{"product_id":"detective-aunty-a-novel-isbn-9780063434875","title":"Detective Aunty: A Novel","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNamed a Best Fiction Book of the Year by \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews, The Washington Post, Library Journal, The Globe and Mail\u003c\/i\u003e, and the \u003ci\u003eChicago Public Library\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I’ll read anything Uzma Jalaluddin writes.”—\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Kate Quinn\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhen 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 \u003ci\u003eAyesha at Last.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReturning 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith the help of some old friends and her plucky teenage granddaughter, this unlikely woman sleuth digs into the investigation to uncover the truth. Because who better to pry answers from unwilling suspects than a meddlesome aunty? But as this clever amateur sleuth digs deeper, even Kausar can’t predict the secrets, lies, and betrayals she finds along the way…\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e\"Jalaluddin offers readers both a satisfying puzzle and an endearing new sleuth.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"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. \u003cem\u003eDetective Aunty \u003c\/em\u003eis the first in a new series and I certainly welcome more installments.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"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'?\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews, starred review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"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.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist, starred review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"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.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Older detectives are having their moment in fiction, solving crimes with savvy and wit.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAARP\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I love a good, cozy mystery, one with lots of charm and a solid central character, and \u003cem\u003eDetective Aunty \u003c\/em\u003eis 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.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Globe and Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"For fans of cozy mysteries, amateur sleuths, and family relationships!\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBook Riot\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"[A] delight...run to your nearest library or bookstore. Fans of Jesse Q. Sutanto's \u003ci\u003eVera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers \u003c\/i\u003ewill love watching Kausar forge a new second act for herself as she tries to save her family.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eChristian Science Monitor\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A delightful cozy mystery...Uzma Jalaluddin has created a delightful new heroine who surely has many more cases to solve.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBookTrib\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[\u003cem\u003eDetective Aunty \u003c\/em\u003eis] a delightful cozy mystery with humor, heart, and a loveable amateur sleuth who proves that age is just a number.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAnokhi Life\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Uzma Jalaluddin’s mystery debut, \u003cem\u003eDetective Aunty\u003c\/em\u003e, is a winner. [The novel is] a particularly special and page-turning read. I’ve never read a protagonist quite like Kausar Khan before.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Michigan Daily\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Jalaluddin has launched a mystery series that's as comforting and spicy as the chai Kausar brews to meet her family's challenges.\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCrime Fiction Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Step aside, Elspeth, Detective Aunty does it better than you and Columbo combined!\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKings River Life Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“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!” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMia P. Manansala, author of the best-selling Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"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!”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKristen Perrin, nationally bestselling author of How to Solve Your Own Murder\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eDetective Aunty \u003c\/em\u003eis 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.”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKate Hilton, bestselling co-author of Bury the Lead\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I loved \u003cem\u003eDetective Aunty\u003c\/em\u003e! 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!”  - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNalini Singh, New York Times Bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling series\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Uzma Jalaluddin’s \u003cem\u003eDetective Aunty \u003c\/em\u003edelivers 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.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of Only One Survives\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“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.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKatie Tallo, author of Buried Road\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eDetective Aunty \u003c\/em\u003emight 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.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJanie Chang, bestselling co-author of The Phoenix Crown\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“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. \u003cem\u003eDetective Aunty \u003c\/em\u003eis here to stay!\" - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAusma Zehanat Khan, award-winning author of Blood Betrayal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harper Perennial","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48587993317605,"sku":"NP9780063434875","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780063434875.jpg?v=1773960066","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/detective-aunty-a-novel-isbn-9780063434875","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}