Rating: ★★★★☆
The Kamogawa Food Detectives is a heartwarming culinary tale translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood. Centered around a Kyoto restaurant run by Koishi and her father Nagare, this light mystery follows the Kamogawas as they recreate meaningful dishes from customers' pasts. It's a poignant celebration of food, memory, and human connection.
Author Hisashi Kashiwai brings the setting of Kyoto to life through vivid sensory details, particularly the mouthwatering cuisine. Protagonist Koishi is spirited and curious, complemented by her father's wisdom and cooking expertise. The "food detective" premise is original and intriguing. Each chapter focuses on recreating a touching dish for a customer, seamlessly blending miniature mysteries, cooking, and emotion.
The soothing pace, uplifting tone, and focus on food over the plot make this perfect for foodies seeking a gentle read. While the mysteries themselves are relatively simple, the stories behind each lost recipe are moving. Food and memory are deeply intertwined here; the Kamogawas' dishes unlock powerful nostalgia and closure.
Readers seeking an in-depth thriller should look elsewhere, but as a heartwarming journey celebrating food, family, and second chances, The Kamogawa Food Detectives delivers. Kashiwai's prose is inviting, with restaurant scenes sure to make your mouth water. A poignant four stars, the only way this could have been improved is if recipes had been included in-depth for all the meals.
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