Book Review | Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin
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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 . . .
Jalaluddin's latest novel takes readers back to the Golden Crescent suburb in eastern Toronto. Kausar returns to the city to help her daughter, Sana, who has been accused of murdering the landlord of her retail shop.
Jalaluddin is known for her romance novels such as Hana Khan Carries On and Ayesha at Last. While there are hints of a budding romance between Kausar and an old friend, this novel falls into the cozy mystery/cozy detective genre. Like her previous novels, Detective Aunty is a medium-paced and plot-driven, making it both a great physical and audiobook read.
What I love most about Jalaluddin's novels is the bits and pieces of the city she's captured within the pages. While some things may seem typical of cities across North America, readers from Scarborough and across the GTA will notice certain elements of their city reflected in Detective Aunty. For me, it was a throwaway line of '3 buses later' (highlighting the lack of transit options in Scarborogh-especially after the LRT's closure), increased vehicular thefts across the region and the affordability crisis (impacting housing and food).
I would say that Detective Aunty falls into two of my favourite genres, mystery and senior fiction, but that wouldn't fair. As she's not yet 60, Kausar isn't eligible for senior fare on the TTC or a senior coffee at McDonald's. However, she is in her second act. For the first time in a long time, she has the opportunity to try new things and put herself out there in a way she hadn't before.
Needless to say, I enjoyed this novel and I'm (im)patiently waiting for the next book in the series to be released. If you enjoy mystery novels that are plot-driven with a large cast and middle-aged characters, Detective Aunty should be on your list!
*Thank you, HarperCollins Canada, for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
