Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes

 

Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is the first in a new cozy foodie mystery series by Sandra Jackson-Opoku. Released 29th July 2025 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in July 2026. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. 

This is an engaging, competently written, and well constructed light cozy with a large ensemble cast of eccentric characters in the orbit of the proprietress and owner of a soul-food cafe and catering business, Savvy Summers. When a local elderly womanizer passes away in her diner Savvy's left with suspicion and rumors, although the death is initially ruled accidental. In typical amateur sleuth fashion, Ms. Summers takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of the mystery with precious little support (and active antagonism) from local law enforcement. 

There's an authentic Black American vibe in the food, culture, and voices, and the author writes well and with deftness (and affection) for these characters. There is a lot of Black cultural slang used, although it wasn't difficult to understand in context. The author/publisher have also included a number of recipes in the back of the book for readers to try out.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 9 hours and 20 minutes and is expertly read by Karen Chilton. She has a mellow low alto voice with a slightly raspy quality in this read and does a great job with huge cast of disparate characters of a range of ages and ethnicities. It's impressive to hear her switch ethnicity and diction in less than the space of one breath. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read. 

Content warning for infidelity, drug use (including during pregnancy), child neglect, misogyny (in context) and sexual harassment, and some rough language. Although this is the author's mystery debut, she's a celebrated and respected author of literary criticism, a screenwriter, and poet. 

Four stars. The second book in the series is due out in early third quarter 2026. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.