Canadian author Uzma Jalaluddin is known for her successful romance fiction novels such as Ayesha at Last and Much Ado About Nada. Detective Aunty is her first foray into the crime fiction genre. It is best described as a cozy mystery.

Kausar Khan is the lead character in Detective Aunty. She is a 57-year-old Muslim widow living in North Bay, Ontario. She and her husband Hassan had moved there to make a fresh start after a family tragedy in Toronto left Kausar in a deep depression.

After years away from Toronto, Kausar is returning. Her trip has been triggered by a phone call from her daughter Sana saying that she is the prime suspect of a murder and she needs her mom in Toronto. Without hesitation or details about the case, Kausar flies to Toronto.

She learns that the murder victim is the landlord of her daughter’s clothing store. He was found dead inside Sana’s store. Kausar feels like Sana is withholding information from her and the police so she begins her own informal investigation.

Although Kausar is bright, very observant and a lover of Christie and Penny books, the acceptance of her initiating her investigation requires a suspension of disbelief. As someone who has been grieving and depressed for years, Kausar gets her confidence back very quickly.

Once I suspended my disbelief, I became engaged with the investigation. I thoroughly enjoyed the connections between Kausar and her friends and family, especially her two granddaughters and her bestie May. Family, community and loss are themes that run throughout this book.

There is an authenticity to the characters in this book. It will appeal to readers of the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Series by Mia Manansala who will love the focus on food and Kausar's friends and family. How can you not love a character who is described Jack Reacher in a dupatta?

This was a great read - I went into this one blind and absolutely loved it!!! If you love cozy mysteries and interesting characters, and twists and turns with a side of family drama, I think you will really love this book!

Kausar gets a call that her daughter has been arrested for unaliving her landlord. She drops everything and heads to Toronto…a city she never expected to return to. As she helps her daughter with her family and the case she realizes: who better to pry answers from unwilling suspects than a meddlesome aunty?

The mystery was really good and I definitely did not see the ending coming. There are some great twists and it was really fun to follow Kausar as she tries to uncover whodunnit. This story also dives into family relationships and secrets and how complicated and tricky that can be.

I think everyone needs an aunty in their corner!! I am really excited for the next book in this series!

✨What To Expect:
🔪Murder Mystery
🫖Cozy Read
🇨🇦Toronto Setting
🧡Family Secrets
🔍Whodunnit
🌪️Twists

Detective Aunty is an absolute gem! Half way through the book, I thought this would make a great series and I was excited by the open ending that hinted at such. Culture, family, humor, and a delightful character in Kausar, she will endear herself to any reader. Love, love, love Jalaluddin's work.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the ARC.

Great for fans of "Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers". This cozy mystery focuses on Kausar, a Muslim desi woman in her late 50's with grown children. When one of them calls from the police station, she comes running back to Toronto - even though the city holds tragic memories she hasn't been willing to face for decades. Kausar is independent and badass, but she loves her family and has a lot of heart. The cast was diverse and, for the most part, really likeable. As always, I had no idea who the bad guy was until the big reveal - I felt like the pacing was really good. All the talk of food made me so hungry. I would definitely read a second book in this series and look forward to reading more of Jalaluddin's backlog (I loved "Three Holidays and a Wedding").

I received an advanced digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

CWs - Infidelity, Misogyny, Grief, Murder, Child death, Racism, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Pandemic/Epidemic

3 stars – A charming start with potential, but not quite a knockout

First off, thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC of Detective Aunty! I was thrilled to dive into this one—the concept of a meddling mother-turned-amateur sleuth? Say less. I’m in.

Uzma Jalaluddin gives us Kausar Khan, a recently widowed, force of nature who swoops into Toronto like a one-woman justice league after her daughter is arrested for murder. What follows is part cozy mystery, part intergenerational drama, part neighborhood gossip-fest, all wrapped in a distinctly South Asian flavor that makes the premise sparkle with originality.

