What do you think?
Rate this book
Raina Sun Mystery #5
Sunny Mates and Murders
Raina Sun thought being a fake fiance would get her closer to her deceased grandfather's journal, but instead she finds herself in the heart of the Nine Dragons Triad, a multigenerational criminal organization. When a dead body lands on her lap, Raina must prove her fake fiancé's innocence to see the journal again. She must summon her sleuthing skills to find this conniving killer before she becomes the next victim. There's no place for an amateur when it comes to murder...
- GenresMysteryCozy MysteryCozy
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2017
40 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Anne R. Tan
50 books159 followersAnne R. Tan is a USA Today bestselling author. She writes the Raina Sun Mystery series, the Lucy Fong Mystery series, and the Cedar Woods Mystery series. Her humorous cozy mysteries feature Chinese-American amateur sleuths dealing with love, family, and life while solving murders. Her books feature diverse characters and relationships because everyone deserves to be an armchair detective.
A Note from Anne:
My books are my legacy to my children. Unfortunately, they would not grow up in the San Francisco Bay Area like I did. Without a cultural hub to keep the language and philosophies alive, our family would lose this part of our heritage in one generation. My children are visitors to this rich culture, just like my readers. At its core, I always felt Chinese culture is about family and community. I hope you’ll enjoy your time with Raina Sun, Lucy Fong, and their large dynamic family.
Thank you for supporting my art,
Anne R. Tan
A Note from Anne:
My books are my legacy to my children. Unfortunately, they would not grow up in the San Francisco Bay Area like I did. Without a cultural hub to keep the language and philosophies alive, our family would lose this part of our heritage in one generation. My children are visitors to this rich culture, just like my readers. At its core, I always felt Chinese culture is about family and community. I hope you’ll enjoy your time with Raina Sun, Lucy Fong, and their large dynamic family.
Thank you for supporting my art,
Anne R. Tan
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 19, 2022
Po Po once again is the star of the story. Anne R. Tan writes the endings with a cliffhanger, making you want to know what happens next. Love this series.
February 9, 2023
As usual, Raina and PoPo are neck deep in a murder that shouldn’t have concerned them at all. SUNNY MATES & MURDERS is a crazy romp through the world of the Chinese mafia with twists and turns only Raina can figure out. Great story!
May 24, 2022
Who killed Jerry and why??? You won’t believe the answer!!! I enjoyed the story and recommend the book.
April 23, 2020
Once again Anne writes-up a fun Raina Sun cosy mystery book...
November 15, 2022
Raina Sun agrees to help Dai Lo Sonny Kwan to finally get the answers to the mystery of her grandfather's secret family. Since her grandfather's journal had been stolen by the head of one of the Chinese triads Raina has been trying to recover it in order to learn the reasons for her grandfather's secret family in China. He had left the bulk of his fortune to Raina with the instructions that it was for his second family, but no one else is aware of them. Her grandmother, the only one who knows the truth of the inheritance, had been devastated to learn of this betrayal so Raina wanted to find the answers for Wong Po Po. This fifth novel in the series finally reveals the surprising reasons for Raina's grandfather trusting her to manage his affairs.
Sonny Kwan had stolen the journal to be able to coerce Raina into helping him deal with his own family problems. She believes he is a man of his word and will restore the journal to her, so she agrees to pose as his fiancée for just one weekend. Of course things are rarely as simple as they seem, and an unexpected murder complicates things. When Po Po shows up at Sonny's family mansion to celebrate his grandfather's birthday, her long-standing friendship with the patriarch adds humor as well as complications to the festivities. To cap it all off, Raina's own on-again/off-again fiancé shows up as well.
Ms. Tan has written an intriguing series with intricate plots and genuine, well developed characters. There are many interesting insights into Chinese culture that are seamlessly woven into the narrative. These cozy mysteries keep the reader engaged, not wanting to put the book down through all the twists in the plot until the surprising conclusion. I certainly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a true mystery. As an advance reader I received this book without charge.
Sonny Kwan had stolen the journal to be able to coerce Raina into helping him deal with his own family problems. She believes he is a man of his word and will restore the journal to her, so she agrees to pose as his fiancée for just one weekend. Of course things are rarely as simple as they seem, and an unexpected murder complicates things. When Po Po shows up at Sonny's family mansion to celebrate his grandfather's birthday, her long-standing friendship with the patriarch adds humor as well as complications to the festivities. To cap it all off, Raina's own on-again/off-again fiancé shows up as well.
