3.5 stars. Enjoyed how Kausar grew into her own here, finally letting go of the grief that had held her for so long, rising to the task of helping her child who is being accused of murder. Her intelligence and her power of observation finally shone thru here, no longer hidden in the shadow of her husband.

The book also shows some insight into the Muslim culture, which I appreciated as it explained some behaviors of the characters, including Kausar.

While the story wrapped up the whodunit, there’s more to the community and the dynamics of the people there now that Kausar is back. Looking forward to the next installment.

I will read anything Uzma writes, but especially if it’s a new cozy series. This one was so fun. I can't wait to see what happens with this series.

Sadly, I was not a fan of this book. I did not enjoy the writing style of the author and the story was not that engaging to me. Read at your own risk.

“A woman’s ambition is always limited by her circumstances.” ☕️🤍

a special thank you to Net Galley, Harper Collins & Harper Perennial for allowing me access to an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin!! it’s an absolute privilege to receive an ARC & i’m so honored to be able to share a honest review in exchange.

🔍 publication date: may 6th, 2025

review: ★ ★ ★ ★ (05/24/25)
it’s a good mystery book when you’re fighting sleep because you MUST know more.

COOLEST AUNTIE EVER. from the financial expertise to the vulnerable admission of having depression, kausar is an amazing women with so much wisdom. which is in addition to being someone who pays a great deal of attention to detail. and i live for an underestimated FMC, very much pip from AGGGTM.

while i’m familiar with islamic & desi culture, i loved the translation & cultural explanations! i was also very happy to read some critiques on generational & cultural differences, i found myself agreeing more to kausar than expected!

while i found keeping with all the characters difficult to fully follow at times, it’s a thrilling read with a rather unexpected ending! to be honest, i didn’t see the truth until it came out in the end.

i can’t wait for the second book and to read more of the author’s works! ☺️

Several months after her husband has passed, Kaiser Khan is now heading back to her old home of Toronto after a surprising call from her daughter telling her she has been accused of murder! Knowing this has to be a mistake, Kaiser knows she can help solve who really did it although her daughter begs her not to get involved. Instead her daughter wants her to just help out at home with her grandchildren and making meals for them. Yeah, that sounds good but not to this mom! She will do everything she can to clear her families name along with figuring out what is going on at their home because nothing feels quite right as well. Can she do it or is her daughter doomed to pay for a crime she may or may not have done?

I absolutely adored the main character, Kausar Khan aka Detective Aunty! This book was a delightful read which had me second guessing all of the characters on who did it! Those are the good books when you it has you second, third and even fourth guessing who the guilty party is! I love how the author, Uzma Jalaluddin explains more about their culture especially about why everyone calls her Aunty for the reader who doesn't know about it. This was much appreciated and helped me follow the storyline better.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Perennial and Paperback for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you Uzma Jalaluddin for this book. I absolutely loved it and can't wait for the next book of the series!

I was excited by this book because I love this author. I was intrigued by it being a mystery. And I always know with this author that there will be depth to the story. But with a mystery, I feel like the murder should surprise you but still make sense. I think it was a pretty long and wandering path to get to the murderer. I will say that I was absolutely frazzled this week and I never want my frame of mind to impact my reading.

I landed on a 3.5 rating.

Kauser thought she’d already been through the worst moments of her life: she lost a teenage son many years ago and lost her husband last year. She’s been living a quiet life. Then she gets a call from her daughter. Her daughter has been accused of murder.

Kauser rushes to her daughter’s side despite never returning to the town after losing her son.

Her daughter seems to be pushing her into the role of cook and caregiver for the children but Kauser wants to help with the investigation. She’s always had a knack for getting to the bottom of things and she’s never had a bigger incentive to solve a mystery. She’s believes her daughter to be innocent and she is determined to figure out who is actually guilty.

There were a lot of people who had reasons to kill the victim. There were a lot of twists and turns getting to the bottom of things. And I think it took longer to uncover the true story than I’d have preferred.

I wouldn’t call this a cozy but there isn’t much blood, gore, or violence. It’s not scary. But it’s not overly light either.

There’s an interesting cast of characters too. I see this is book one of a series and I’ll probably read book two.

I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley, thanks!

