An enjoyable book. I did find it a bit slow to start. I do find books that keep jumping between time lines mildly irritating. It also meant that there was a lot of characters to take in. I really started to enjoy the book when the time lines and the London and Kolkata stories started to merge. Kamil does seem incredibly naïve especially for an Indian policeman. I look forward to reading the second in the series - The Cook.

Kamil Rahman number 1

Kamil is a once high flying and disgraced Kolkata detective and now working as a waiter in Brick Lane, London for a family friend Arjim Saibal. The restaurant has an extravagant outside catering job for millionaire Rakesh Sharma. The event goes well, with a few surprises but the evening is shattered when Rakesh is found dead in his swimming pool with the police later arresting his young wife Neha. Saibal appeals to Kamil for his detective help as Neha is like a daughter to him and along with Saibal's daughter Anjoli, Kamil's detective juices flow again. Kamil finds it hard to shake of the past which to his shock is catching up with him again. The story is told in the present day and in the previous months in Kolkata.

I really enjoy this novel as it makes a refreshing change from the usual in this genre. I like the characters, Kamil is a stand up guy, he's self deprecating and Anjoli christens him Inspector Morose, a tad unfairly! My favourite character is Anjoli whose humour 'literally' and 'basically' makes me laugh! As for her slogan t-shirts they are laugh out loud with a few being genius!

The dynamics are excellent in several areas and makes for interesting reading. leading to intriguing revelations with plenty of plot twists to keep us entertained. I constantly find myself asking who has motive and the answer is quite a few and Kamil and Anjoli's discussions along those lines are very enjoyable. The plot definitely thickens, there are connections to the past and what emerges changes perspectives.

One of the most enjoyable aspects, apart from Anjoli, is the atmosphere. Its chock full of it both in India and London and I salivate as we also take a culinary tour and you can wait at my table anytime Kamil!

My only reservation is that in the first half the time line switches are not as smooth as in the second half. However, this is a more than promising start to a series I'm sure to enjoy.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK Vintage/Harvill Secker for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

The Waiter is an engaging medley of India and England seen from the viewpoint of Kamil Rahman, an ex-sub-inspector in the Kolkata police force and a present-day waiter at a family friend's curry house in the East End of London. The story plays out over dual time frames, seemingly disparate and has murder mystery at its core.

The characters are believable, and the plot has surprising twists. Good use of sensory imagery draws the reader into Kamil's world. Kamil is a realistically flawed protagonist. As the story progresses, the reader feels empathy for his past and present situations.

I enjoyed this well-paced, entertaining story, and I look forward to the next book in the series.

I received a copy of this book from Vintage Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is the first book in the Detective Kamil Rahman series and I cannot wait to read the next book. This one was fast paced and tense and you never really knew what twists and turns were going to surprise you with next. When a body of a well know person is found dead, Kamil is suspicious of everyone as you would be. Can he work out who the killer or will his past catch up with him before it is too late? I look forward to reading the next book in this series as this one I just didn't want to put down. I liked getting to know Kamil, I felt as though he was very likeable and a friendly guy and I liked seeing where the story is going to go.

"My mind was in overdrive. I remembered the early excitement of the Asif Khan case, the thrill of those first clues, piecing the scene together like a jigsaw...before each piece smashed into a thousand fragments."

Disgraced Kolkata police detective and Muslim, Kamil Rahman, son of a legendary retired commissioner of police, is staying with his parents' Hindu friends, Saibal and Maya Chatterjee and their daughter Anjoli; Kamil is working for them as a waiter in their restaurant, Tandoori Knights, near Brick Lane in London. When Anjoli's Uncle Rakesh Sharma, a wealthy businessman, is found dead in his swimming pool at his 60th birthday party, Kamil decides to investigate. Aunty Pinky (Rakesh's first wife) and son Arjun blame
Rakesh's second wife Neha. When Neha, Anjoli's old school friend, is arrested for Rakesh's murder, Anjoli decides to help Kamil.

But Kamil's past, and his involvement with a high profile case of murdered Bollywood film star, Asif Khan is coming back to haunt him. Are the two cases connected? Kamil is determined to make his family proud and help his adopted family, but someone really doesn't want him to.

