Murky weather in store… with a chance of fatal storms. After Raina Sun witnesses a kidnapping, the victim shows up unharmed and claims she was at a day spa. The case grows even murkier when Raina's client, the husband of the supposed victim, is found dead at the old pumpkin patch, the site for a contentious new mall development. Raina's new boss seems more worried about collecting their fee than finding the killer. To make matters worse, Raina's sister plans a getaway weekend in Lake Tahoe to revive her marriage, landing Raina with a tornado of a three-year-old. A kidnapping, a dead client, and an energetic preschooler--Raina's weekend goes from bad to worse. Can Raina see her way clear to the end, or will a storm come crashing down when the murderer realizes she's hot on the trail? Grab your flashlight and come along--get your copy of "Murky Passions and Scandals" today!
Anne 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.
This is the 6th in the series. The main characters are Raina Sun and her grandma Po Po. Raina is trying to become a PI and she takes her Po Po with her to keep watch on suspect. She sees the suspect being kidnapped and Po Po calls the police. they end up hearing there was no kidnapping and they are fired. Raina decides to try and figure out what is really going on. With the chief and her fiance both out of town the fool in charge manages to screw everything up. Can she figure out what is really going on and who is mixed up in it all before it's too late ?
Raina is now working at a private investigation office while she works on getting her own P.I. license. One of her clients ends up dead in the middle of a field and she decides to do the police's job for them. With the help of her grandmother, PoPo, she begins to track down the clues. As she finds out more she finds herself the killers new target.
Every story needs a posse like PoPos. Never boring and always makes you wanting more. Anne R. Tan gives you more than just a good mystery, you get a very good story.
“Murky Passions and Scandals” earns 5/5 Homemade Pumpkin Launchers...a Blast!
Although it was not really necessary for a newbie to start at the beginning, I did read and greatly enjoyed book one, “Raining Men and Corpses,” to give me some background and character connections allowing me to more easily leap to book six. Anne R. Tan’s newest release in her Raina Sun Mystery was clever, humorous, and the epitome of a ‘cozy mystery’ engaging me to the very last page when things were finally revealed. Raina is working her first solo assignment for Moody Investigations and counting this experience toward her own private investigator’s license. All she has to do is follow and document the behavior of the ‘third’ wife for their client, the very wealthy husband. Ok, that seems easy, but Anne, of course, throws a delightful curve. Although tested having her grandmother joining her, they are both shocked when a simple surveillance turns into a kidnapping. Worse yet, after the police take over and she returns to the office to file her report, the husband/client fires the PI firm; the victim isn’t a victim, she says she wasn’t kidnapped. This is going to be a hard one for Raina to let go, until Po Po gets information on the police scanner…a body found. Mr. Husband/Client is dead! Wow! A great twisty, clever mystery, fun, yet frustrating, dynamic between Raina and Po Po, and a bit of romance, too! Oh, wait, did I mention more bodies and a pre-schooler?
"Disclosure: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. However, all of the above opinions are my own.”
A Chinese Cozy Mystery (A Raina Sun Mystery Book 6) by Anne R. Tan
Raina and PoPo are on a stakeout An easy assignment for PI training and what happens they witness their target (Mia Westchester) being kidnapped.
PoPo beams the getaway van with a pumpkin. After Officer Hooper arrives, both Raina and PoPo go and talk with her to give their report.
A few hours later it appears the wife of their client was in a beauty shop and NOT kidnapped. Later, Arthur Westchester their client is found murdered.
Raina and PoPo are on the trail of the killer and the fun begins.
Anne has an action fun book again. Can not wait t see hat next is in store for Raina, PoPo and Matthew.
An very interesting but excellent book! I enjoyed reading this well written book and learning more about Raina’s family. Po Po is such an interesting character. She is full of surprises and very humorous. Matthew is away for most of the story but his engagement with Raina is different. To say too much would ruin the story. Read this book and learn about Raina’s career changes and family. The posse makes and interesting facet to the story. I do recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I look forward to the next book in the series!
Raina Sun witnesses a kidnapping but later on the victim is alive and totally unharmed, meanwhile her husband isn't the same, in fact he is dead! Found on their own pumpkin patch. It's time for Raina and her grandma, Po Po to swing into action and find the killer, but with quite a few suspects she has her work cut out for her, plus the killer seems aware that she is on his trail... Things come to a head at the retirement home "Trunk and treat" party. This was a fun Halloween murder mystery, read another in this series and really enjoyed it. A very entertaining series of cosy mysteries.
I just love these stories. Anne R. Tan has written another mystery with just wonderful characters that you just want to hug. Raina and PoPo are two of my favorites. The mysteries are so much fun and the stories are enjoyable. I love how Anne R. Tan weaves wonderful background throughout. Can't wait for the next story.
Raina and Pop's are caught up in another murder mystery! Mathew's future promotion with the police department is in jeopardy. Way to many suspects! Anne R. Tan has written another winner. I enjoyed this book and give it 5 stars. I recommend it to anyone who likes cozy mysteries.
Rains Sun is a feisty amateur detective. Book one was fun and exciting. It's a high bar to surpass, but each book is better than the last. I can't wait until the next one comes out in the spring. Read them all!
