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Oct 14, 2024

Dial A for Aunties

Book / Novel


Dial A for Aunties

by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Format: Paperback, English
320 page(s)
ISBN/ISBN13: 0593336739/9780593336731
Published Apr 27, 2021 by Berkley – Penguin Books USA

View on Goodreads | Google Books



A hilariously quirky novel that is equal parts murder mystery, rom-com, and a celebration of mothers and daughters as well as a deep dive into Chinese-Indonesian culture, by debut author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

1 (accidental) murder
2 thousand wedding guests
3 (maybe) cursed generations
4 meddling Asian aunties 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 accidentally 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 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 auntie’s 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?



Reading “Dial A for Aunties” felt like going on a rollercoaster, with many surprising twists and turns and breathtaking loops. When I finished the ride, I felt good and filled with adrenaline, immediately wanting to queue again.
Katrin Figge   in Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto (Personal Blog, May 10, 2021)
The broken English is to celebrate the diversity of her culture.
Susan Blumberg-Kason   in “Dial A For Aunties” by Jesse Q Sutanto (Asian Review of Books, Apr 15, 2021)
Wrap a romcom with a crime novel, sprinkle in Weekend At Bernie’s, and you get this deliciously fun, big-hearted book.
Cathleen Perez Brenycz  Jamie Canavés   in Riot Roundup: The Best Books We Read October-December 2020 (Book Riot, Jan 04, 2021)


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