Description
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 whodunit—the first book in a cozy new detective series from the acclaimed author of Ayesha at Last
After her husband’s unexpected death twelve months earlier, Kausar Khan never thought she’d receive another phone call as heartbreaking—until her thirty-something daughter, Sana, phones to say 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 remembers has changed. The murder of Sana’s landlord is only the latest in a wave of local crimes that 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 into his chest. But Kausar—a woman with a keen sense of observation and deep wisdom honed by life experience—senses there’s more to the story than her daughter is sharing.
With the help of some old friends and her plucky teenage granddaughter, Kausar digs into the investigation to uncover the truth. Because who better to pry answers from unwilling suspects than a meddlesome aunty? But even Kausar could not have predicted the secrets, lies, and betrayals she finds along the way . . .
Product Details
| Publisher | HarperCollins Publishers |
| Publish Date | May 06, 2025 |
| Pages | 336 |
| Language | English |
| Type |  Paperback / softback |
| EAN/UPC | 9781443472845 |
| Dimensions | 9.0 X 6.0 X 0.8 inches | 12.5 pounds |
About the Author
Uzma Jalaluddin is a critically acclaimed and bestselling novelist, playwright, and teacher. She writes nuanced and entertaining stories about Muslims, South Asians, and Canadians and is the author of Much Ado About Nada, Three Holidays and a Wedding, Hana Khan Carries On, and Ayesha at Last. as well as her first play, The Rishta. Her novels have been optioned for film and television, including by Amazon Studios and Mindy Kaling. A high school English teacher, Jalaluddin is also a former contributor to the Toronto Star and the Atlantic. She lives near Toronto with her family.
Reviews
“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 Canadian 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
“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 back stories. A wise and delightful start to the series, I can’t wait for Kausar’s next adventure.” — Janie Chang, co-author of The Phoenix Crown
“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
“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.” — Kate Hilton, co-author of Bury the Lead
“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, Kausaur Khan, standing in for Miss Marple, and an east Toronto shopping mall destined for redevelopment in place of an English village. Kausaur’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.” — Ausma Zehanat Khan, author of Blood Betrayal
"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!" — New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh
"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
"I love a good, cozy mystery, one with lots of charm and a solid central character, and Detective Aunty is the perfect spring read. . . .This is a terrific beginning for what I hope is a series." — Globe and Mail (Toronto)
“Jalaluddin, who has crossed into crime fiction from the romantic comedy genre, doesn’t skimp on plotting – the whodunit twist caught me pleasingly flat-footed – but shines most with character and community, showing the complexities of mother-daughter relationships and the variability of longtime friendships. Detective Aunty is the first in a new series and I would certainly welcome more installments.” — New York Times Book Review
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