The Cook

Ajay Chowdhury

From Shelf: HB fiction published w/c 2nd May 2022

The Guardian's best crime and thriller book of 2022'A refreshing and welcome addition to the world of detective fiction' Abir MukherjeeKamil Rahman is a cook in a Brick Lane restaurant. But he used to be a detective back in Kolkata. And somehow trouble still knows how to find him.When a young woman Kamil knows is murdered the police are convinced her boyfriend is the culprit. Kamil isn't so sure and feels he has no choice but to start his own investigation. Meanwhile, his friend and restaurant manager, Anjoli, is troubled by a rise in the number of homeless deaths in their local area.Initially the cases seem unrelated, but as the duo dig deeper, they discover connections that stretch from London to Lahore.Together they take on the indifference of the authorities to the homeless and the casual racism that pervades the investigation of killings of Muslims - all while a supremely intelligent murderer is manipulating events to stay several steps ahead of them.Praise for The Waiter:'A hugely entertaining first novel' Ann Cleeves'An outstanding debut' Sunday Times Book of the Month'A rip-roaring mystery that's engrossing from start to finish... a refreshing and welcome addition to the world of detective fiction. One of my favourite reads of the year' Abir Mukherjee