Dial A for Aunties

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.

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.)

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 family--including her four aunties--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 weeks--and has set her up with a guy--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 Wijaya--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 (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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.

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.)