After loving and devouring Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, I grabbed some of Jesse Q. Sutanto’s backlist from the library. Dial A for Aunties is a hilarious coming of age fiction. Filled with aunties and mystery. This immigrant Chinese-Indonesian family who will steal your heart. Come see why I enjoyed this first in the Aunties series.
by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Series: Aunties #1
Narrator: Risa Mei
Length: 10 hours and 21 minutes
Genres: Fiction
Source: Library
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Narration: 4.5 cups Speed: 1.5x
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?
Grab a box of tissues before listening. Not because you’ll be sad, but from all the laughter. Even if you aren’t from a close-knit Chinese-Indonesian family, you’ll roll over laughing at the antics of Meddelin Chan’s mother & aunties in this hilarious, heartwarming tale.
When Meddy’s mom sets her up on a blind date, it turns into a nightmare and ends with a dead body. Not sure what to do, she goes to her mother, who dials up the aunties and they devise a plan which begins by hiding him in a cooler.
Meddy, her mother and three aunties all run a wedding planner service and are preparing for their largest wedding yet. Two thousand wedding guests at an island resort on the California coastline. Things are going perfectly until they discover they’ve accidentally brought the dead body with them.
The tale that unfolds delivered mystery, over the top moments and quick thinking as they all work at keeping the body from being discovered.
I loved the family, and Sutanto did a splendid job of giving them unique voices. She highlighted their close-kit family and gave us insight into their community. I laughed, found comparisons to my Italian family, and kept listening for fear of discovery. The author wove in a clever mystery thread that escalated with a climatic twist.
Risa Mei did a lovely job with the narration and voices of the characters. She enhanced the humor and suspense while sharing Meddy’s emotions, fears and personality.
While sometimes over the top, I enjoyed Dial A for Aunties and requested the next audiobook Four Aunties & A Wedding from the library.
Fans of diverse, humorous, character driven novels will want to meet the Chans. Whose advertising motto is “Don’t leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!“
Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto narrated by Risa Mei delivered humor, mystery and suspense. #LibraryLove #audiobook #audiobookreview Click To TweetAbout Jesse Q. Sutanto
Jesse Q. Sutanto is a Chinese-Indonesian author. As of 2022, she has published six novels for adults, young adults, and middle grade readers. She is most famous for her novel Dial A for Aunties, which won the 2021 Comedy Women in Print Prize and has been optioned for a film by Netflix
About Risa Mei
Risa Mei is a first-gen Chinese Indonesian, Fi-core, Los Angeles based performer with dwarfism standing at a height of 3' 11". As a multi-faceted performer, she has dabbled in many areas of the creative sphere, from voice acting, to singing, to motion capture, to on stage and film performances. Her performances have taken her out of California and into place like Japan, New York, and even Las Vegas. Some of her more notable performances can be seen on Netflix's Word Party by The Jim Henson Company as Tilly the Tortoise, and most recently in Shadows House as Rum and Shirley.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature)
I’ve enjoyed other books by this author, so I need to read these! Great review!
Katherine
I really need to get this book. Vera Wong was a 5 star read for me and this book looks like a lot of fun!
Amorina Rose
Got me interested.
Laurel-Rain Snow
WEEKLY UPDATES
Kimberly
Thanks Laurel.
Kim
This was such a fun story. It was definitely over the top. I do need to get the next book in the series.
Kimberly
It is crazy….I listened but still need to grab the third one.
Anne - Books of My Heart
That would be the question whether I would find it too over the top ridiculous. But it does sound fun.
Kimberly
It was a lot of fun. I recommend Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.
Melliane
I enjoyed this one. It’s crazy but it’s fun
Ethan
I’ve heard great things about this one, and I love that it’s a laugh riot!
Kimberly
I highly recommend her newest book Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers It was fantastic.
Aymee
I really enjoyed this book, even if some of the scenes gave me anxiety. But it was great for a laugh!
Kimberly
LOL…so true!
Nadene
Sounds like another great installment. Great review, Kim.
Kimberly
Thanks Nadene.