Outsiders and misfits in their Australian school, three friends form a mutual bond: Justin Cheong, an only child, and the idol of his Singaporean-Chinese parents; Tien Ho—daughter of a Vietnamese mother who stayed behind and an African-American soldier who she has never met—who lives with indifferent relatives; Nigel “Gibbo” Gibson an oddity: an Australian boy who, to his father’s chagrin, dislikes sports.

When Tien Ho’s mother arrives, the adjustment for mother and daughter is extreme. Gibbo is strongly attracted to beautiful, dainty Linh to whom he is a kid, her daughter’s pal. And Justin discovers that he likes Gibbo as something more than a friend.

The three draw apart as they grow up, only to be reunited once more on Saturday, September 6, 1997 on the occasion of the dinner Mrs. Cheong hosts for them and their parents, to watch the funeral of Princess Diana on television. This Dead Diana Dinner turns out to be a more explosive event than any of them would have dreamed possible




HSU-MING-TEO was born in Malaysia in 1970, grew up in Australia, and currently lives in Sydney. She is a lecturer in history at Macquarie University. Her first novel, Love and Vertigo, won Australia’s prestigious Vogel Literary Award for Best First Novel of 1999.

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