Ms. Tan has written an intriguing series with intricate plots and genuine, well developed characters. There are many interesting insights into Chinese culture that are seamlessly woven into the narrative. These cozy mysteries keep the reader engaged, not wanting to put the book down through all the twists in the plot until the surprising conclusion. I certainly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a true mystery. As an advance reader I received this book without charge.
March 10, 2017
I love reading this series!
Ann R Tan writes well and every Rainey mystery is fun to read! Rainey's on again off again relationship with hunky detective Matthew brings a bit of romance to each book. Rainey's nutty grandma Po Po provides some laughs. In this one, Rainy poses as the fiancé of the head of a
Chinese crime family to attend a birthday party for his father, primarily to make his ex ( who married someone else) jealous. During the party his brother is killed. How Rainey solves the mystery of who done it will have you reading up into the night until you finish the book!
Ann R Tan writes well and every Rainey mystery is fun to read! Rainey's on again off again relationship with hunky detective Matthew brings a bit of romance to each book. Rainey's nutty grandma Po Po provides some laughs. In this one, Rainy poses as the fiancé of the head of a
Chinese crime family to attend a birthday party for his father, primarily to make his ex ( who married someone else) jealous. During the party his brother is killed. How Rainey solves the mystery of who done it will have you reading up into the night until you finish the book!
September 23, 2017
ARC - I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
In order to retrieve her grandfather's journal, Raina has to make a deal w/ the devil.
Not really!
Just Sonny, the head of the Nine Dragons Triad. Yikes!
A girl gotta do what a girl gotta do.
Being a pretend fake fiancé might not be that bad, what could go wrong?
As always, Po Po is there to keep Raina in check.
( or is it the other way around ? who cared? )
It is always some much more fun when Po Po is in the house.
The voice of wisdom that cracks me up.
Love the book!
( Are going to find out if Raina + Matthew are really a couple ? )
I really hope so. I am really rooting for them!
In order to retrieve her grandfather's journal, Raina has to make a deal w/ the devil.
Not really!
Just Sonny, the head of the Nine Dragons Triad. Yikes!
A girl gotta do what a girl gotta do.
Being a pretend fake fiancé might not be that bad, what could go wrong?
As always, Po Po is there to keep Raina in check.
( or is it the other way around ? who cared? )
It is always some much more fun when Po Po is in the house.
The voice of wisdom that cracks me up.
Love the book!
( Are going to find out if Raina + Matthew are really a couple ? )
I really hope so. I am really rooting for them!
January 8, 2026
Another fun addition to this series.
Raina Sun has agreed to be the fake fiancée to Sonny Kwan of the Nine Dragons triad, in order to get her grandfather's diary. Her beloved grandfather died recently, his death revealing he had a second family in China. Her grandmother, Po Po, is obviously disappointed, and the diary explains the circumstances.
Once again Raina has found a dead body, threats abound, as does an explosion. Can Raina get out alive, with her Po Po in tow and when Matthew, her on again off again fiancé, shows up, she'll need to explain the situation and maybe they're on again.
Raina Sun has agreed to be the fake fiancée to Sonny Kwan of the Nine Dragons triad, in order to get her grandfather's diary. Her beloved grandfather died recently, his death revealing he had a second family in China. Her grandmother, Po Po, is obviously disappointed, and the diary explains the circumstances.
Once again Raina has found a dead body, threats abound, as does an explosion. Can Raina get out alive, with her Po Po in tow and when Matthew, her on again off again fiancé, shows up, she'll need to explain the situation and maybe they're on again.
November 4, 2017
I have enjoyed all of Anne's Raina Sun Mysteries, but this one included so much more. This book included a lot of Chinese traditions and history. It was incredibly interesting. While of course Raina and Po Po continue their comical investigative ways. This book has Raina working with the Chinese organized crime families in order to find out the truth to her Grandfather's journal. A murder finds Raina working with Police, the Chinese Dai Lo and he ex Matthew all at once. Makes for an interesting story.
