“The Kamogawa Food Detectives” by Hisashi Kashiwai, translated by Jesse Kirkwood, has been published by Penguin Random House.
What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time?
Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner serves up deliciously extravagant meals. But that’s not the main reason customers stop by.
The father-daughter duo are “food detectives.” Through ingenious investigations, they are able to recreate dishes from a person’s treasured memories – dishes that may well hold the keys to their forgotten past and future happiness. The restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to vanished moments, creating a present full of possibility.
A bestseller in Japan, “The Kamogawa Food Detectives” is the first book in a mouth-watering series, a celebration of good company and the power of a delicious meal.
Kashiwai was born in 1952 and raised in Kyoto. After graduating from Osaka Dental University, he returned to Kyoto and worked as a dentist. He has written extensively about his native city and has collaborated in TV programs and magazines.
“[An] ode to the magic of food.” – People
“Off-beat and charming, [with] more complexity of flavor than you might expect.” – “Fresh Air with Terry Gross,” NPR
“[A] feel-good escape. . . Kashiwai not only makes you hungry for the numerous Japanese dishes he writes about, but he also evokes a unique sense of longing for past happiness you might wish to relive. Warm and nuanced while bringing you to the beautiful city of Kyoto, you’ll devour this small, gentle read like a hearty bowl of your favorite soup.” – Seattle Times
“Charming. . . This book offers more than beautifully crafted stories of life’s challenges and joys. It is filled with glimpses into Japanese culture. . . The kind of book you pick up and savor every page. A brilliant first installment to a series, it is expertly crafted and leaves you hungry for more.” – New York Journal of Books
“The enduring strength of love [is] at the heart of this series opener. . . Takes care to illustrate food’s ability to preserve a culture across generations. . . The cozy, literary equivalent of a hearty stew on a cold day.” – Chicago Review of Books
“Kashiwai’s unique blend of seasonings is more than enough to transform each into a five-star-worthy dish. . . [A] warm memory blanket of nostalgia. Readers [will] eagerly devour each morsel of this miso soup for the soul. . . A nourishing collection of bite-sized stories with a hearty dash of savory flavor.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Outstanding. . . A culinary and cultural exploration of Japanese cuisine. . . The novel includes mouth-watering descriptions of food as well as a nuanced description of life in Japan. . . Readers will take delight in Kashiwai’s exquisite meals and the culinary history that accompanies them.” — Library Journal
“[This] charming book is definitely not one to read while hungry… Little wonder that this gem of a detective novel is a bestseller in Japan. I’m only glad it’s been made available for the English-speaking public now too.” — Criminal Element
“Affecting. . . With overwhelming emotional resonance [. . .], Nagare satisfies toothsome dreams.” — Booklist
“Deliciously fun.” — BookRiot
“‘The Kamogawa Food Detectives’ is an absolute joy; hilarious, emotional, and entirely delicious. Hisashi Kashiwai’s tales of love lost, found, grown older and reborn are both striking and comforting — truly one of a kind. Delectable and delightful.” — Bryan Washington, author of “Family Meal”
“Readers will delight in these quiet, introspective stories about the healing power of good, nostalgic food.” – PBS Books
“An early contender for my favorite book of the year. For anyone who loves magnificent food writing and great storytelling, this novel is a moving, beautiful, and impeccably detailed tribute to the power of a great meal.” — J. Ryan Stradal, New York Times bestselling author of “Kitchens of the Great Midwest”
“I absolutely devoured this book! The father-daughter power duo of Nagare and Koishi Kamogawa carry this series of vignettes that show nostalgia is often the best spice and a plate of food is never just a plate of food. As warm and nourishing as a good cup of tea or bowl of miso soup, this is a series I can see myself returning to again and again.” – Mia P. Manansala, author of the Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity award-winning “Arsenic and Adobo”