Four Aunties and a wedding
(Large Type)

As the photographer for the extended Chan clan's wedding business, Meddelin (a well-intentioned approximation of Madeleine) is intimately familiar with all manner of nuptial celebrations, even when they include accidental murder, as witnessed in Dial A for Aunties (2021), Sutanto's rollicking debut, which introduced Big Aunt, Second Aunt, (Meddy's) Ma, and Fourth Aunt. This time, Meddy is finally the bride, about to marry beloved Nathan in a fairytale affair at Oxford, his alma mater. Sort-of distant relatives, led by Staphanie, with whom Meddy quickly bonds over their "unfortunately spelled" monikers, have meticulously planned the destination events, which, once again, involve the threat of death. This time, Meddy and the aunties hope to avoid murder at all costs. In her opening author's note, Indonesian-Chinese-Singaporean Sutanto reveals she "wanted to tackle the subject of the Asian diaspora" in her aunties sequel. Inspired by the initially awkward clashes experienced between her sprawling family and her hubby's half-Asian, half-English relatives, Sutanto deftly blends preposterous humor (British slang, mafia posers) with enduring devotion to prove "there is no right or wrong way to 'being Asian.'"

In Sutanto's sweet, hilarious second Aunties mystery (after 2021's Dial A for Aunties), Meddy Chan, who's Chinese Indonesian, and Nathan, who's half English and half Chinese, are getting married at an over-the-top Chinese-Indonesian destination wedding at Christ Church College in Oxford. As much as Meddy's looking forward to her nuptials, the first meeting between Big Aunt, Second Aunt, Ma, and Fourth Aunt, her endearing but totally crazy family, and Nathan's prim parents is a humiliating disaster. Fortunately, the wedding itself is in the capable hands of Meddy's new friend, Staphanie Tanuwijaya, a fellow Chinese Indonesian, whose family-run business is packed with relatives as eccentric as Meddy's. But things go spectacularly awry when Meddy overhears a phone call and realizes Staphanie's family are Indonesian mafia planning to take out one of the wedding guests. But the mafia doesn't reckon with the Aunties, who have no boundaries when it comes to protecting their Meddy. Charming, chaotic, and sometimes ridiculous, this tale will appeal to anyone who both adores and is embarrassed by their family, which is just about everyone. Agent: Katelyn Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary. (Mar.)

Another wild wedding day befalls the Chan family in Sutanto's wacky sequel to Dial A for Aunties (2021). Almost a year after Meddy Chan and her four aunties covered up an accidental murder, Meddy can't wait to have a fresh start by marrying her dream guy, Nathan, at Oxford's Christ Church College. He's the "perfect specimen of a man" according to her Ma, yet even with their wedding day rapidly approaching, Meddy can't help but feel like their union is too good to be true. To make matters worse, her "batty" aunties have yet to meet Nathan's prim-and-proper English parents, and they've started using British slang like "dog's bollocks" in hopes of impressing Chris and Annie. To further appease Meddy's wedding jitters, her aunties hire the Tanuwijayas, an Indonesian family of wedding vendors who handle flowers, hair, makeup, and photography--score! Meddy finds a kindred spirit in photographer Staphanie, and they become fast friends after bonding over misspelled names and pepper spray. Their friendship proves to be short-lived, however, when Meddy overhears a phone conversation in which Staphanie agrees to take someone out…and not as a plus one. It turns out Staph and her family are in the organized crime business, and their next target happens to be a guest at the Chan wedding. When Staphanie threatens to expose last year's accident to the police, Meddy and her aunties embark on a madcap, Sopranos-style series of hijinks in order to stop the Tanuwijayas' plan in its tracks. With plenty of weed-spiked champagne and gags made of pantyhose, these four aunties make it known: Don't mess with the Chan family. Sutanto's sequel doubles the trouble for Meddy and Co., but it is not without some frustrating moments (Meddy is basically MIA for her entire wedding). Despite the continual shenanigans, you can't help but get a kick out of the aunties' outrageous stunts and their even bigger hearts. Keep your friends close and these four aunties closer. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

As the photographer for the extended Chan clan's wedding business, Meddelin (a well-intentioned approximation of Madeleine) is intimately familiar with all manner of nuptial celebrations, even when they include accidental murder, as witnessed in Dial A for Aunties (2021), Sutanto's rollicking debut, which introduced Big Aunt, Second Aunt, (Meddy's) Ma, and Fourth Aunt. This time, Meddy is finally the bride, about to marry beloved Nathan in a fairytale affair at Oxford, his alma mater. Sort-of distant relatives, led by Staphanie, with whom Meddy quickly bonds over their "unfortunately spelled" monikers, have meticulously planned the destination events, which, once again, involve the threat of death. This time, Meddy and the aunties hope to avoid murder at all costs. In her opening author's note, Indonesian-Chinese-Singaporean Sutanto reveals she "wanted to tackle the subject of the Asian diaspora" in her aunties sequel. Inspired by the initially awkward clashes experienced between her sprawling family and her hubby's half-Asian, half-English relatives, Sutanto deftly blends preposterous humor (British slang, mafia posers) with enduring devotion to prove "there is no right or wrong way to ‘being Asian.'" Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

In Sutanto's sweet, hilarious second Aunties mystery (after 2021's Dial A for Aunties), Meddy Chan, who's Chinese Indonesian, and Nathan, who's half English and half Chinese, are getting married at an over-the-top Chinese-Indonesian destination wedding at Christ Church College in Oxford. As much as Meddy's looking forward to her nuptials, the first meeting between Big Aunt, Second Aunt, Ma, and Fourth Aunt, her endearing but totally crazy family, and Nathan's prim parents is a humiliating disaster. Fortunately, the wedding itself is in the capable hands of Meddy's new friend, Staphanie Tanuwijaya, a fellow Chinese Indonesian, whose family-run business is packed with relatives as eccentric as Meddy's. But things go spectacularly awry when Meddy overhears a phone call and realizes Staphanie's family are Indonesian mafia planning to take out one of the wedding guests. But the mafia doesn't reckon with the Aunties, who have no boundaries when it comes to protecting their Meddy. Charming, chaotic, and sometimes ridiculous, this tale will appeal to anyone who both adores and is embarrassed by their family, which is just about everyone. Agent: Katelyn Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary. (Mar.)