Just Shoot Me Dead

A Lucy Fong Mystery #1

by Anne R. Tan

While on a blind date with a doctor and his mama, Lucy Fong gets a call that her estranged mom is found shot in the stomach in her private investigation office. She returns to Morro Cliff Village to search for answers and her sister...and finds only a dead body in her sister's apartment.

When the local police chief zeros in on her sister as a "person of interest," Lucy must brush up her sleuthing skills. It's a race to find her sister before the police—and the killer—do.

She must use all her wits (and those she can borrow) to find this hidden killer before he strikes at her family again.

Don't miss this fast-paced cozy mystery—get your copy of "Just Shoot Me Dead" today!

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 9, 2018

About the author

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.

Thank you for supporting my art,

Anne R. Tan

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Lucy Fong received a telephone call from her cousin, Estella, to say Lucy's mother had been shot at her PI office, she hurriedly left San Francisco for Morro Cliff Village to be by her side. Although they'd long been estranged, Lucy loved her mother and step sister, who was currently missing. What was going on with her family?

As Lucy, her adoped grandma Po Po, and Stella (Estella) searched for clues, with the local police chief working his hardest through the investigation, Lucy's next discovery was a dead body inside her sister's apartment. She didn't like the way things were pointing - she knew her sister hadn't done this, but so much was pointing her way. Could Lucy and her small team find the killer, and find her sister before worse happened?

Just Shoot Me Dead is the 1st in A Lucy Fong Mystery series by Anne R. Tan and I enjoyed it. Fun, fast paced, entertaining, all with a lick of danger on the side, it's a cosy mystery I can recommend.

[Stephanie Villere · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Just Shoot Me Dead, book one of a new series titled A Lucy Fong Amateur PI Mystery, written by Anne R Tan. Let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Ms Tan and her Raina Sun series. This is a brand new series about her cousin Lucy, and we even get to borrow PoPo for our story. When Lucy’s Mom winds up in the hospital and no one knows who attacked her, Lucy and Popo take it upon theirselves to solve the mystery while they wait on her Mom to regain consciousness. As always, there are twists and turns and hijinks a plenty! I think this will be a great series!

[Maureen Horswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy has rushed to her estranged mum’s side in hospital, after she has been shot. All the signs point to it. Ring her sister but she doesn’t believe it. Along the journey to trying to find out the truth, houses are ransacked, dead bodies are found and a sheriff who constantly drops, breaks and upsets items is in the picture. Lucy is desperately trying to find her missing sister who is being accused of not only being a drug addict, but of stealing drugs from her workplace. Can things get any worse….

[Karen (BaronessBookTrove) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Just Shoot Me Dead by Anne R. Tan is about Lucy Fong returning home to her family.

Will Lucy get justice for her mother?

Lucy Fong
Our sleuth is named Lucy Fong, and she is the oldest child who ran away from home. Lucy comes back home to try to mend bridges. She has a good head on her shoulders and a great heart for coming back home to help with things while her mom is in the hospital. She is a good character, and one that I can't wait to see grow into an even better person. Now that she is back home and taking care of business while helping her mom get better.

The Mystery
Lucy Fong gets a call about her mom being shot, and that she is in the hospital. Somehow, no one has been able to get ahold of her baby half-sister. Lucy goes home to Morro Cliff Village to be there for her mom until she wakes up. Well, that is until she is put into the middle of a murder investigation that seems to point to her sister as being the main suspect. Lucy has to race around the clock to find her sister while figuring out what is going on in her family's life. I have to say that I figured out who the killer was, but every motive I could think of wasn't making any sense until it all came out at the end.

Five Stars
I am giving five stars to Just Shoot Me Dead by Anne R. Tan, and I am recommending this series. Ms. Tan has a great start to a series, and one that I'm hoping she will continue. The author has two other series as well. Lucy Fong is a funny character, but even more so when she has Po Po and Sally as her sidekicks.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Just Shoot Me Dead by Anne R. Tan.

