The Guardian's best crime and thriller book of 2022

'A refreshing and welcome addition to the world of detective fiction' Abir Mukherjee

Kamil 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

About the Author
Ajay Chowdhury is the inaugural winner of the Harvill Secker-Bloody Scotland crime fiction award. He is a tech entrepreneur and theatre director who was born in India and now lives in London where he builds digital businesses, cooks experimental dishes for his wife and daughters and writes through the night. His children's book, Ayesha and the Firefish, was published in 2016 and adapted into a musical. The Waiter, published in 2021, is the first in his warm, funny and spicy adult crime series about Kamil Rahman, an ex-policeman from Calcutta who has moved to Brick Lane in London. It has been optioned for television by Moonage Pictures. Follow up, The Cook, was published in May 2022 to critical acclaim and deals with the issue of homelessness. The third book on the series - The Detective - is about government surveillance and will be published in April 2023.

Reviews
A real surprise... It is not just the descriptions of food that leave you hungry for more -- Mark Sanderson * The Times *
Thrilling... This is a terrific series, a vivid portrait of the East End where a thriving economy is overshadowed by the effects of inequality -- Joan Smith * Sunday Times *
Chowdhury's portrait of multicultural London is as effective as his portrayal of the mixed feelings of his characters, who may enjoy aspects of their lives but still long for the pleasures they have left behind -- Natasha Cooper * Literary Review *
Kamil and Anjali are a terrific team. Chowdhury makes the murder mystery feel like a brand-new invention. His second thriller is chockfull of authentic flavours and tasty surprises that will leave readers wanting more. -- Christopher Fowler, author of the Bryant and May Mysteries
Marvellous! A vivid romp through the Londoner's London, seen through the sharp eyes of a recent arrival. The only thing that induced me to put it down was the fact that it made me so hungry... * Alex Marwood *



Book Information
ISBN 9781787303140
Author Ajay Chowdhury
Format Hardback
Page Count 368
Imprint Harvill Secker
Publisher Vintage Publishing
Weight(grams) 592g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 162mm * 34mm