I've read two of the author's romcoms and enjoyed them enough to be curious about her new series, a cozy murder mystery series featuring an almost 60 year old Canadian-Muslim protagonist who's a recent widow. When her daughter (and oldest child) is arrested as the prime suspect in the murder of her landlord, Kausar Khan returns to Toronto from North Bay where she and her husband moved to escape the sudden, traumatic loss of their youngest then 15 year old son. Sana, Kausar's daughter, is married with two daughters, an early teen and a ten year old, and a fairly absent husband. Even as the grandmother helps with the cooking and looking after of her granddaughters, she makes enough time to observe and chat with the neighbours and others in the local community. Kausar's always been very observant, with a keen mind and intellect. Now, for the first time, she's getting a chance to throw off her old identity as housewife, and see all that she can be. This is a slow burn until the halfway point, sometimes too much so, and there are too many subplots and characters to keep straight at times, but Kausar makes for a sympathetic protagonist and one you root for as she starts to come into her own. The author has also added depth and a smattering of heavier topics--surprising given the genre--which elevates this into a better story. I wasn't a huge fan of the final chapters or the reveal, and there are loose ends left as they are (including one important one that's left unsolved for no other reason that the author seems to need it for the next book). But I'll definitely be checking out book 2, and would recommend this to readers who enjoy mysteries with a healthy dose of community and connection.

DETECTIVE AUNTY by Uzma Jalaluddin (Ayesha at Last) is the first book in a new series featuring Kauser Khan, recently widowed older woman who returns to Toronto to help her daughter and the family. Called "Jack Reacher in a dupatta," Khan's heritage is South Asian and Muslim and there are frequent references to desi culture, including the numerous proverbial cups of chai as Kauser interviews suspects and attempts to solve a murder. Kauser is an appealing, sympathetic character although others (Kauser's children, her friends, the dead real estate owner, his family, various business competitors) could have been more fully developed. No doubt that will occur (especially with the potential romance with a handsome solicitor) in future mysteries in this series. Jalaluddin writes that "Kauser Khan is my homage to community and second chances. May we all be involved by the former and gifted with the latter." DETECTIVE AUNTY, although a bit repetitive in spots, received starred reviews from both Booklist and Kirkus and is a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for May. Library Journal says, "Recommended for fans of Sujata Massey's Perveen Mistry books and Robert Thorogood's 'Marlow Murder Club' series."

Kausar gets a life changing call from her adult daughter Sana. Sana has been arrested for murder and she needs her mom to help take care of her and her own two daughters. Sana owns and runs a clothing store in a small suburb shopping center and her landlord was found killed in her store. Kausar is determined to prove her daughter's innocence and uncover the true murderer. This is a cozy mystery but with serious elements. There's humor as well as heart break and sadness. It was a fun read with a satisfying ending.

DNF @ 43%

I was really excited about this book as I used to live "next door" to Scarborough [I lived in Don Mills for 7+ years], and knew so many of the landmarks she talks about, but in the end, the story, for me, was boring, I found that I just did not care about anything that was going on *OR* any of the characters [and there certainly wasn't any real mystery here; just a lot of angst, anger and sadness], and I found that I was doing everything but actually reading this book, so I must unfortunately, not finish this one. As I was truly excited about this one, I am very disappointed.


Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks/Harper Perennial for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. .

I requested this book from NetGalley once I read what it was about. A murder, family, loyalty, as well as differing cultural views were the gist of what I read in the synopsis but HOLY CROW. I was not prepared for the intricate storylines, the multiple characters, and the moments that continuously popped up that pulled on my heartstrings. While the story itself was beautiful and gripping, I found myself getting confused with all of the side characters (both big and small). That and one other instance in the last 20 pages really dropped this one from a 4 star to a 3.5 star read.

This book would be good for anyone who enjoys heartfelt “whodunnit” storylines and witty main characters that make you question your own intelligence.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for granting me early access to this. I'm flogging myself for not reading it sooner. What a read. Just want the doctor recommended to get me out of a reading slump!

Expect the unthinkable, secrets, lies, mystery, investigation and betrayal. Loved that the author didn’t solely focus on the murder mystery but brought light on mother and daughter bond too as well there is a family drama too. Books feel warm when the authors share bond between characters too. The investigation was spot on. Author’s writing is flawless. The characters were really interesting. This was a twisty book packed with murder mystery and family drama.