March 1, 2019
This might be the best installment of this series yet. I love how the author seamlessly interweaves Chinese lore and culture as the heroine, Raina Sun, navigates between doing right by herself and doing right by her family. This particular one gives depth to Chinese crime syndicates. Don’t get me wrong - they are not nice in this book, but they are depicted as fully formed characters with motivations and emotions. Plus, this book has lots of Po-Po, one of the best sidekicks ever (although she would say Raina is her sidekick)
November 5, 2024
This time Raina is in Toronto helping Sonny with a problem. He had to convince his family she is his fiancée so that they will leave him alone. There’s a 70th birthday dinner planned, but, Sonny’s brother gets murdered. It’s quite a tangled story Raina uncovers, but with the help of PoPo & Matthew who arrives after he received an email that Raina forgot to cancel (!) things come to a head & the murderer is revealed. A good read.
February 4, 2017
This series continues to get better with each book including fun characters, family dynamics, Chinese traditions, murder and mayhem. This can't-put-down book is a great afternoon escape into the world of Raina Sun. Anne Tan never disappoints and I look forward to reading more from this talented author. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
June 7, 2025
Raina is tricked into acting as Sonny's fiance in return for receiving her grandfather's journal back and the truth about his mysterious 2nd marriage. Unfortunately, Sonny's brother is murdered at the dinner party and Sonny changes the terms of the agreement to include Raina finding the murderer. This cozy mystery plays with a Chinese triad.
February 20, 2017
Review of the Raina Sun mystery
Off course I love this book as well as the previous 4. Can't wait for the next book. There's a 6th book right because we need to know for if Mathew and Raina get marry and I love the grandmother also. This book was funny as usual and sad also.
Off course I love this book as well as the previous 4. Can't wait for the next book. There's a 6th book right because we need to know for if Mathew and Raina get marry and I love the grandmother also. This book was funny as usual and sad also.
February 7, 2023
The characters are becoming more believable, less outrageous. I suppose destroying cell phones is better than cars but just like Stephanie Plum it is becoming unnecessary to the plot. This story was better written and finally the grandpa mystery is understood.
August 7, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book, it has an entertaining storyline and the characters are well written. I can't wait to read more from this author. I received this book as a Free copy to read and I voluntarily leave this review.
December 26, 2017
Interesting story line
Good novel, funny and kept me guessing until the end.
Enjoy the cultural information about American Chinese. Give it a try!
Good novel, funny and kept me guessing until the end.
Enjoy the cultural information about American Chinese. Give it a try!
April 14, 2019
Favorite one out of the series so far. I love her relationship with Matthew so much but secretly kinda wished things went a little further with Sonny for a bit.
May 28, 2019
Another fun mystery. Rainy and her Po Po go to Toronto and end up investigating a murder there. Lots of fun!
May 10, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book. It is a wonderful Cozy mystery with great characters. Po Po is one of my favorite characters.
August 26, 2024
I really enjoy Anne Tan's books about Raina Sun and her grandmother Po Po. They really are fun characters.
October 4, 2024
A fun read from beginning to end-I love the heroine Raina and her feisty grandma, I couldn't put it down.
May 18, 2025
Enjoyed reading this author. First time with this series and will spend time reading the others.
August 22, 2025
The mystery wasn't as climatic as I hoped but it was fun reading regardless, and I was here for the love triangle tease surprisingly
March 9, 2017
Raina's grandfather's journal has been stolen by a leader of a triad to try to blackmail Raina into helping him solve a murder. As in the previous books in this series, Raina gets into trouble and of course, Grandma Po-Po, with her wisdom, humor, and gadgets, helps Raina find her way. I am always fascinated with the information Anne R. Tan provides about family life and customs, and in this book, about triads. This is really a lovely cozy series with mystery and humor throughout. It's well-written with highly interesting characters that you will love.
March 11, 2017
Once again Raina saves the day. This time she steps out of her comfort zone into a whole new world and handles it quite well considering. I love the whole dynamics and characters in all of the Sunny Books. Can't wait for the next.
February 20, 2017
Raina Sun and Po Po have flown across the country from California to Toronto in an effort to recover Raina’s deceased grandfather’s stolen journal. The journal contains information about his secret life in China.
The journal was stolen by the leader of the Nine Dragons triad, Sonny Kwan, and Raina is determined to recover it for PoPo.
Raina reluctantly accepts Sonny’s terms for the return of journal. To do so, Raina must pretend to be Sonny’s fiancé and spend the weekend in Sonny’s family home, where they are celebrating Sonny’s grandfather’s birthday.