This was a fun mystery!

I loved this novel from the very beginning! The characters are so relatable, Kausar is funny and strong and entertaining to be seeing the story through. Not only are we solving a mystery but learning about her family and past, this gives up an extra layer of generations and family dynamics.

I appreciated all that I was able to learn from the experience of these characters, I was googling traditions and words to get to know the characters even more.

This stories structure is that of a classic who done it!!

This is one of those novels that would make a great tv show!

I really thoroughly enjoyed this multicultural mystery, set in a community in Toronto, Canada. Kausar gets a call from her daughter, Sana, asking her mother to come help her as she was arrested. Kausar left Toronto years earlier, after her son, Ali, died, but returns to help her daughter. The relationship between Sana and Kausar is a strained one, but Kausar is willing to do anything for her daughter. Kausar has insights into people which help her to solve a lot of small mysteries in her past, but this challenge is on a different level. There are cultural norms that also describe the choices or lack of choices that can face women, particularly in traditional households. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

While this has some of the traits of a tradition cozy – amateur sleuth, focus on family, no gore or profanities – it doesn’t really fit the category in the sense that this is not a light, fun mystery. Yes, there are some light moments but the subject matter has more heft – grief, loss, messy family relationships, infidelity. That’s not to say I didn’t like it; I did. It just wasn’t what I was expecting. I loved getting to know Kausar, her family, and her friends and following along as she proved her daughter’s innocence. She’s smart, savvy, and loyal. She is exactly who you want in your corner. The mystery itself was complex and it was wonderful to follow along as Kausar slowly unraveled the threads and figure it all out. I can’t wait to see what she gets up to next.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.75/5 I really liked our main; she was great! It was a really nicely paced book, but I felt a little conflicted about the ending -- it felt a little bit needlessly cruel even though I think it was meant to have general murder-mystery charm. I'd be interested in reading more books from this series though, so I'm excited to see more!

I've been meaning to check out this author's work for a long time. But it literally too THAT title for me to finally get to it. What a fantastic premise, a second act for immigrant South Asian housewife, too brilliant to fade into quiet widowhood. Such a fantastic ode to South Asian Aunties and their fierce potential to combat the forces of bigotry in North American suburbia. Their sacrifices, their resilience, and their journeys of growth and adaptability for themselves and their families. The author did such a fantastic job of integrating immigrant stories with the love of the old school detective fiction like Holmes and Poirot, a particular favorite among the South Asian readership of a generation. Kosaur's friendship with May, rooted in the love of detective fiction is honestly my favorite thing about this book. I also adore how this blows apart the picture perfect veneer of South Asian families and makes every character in the community deeply human and flawed. Kosaur makes for the perfect vessel to connect all of the above elements as she navigates through grief, reconciliation with her family and old friends, and trying to carve a new identity in the lives of her loved ones, one where she lives up to her full potential, and her journey is moving, inteospective, and riveting all the way up to the big reveal dinner party. If you're into underestimated and invisible older women quietly kicking ass and showing up entitled men, enjoy this ride. I ripped through this so fast!

I think the marketing team is doing a serious disservice to the book. I started this book with expectations set by the title and cover: a funny cozy mystery! Bright colors and Nosy Detective Aunty hijinks! The marketing for this book might as well scream "for fans of Jesse Q Sutanto!"

Here's what the book actually is: a slow placed family drama, very emotionally heavy, takes death and morning very seriously, only a little bit of actual investigation. It was never at any point funny, cozy, or interested in providing hijinks.

The book is well written, but I don't know how it's going to find its ideal audience. In search of; people who like grief-mysteries?

Thanks to Harper Perennial and Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Detective Aunty is a new cozy mystery set in the Golden Crescent of Toronto. The seasoned protagonist, Kausar Khan, is starting her second act after becoming a widow, with her knack for noticing small details. When her daughter is the main suspect in a murder, Kausar comes to help. There are messy family secrets, old and new friendships, and so much chai.

I'm a big Uzma Jalaluddin fan—I’ve adored her previous books, especially Ayesha At Last—so I was thrilled to get an early copy of her latest, Detective Aunty.

This novel marks a genre shift for Jalaluddin, moving from romance to mystery. I’ll be upfront: mystery isn’t my favorite genre, so my thoughts on this book are definitely influenced by that.

