Kausar Khan Investigates: Book 1
Publication Date: May 6, 2025
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…
A magnetic and dogged widow is determined to remove suspicion from her adult daughter when she is accused of murder in the first book of the Kausar Khan Investigates series, Detective Aunty, by Uzma Jalaluddin.
The close-knit family and community truly drew me in as I grew up Catholic, and we had a close community growing up where everyone knew everyone else and all of us kids went to Sunday School on Sunday after we went to Mass. You definitely didn’t want to get in trouble with the other moms because once that mother was finished scolding you, you got more scolding when you got home.
Kusar, the lead protagonist, had female friends all over the community. Having friends from all walks of life is essential, as we all have different perspectives and thoughts.
I liked how Kusar was very relevant. She is every woman trying to discover herself after a life-changing incident. Kusar could be me. She could be anyone reading this review, and it doesn’t matter what religion one practices or even where one lives. She doesn’t realize how powerful she is. I appreciate that she is intuitive and perhaps an empath. One doesn’t see that very often in books, and it’s so lovely to see it in such an unexpected way. I think we all have untapped potential and maybe a little magic.
Ms. Jalaluddin reaches everyone with her words and her stories. This book truly hit me in the feels, and I think this book will stay with me for a long time.
Detective Aunty is a hidden gem I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to read. I highly recommend this book and am excited to read the books to come!
Uzma Jalaluddin is a critically acclaimed and bestselling novelist, playwright, and teacher. She writes nuanced and entertaining stories about Muslims, South Asians, and Canadians and is the author of Much Ado About Nada, Three Holidays and a Wedding, Hana Khan Carries On, and Ayesha at Last. as well as her first play, The Rishta. Her novels have been optioned for film and television, including by Amazon Studios and Mindy Kaling. A high school English teacher, Jalaluddin is also a former contributor to the Toronto Star and the Atlantic. She lives near Toronto with her family.
