The Invitation

Kamil Rahman is working as a waiter at an Indian restaurant when his boss Anjoli receives a strange email titled Invitation to a Beheading. It claims to be a celebration of Anne Boleyn's 500th anniversary of her imprisonment and death, but when the pair arrive at the Bloody Tower, things take a sinister turn. Anjoli discovers an old friend has been kidnapped, and the only way to save her is to solve a series of clues leading then across London to her whereabouts. In a race against the clock, can Kamil and Anjoli find the missing woman before time runs out? 
 
Ajay Chowdhury has partnered with Google's Pixel Fold to launch a first of its kind interactive eBook of The Invitation, which is also available to download for free. It offers a fun and interactive read, ideal for filling the average commute. Embedded with puzzles designed to stimulate and challenge, the eBook is optimised for the Pixel Fold - Google's first foldable phone.

A MYSTERY IS UNFOLDING 
 
*A Detective Kamil Rahman short story* 
 
'Thrilling...a terrific series' Sunday Times 
 
Someone's put murder on the menu... 
 
Kamil Rahman is working as a waiter at an Indian restaurant when his boss Anjoli receives a strange email titled Invitation to a Beheading. It claims to be a celebration of Anne Boleyn's 500th anniversary of her imprisonment and death, but when the pair arrive at the Bloody Tower, things take a sinister turn. Anjoli discovers an old friend has been kidnapped, and the only way to save her is to solve a series of clues leading them across London to her whereabouts. 
 
In a race against the clock, can Kamil and Anjoli find the missing woman before time runs out? 
 
*This is a digital-exclusive free short story, set in the world of the beloved Detective Kamil Rahman series.* 
 
If you enjoyed this short story, the novels are available now: 
The Waiter 
The Cook 
The Detective 
Coming in 2024: The Spy 
 
 ** 
 
Ajay Chowdhury has partnered with Google's Pixel Fold to launch a first of its kind interactive eBook of The Invitation, which is also available to download for free. It offers a fun and interactive read, ideal for filling the average commute. Embedded with puzzles designed to stimulate and challenge, the eBook is optimised for the Pixel Fold - Google's first foldable phone. 
 
 ** 
 
Praise for the Detective Kamil Rahman series: 
 
'Hugely entertaining' ANN CLEEVES 
 
'The Detective has all the ingredients for a great crime series' SUN 
 
'[Kamil is a] likeable inspector . . . We shall hear much more of him' DAILY MAIL 
 
'An elegantly constructed thriller' THE TIMES 
 
'Outstanding' SUNDAY TIMES

Ajay Chowdhury was 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 critically-acclaimed crime series about Detective Kamil Rahman, an ex-policeman from Kolkata who has moved to Brick Lane in London. It is being adapted for television by Moonage Pictures. Follow-up The Cook was published in May 2022 to excellent reviews and deals with the issue of homelessness. The third book in the series – The Detective – is about government surveillance and AI. The Spy is the fourth book in the Detective Kamil Rahman series.

From the award-winning author of The Waiter

The Cook

The Guardian's best crime and thriller book of 2022 
 
From the award-winning author of the Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month The Waiter comes the second page-turning mystery starring detective-turned-cook Kamil Rahman. 
 
'A refreshing and welcome addition to the world of detective fiction' Abir Mukherjee 
______________________________________________________ 
 
Kamil Rahman used to be a detective in Kolkata. Now he's a cook in London's East End. 
Yet trouble still knows where to find him... 
 
Kamil Rahman thought his crimefighting days were behind him. But when a woman he knows is murdered and the police arrest the most convenient suspect, he hangs up his apron and employs his detective skills once more to find the true killer. 
 
Meanwhile, restaurant manager Anjoli is volunteering with a homeless charity, where she notices a sudden troubling increase in unexplained deaths among people sleeping rough in and around Brick Lane. With the council and police uninterested, she starts an investigation of her own. 
 
Kamil and Anjoli's 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 . . . If the Met won't find the murderers, then they will. 
 
 
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

*As seen on The One Show* 
 
'Thrilling . . . a terrific series' Sunday Times 
 
Someone has an appetite for murder 
 
Kamil Rahman used to be a detective in Kolkata. Now he's a cook in London's East End. 
Yet trouble still knows where to find him... 
 
Kamil Rahman thought his crimefighting days were behind him. But when a woman he knows is murdered and the police arrest the most convenient suspect, he hangs up his apron and employs his detective skills once more to find the true killer. 
 
Meanwhile, restaurant manager Anjoli is volunteering with a homeless charity, where she notices a sudden troubling increase in unexplained deaths among people sleeping rough in and around Brick Lane. With the council and police uninterested, she starts an investigation of her own. 
 
Kamil and Anjoli's 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. 
 
If the Met won't find the murderers, then they will. 
 
*A GUARDIAN BEST CRIME AND THRILLER BOOK OF 2022*

A real surprise... It is not just the descriptions of food that leave you hungry for more

Thrilling... This is a terrific series, a vivid portrait of the East End where a thriving economy is overshadowed by the effects of inequality

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

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...