All goes well, albeit uncomfortably, for Raina until Sonny’s brother falls in her lap and dies. When the police are called in Sonny asks Raina to say nothing about being with the man when he died.
Will Raina keep the secret from the police? Should she keep the secret? What will Po Po do while Raina is with Sonny? Why would anyone want to kill Sonny's brother? How will Sonny’s grandfather respond to the truth of Sonny and Raina's relationship? Will Raina be able to recover the journal for Po Po?
Raina is a wonderful person who worries about her grandmother and her happiness.
I hope that Anne R. Tan writes more books for this series, Raina is an interesting person and the ways he inserts bits of the Chinese culture is refreshing.
I received this book for free from the author and choose to write an honest review.
The journal was stolen by the leader of the Nine Dragons triad, Sonny Kwan, and Raina is determined to recover it for PoPo.
Raina reluctantly accepts Sonny’s terms for the return of journal. To do so, Raina must pretend to be Sonny’s fiancé and spend the weekend in Sonny’s family home, where they are celebrating Sonny’s grandfather’s birthday.
All goes well, albeit uncomfortably, for Raina until Sonny’s brother falls in her lap and dies. When the police are called in Sonny asks Raina to say nothing about being with the man when he died.
Will Raina keep the secret from the police? Should she keep the secret? What will Po Po do while Raina is with Sonny? Why would anyone want to kill Sonny's brother? How will Sonny’s grandfather respond to the truth of Sonny and Raina's relationship? Will Raina be able to recover the journal for Po Po?
Raina is a wonderful person who worries about her grandmother and her happiness.
I hope that Anne R. Tan writes more books for this series, Raina is an interesting person and the ways he inserts bits of the Chinese culture is refreshing.
I received this book for free from the author and choose to write an honest review.
February 21, 2017
If you like Stephanie Plum books, you'll love this series! Raina Sun is the Chinese American version of Stephanie. Very funny and great characters. Mystery is good but the characters make it great. They are such a hoot!
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
February 4, 2017
Sunny Mates and Murders: A Chinese Cozy Mystery (A Raina Sun Mystery Book 5) by Anne R. Tan
"I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book."
Raina agrees to pose as Sonny Kwan's fake fiancee for the weekend to get her grandfather's journal back. The party is for his grandfather and he hoes not want grandfather to force him to marry for and alliance. Sonny's ex fiancee (Myling Low) is there with her husband.
Before dinner Sonny's brother Jerry falls dead on Raina's lap.
Shortly thereafter Raina's PoPo (grandmother) showed up.
PoPo is in rare forum wanting to help Raina solve the murder
There are a handful of people that Raina suspect of murdering Jerry. Lily the wife (who can not have children.) Myling (is pregnant) who used to date Jerry and was engaged to Sonny. Freddie the older husband of Myling. Cat the enforcer of the Kwan family. And last is Sonny his brother.
I enjoyed this story very much. There were times I was laughing so hard I cried. I can not wait to see what Anne writes next.
"I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book."
Raina agrees to pose as Sonny Kwan's fake fiancee for the weekend to get her grandfather's journal back. The party is for his grandfather and he hoes not want grandfather to force him to marry for and alliance. Sonny's ex fiancee (Myling Low) is there with her husband.
Before dinner Sonny's brother Jerry falls dead on Raina's lap.
Shortly thereafter Raina's PoPo (grandmother) showed up.
PoPo is in rare forum wanting to help Raina solve the murder
There are a handful of people that Raina suspect of murdering Jerry. Lily the wife (who can not have children.) Myling (is pregnant) who used to date Jerry and was engaged to Sonny. Freddie the older husband of Myling. Cat the enforcer of the Kwan family. And last is Sonny his brother.
I enjoyed this story very much. There were times I was laughing so hard I cried. I can not wait to see what Anne writes next.
February 8, 2017
This is a fun little chinese mystery. Raina who thinks of herself as an amatuer detective gets involved with a triad boss. He has her Grandfather's jurnal and she needs it back for her Grandma--po po. Sonny needs her to pretend to be his fiance for the weekend and all heck breaks lose. His brother is killed, his Grandfather has a heart attack and a bomb blows up the cottage. How will she ever find out who the killer is and keep po po safe. Was her Grandfather married to two women--well, read the book and find out!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews