the murder investigation. Did you enjoy the dramatic elements of the book, or would you have preferred a more gripping mystery?

The book also blends humor with its mystery and drama. What humorous moments stood out most to you?

Tea and food figure prominently in the book. Did you enjoy learning about tea and Chinese medicine? What dish of Vera’s would you most like to taste?

Did you anticipate the ending? Jessie Sutanto inserted clues throughout the book, but did you pick up on them before everything was revealed, or was the ending a surprise?

Overall, what did you think of the ending? Did you like the way the story tied up?

Would you read more mysteries featuring Vera Wong? What would you like to see more of if there are future installments? What would you want to change?

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers Book Club Questions PDF

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