The first in a detective series, for which the author won the inaugural Harvill Secker-Bloody Scotland crime writing award. The narrative switches between Kamil's Asif Khan case in Kolkata and Rakesh's murder in London, until they merge, giving the reader context about Kamil. Kamil is a likeable protagonist, who's been dealt a raw deal trying to do the right thing and Anjoli is an entertaining foil for him. I really enjoyed reading this because it manages to be different in the worlds it inhabitants (I could almost smell the food!) from most crime fiction whilst being spot-on with characterisation and pacing. The tense atmosphere is punctuated with humour (Anjoli's homemade slogan t-shirts in particular). It's a fantastic read.

For a debut novel, I found this well written. I was drawn in from the very beginning wanting to know what was happening and what was going to be next. Loved the different cultures and the characters too.

What a great debut. I thoroughly enjoyed this very entertaining, intriguing and authentic murder mystery. I loved the dual time lines, the mix of English and Indian cultures, and the author’s wonderful descriptions – especially of his home town and curries! I found some of the language a bit difficult, and parts of some conversations were left untranslated which was a little frustrating. The plot was unique, the writing was great, and my only little disappointment was the ending which didn’t turn out to be what I’d hoped. A very good read, and I’m about to start the next in this series – The Cook. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

A former investigator from Kolkata turns to a waiter in Brick Lane and tries to use his investigator’s skills. For me the story was an ok read but a little slow and a struggle to finish.

Have to be honest and admit that on starting the book, I thought is was a "comical detective" story with it reading like it was written by the batman in "It ain't half hot mum". The style of the book did not totally disabuse me of the comical detective but, that aside, it was a different and quite revealing look at the way all of the characters play their English or Indian parts. Perhaps my views would be a little different if I were not very familiar with the Brick Lane area and acquainted with Kolkata.

Overall, I found it to be an interesting enough book to already have his follow up "The Cook" close to the top of my book pile.

I really quite enjoyed this book - I sort of feel like it's familiar, but it's one of it's charms.
I believed all the characterisations, I enjoyed their interactions, and I felt the story was only a little bit stretched and only mildly unbelievable.
Overall, I really enjoyed it.

I raced through this book.
The two worlds of Kolkata and Brick Lane were fascinating. I loved disgraced Kamil who just can't help but be a detective and Anjolis T shirts are a delight!
I will look out for the next book.

For me this book was an OK read. Translation was needed for some words in this book and it would have been good if it was provided. There are a few holes in the plot.

All Kamil Rahman wanted to be was a detective like his father, honest and serving the law. He seemed to have it all, promotion, a beautiful fiancee and the opportunity to investigate a high profile murder in Kolkata. Then it all crashed down around him, he lost his job, his reputation and the woman he loved and now he is working illegally as a waiter in the London restaurant owned by family friends. However when a billionaire is murdered at a party Kamil is working at his worlds collide and instinct takes over.
I didn't expect this book to be as good as it turned out to be after reading the first third or so. The pace is quite slow and there is a lot of language which can be difficult for someone who doesn't understand Hindi. However this adds to the authenticity and the plot seems very far-fetched suddenly takes an unexpected and quite mundane turn which actually makes it more enjoyable. The culture-clash aspects are handled really well, particularly the sexual exploitation of both sexes in a #metoo reference and the 'western' behaviour - I loved the bit where Rahman shaved off his moustache! Hopefully there will be more

This I enjoyed - a totally original entry into the genre of thriller writing. I loved the juxtaposition of England and London in terms of people, place and culture as Kamil Rahman working now as a waiter in Brick Lane after falling from grace uses his experience as a detective in India to solve a murder.

The writing is lucid and the plot compelling. This was a real discovery and hopefully the first in a series.

All I can say is, what a debut The Waiter is! I genuinely loved this book from start to finish, from the introduction of a stand out character in Kamil Rahman. and the way that the story explores the weighty themes of family loyalty, jealousy and betrayal, as well as being an intriguing and different murder mystery. Rahman undergoes somewhat of a sea change by relocating to the UK after his previous career as a detective in Kolkata, and what Rahman captures so wonderfully well is not only this exceptional change in his personal circumstances, but how it now shapes him as a man reliant on the kindness of the others, a kindness that he is more than happy to repay by investigating the murder of someone in their circle. To all intents and purposes, Rahman is a man driven by his own sense of morality, and I particularly enjoyed the way that this morality got a little more fluid as the plot progressed. Egged on by his vivacious sidekick, Anjoli, who is a total force of nature, Rahman starts to play a little bit dirty to flush out a killer, and things get very interesting, very quickly.