Kausar is a delight—wise, witty, and wonderfully nosy. I enjoyed her sharp observations, her clever insights, and the warm (and occasionally exasperating) relationships with her daughter and granddaughter. The “aunty energy” was strong with this one, and I mean that as a compliment of the highest order.

That said, the mystery itself stumbled a bit for me. I wanted the twisty-turny sleuthing to keep me guessing, but I found myself ahead of Kausar a little too often. And while the themes of community change and generational tension were meaningful, they occasionally took center stage in ways that slowed the momentum.

Still, this is a promising series starter. If you’re here for a cozy mystery with heart and humor, Detective Aunty delivers enough charm to make it worth your time—even if the mystery doesn’t quite stick the landing. I’ll be curious to see what case Kausar takes on next… and whether she brings snacks.

Final verdict: A fun, culturally rich mystery with a lovable lead!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

Such a fun detective story with a lot of great cultural influences that really set it apart from some similar books.

A fantastic start to a new Canadian cozy mystery series featuring Kausar Khan, a feisty South Asian widow with a knack for solving mysteries, who rushes from her North Bay home when her daughter gets arrested for murder in Toronto.

I really enjoyed this amateur detective story featuring an older female lead. Kausar loves her family and has missed spending time with her daughter and granddaughters. She digs into what's really happening with her son-in-law, her daughter's store and finds herself in a bit of romance with an actual police detective.

Great on audio and recommended for fans of the Vera Wong series. I can't wait to read more of Kausar's second act adventures! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Kausar Kahn is still having trouble dealing with the emotions of her husband's death. A call from her daughter who is suspected of murder throws her life upside down. Knowing she has no choice Kausar heads back to Toronto for the first time in twenty years. Sana has been arrested for killing the landlord of her clothing boutique. Kausar sets out to investigate knowing that her daughter could not have committed this crime. The landlord has many enemies that may have wanted him dead. But it soon becomes clear that Sana and her husband have been hiding secrets. Could they actually be involved or is there another culprit?

This book was a true delight. I love a good cozy mystery and this is one of the best I have read this year. Kausar is so smart, tenacious, and leads with her heart. This is a mystery first but also a family drama. I really appreciated the way we slowly learned about her complicated feelings related to her recently deceased husband. We also deal a lot with the grief Kausar has experienced due to the death of her son, Ali. Her relationship with her daughter is complicated but you can really feel the amount of love that exists between the two of them. The mystery itself was very interesting and had some great twists. I also loved the community aspects of the book. I have read a few books by Uzma but this is my favorite. She has a real talent with mystery writing and I can't wait to see what comes next in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Detective Aunty - Uzma Jalaluddin
Pub Date - 5/6/25
Rating - 3.5/5
Thoughts - Thank you Netgalley, Harper Perennial, and Uzma Jalaluddin for this gifted advanced ereader copy in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this book! This is my first book by this author, and as for cozy mysteries, she nailed it. Identifying as south asian myself, this book was an treat to see the culture represented in a whodunit novel. The only reason this wasn't a higher rating for me would be that it dragged a little in the middle. Well written, will definitely be reading more of her work in the future!

Kausar is a woman of keen observation and seems to be able to figure out anything. Imagine her surprise when her daughter, Sana, calls because she's been arrested for the murder of her landlord. Kausar returns to Toronto to find out whodunnit because she's convinced it can't be her daughter. Within the span of a wee(although it seemed she was their longer), Kausar learns a lot about what's been going on in Santa's life; her marriage is in trouble, her oldest daughter Maleeha, has some secrets too.

What I like about this book is Kausar's observant and methodical approach in piecing things together. She knows Sana is hiding something because she's being evasive and it seems like all the evidence points to her in the murder. Like any good mystery, the prime suspect is typically not the killer. She also does a nice job of playing up to peoples biases when it comes to older people. Kausar is kind and has a real sense of justice even when it triggers memories, feelings and emotions that caused her to retreat to North Bay years ago.

Did I figure out the killer? No.
Did I see some of the plot twists. No.
Did I enjoy this book? YES.