The standout of the novel is without question its main character, Kauser Khan. She’s middle-aged, smart, honest, and strong—and I absolutely loved seeing an older woman take center stage as the heroine. It’s refreshing and long overdue.

The plot kicks off when Kauser rushes from North Bay to Toronto after her estranged daughter is accused of murder. Returning to the city where her son died in a hit-and-run years earlier, Kauser is forced to confront old friends she left behind, family members who’ve grown without her, and a past she tried to escape. The character development and the relationships in this book are beautifully done—I was fully invested in these dynamics.

That said, the mystery aspect didn’t quite land for me. Part of that is personal taste—I’m not a huge fan of the genre, and the story pays homage to Agatha Christie, whose work I don’t often gravitate toward. Still, I imagine mystery fans will find a lot to enjoy here, especially with Jalaluddin’s signature touch: her thoughtful exploration of contemporary culture interwoven with the traditions and faith of the Muslim community in Toronto’s Golden Crescent. That cultural duality is a cornerstone of her storytelling—whether in romance or mystery—and it continues to shine.

It’s such a joy to see a proud, sharp, middle-aged South Asian Muslim woman take the lead in a genre where she’s rarely centered. Detective Aunty is an exciting new direction for Jalaluddin, and I’m eager to see where she goes next.

I've loved every book by Uzma Jalaluddin, and her latest venture into the mystery genre is no exception—it’s an absolute delight. In this story, we follow Kausar, a sharp-witted and determined mother who must confront a decade-old trauma when her daughter is accused of murder.
Leaving behind her quiet life, Kausar travels to Toronto and uses her keen observational skills—and signature “aunty” tenacity—to uncover the truth. With the help of old friends and her curious granddaughter, she dives headfirst into the investigation. Along the way, she reconnects with loved ones, rebuilds long-lost relationships, and proves she'll stop at nothing to protect her family.
While the novel touches on serious themes, it maintains the warmth and charm of a cozy mystery. Jalaluddin brings heart, humor, and cultural richness to every page. I highly recommend this book—and truly, anything she writes.
Thank you Harper Perennial for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A cozy mystery that takes place in Toronto Canada, where Kauser comes to her daughter's aid. Her daughter, Sana, has been accused of murder and Kauser, who considers herself a personal detective, is determined to bring Sana's innocence to light. The book is full of family drama, a few different mysteries are going on, and I loved all of the Asian and Indian culture information that was given. The food sounded absolutely delicious!!

The book also is full of fun yet murderous twists and turns. The culprit kept me guessing until the very end. Now I'm full of curiosity to see which unfinished mystery will be in the next book. There were loose ends to maybe give hints but it wasn't a cliff hanger ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, Uzma Jaladuddin, and Harper Perennial publishing for this ARC.

I’m a big fan of Uzma’s writing and I was so excited to get my hands on this latest. When her grown daughter is suspected of murder, Kausar Khan heads to Toronto for the first time in nearly twenty years, determined to help her daughter in any way she can. Despite several warnings (some of which are very threatening), Kausar does not stop her own investigation.

I loved this so much! Kausar is quietly tough as nails, determined and fighting through her own emotions to help her daughter. I was entertained from the very first part of the story until the page-turning end. The characters are wonderful and the mystery solid. But it’s more than just a mystery – the story also explores bigger themes of mother daughter relationships, societal expectations, and cultural norms. Five glowing stars. I can’t wait to read more.

I'm very glad to hear that this is the first in a series. I loved the main character. I also enjoyed the Toronto setting, a city I knew very little about.

It seems like I read this book in the wrong mood. Or maybe I was misled by the "cozy" marketing/packaging. It felt like it lacked a sense of humor or playfulness that I expect in cozy mysteries, and instead was quite serious without having a mystery plot that really hooked me. I will still recommend to readers, but it was not what I expected.

Detective Aunty is the start to a promising new cosy mystery series. At its core is a mystery that kept me hooked until the final page, but it's also full of heartfelt moments and insight into grief, depression, complex family dynamics, and community. I particularly loved Kausar, our main character,,who's been through a lot in life and is kind and clever in equal measure.