Thanks to the Publisher

I know author Uzma Jalaluddin for her wonderful romances featuring Muslim characters, so I was intrigued when she turned her talents towards a mystery series. After the death of her husband, Kausar Khan has drifted into her elder years in the small community of North Bay, Ontario. She's only shaken out of her grief by a sudden phone call from her daughter in Toronto. Kausar's daughter, Sana, is the prime suspect in the murder of a local landlord. Knowing her daughter could not have killed the man, Kausar immediately boards a plane to go to her daughter's aid. Once in Toronto, Kausar is sees that there are problems in both her family and the greater community. There is palpable tension between Sana and her husband and one of Kausar's granddaughters is downright leery. As the investigation intensifies, Kausar decides to use her extraordinary ability to notice details to ensure the safety of her loved ones. Like so many sleuths before her, Kausar Khan cleverly uses the near invisibility bestowed on her as an older Muslim woman to ferret out information. Kausar is self-effacing and wrestling with the aftereffects of two great losses - her husband prior to the story and her only son many years before. This makes the plot of Kausar regaining her confidence almost equally important to the mystery. This is a really solid cozy and a promising start to a new series, especially with the added dimension of being immersed into South Asian-Canadian Muslim culture. Folks who enjoyed Vera Wong who don't mind a gentler protagonist might think about checking out Kausar.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this advanced reader's copy of Detective Aunty.

I am not a mystery reader after all. It felt too slow paced and I couldn't connect with the characters even though I typically love stories about South-Asian cultures. Lately they are hit or miss and this was a miss.

Uzma Jalaluddin makes a smooth and seamless transition from romance to cozy mystery. Kausar Khan, a recent widow, receives a call from her grown daughter Sana, begging her to return to Toronto. Sana is suspected of murdering the landlord of the shopping plaza where she operates a clothing boutique. Kausar leaves her small town and returns to the suburb where she raised her children and where Sana still lives. The neighborhood has changed, and the killing is only the latest in a series of local unsolved crimes. With evidence mounting against Sana, Kausar turns to sleuthing to clear her daughters name. Using her keen observational skills and ability to get people to confide in her, she searches for the truth. Kausar is a tenancious aunty who must come to terms with her past as well as her future. Recommended for fans of Robert Thorogood's "Marlow Murder Club" series,

I can't wait for more Kausar adventures in the future. Many thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of the book.

Detective Aunty was a charming and entertaining cozy mystery.

I really appreciate when an author manages to weave culture organically and beautifully into a story. I felt so immersed in this fictional world that I could almost smell the chai. 🫖

This is book 1 in a series and I will definitely be reading the rest. I can’t wait to see what Kausar Khan investigates next!

After her daughter is convicted of murder, Kausar Khan rushes to her side and starts sleuthing. As a widowed South Asian woman, she’s learned (thanks to her desi upbringing) how to spot the smallest clues, and she never minds a bit of meddling.

In this engaging cozy mystery, Uzma Jalaluddin explores intergenerational conflict, gentrification, and the enduring bonds of female friendship. With a sharp, witty heroine stepping into her second act, DETECTIVE AUNTY is an absolute delight.

READ THIS IF YOU:
🔍 Love a modern nod to Agatha Christie
📚 Want to get in on the first book of a new mystery series
💚 Adored Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

RATING: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars)
PUB DAY: May 6, 2025

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Happy release day+1 to one of my favorite authors!!! One of the coolest things as a reader is to see someone you adore try something new and KILL IT. No pun intended 🕵️‍♀️

Kausar Khan leads a quiet life after heartache has worn her down over the years. But a phone call from her daughter, a mom of two and small business owner, changes everything. Not many things can convince her to travel back to her home, where her son passed away and every face and landmark reminds her of it, but her daughter in prison accused of murder? That will do it. What follows is not just a woman finding new purpose after losing her way, but an exploration of community, family, and friendship.

@uzmajalaluddin I’m not typically a romance or cozy mystery fan, but you’re 2 for 2. If you write it, I’ll love it. Friends, run to your nearest bookstore or library. This is the perfect summer read!

This was such a fun read overall. I loved all the bits. Do we benefit of having the mom's POV in this cause if it was in the daughter's POV it would be overbearing and maybe intrusive. She wanted to protect her daughter and her grandkids. So good.

I loved the mystery aspect and I was very intrigued and was not trying to guess before her.

