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Dial A for Aunties
2021
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Accidentally causing the death of a blind date, Meddy is persuaded by her meddlesome Chinese-Indonesian mother and aunts to dispose of the body, which upends a billionaire’s wedding and Meddy’s reunion with a former flame. - (Baker & Taylor)

"What happens when you mix 1 (accidental) murder with 2 thousand wedding guests, and then, toss in a possible curse on 3 generations of an immigrant Chinese-Indonesian family? You get 4 meddling Asian aunties coming to the rescue! When Meddelin Chan endsup accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate-especially when it is accidentally shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding that Meddy, her Ma, and her aunties are working, at an island resort on the California coastline. It is the biggest job yet for their family wedding business-"Don't leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!"-and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her aunties' perfect buttercream-cake flowers. But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy's great college love-and biggest heartbreak-makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding, all in one weekend?"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

"Sutanto brilliantly infuses comedy and culture into the unpredictable rom-com/murder mystery mashup as Meddy navigates familial duty, possible arrest and a groomzilla. I laughed out loud and you will too.”—USA Today (four-star review)

“A hilarious, heartfelt romp of a novel about—what else?—accidental murder and the bond of family. This book had me laughing aloud within its first five pages… Utterly clever, deeply funny, and altogether charming, this book is sure to be one of the best of the year!”—Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read

One of NPR's Best Books of 2021!

One of PopSugar’s "42 Books Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2021"!


What happens when you mix 1 (accidental) murder with 2 thousand wedding guests, and then toss in a possible curse on 3 generations of an immigrant Chinese-Indonesian family? 


You get 4 meddling Asian aunties coming to the rescue! 


When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is inadvertently shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working at an island resort on the California coastline. It's the biggest job yet for the family wedding business—"Don't leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!"—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie's perfect buttercream flowers.

But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy's great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend? - (Penguin Putnam)

Author Biography

Jesse Q Sutanto grew up shuttling back and forth between Indonesia, Singapore, and Oxford, and considers all three places her home. She has a Masters from Oxford University, but she has yet to figure out how to say that without sounding obnoxious. Jesse has forty-two first cousins and thirty aunties and uncles, many of whom live just down the road. When she's not writing, she's gaming with her husband (mostly FPS), or making a mess in the kitchen with her two daughters. - (Penguin Putnam)

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Booklist Reviews

Murder is never funny, except when it is. In Sutanto's rollicking debut, which she describes in a "Dear reader" foreword as "a love letter to my family—a ridiculously large bunch with a long history of immigration," a fatal accident begets family reconciliation, true love at second sight, and happy beginnings all around. Meddy (short for Meddelin—her "parents were aiming for Madeleine") is convinced her sprawling Indonesian, Chinese, Singaporean, and American family is cursed: all the men die or leave. She's the only Chan of her generation who has stayed in California with her mother and three aunts, even working in the family wedding business as the resident photographer. Although Meddy is not even close to 30, Ma is convinced that she's practically an old maid, never mind that Meddy chose family over romance years before. Ma is desperate enough to impersonate Meddy on a dating app, sending her off with a potential rapist. So he dies. Sort of. Dial A for Aunties, indeed, as they navigate a high-profile wedding with a corpse in tow. Sound preposterous? Perhaps, but you'll be glad you went along for the yacht ride.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Sutanto's #OwnVoices comedy has generated big buzz, and there's even a Netflix series in the works. Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

Murder and mayhem crash the wedding of the year. Meddelin "Meddy" Chan thought she knew all about her mother’s meddlesome ways. She’s spent her whole life surrounded by the strong-willed women in her Chinese Indonesian familyâ€"including her four auntiesâ€"and she’s learned better than to fight what they think is best. In fact, it’s their influence that made Meddy break up with her secret college boyfriend, Nathan, and stay at home to join her family’s wedding business as a photographer. But when Meddy finds out that her mother has been posing as her on a dating app for weeksâ€"and has set her up with a guyâ€"she’s still shocked. Even more so when she meets Jake, a hotelier who turns out to be self-centered, rude, and the exact opposite of her type. When Jake tries to attack her and Meddy accidentally kills him, she’s suddenly grateful to have five women in her life who are willing to help her hide the body. Things get complicated, though, when a cooler containing the body is accidentally shipped from her aunt’s bakery to the wedding of billionaires Tom Cruise Sutopo and Jacqueline Wijayaâ€"and Nathan turns up as part owner of the resort where the ceremony is taking place. But this is the biggest gig her family has ever had, and they’re certainly not going to let a corpse get in the way. Comparisons to Crazy Rich Asians are apt, as the author details the wild spending and luxurious lifestyles of the superrich. But this story is filled with mistaken identity, a gaggle of intoxicated groomsmen, five lovably hilarious sisters, and slapstick humor that leans more toward the film Clue. Readers will die for the delightfully absurd hijinks in this dark comedy. Copyright Kirkus 2021 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

In Sutanto's bonkers debut, a series of disasters befalls a family wedding catering business. Meddy Chan, 26, works as the photographer for her overbearing, superstitious Chinese Indonesian aunties and mother. Convinced there's a curse that causes men to leave the women of the family and crushed by an obligation to remain near her mother in San Gabriel, Calif., Meddy breaks up with her soul mate, Nathan. She's still not over him when her mom arranges a date for her with a man named Jake, who attempts to rape her, prompting Meddy to tase him. Jake doesn't wake up, and Meddy turns to her aunts for help. They store Jake in a cooler, which is then inadvertently shipped to the Chans' next wedding gig, at a hotel that happens to be owned by Nathan. Plenty of hijinks ensue, but the Chans are oddly glib as they try to keep Jake hidden, and Meddy's pining over Nathan feels trite. The best parts are Sutanto's portrayal of the bantering, interfering aunties ("?‘How could you set Meddy up with such a douchebag?' Fourth Aunt snaps at Ma"), who excel at wreaking havoc. There's plenty of light entertainment here, but don't expect anything with bite. Agent: Katelyn Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary Management. (Apr.)

Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly.

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