Until the next time,



Happy Reading!This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

[John Presler · Rating 5 out of 5]

While on a blind date, Lucy Fong gets a phone call from her cousin, Estelle, informing her that her mother has been shot and is in the hospital. Lucy rushes back to her home town of Morrow Cliff Village Lucy has only spoken to her mother once in the last sixteen years.

After checking on her mother in the hospital, Lucy goes to find her half-sister, Breanne. Instead of finding her sister, she finds a dead body in her sister's apartment, but her sister is nowhere to be found. With help from Po Po, Raina Sun's grandmother and Lucy's foster-grandmother, Lucy sets out to find her sister and solve the mystery of her mother's shooting.

Who is the dead man in her sister's apartment? Did Breanne kill him? If so, why? Who shot Lucy's mom? Can Lucy and Po Po find the killer and prove her sister's innocence?

Being the first book in the series, it starts a little slow to properly lay the background material. Once the background is laid out, Anne Tan picks up the pace and the story moves along at a good clip, keeping the reader totally involved to the very end.

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightfully original cozy mystery! I enjoyed all the crazy things Stella and Po Po got up to! Po Po seems to be quite the character! The pace of the story was perfect and the characters were completely believable and interesting. I am going to read more books in this series! I really enjoyed it!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun story. Mystery and family love and maybe romance. I can’t believe I have read the Raina books and not the Lucy books. If you haven’t read them get book one for free and you will be hooked. I highly recommend it.

[M Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read, loved it! Couldn’t stop reading. Lucy becomes an amateur private investigator to discover who shot her mother. Supported by her adopted grandma and cousin, whilst her younger sister has mysteriously disappeared. Is she the culprit? Another body, ransacked appartments… Well written, great characters, the story captivates the reader, trying to keep up with all the action and drama. My first read of this author, but certainly not my last.

[Joyce927 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new series by Anne R. Tan, and is just as delightful as the Raina Sun series. I was already a huge fan and was not disappointed in this book. Lucy is the half Chinese illegitimate daughter of Dahlia Faye who is a private investigator in a small town south of San Francisco. When Lucy Fong finds out her mother has been shot and is in a coma she rushes back to her home town.

Lucy has the assistance of her cousin Estelle and Popo, her adopted grandmother in San Francisco. The antics of her two helpers are laugh-out-loud funny. Lucy isn't sure Max, the inexperienced chief of Police, is equal to the task before him, but he is determined to find the killer. They combine their talents as they sift through the suspects.

I loved the characters and was intrigued by the mystery. I especially enjoy finding out about Chinese culture and have added this as another favorite series. If you enjoy a good mystery without graphic violence, sex or bad language you will enjoy any of Ms. Tan's books.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book as part of a starter set to try some new authors. I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this book (as well as her Raina Sun series book#1). The characters are quirky and endearing and I loved reading about the family dynamics as well. I enjoyed this cozy mystery so much that I immediately purchased all of her available books including a pre-order! :) Lucy and her (informally) adoptive grandmother PoPo (see the Raina Sun series) get into some hilarious situations and PoPo's antics will leave you laughing as they work towards solving the mystery and healing Lucy's relationship with her estranged family.

[Beth Helm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was full of action from beginning to end. The twists and turns kept me reading long into the night.

[Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love, love, love seeing a cozy mystery starring a Chinese-American sleuth. Lucy and her investigative posse were great and it's refreshing finally seeing diversity in this genre. Po Po is probably one of the most memorable characters I’ve encountered all year and it was fun following her antics. There were many references to the Raina Sun mysteries since Po Po appears in those cases as well. I am unfamiliar with those stories so I grew tired of the regular references to them, but fans of Tan's other work will surely love these appearances.

This story has the kind of uplifting, ridiculous-but-its-so-fun-you-don’t-mind antics you can only find in cozies. Watching Lucy and Po Po break into places they shouldn’t be, wearing costumes, and taking down the killer via a cat was entertaining. It was not particularly plausible, much like how the police kept sharing details of an ongoing investigation with these two random women, but that removal of reality made the story more fun.

