I’ve enjoyed all of Uzma Jalaluddin’s books so far and was intrigued to read a new genre from her. And of course, it worked perfectly. Fans of Vera Wong will love this! It’s a similar concept in that it’s a grandmother solving crimes, but this (like all Jalaluddin's books) is set in my favourite city of Toronto. I especially loved the nods to the Canadian setting (Tim Horton’s!) and of course the threads of desi culture – the food, the outfits, the family dynamics, relationships and traditions. It wasn’t straightforward and I didn’t guess the culprit (which is exactly what you want in a mystery) – the only thing for me was one loose end – I’m hoping this will be tied up in book two!

Having read Uzma Jalaluddin's previous books, I had high hopes for Detective Aunty. The concept had potential. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me. I really struggled to get through it. There were just too many characters with too many names to remember; all of them were highly dislikeable - I couldn't stand any of them. The main character Kausar came across as a nosy busybody.

As well as the slow pace, the narrative often lost focus. The story lacked polish and the writing was mediocre. At times, it honestly felt like it needed a stronger editorial hand to tighten things up.

I’m already a fan of Uzma Jalaluddin’s writing, and with Detective Aunty she proves she can also write a smart, engaging mystery. Kausar Khan is a wonderful character, and the community around her feels rich and real. The pacing is perfect, and the unraveling of the mystery is satisfying. Everything works here, and I’m looking forward to part two!

Kausar Khan's quiet life in North Bay is interrupted by a call from her daughter Sana, saying she has been arrested and needs her help. She rushes to Toronto to find that Sana was arrested for the murder of her shop's landlord. She also discovers that things are not well between her daughter and her husband. Being someone that notices things, she starts her own look into the murder and find several things out about the occupants of the shops at the plaza, some of which appear to strengthen the case against Sana. It takes all of her resolve to solve the crime. She also unmasks a fraud and stops a criminal ring using the plaza to run their crimes.
A nice read.

Reading Detective Aunty was such a meaningful experience. It’s rare to find books that reflect my own culture and religion so clearly, and Uzma Jalaluddin captures it beautifully. The characters felt real and familiar, and it was easy to connect with their world.

The mystery kept me intrigued throughout- I honestly didn’t know where the story was going, and the ending was not what I expected at all. It’s an easy, well-paced read that holds your attention while offering something deeper in terms of representation and identity.

what a joyous and superstar read. i loved this book. i loved following along with this case. the writing meant i could follow it and try as i might to discover the truth before i just gave up and followed where the author wanted to take me. and that was the right decision, Uzma is far cleverer than me i was happy to be in her and our detective Aunties good hands. i had so much fun with this book, it made me smile so much which ive never wanted to say so much over a murder mystery. add to that the emotional layers there was to this book. the parts where we learnt and saw interactions with the family was just spot on and made me care about the book and its plot more too. the way Uzma manages to give us a great mystery plot whilst also writing about human interactions and relationships was amazing.
Kauser's daughter is the prime suspects in a murder. Kauser knows this cant be true. so its up to her to come back to Toronto and help find out just what happened here.
i cant give too much away from the plot as i dont want to give it away but just read this book and you'll love it. there is also so much potential for future books and i definitely wish there will be more to come.

This book was really enjoyable, it held my attention throughout, even helping me out of a reading slump! There were times, especially in the beginning, when i felt like the authors views might differ a little too much with my own for me to sympathise with the main characters (mainly the somewhat lighthearted and encouraging approach to investing and such) but ultimately was not a problem.

Kausar Khan is a 57 year old widow, whose adult daughter and granddaughter live in Toronto. She finds herself returning there after many years when her daughter is accused of murdering her unscrupulous landlord.

Although this is billed as a cosy mystery with "detective aunty" being a meddlesome older woman who discovers things that others miss, it actually has more substance than that. The story incorporate themes that include mental health, grief and family dynamics.

All in all an entertaining read, if not quite a cosy mystery, this gets 3.5 stars.