Overview

Kausar Khan returns to dispense more vigil-aunty justice in the second installment of the critically acclaimed Detective Aunty series--and this time, the crime Kausar is investigating is dredging up memories she buried long ago . . . When Kausar Khan moved back to Toronto to be closer to her family, she didn't expect to have another murder investigation on her hands so soon--or really ever. But when a young man named Qasim is found dead in their Golden Crescent neighborhood, and when she learns he was close to her granddaughter, Maleeha, what's a grandmother to do but try and solve the case? And it's not just her heartbroken granddaughter spurring Kausar to find answers; it's also how the circumstances of Qasim's death remind her of her own teenage son, Ali, and his mysterious death nearly twenty years before. Kausar knows firsthand what a difference closure can make to a grieving parent--and the more she seeks to find that for Qasim's parents, the more she begins to realize that perhaps it's time she finds closure for herself as well. As Kausar digs into both Qasim's and Ali's cases and her ""aunty"" skills continue to bring more information to light, she can't help but wonder if the similarities between the two cases are more than just mere coincidence. But how could two deaths, twenty years apart, possibly be related? Detective Aunty is determined to find out.

Full Product Details

9780063434967

Table of Contents

Reviews

""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 ""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 ""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 ""[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 ""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 ""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 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 ""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

""This second installment [in the Detective Aunty series] is deeply layered, rich in culture, and paves the way for this detective to become a favorite."" - Kirkus Reviews ""Jalaluddin returns with the second stellar addition to her Detective Aunty series, gifting readers with another meticulously plotted cozy that also thoughtfully explores the ties that bind us together."" - Booklist ""Fans of Agatha Christie's sharp-eyed detective Miss Jane Marple will recognize a similarly gifted sleuth in South Asian-Canadian detective Aunty Kausar Khan."" - National 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 on Detective Aunty ""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 on Detective Aunty ""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 on Detective Aunty ""For fans of cozy mysteries, amateur sleuths, and family relationships!"" - Book Riot on Detective Aunty ""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, on Detective Aunty ""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, on Detective Aunty

Author Information

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.

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