I do wish there had been more closure at the end. We never technically found out what happened (sure, we know who the killer/shooter was and loosely why they did it, but we never got that official walk through once all the clues came together. I still have a lot of questions, like how the brownies played such a major role during the shootout) and I wanted to know what happened between the remaining characters. Did April ever apologize to Lucy for her rude behavior? Was Roy involved in his sister’s crimes or not? What’s going to happen between Lucy and Max? I presume we will learn more about these characters and get answers to these questions as the series progresses but I wanted more closure in this installment.

My only other complaint was the occasional poor word choice. The phrase "her jaw dropped" was used so frequently it became distracting. And there were several instances that slut shamed, with Breanna repeatedly being called a whore or a slut and the word "bimbo" was thrown around regularly.

Overall this was an enjoyable read. It’s strongest points are the diversity in its main sleuths, the memorability of its leading ladies (mainly Po Po. What a woman.) and its delightfully short page count. I love a good short story and fans of a good cozy mystery should check this one out. I can even see myself retuning to this series in the future if I'm in the mood for another reliable cozy.

[Marti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good cozy mystery with a hint of romance. I like Lucy a lot, and guess who’s here? Our favorite crazy Chinese grandma, PoPo!

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great start to the series. There is great character development and the narrative gives a nice picture of the world in which this takes place. Lucy's adoptive grandmother is an entertaining character.

Classic mystery with all the expected plot twists. Lucy forms a team to help her solve the mystery.

Fun to read and a satisfying conclusion.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy Fong's P.I. mom is shot in front of her office, bringing Lucy back to her small hometown, where she finds herself investigating the crime (the town only has two cops), as well as trying to find her younger half-sister when another body shows up. She must also sift through small-town gossip. She's assisted by her foster grandma Po Po & her mom's cousin Stella (the series is connected to the Raina Sun series, where Po Po is Raina's biological grandma). I've yet to read the Raina Sun series, but I don't think it's necessary to enjoy the Lucy Fong series.

The story was fun & exciting & Po Po is a really funny grandma. I look forward to reading more of the series.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I have several of this author's ebooks, I have yet to read any of them. Seems like I made a good choice, because I really liked this book. The characters were fun, caring, and willing to work together. The plot was easy to follow and had plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I do recommend this book and feel it is well worth your time and effort to read.

[gowri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read, the plot and the culprit reveal were both good but wasn't a huge fan of some of the writing/word choice for some parts of the novel. Also really glad Lucy did not fall for any of the guys yet because honestly not really impressed so far 🥴 okay that's a lie I like Damien better than the other guy but still.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love these new series. Already pre ordered the next book

[CONNIE BALTHROP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great series Anne R. Tan.

[James Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read

The author has created an amazing and unique plot to go with an imaginative group of characters making this hard to put down

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the outset let me say that I have long been a fan of the Raina Sun mysteries and have posted 5 star reviews. Anne R. Tan writes exceedingly well, and her books are well edited. I pre-ordered this but I also I did receive this book free but that has no influence upon my rating.
This is the first book in the Lucy Fong Amateur Detective series. The story opens with Lucy (an out of work internet marketing consultant) and her foster grandmother PoPo (also Raina’s grandmother) having dinner with a Chinese doctor and his mother – PoPo having set Lucy up on a blind date.
I should explain that PoPo is a term of endearment for maternal grandmother, and PoPo informally adopted Lucy and brought her into the Wong family when as a teenager Lucy had run away from home and landed at her uncle’s shop in San Francisco. Lucy believed she needed a grandmother and PoPo was more than willing to take on the role. You should know that PoPo is quite a character! A 60 something active retiree who has assisted Raina Sun in investigations (PoPo describes her relationship with Rainy as “Rainy and I are like Sherlock and Watson.”) , and has been known to dress strangely, flirt with anything in pants regardless of age, and has used a watermelon launcher as a weapon. Her antics will have you laughing until you can’t stop!
While at the dinner Lucy receives a call from her cousin Estelle that her mother, a private investigator from whom Lucy had been estranged for about 12 years, had been shot. Lucy immediately leaves for her home town. She finds her mother unconscious with her cousin Estelle by her side. Unexpectedly, PoPo shows up. In short order they find Lucy’s half-sister Breanne missing, and find a dead body in her sister’s apartment.
PoPo and Estelle, a retired pharmacist, become fast friends and the three undertake to find out who shot Lucy’s mother (a private investigator running her deceased father’s agency), find Breanne, and find out who killed the man in Breanne’s apartment. Are the crimes related? You’ll have to read the book to find out! And – I should note that there is a hunk of a police chief who is quite inexperienced (no police experience but a former Assistant District Attorney) who PoPo would like to hook up with Lucy!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