The beverage of choice in this book was chai so definitely my thing. I'm excited for the next book in the installment. I'll be reading the author's backlist in the meantime.

Did not finish. Did not appeal to me. Can see that there is a base for this type of mystery novel but I am not it.

I loved this cozy mystery! The writing was good and it kept my attention the entire time. I also enjoyed the characters, the storyline and the family drama. I am really excited that this is a series, because I’m already ready for the next book. The mystery itself was also fantastic and I never would have guessed it.

pros:
-I've actually been reading Agatha Christie lately and loved the idea of a modern day, Muslim Miss Marple.
-it is well written (I guessed nothing) and I liked the slightly far-fetched dinner party reveal.
cons
-As for representation I found it odd the Kausar attends a janazah and describes the body as if it's not supposed to be completely shrouded, and quite possibly in a casket at this point? Muslims, by and large, do not have viewings of the deceased.
-the nonstop drama just exhausted me, probably my anti-Tolstoy belief that happy families are the best and most interesting.
-this is petty, but I dislike the use of the word "piously" especially because within this book it's always used to imply hypocrisy.

3.5 rounded up to 4 on NetGalley.

This was a pretty standard cozy mystery set in a small town. Aunty Kausar Khan comes into town when her adult daughter Sana is accused of murder after her landlord is found her in her desi clothing store. "Detective Aunty" is on the case - getting to know everyone in the town, asking the right questions, noticing the right details, and piecing it all together in a Poirot style - leaning on her friend May to talk theories with.

Kausar is 57 and grieving the loss of her husband (and also gradually coming to terms with their arranged marriage and understanding her love for him) and the long ago loss of one of her children, which is the reason she moved away from this small town in the first place. Kausar is smart, determined, and ready for a second chance at life. She's an enjoyable character and her investigation is fun to follow. I liked the reveal and a few things caught me by surprise. This story ends a bit abruptly and leaves a few things open ended, I suppose to lead into the next mystery. I'm not sure if I'll be picking it up since I wasn't fully attached to this story, but it was good time, and it's was nice diversity to follow a 57 year old Indian, Muslim woman as you don't see many mysteries like this.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions remain my own.

This is a charming mystery with an unforgettable character. It isn't clear to me if Jalaluddin is setting up for a series here, but I hope that she is, because I would love to read more!

I loved this mystery debut from Uzma Jalaluddin, one of my all time favorite romance writers! Like her previous novels, this mystery is set in the South Asian community of Toronto, featuring tight-knit community, strong but underestimated Desi women, and excellent writing.

Detective Aunty stars Kausar Khan, a middle-aged widow who left Toronto decades ago after the tragic death of her youngest child. A year after her husband’s death, she is called back to Toronto when her daughter, Sana, calls her from the police station as a suspect in a murder investigation. Kausar faces her own trauma to show up for her daughter and granddaughters—and to put her excellent “noticing” skills to work to solve the crime and clear her daughter’s name.

While I’m not a big mystery reader, I loved this novel from start to finish and was surprised with each new twist in the story. The characters, from Kausar’s granddaughters to her best friend May, were all great elements of the story, and I can’t wait to read what comes next in this new series! I think Detective Aunty will be a hit with lovers of the genre and novices like me alike.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The author may have returned to her fictional Golden Crescent neighborhood, but with her best writing yet, the focus is not romance like in her earlier books, it is a murder mystery.  If you think of it, who better to solve a mystery than an unassuming Desi Aunty with a knack for observations, getting people to talk, and prying into other people's business? I say it with love, this book was such a fun read, I'm sure I should have paid more attention to craft and arcs and writing style, but honestly I devoured the 336 pages in two settings, and genuinely hope that Kausar is just getting started. The adult read isn't salacious, it does feature a murder, some marital dramas, crime, fraud and the like, I think mature teens that aren't bothered by a grandmother protagonist will enjoy the read. The first chapter is a bit dry and feels like an info dump, luckily it isn't a long chapter and I ultimately, appreciated it getting the stage set and then slipping out of the way so the story could get good. The telling and not showing takes a while to flesh out, the author does a good job of threading it through, and by the mid point you really get a feel for the characters and appreciate the early statements that set the tone, and the book's ability to tie up nearly every thread it presents.  There isn't a ton of Islam, many of the characters are Muslim; the traditions and cultural expectations are plot beats in the story, even if the action and expectations are not overtly seen through an Islamic lens or with Islamic boundaries.  