Ooh this book. I knew from the first chapter that I was going to love this book and it absolutely captivated me. Kausar Aunty is my favorite new sleuth; she is complex and filled with love and compassion and fire and grief. I love how real she was; flaws and all; after everything that happened in her life. I love how she steps up to help her daughter, but also shares with the reader her real feelings about so many things even if they go against what is expected. She is ready to risk it all to save her family and the way she picks up on things is so savvy. I love the different layers to this story and how the past comes to play in subtle ways during the present mystery. I was shocked by the twists at the end. It definitely had cozy mystery vibes with some darker themes. I also loved learning more small bits about Kausar Aunty's culture.

I hope this series continues!

This book was a little bit of a let down for me.

2.5 ⭐️

Kausar, our FMC, is a woman struggling with a lot of grief. Her son, Ali, was killed as a teenager and she recently lost her husband. When her daughter Sana is accused of murdering her shopowner, Kausar runs home to figure out how to help her daughter.

For me, this book lack a wow factor, too many characters to keep up with, and I found some of them to be annoying.

This first book in a series is a cozy mystery one might not have expected from the previously romance genre author, Uzma Jalaluddin. The book has equal parts humor, mystery, and drama and is definitely recommended!

Synopsis:
“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, 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 can’t predict the secrets, lies, and betrayals she finds along the way…”
What’s to like:
Kausar’s character is not a typical South Asian protagonist, and I love her! She is smart, witty, confident, full of life, and at fifty-seven years, she is ready for her ‘next act’. All other characters in the story are well-developed too, and it made reading their interactions all the more fun.
The author has also skillfully built in many themes and woven the stories of the characters well, so that they tie together beautifully. For instance, the back story about Ali and his traumatic death was used as a thread to tie together the story in this book while also setting the stage for the sequel to this book.
Perhaps the most important aspect of a mystery book is what makes this a stellar novel. The whodunnit part of the book was superbly written, with multiple suspects, but the final reveal is not what you might have anticipated. For a previously romance genre author, it is a great feat.
What’s not to like:
Some parts of the book felt dragged, and the story seemed to be going around in circles, e.g, when Kausar kept returning to the plaza to separately interview people. Some parts felt unrealistic for the storyline. Kausar just randomly showing up at an investor’s meeting in her shalwar kameez might be too much of a stretch for a desi aunty. The dinner party at the end, where the killer is revealed, was probably the most absurd. Why Imran’s family accepts Kausar’s invitation and bears through the entire dinner to learn something she might know was beyond reasonable. After all, her daughter was the prime suspect in the investigation.
Lastly, the biggest issue I have with this book is the problematic portrayal of women who are homemakers or stay at home instead of having another profession. It seemed to me that the value of domestic labor was portrayed as being worthless. I think it is important to acknowledge that doing the round-the-clock job of parenting and housework is the most difficult and valuable work that can be done and should not be looked down upon.

Book Review Rating: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5)
Content Warnings: Death and extra-marital affair. Age advisory 14+

If I had to describe this book’s vibe in one sentence it would be …

Desi aunty doing what aunties do best - sleuthing.

If you are a fan of mystery and thriller read this! Loved the if Sherlock Holmes was a Desi aunty vibe.

I adore Uzma Jalaluddin's books! I was so excited to hear that Detective Aunty is the first book in a new series!

Kausar Khan is still mourning her husband's death when she receives a call from her adult daughter. Sana has been arrested for murder and she needs her mother to take care of her daughters. Kausar leaves as speedy as she can. And this is the introduction to our new amateur detective. She's very clever - watching all and asking the right questions.

And of course, her focus is her daughter - but she's also doesn't really know her granddaughters. I loved the interactions of the women in the neighborhood, the niceties, the traditions and more. And on a side note - I need to try some real chi teas.

The plot is excellent. There's a twist that surprised me - which is a good thing!

This was such a satisfying read. An excellent blending of the mystery and the personal. I will be watching for the next entry. There are a few questions that will be answered in the next book I'm sure.

Oh, I loved this! After reading Ayesha at Last a while back, I was excited to pick up Detective Aunty. This was a great mystery, but also a layered and complex story covering so much more.

To set the stage: Sana is accused of murder and calls her mother, Kausar, to help. What follows is a deep dive into uncovering how everything came to be. We also get to explore mother-daughter relationships & the complexities of being human. It’s hard to recap this without spoilers, but I’d definitely recommend it!
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Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.