After over a decade not having been in contact with her mother and her step sister, Lucy gets a text from her cousin, Estelle, telling her that her mother has been shot while working in her P.I. office. After years of therapy, Lucy has just about come to terms with her family's relationship and she rushes off to find her mother in a coma in hospital. The point blank shot and the fact that her sister is missing makes Lucy and PoPo, her foster grandmother wonder if her mother, Dahlia, knew the shooter. When a dead body turns up at her sister's condo, the police start looking closer to home for Breanne, her sister. Lucy, PoPo and Estelle use their amateur sleuth skills to try to solve the mystery before the police arrest Breanne or worse still, the killer finishes the job.

Anne R Tan's books are always a delight to read. Her characters are quirky, humorous and believable and the storylines always addictive. I really like Lucy, the slightly less-young, intelligent half Chinese character, who has issues and is so ready for a nice man to romance her, although she does not know it. PoPo is as always a laugh-a-minute but Estelle has certainly come into her own and promises to be another fun and interesting character. Watching this space and waiting for the next Lucy Fong adventure! I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

[Jeffrey Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne R. Tan delivers an engaging and fast-paced cozy mystery in Just Shoot Me Dead, the first book in the Lucy Fong Amateur PI Mystery series.

This novel introduces Lucy Fong, a sharp and determined protagonist.

Forced to return to her estranged family when her private investigator mother is shot, the homecoming turns into a frantic search for her missing half-sister, all while dodging a police investigation and tracking down a murderer.

Tan’s writing is fluid and entertaining, with a perfect blend of humour, suspense, and family dynamics.

Lucy’s relationship with her no-nonsense foster grandmother, PoPo, is a highlight.

The supporting characters, including cousin Estelle and the inexperienced but well-meaning police chief, add layers to the story, making the small-town setting feel alive.

The mystery itself is well-plotted, with enough twists and clues to keep readers guessing.

However, the resolution is predictable, and some aspects could be more realistic.

Despite this, the book remains an enjoyable, lighthearted read.

Fans of cozy mysteries with strong female leads and lively family drama will love Lucy Fong’s adventures.

[Cinda Inman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy Fong is living in a small San Francisco apartment where she has lived since her uncle passed away. Lucy ran away from home at age 16 trying to avoid her stepfather, showing up on her uncle's doorstep. When Lucy receives a phone call that her mother, Dahlia Faye, has been shot, she drives to her former home, Morro Cliff Village on the Central Coast. Seeing her mother unconscious and her half-sister, Breanne, missing, Lucy decides to find out who shot her mother. While planning what to do, her adopted grandmother, Po Po, shows up. With Po Po and Lucy's cousin, Estelle, they begin their search against the advice of the chief of police, Max Dewitt.
Lucy goes to her sister's apartment only to find a dead man. The dead man is apparently Breanne's boyfriend.
This book is loaded with suspects. Twists and turns abound.
I enjoyed reading this book I received as an ARC for an honest review. A must read for those who love cozy mysteries.