Raina & PoPo find more than pumpkins in the old patch. Suspects galore and a cra-cra detective on the verge of messing everything up. On top of that Raina is working on getting her P.I's licence. Once again we are on Mr. Toads wild ride!
Raina is at it again, her fiancé, Detective Matthew Louie has to be out of town for a week. He asked that while he is away, she keep an eye on the town and especially on Detective Youri Sokol. Detective Sokol is being left in charge of the Gold Springs Police Department while Matthew is in San Francisco and the Police Chief is out on sick leave.
Shortly after Matthew leaves town, Raina learns that Arthur Westchester and Robert Spillman were planning to build a shopping mall just outside the city limits. When Mr. Westchester is found dead on the property, Detective Sokol immediately identifies it as an accident. The coroner's findings contradict that conclusion and the coroner declares it to be murder, which stuns Det. Sokol. If he can solve this case, Detective Sokol is certain that he will be given a promotion, especially with the Police Chief looking to retire at the end of the year. Det. Sokol asks Raina to help with the investigation. During the course of their investigation, Raina and Det. Sokol learn that Mr. Westchester had changed his mind regarding the mall.
Meanwhile, PoPo and her gang of senior citizens try to aid the investigation by holding a Chinese séance in the field where the proposed mall was to be built. They are attempting to see if Mr. Westchester can or will tell them who murdered him. During the seance they uncover body, or at least part of one, a bone.
Why would anyone want to murder Mr. Westchester? Will the shopping mall get built? Why is Raina helping Detective Sokol? What was the bone PoPo found? Will PoPo and her gang be able to help or will they be in the way? Can they solve the mystery before Matthew gets home?
Anne R. Tan puts so much depth into each character one that you feel you could meet them on the street. Some you might love to meet while others you would prefer to avoid.
Murky Passions and Scandals is written with the types of personalities and locations that you might find in your own travels.
I hope to read more stories of PoPo, Raina, and Matthew and their adventures in Gold Springs
I have been reading Anne's books for a while now. I love how amateur sleuth Raina Sun gets herself into funny situations trying to solve murders. This book in the series did not disappoint. Raina is now trying to get her PI license and her fiancé Matthew, the police detective is supportive of this decision. While investigating a possible cheating wife, Raina's client is found dead. Raina's boss does not want to get in the middle of the investigation, but Raina feels there is more to meets the eye. With Matthew away at conferences, Raina enlists her grandmother, Po Po and her geriatric posse, to get the bottom of the mystery. Every step of the way, Raina finds unexpected challenges both with the investigation and with her grandmother's involvement. These situations are what I love - the relationship between Raina and Po Po is a big part of this. Not just an ordinary Grandma, Po Po makes sure to be packing a pumpkin launcher, even during her Halloween dance routine. Add an unexpected visit from her 3 year old niece, Raina is in for more fun and distractions than true detective work. The humor mostly clouds the investigation and adds to the serious situations, but in the end, Raina always solves the mystery. This book had many suspects and in depth developments for each as well as little side stories that effect Raina's investigation. As always, Anne not disappoint with Raina and Po Po and their hijinks. Can't wait for the next in the series.
Another fun mystery with Raina and her grandmother. Raina is now working as an intern private investigator for Moody Investigations and her assignment is to watch the beautiful young wife of a rich man when he is at work. Raina and Po Po, her grandmother, think that perhaps she is having an affair and her husband is waiting to catch her out, but instead, they witness the wife being abducted instead. They give chase, and manage to lose the kidnappers but decided to report it to the police anyway. But the following day, the rich man is complaining to Raina's boss that his wife was at the spa during the time that she was supposedly kidnapped.
Raina and Po Po are well confused, even more so, when the rich man himself is found dead at the old pumpkin patch, a piece of land that he was planning to develop into a shopping mall. But this is before the mass grave of dead bodies turn up.....
Another good mystery form Anne R Tan, with laughs and high jinks from Po Po. Enjoyed and recommended.
Raina has decided to become a private investigator so she is serving an apprenticeship with a licensed investigator as part of the requirements. Her job is to shadow a woman, and she and her grandma witness the woman being kidnapped. Before the police get into the investigation it looks like there was never a kidnapping, and the woman shows up at a day spa. The next thing we see is the husband who wanted the surveillance is found murdered. Raina and her grandma, with the posse from the senior center, are up to their usual antics trying to solve the murder while Matthew is out of town for training. There are several suspects, all with strong motives for the murder. Of course the murderer doesn't want her continuing her investigation.
I certainly enjoy this series. Raina and PoPo are laugh out loud hilarious. The mystery is intriguing and characters are well drawn. Even though I'm an advance reader, Anne Tan is one of my favorite cozy authors.
