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The Crusader

byAjay Chowdhury

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A priceless diamond. A deadly siege. A detective caught between a rock and a hard place

The new mystery novel from Ajay Chowdhury, for fans of Robert Galbraith and M. W. Craven

Detective Sergeant Kamil Rahman is riding high on newfound fame and a thrilling new case: the mysterious death of the Deputy Governor of the Tower of London.


Meanwhile ex-partner Anjoli’s luck is about to change too. Her struggling detective agency has been asked to investigate a series of death threats targeting a high-profile, and controversial, climate activist.

Unbeknownst to them both, rogue historian Rohan Gill is planning the ultimate heist—to reclaim the Kohinoor diamond from the Tower – and Kamil and Anjoli, are an integral part of his plan.

With the Tower locked down and tensions soaring, will Kamil and Anjoli find the strength to do what’s right, or will they be swept away by the tides of history?


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

© Ajay Chowdhury 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

About Ajay Chowdhury

Ajay Chowdhury, the inaugural winner of the Harvill Secker-Bloody Scotland prize, is a tech entrepreneur and theatre director. His children’s book – Ayesha and the Firefish, was published in 2016 and adapted into a musical which premiered in San Francisco.


The Waiter (Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month), was published in 2021, and 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.The Cook (Guardian Top Crime Books of the Year) was published in May 2022 to excellent reviews and deals with the issue of homelessness. The third book in the series – The Detective (Sunday Times Top Crime Books of the Year) – is about government surveillance and AI. The Spy (Longlisted Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing), the fourth book, sees Kamil infiltrate a terrorist cell. The Shadow (A Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month) is the latest book in the series.
Details
  • Imprint: Vintage Digital
  • ISBN: 9781529975444
  • Price: £14.00
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