The Cook is an ideal summer read... [a] dazzlingly clever plot

the award-winning first book in a thrilling new detective series

The Waiter

*As seen on The One Show* 
 
* A SUNDAY TIMES CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH * 
 
'Hugely entertaining' - ANN CLEEVES 
'An outstanding debut' - SUNDAY TIMES 
____________________________________ 
 
Ex-detective Kamil Rahman is embroiled in a case that might just change his life - for better or for worse . . . 
 
Disgraced detective Kamil Rahman moves from Kolkata to London to start afresh as a waiter in an Indian restaurant. But the peace of his new life is soon shattered. The day Kamil caters an extravagant party, the powerful host, Rakesh, is found dead in his swimming pool. 
 
Suspicion falls on Rakesh's young and glamorous new wife, and Kamil is called to investigate for the family. Kamil and Anjoli, his boss's daughter, prove a winning team - yet as the case progresses, and their relationship grows, the events of Kamil's past threaten to catch up with him . . . 
____________________________________ 
 
'A rip-roaring mystery that's engrossing from start to finish' - ABIR MUKHERJEE 
 
'This detective waiter has all the ingredients for a great crime series' - SUN 
 
'[Kamil is a] likeable inspector . . . We shall hear much more of him' - DAILY MAIL 
 
'An elegantly constructed thriller' - THE TIMES

Kamil Rahman: Kolkata detective turned Brick Lane waiter has a new case on his hands . . .

A hugely entertaining first novel for lovers of traditional crime fiction, taking us from Kolkata to Brick Lane.  I can't wait to read more about disgraced detective Kamil and his wonderfully drawn companion Anjoli.

Superb... Chowdhury paces the novel like an old hand, juxtaposing chapters set in the East End with flashbacks to Calcutta... [an] outstanding debut

From the mean streets of Kolkata to the kitchens of Brick Lane...this is a rip-roaring mystery that's engrossing from start to finish. In Kamil Rahman, Ajay has created a quixotic and all too human protagonist who is a refreshing and welcome addition to the world of detective fiction. One of my favourite reads of the year.

Abir Mukherjee, author of the Wyndham & Banerjee mysteries

The Waiter is a heady mix of murder, intrigue and all things Indian. Weaving together a dual narrative with aplomb, Ajay Chowdhury's neatly-drawn detective Kamil Rahman relives his failure to solve the murder of a Bollywood A-lister in Kolkata whilst trying to solve the killing of an Indian industrialist in London. Could the two murders be connected? An accomplished crime debut that offers something a little different.

Vaseem Khan, author of the Malabar House Baby Ganesh Agency crime series

An authentic and enthralling debut with an original new lead detective.

The Waiter is beautifully written and gloriously transporting. I really loved the glimpse into life as a Kolkata homicide detective and the vibrant and mouth-watering depiction of the Bengali restaurant trade on London's Brick Lane. Ajay Chowdhury is a refreshingly different voice in the crime genre and I can't wait to read more.

In a swiftly-moving energetic narrative that takes you from the decaying grandeur of Kolkata and the bustle of London's Brick Lane to the outward calm of the stately homes near Hampstead Heath, Ajay Chowdhury weaves a remarkable tale about the unlikely turns the life of police officer Kamil Rahman has taken, as he confronts his past, surrounded by the smells of spices and constant lurking danger.

Kamil Rahman is down on his luck. He's lost his job, smashed his dreams and fled Kolkata for London.  Ajay Chowdhury deftly weaves a tale of two murders, two countries, two times - past and present - and binds them together into a single web of intrigue, money, corruption and death.  He paints a bleak picture but brings it to life with a keen eye for texture, detail and an enticing love of music and good food.  No book as ever made me as hungry as this enjoyable, fast-paced thriller.

[An] accomplished debut...intricately plotted, gripping... This is a sizzler of a crime novel, full of spice and authentic flavour

Chowdhury's accomplished novel moves easily between different cultures, displaying the versatility of contemporary crime fiction

The pulse-pounding new undercover thriller for fans of Robert Galbraith, Anthony Horowitz and Elly Griffiths

The Spy

ONE BOY MISSING. ONE MAN UNDERCOVER. A WHOLE NATION AT RISK. 
 
Detective Kamil Rahman is working for the Met Police when he gets the call from MI5. They’ve received intelligence of a terrorist plot, and it’s Kamil they need. 
 
Posing as a disaffected cop, and working back in his friend Anjoli’s beloved restaurant on Brick Lane, Kamil attempts to infiltrate the cell. What he uncovers leads him halfway across the world to Kashmir, and face to face with an old nemesis. 
 
Meanwhile Anjoli starts to investigate the disappearance of a young boy who’s sending coded messages to his parents. As she attempts to solve his clues, she finds herself in greater danger than she could have imagined. 
 
Time is running out for Kamil and Anjoli: can they save the boy, and save a nation, before it’s too late? 
 
 
For fans of Robert Galbraith, Anthony Horowitz and Elly Griffiths, The Spy is the compelling, thought-provoking new mystery in the Detective Kamil Rahman series.

*As seen on The One Show* 
 
ONE MISSING BOY. ONE MAN UNDERCOVER. A WHOLE NATION AT RISK. 
 