ARC - I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest! Raina is in training to get her PI License All she has to do is trail a wife is "maybe" having an affair. Easy, right ? It would be if Po Po had not come along. You know that something is going to happen any time Po Po is around. Raina witness the wife being kidnapped, but then the wife denies the whole thing, She was at the Spa at the time of the kidnapping. That is not the end, her husband is found murdered. Now Raina has 2 mysteries to solve. What a nightmare! On top of that, Matthew is out of town on a police conference Things are not looking good for Raina. Will Raina solve both cases? Loved the storyline + the storytelling. ( Po Po is the best ! )
The rich developer, Arthur Westchester, is found dead on the land he plans to turn into a mall. The neighbors are against the mall but, is it enough to murder the man? And what was he doing out there so early in the morning with a new rake? Just what was it he was looking for, if anything?
Raina's internship at Moody Investigation is in trouble because she just cannot stop her curiosity about Arthur's murder.
Was it one of the neighbors or someone else that lured him to the pumpkin patch? Why?
With the help of her Po Po and the senior citizens, Raina looks into the murder.
This was the first book in the series I read so was slightly lost at the beginning. It didn't take long to get my bearings and settle down to enjoy the story.
#6 in the 22 something Raina Sun mystery series in the small town of Gold Springs near Sacramento, CA.
Raina, with an engineering degree, is still trying to settle into a career. She is currently working for a private investigator starting to accumulate the necessary hours to obtain a PI license. She is a bit klutzy so gets herself in a number of embarrassing situations and a destroyer of cell phones.
What starts as a simple shadowing of a woman whose husband suspects is cheating rapidly escalates with a kidnapping the woman denies happened and a murder. Raina's new boss seems more worried about collecting their fee than finding the killer which goes against Raina's sense of justice.
The real star of this mystery is Raina's very colorful and lively po po (grandmother).
This was another great laugh out loud caper with the dynamic duo. Rain a still trying to figure out her life, job wise. Best thing is Matthew and her are finally engaged. She takes another part time job as a P I in training. While on a stake out with Po Po, they witness the lady get kidnapped. But everything is not as it seems. Then a murder takes place at the pumpkin patch. There was so much going on and I loved it. Po Po was her usual hilarious self. Her toys have become very useful in saving Raina's life. This is a series I will totally enjoy continuing. I voluntarily agreed to review this book. My review is my own honest opinion.
Another truly enjoyable mystery with Raina and her grandmother. Raina is an intern private investigator and her job is to keep an eye on the wife of a rich man while he's away at work. Raina and her grandmother believe she's having an affair and her husband is trying to catch her in the act, but instead, they witness her being kidnapped. Raina files a police report after losing the abductors in a chase, but the next day, her client claims his wife was at the spa all day and was never kidnapped.
The client is soon found dead along with a mass grave.
Another good mystery form Anne Tan. Well worth the read!
This book was a cute, but lame read. I got tired of the grandmother's jokes, and the MC complaining about her and her senior posse, yet turn another page to the same. In every book, there are good & bad people. However, the biggest crime in this book was when the engaged MC gets threatened by the acting Chief of Police that she had better give him any and all details of a crime that happened or else the acting Chief would harrass her soon to be groom, in the near future. Yet this book smart main character decides not to tell anyone close to her. I will not go searching for another book in this series.
This is Murky Passions and Scandals, book 6 of The Raina Sun Mystery series, written by Anne R Tan. Ms Tan has done it again. We get another original mystery filled with the hijinks of the geriatric club, led by Raina’s grandmother Po Po. The things they get into never fail to provide hours of entertainment. I just wish it were possible to meet these characters in real life...sigh....Since that isn’t an option, I guess I’ll stick to absorbing every word written about them. Join me for the fun! I received an advance readers copy and chose voluntarily to leave this review.
Excellent read! I was given a preview copy in return for a review. Never a problem for this series! What a way to start a mystery but by jumping right in! Raina and Po Po crack me up. This might have been my favorite of their adventures. Po Po never ceases to amaze me with her antics. I was really excited to finally have Matthew back for good too. Now I will have to wait for #7 in the Spring...
Another good read in the Raina Sun Mystery series; this book can also be read as a stand alone. While I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book from the start, by the third chapter I couldn't put the book down. This was a great mystery read that kept you guessing at who dunnit until about the same time Raina figured it out. I would recommend this book as a quick, fun read for any mystery lover.
Every bit as hilarious as the previous books whether you've read them or not! Raina Sun and her grandmother called PoPo are on the case, and later the other octogenarians help with surveillance. And then, of course, there is PoPo's mini pumpkin launcher. A good, well written mystery with some fascinating characters and situations that will really have you spraying your caffeine!
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this advance reader copy and was not compensated in any way.
I enjoyed this book. Raina had a conscience. Her grandma is great! Love those seniors. It has a little comedy & suspense. With Matthew out of town, Raina is “keeping her eye on things” at the police department. A very good read.
PoPo remains one of the best things in the Raina Sun mysteries. Matthew hardly appears in this book, so no romancing really goes on. Will Raina stick with her plan to become a PI? How much damage will PoPo inflict with her pocket sized pumpkin launcher. The Senior Citizens spying group are feaured in this volume. A quick read.
Kinda felt rushed and I wish more of overarching plot from previous books were expanded on more. Like is Raina really jumping into engagement with her on and off again boyfriend/ex-husband? Okayyyyyyy. But I have to admit the reveal for the motive behind of the murder was kind of a lightbulb moment so I enjoyed that
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.