[Ying_ko · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun start to a new cozy mystery series. I received an advanced copy of the book and enjoyed it enough to want to review it. In addition, I pre-ordered it. Lucy Fong’s life is complicated; she left her mother, half-sister, and abusive step-father at the age of 16 and lived with her beloved Uncle Wong. He life is rather confused as she tries to find her path, but is completely thrown into a blender when her P. I. mother is shot and her sister is missing. She travels to her old home along with her foster Bonnie “Po Po” Wong. Po Po is a hip granny, more up on current trends than most of the younger set and will be familiar to readers of the author’s Raina Sun mysteries. What follows is a fun and exciting mystery with a missing half-sister / possible suspect, sneaking around, and other events that play fair with the reader, or put another way, it is solvable based upon the clues on-hand. If you like a good mystery you need look no further.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Anne's Raina Sun mysteries so I was curious to see how a new series would be. I enjoyed it just as much as the original series. Lucy is essentially part of Raina's family, thanks to PoPo treating her as a granddaughter as well. Lucy is suddenly summoned to her estranged mother's hospital bedside to find out her mother was attacked. As the story starts to unfold, Lucy falls into the crime investigating with PoPo by her side, just like Raina. While PoPo wasn't as daring as she is with Raina, she is still the true comedy relief. PoPo and Lucy have a different relationship, almost more guarded. Lucy as well is much more careful than Raina but still tries to hone in on her inherent PI skills. As in the other books, there are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Many new characters were introduced, who I am sure we will meet in future stories. I look forward to reading the future installments and see where Lucy's path may take her.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book based on reviews and kept my fingers crossed as many times I’ve been disappointed. I’m glad to say this was not the case.

The main character is portrayed with all her weaknesses…making her likable and quite human. Her two sidekicks: a geriatric grandmother and an older cousin, provide comic relief. They also support her in sleuthing and exposing the killer.

The storyline is enjoyable with twists and turns. It is a clean story though there are references to sex. But it’s not descriptive more like the geriatric grandmother trying to push her granddaughter into finding a boyfriend.

The typos and editing errors were minimal though they did exist. Had to reread a sentence two times to verify that a word should not have been there.

So if you can overlook a few errors, I would suggest this book.

[Normalee M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Lunar New Year!

This was such a fun read! As someone who's of mixed Asian ethnicity, it was nice to see the representation. All the characters were likable, and the author did a good job of making Lucy 'human'. I also loved Po Po's free-spirited personality, since sadly, with grandmothers being the actual head of Asian households, this isn't something you see very often.

The story itself was pretty easy to follow. The mystery wasn't really who the killer was (since they figured that out relatively easily), but rather their motive and how to catch them in the act.

Sure, the book could use some proofreading here and there, but nothing major. Also, Po Po's age is undetermined since the story made mention of her being in her 70s and then 80s later down, but again, no biggie.

Overall, this was a fun read, and I would continue with the series.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great start to a new series. Po Po will be the star of any story she's in. That's just her personality and I love her. She will ride or die for any she loves. She knew Lucy couldn't face this on her own. When Lucy receives the call about her mother she's like in shock mode. Then to hear all the rumours about her sister doesn't help. Who would want to her Dalhia, she has no ideal. But she knew she would have to figure it out.
If you haven't read any books by this author you are truly missing out. I love both series. Now I can't wait to see how her relationship develops with the police chief and will she stay with her family permanently or not.
I voluntarily agreed to review this book. My review is my own honest opinion.

[Chantal-Lise Mirman · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Unpredictable Journey Home

Lucy drops everything in her already ramshackle life to go flying to the side of her estranged mother in the hospital, who has just been shot by an unknown assailant! A tearful reunion is blocked by an apparent coma, and Lucy is left to heal her past and solve the present mystery with the help of PoPo, her eccentric adoptive grandmother and Max, the green-behind-the-ears local Police Chief.
To say the story is character-driven is an understatement. You will love Lucy, and PoPo (and Estelle, and Max, for that matter)! Quirky mannerisms aside, the story is well-written and comes to a satisfying conclusion I look forward to more adventures from the reluctant new P. I.!