Detective Aunty - (Detective Aunty Investigates) by Uzma Jalaluddin (Paperback)

About the Book

"After her husband's unexpected death eighteen months ago, Kausar Khan never thought she'd receive another phone call as heartbreaking--until her thirty-something daughter Sana phones to say that she's been arrested for killing the unpopular landlord of her clothing boutique. Determined to help her child, Kausar heads to Toronto for the first time in nearly twenty years. ... Kausar finds that the thriving neighborhood she remembered has changed. The murder of Sana's landlord is only the latest in a wave of local crimes which have gone unsolved. ... With the help of some old friends and her plucky teenage granddaughter, Kausar digs into the investigation to uncover the truth"--

Book Synopsis

Named a Best Fiction Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews, The Washington Post, Library Journal, The Globe and Mail, and the Chicago Public Library

"I'll read anything Uzma Jalaluddin writes."--New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn

When her grown daughter is suspected of murder, a charming and tenacious widow digs into the case to unmask the real killer in this twisty, page-turning whodunnit--the first book in a cozy new detective series from the acclaimed author of Ayesha at Last.

After her husband's unexpected death eighteen months ago, Kausar Khan never thought she'd receive another phone call as heartbreaking--until her thirty-something daughter, Sana, phones to say that she's been arrested for killing the unpopular landlord of her clothing boutique. Determined to help her child, Kausar heads to Toronto for the first time in nearly twenty years.

Returning to the Golden Crescent suburb where she raised her children and where her daughter still lives, Kausar finds that the thriving neighborhood she remembered has changed. The murder of Sana's landlord is only the latest in a wave of local crimes which have gone unsolved.

And the facts of the case are troubling: Sana found the man dead in her shop at a suspiciously early hour, with a dagger from her windowfront display plunged in his chest. And Kausar--a woman with a keen sense of observation and deep wisdom honed by her years--senses there's more to the story than her daughter is telling.

With the help of some old friends and her plucky teenage granddaughter, this unlikely woman sleuth digs into the investigation to uncover the truth. Because who better to pry answers from unwilling suspects than a meddlesome aunty? But as this clever amateur sleuth digs deeper, even Kausar can't predict the secrets, lies, and betrayals she finds along the way...

Review Quotes

"Jalaluddin offers readers both a satisfying puzzle and an endearing new sleuth." - The Washington Post

"Jalaluddin, who has crossed into crime fiction from the romantic comedy genre, doesn't skimp on plotting--the whodunnit twist caught me pleasingly flat-footed--but shines most with character and community, showing complexities of mother-daughter relationships and the variability of longtime friendships. Detective Aunty is the first in a new series and I certainly welcome more installments." - New York Times Book Review

"Jalaluddin's first mystery is beyond satisfying, from Sherlock-style deductive reasoning to Christie-esque dinner parties, but infused with the flavors of samosa, biryani, and raita. Most tantalizing of all is Kausar herself, a proud South Asian Muslim woman defining her second act, a woman unafraid of turning her observational skills on herself, revealing deep pain and the personal flaws that stem from it. Put on a fresh pot of chai, because Kausar Aunty is just getting started. Who could resist 'Jack Reacher in a dupatta'?" - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Jalaluddin deftly pivots from writing romance novels to launching a mystery series...This cleverly crafted tale gracefully tips its literary cap to Golden Age mysteries while at the same time entering a relevant and intriguing twenty-first-century plot into the genre equation. Featuring a superbly nuanced protagonist--an aunty and grandmother who cares as much about her community as Agatha Christie's Jane Marple cared about St. Mary Mead--Jalaluddin's first Kausar Khan novel is a triumph." - Booklist, starred review

"Jalaluddin has created a complex character who must come to terms with her past as well as her future while dealing with outmoded ideas and behavior aimed at women of a certain age, and supporting characters add humor to the plot. Recommended for fans of Sujata Massey's Perveen Mistry books and Robert Thorogood's 'Marlow Murder Club' series." - Library Journal

"Older detectives are having their moment in fiction, solving crimes with savvy and wit." - AARP

