Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes

A sparkling debut mystery set on the south side of Chicago, featuring the quick-witted, unforgettable Savvy Summers, proprietor of a soul food café.When Savvy Summers first opened Essie's soul food café, she never expected her customer-favorite sweet potato pie to become the center of a murder investigation. But when Grandy Jaspers, the 75-year-old neighborhood womanizer, drops dead at table two, she suddenly has more to worry about than just maintaining Essie's reputation for the finest soul food in the Chicagoland area.Even as the police deem Grandy’s death an accident, Savvy quickly finds herself—and her beloved café—in the middle of an entire city’s worth of bad press. Desperate to clear her name and keep her business afloat, Savvy and her snooping assistant manager, Penny Lopés, take it upon themselves to find who really killed Grandy.

"Novelist Jackson-Opoku makes her move to mystery with great flair and finesse, serving up a tasty combination of soul food comfort dishes that culinary mystery fans will crave, as well as a vividly evoked setting populated by an engaging community of characters about whom readers will come to care." --Library Journal (starred review)

"Entertaining, suspense-filled...unforgettable." --Shelf Awareness (starred review)"A charming mystery filled with quirky characters whose Southern roots influence their daily lives." --Kirkus Reviews

"Feisty, well-drawn Savvy is a hero for fans of strong Black women protagonists, and the food frame, the lovingly described Chicago setting, and the delicious-sounding recipes will appeal to those who enjoy food-centered cozies." --Booklist

"Sinister suspects and culinary delights abound in Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes." --Woman's World

"A delightful debut culinary cozy mystery... This is a wild ride of a story...[and] the characters are well developed and each unique." --King River Life Magazine

"Jackson-Opoku's debut cozy crime novel has charm, cadence, and culture." --Raquel V. Reyes, Caribbean Kitchen Mystery series"Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes is a delightful debut filled with unforgettable characters, witty dialogue and unexpected twists. This loving tribute to soul food and its culture will leave you begging for a second helping." --Valerie Wilson Wesley, author of A Shimmer of Red, an Odessa Jones Mystery."A whodunit that shines with culture, food, and an interesting murder, or two! Savvy Summer and the Sweet Potato Crimes introduces characters readers will love spending time with, a fun tale of mystery, delicious food descriptions and recipes. Cozy mystery enthusiasts will enjoy this first in series." --Abby Collette, author of A Deadly Inside Scoop"Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes offers the reader an intimate look into the world of Chicago soul food, plus a fun mystery. Sit back and enjoy but beware the powerful pangs of hunger Sapphire can create. And remember it's a sin to die before you finish your sweet potato pie." --Carolyn Haines, USA Today bestselling author