I read two really good books in July. Both were murder mysteries involving unexpected protagonists. Both of which I loved. I have three more books to read to meet my goal and I think I’ll take a break from reading in August and get back into it in September. Let’s get into the two books I read last month.
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VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS BY JESSE Q. SUTANTO
Jess Sutanto does it again! I have read and thoroughly enjoyed two of her books, so I knew I would enjoy this one. It was always a great easy read to get me back into the spirit of reading again. With various laugh out loud moments, it was reminiscent of her Dial A for Aunties series.
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 wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands – Vera decides it’s down to her to catch the killer. Nobody spills the tea like this amateur sleuth.
I was a bit worried about this amateur sleuth theme – aka a cozy mystery that just isn’t my cup of tea (see Hollywood Homicide review). I’m happy to report that Vera’s character was so well written that it didn’t bother me or wasn’t painfully obvious how lacking her detective skills are. The underlying theme is family (like many of her books) and how cultivating your chosen family comes in many different forms, including accusing other folks of murder. If you want a fun and easy book to read, add this to your list.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
THE MAID BY NITA PROSE
This book has been on my tbr list for a while now and felt like everyone was recommending me to read it. I was intrigued by the concept and the character. I have a soft spot for characters who struggle with social skills and are just awkward (see Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine).
Molly Gray struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by. Since Gran died a few months ago, Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, makes her an ideal fit for the job.
Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had united with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?
It was really sad seeing how people treated Molly just because she was different. But thankfully, she found a group of awesome folks who helped her out after her Gran passed away. And man, that ending was wild – it really made me think about revenge and who should get to dish it out. I can’t wait for the next part to come out in November and see what happens next!
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