"I love a good, cozy mystery, one with lots of charm and a solid central character, and Detective Aunty is the perfect spring read. With intelligence, the wisdom of age and the nosiness everyone permits in an 'Aunty, ' Kausar uncovers plots and secrets that no one, even she, could predict. This is a terrific beginning for what I hope is a series." - The Globe and Mail

"For fans of cozy mysteries, amateur sleuths, and family relationships!" - Book Riot

"[A] delight...run to your nearest library or bookstore. Fans of Jesse Q. Sutanto's Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers will love watching Kausar forge a new second act for herself as she tries to save her family." - Christian Science Monitor

"A delightful cozy mystery...Uzma Jalaluddin has created a delightful new heroine who surely has many more cases to solve." - BookTrib

"[Detective Aunty is] a delightful cozy mystery with humor, heart, and a loveable amateur sleuth who proves that age is just a number." - Anokhi Life

"Uzma Jalaluddin's mystery debut, Detective Aunty, is a winner. [The novel is] a particularly special and page-turning read. I've never read a protagonist quite like Kausar Khan before." - The Michigan Daily

"Jalaluddin has launched a mystery series that's as comforting and spicy as the chai Kausar brews to meet her family's challenges." - Crime Fiction Review

"Step aside, Elspeth, Detective Aunty does it better than you and Columbo combined!" - Kings River Life Magazine

"A read as cozy and delicious as a cup of chai, Kausar Khan proves aunties get stuff done. I already loved Jalaluddin's romances and now I've found a new favorite cozy mystery series as well!" - Mia P. Manansala, author of the best-selling Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series

"I adored this--it weaves together that perfect mix of mystery, community heart, and secrets, all with wit and warmth. Uzma Jalaluddin puts her finger on the pulse of tricky mother-daughter relationships, gently prods cultural norms, and keeps you guessing as to whodunnit all in an expertly paced style. I can't wait to see what Kausar Khan gets up to next!" - Kristen Perrin, nationally bestselling author of How to Solve Your Own Murder

"Detective Aunty is a charmer from beginning to end. Uzma Jalaluddin gives a generous nod to the golden age of mysteries with an observant widow, Kausar Khan, standing in for Miss Marple, and an east Toronto shopping mall destined for redevelopment in place of an English village. Kausar's polite but relentless quest for justice--and her daughter's freedom--is note-perfect. Sure to delight any fan of Nita Prose or Alexander McCall Smith." - Kate Hilton, bestselling co-author of Bury the Lead

"I loved Detective Aunty! From the complex main character who is rediscovering herself in her 'second act' of life, to the deliciously layered mystery interwoven with deep cultural nuances, Uzma Jalaluddin has once more hit it out of the park. I can't wait for the next Kausar Khan mystery!" - Nalini Singh, New York Times Bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling series

"Uzma Jalaluddin's Detective Aunty delivers mystery and misdirection in spades, while also digging deeper into how tragedy can tear friends and families apart. With suspects galore, a big city/small community setting, tons of culture, and an amateur sleuth you'll want to hug and cheer on in equal measure, this novel is a cozy mystery lover's delight." - Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of Only One Survives

"Jalaluddin's charming cozy mystery is as much about solving a murder as it is an homage to family, community, and the desire for a second chance in life, all served up with delightful flare and a side of chai." - Katie Tallo, author of Buried Road

"Detective Aunty might be a cozy mystery, but it's coziness with edginess, as its heroine might say. Kausar Khan's investigation into a murder where her own daughter is the chief suspect reveals fractures in the community and even worse, in her family. Uzma Jalaluddin's story is richly layered, folding in social issues while delving deep into family woes and a journey of self-discovery. Her characters are so deftly created that even the minor ones insinuate complex backstories. A wise and delightful start to the series, I can't wait for Kausar's next adventure." - Janie Chang, bestselling co-author of The Phoenix Crown

"Uzma Jalaluddin is a fantastic new voice in crime fiction! Kausar Khan's dazzling detection skills and evolved empathy make for a deeply compelling crime-solver. This book has family, community, humor, and heart, and they all revolve around a delightfully duplicitous murder that will keep you turning pages to the end. Detective Aunty is here to stay!" - Ausma Zehanat Khan, award-winning author of Blood Betrayal