SYNOPSIS:


Kausar Khan has always noticed things around her, and when needed, used those observations to position certain outcomes.  When she gets a call from her daughter in Toronto that she needs her mom to come help with the kids as he is wanted for murder, Kausar Khan leaves North Bay and returns to a city filled with memories of tragedy to try and help.  Sana asks her mom not to get involved and to just help with the cooking, cleaning, and childcare, but old friends, new secrets, and the high stakes of a murder are not going to keep this Aunty from unraveling the truth.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love the concept, the execution, and that it didn't unravel at the end.  I read the last few pages with the same intensity as the climax, trying to figure out whodunit.  The play on traditions and stereotypes to lure suspects in, and the wit and charm of using the religion and culture to advance the plot were flawless.  Sure, I wish the characters threw in some commentary on men and women being alone together not being ok, or some Islamic insight into marriages and rights.  It seemed intentionally lacking, and that is unfortunate. I also felt the thread with the son coming from the UK was painfully underdeveloped, the heart of the book though was strong.  And I loved the side commentary on marriage and women's roles.  It was insightful and added depth, it didn't come across as angry or like the author had an axe to grind, which was refreshing.  

FLAGS: 
Murder, affairs, fraud, pyramid schemes, theft, racism, gentrification.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
The book won't work for a school book club, but is a perfect summer read to giggle about and chat about with friends.

Uzma Jalaluddin is a household name for me and an autoread author. I’ve loved her books since Ayesha and was thrilled to see she’s turned her pen toward mysteries. A Desi Jessica Fletcher? Sign me up! And of course, this book was much more than that. What made this book was the relationships between family and community. I may have not 100% enjoyed the reveal but ultimately this was a great book and I would absolutely read another in the series.

Kausar Khan has experienced huge losses in her life. Her son Ali, and eighteen months ago, her husband, have both passed away and she is in a sort of limbo existence - until she gets a phone call from her daughter Sana, who is the prime suspect in the murder of her horrible landlord.

Kausar immediately goes to Toronto to help her daughter, not just with moral support but with the keen eye she has for noticing the smallest detail. Whereas the people around her may be annoyed that Kausar can glean information so easily, this is precisely the kind of situation that calls for this ability.

But it is not just Sana that needs help here, and the string of crimes that have recently plagued the neighborhood may be due to something - or someone - close to Kausar, and she needs to figure it all out soon before she loses more of her family members.

I enjoyed this book so much, and especially as someone of a similar age to Kausar, I very much liked seeing an older heroine who is the key to figuring out whodunit. This is the first in the Kausar Khan Investigates series, and I can't wait for more of our Detective Aunty's adventures.

For the fans of The Marlow Murder Club and other cozy murder mysteries, I have a book for you.

A mystery that will keep you on the edge of guessing “who did it?” until the end. Jalaluddin crafted a mystery honoring Agatha Christie but making sure it is rooted in cultural identity and the importance of community and family through all immigrant families. I love that it is focused on a middle aged female lead who is trying to understand who she is besides a mother and a wife. (Nasir sounds like a silver fox!)

There was definitely times where the pacing occasionally meander into unnecessary for me or some parts were belabored but the mystery kept me enthralled until the end.

At its core, “Detective Aunty” is a celebration of the aunties in all of our communities and challenges the limiting assumptions about who gets to be a hero.

For me, this a 3.5-star ⭐️ read that offers both entertainment , cultural authenticity, and mystery that will satisfy.