 Detective Kamil Rahman is working for the Met Police when he gets the call from MI5. They’ve received intelligence of a terrorist plot, and it’s Kamil they need. 
 
 Posing as a disaffected cop and working in his friend Anjoli’s restaurant on Brick Lane, Kamil attempts to infiltrate the cell. What he uncovers leads him halfway across the world to Kashmir, and face to face with an old nemesis. 
 
 Meanwhile Anjoli starts to investigate the disappearance of a young boy who’s sending coded messages to his parents. As she attempts to solve his clues, she finds herself in greater danger than she could have imagined. 
 
 Time is running out for Kamil and Anjoli: can they save the boy, and save a nation, before it’s too late? 
 
 READERS LOVE THE SPY: 
 
 ‘WOW! The Spy is the perfect mix of contemporary politics, humour, action and romance… the best in a series that just keeps getting better and better’ 
 ‘In Kamal and Anjoli, Ajay Chowdhury has created a modern day Holmes and Watson’ 
 
 ‘Full of intrigue and twists and turns which gave an insight into the fight against terrorism’ 
 
 Praise for the Detective Kamil Rahman series: 
 
 'Outstanding' SUNDAY TIMES 
 
 'Hugely entertaining' ANN CLEEVES 
 
 'A rip-roaring mystery that's engrossing from start to finish' ABIR MUKHERJEE_______________________________ 
 
Kamil has always wanted to be top cop. With a father who reached the position of Police Commissioner of the Calcutta police, what else could he do, other than hanker after an honourable career chasing the bad guys, just like his dad. However, after refusing to turn a blind eye to the corruption he discovered, he was thrown out of the Calcutta police in disgrace and forced to flee to London. When he found work as a waiter, then a cook in his friend Anjoli’s Brick Lane restaurant, he believed his sleuthing days were over, but somehow trouble still managed to find him. Now, he's a Muslim in the Met, facing overt and covert racism and he needs to be twice as good as his colleagues to make it. All of this he could cope with, if only his personal life was humming along smoothly. 
Anjoli is searching, but she doesn't know what for. A high-minded psychologist who is super smart, always restless and naturally empathetic, she helped her mum and dad run their struggling restaurant while she was interviewing for graduate jobs and side hustling her slogan T-shirts. After her parents died, leaving her as manager and owner, she turned it into a flourishing hot spot for ‘Indicular Gastronomy’. But sharing work and a flat with Kamil, it wasn’t long before she found herself drawn into his detective work, digging him out of dead ends. She is brilliant, meticulous, and often finds crucial connections Kamil has missed. Anjoli would love to get deeper into crime solving – possibly even have a go at it full-time. But she just can't shake the feeling that she is an imposter in a game of let's pretend. Does what she feel for Kamil get in the way?

Ajay Chowdhury

The addictive, edge-of-your-seat mystery and Sunday Times crime book of the year

*As seen on The One Show* 
 
A BRUTAL KILLING UNCOVERS A COLD CASE. HAS SOMEONE GOT AWAY WITH MURDER? 
 
*A Times and Sunday Times Crime Book of the Year* 
 
'A rip-roaring mystery that's engrossing from start to finish' ABIR MUKHERJEE 
 On the verge of a four-billion-dollar deal, a tech entrepreneur is found dead on a construction site, which leads to the discovery of three skeletons over a hundred years old.Desperate to solve his first case for the Met, Detective Kamil Rahman is under pressure to prove to his colleagues that he's up to the job. 
 
But as fresh bodies turn up, can Kamil - along with his friend Anjoli - prevent another murder? 
 
*The thrilling new Kamil Rahman mystery, THE SPY, is available to pre-order now!* 
 
***** 
 
Praise for the Detective Kamil Rahman series: 
 
'Hugely entertaining' ANN CLEEVES 
 
'The Detective has all the ingredients for a great crime series' SUN 
 
'[Kamil is a] likeable inspector . . . We shall hear much more of him' DAILY MAIL 
 
'An elegantly constructed thriller' THE TIMES 
 
'Outstanding' SUNDAY TIMES 
__________________________ 
 About the detectives: 
 Kamil has always wanted to be top cop. With a father who reached the position of Police Commissioner of the Calcutta police, what else could he do, other than hanker after an honourable career chasing the bad guys, just like his dad. However, the odds are stacked against him. He's a Muslim in the Met, facing overt and covert racism and he needs to be twice as good as his colleagues to make it. All of this he could cope with, if only his personal life was humming along smoothly.Anjoli is searching, but she doesn't know what for. A high-minded psychologist who is super smart, always restless and naturally empathetic, she is meticulous and often finds connections Kamil has missed. She would love to get deeper into crime solving - possibly even have a go at it full-time but she can't shake the feeling that she is an imposter in a game of let's pretend. Kamil makes her laugh, but she doesn't know why she can't make the leap. Why is she so scared of surrendering her heart to him? Does she not feel deserving of love and adoration? Or does she fear a life where she's always waiting for the other shoe to drop?

Ajay Chowdhury

The Detective

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