I really liked the way that Chowdhury so beautifully captures the buzz and hum of the Brick Lane area, and its colourful history, but also the energy and vivacity of Kolkata, a society of defined by its extremes in wealth and opportunity, as Rahman finds himself returning home and revisiting past events. An incredibly solid debut, which bodes well as a start of a series I hope, and perfect for fans of the equally brilliant A. A. Dhand and Khurrum Rahman. Recommended.

Really enjoyable debut focused on a former Kolkata detective now working as a waiter in a Brick Lane curry house following an initially undisclosed investigation that lost him his job and his safety at home. Embroiled in a murder investigation in London, the two timelines unspool in parallel. No one will be surprised that there’s a connection, the fun is in seeing how it plays out.

Rahman is a great central character - principled, naive and with great skills - it was inevitable he’d come undone. The two settings are well drawn with a distinct atmosphere and sense of place in each. Highly recommended

Kamil is a frustrated detective who works in his uncle's restaurant on London's Brick Lane as a waiter following an investigation into the murder of a famous celebrity in Kolkata that didn't work out as well as he had hoped. Now he has been asked to work at the 60th birthday party of a wealthy friend of his uncle. Events take an unexpected turn and Kamil is called upon to use his detective skills again.

This is a pact, exciting whodunnit story, told using two timelines and follows two investigations - one current and one in the past. Kamil is faced with yet another difficult challenge but discovers more about judgement than he ever thought he would. Great plot, skillful writing with an original and unlikely twist!

The Waiter is a stunning debut. It's got an original plot that keeps you guessing and a back story that;s expertly weaved to add so much depth. It's one you will not want to put down until you've reached the final page,

It’s a deftly crafted novel that can balance great characters (especially for their first outing) and an incredible plot. The Waiter is that book. In a crowded crime fiction market, this is a real stand out.

Kamil is a former Sub-Inspector of the Kolkata Police. Son of a high ranking officer, we join him after he has relocated to London to wait tables in the restaurant of family friends. Told over 2 timelines, the Kolkata case that brought Kamil to London; and a murder that he becomes embroiled in in London, both weave together with great skill and tension. The main characters are a joy. The wider ensemble bring a huge amount of colour. And it also sparkles with humour throughout.

A highly recommended 4.5* and deserved winner at Bloody Scotland.

Thanks to Harvill Secker and Netgalley for the ARC.

The Waiter is the first instalment in a brand new crime fiction series featuring larger than life, tenacious protagonist and former detective Kamil Rahman. Son of the retired Kolkata Police Commissioner, Ex-Sub Inspector Kamil Rahman was forced to leave his native India under a dark cloud after disgracing himself during a case. When Bollywood star Asif Khan was brutally murdered and Kamil’s superiors pull him from the ranks to lead the investigation he runs with it - seeing it as his opportunity to not only make his father proud but live up to the Rahman name, too. However, his investigation went south and he was swiftly fired which is how he ended up working illegally as the eponymous waiter at the Tandoori Knights restaurant in London's Brick Lane owned by his father's friend Saibal Chatterjee; he now lives with him and his wife, Maya, and daughter, Anjoli. There's no denying that they have really stepped up to help Kamil in his time of need but he still feels completely lost, as though he's taken a wrong turn in life and cannot reverse. He misses his profession and wonders to himself if there'll ever be an opportunity to show his worth as a detective again. Then rather serendipitously a murder occurs; Kamil attends wealthy businessman Rakesh Sharma's 60th birthday celebration at his swanky north London mansion as one of the waiters for the indulgent party but the host has now been discovered dead beside the swimming pool with his head caved in, seemingly by a whisky bottle. Rakesh had recently divorced his wife, Pinky, and married the 28-year-old, Neha, who happened to be good friends with Anjoli. So when the newly-widowed Neha becomes the prime suspect, she is arrested for her husband's murder.

DI Campbell is in charge of the investigation, but Kamil and the irrepressible Anjoli realise they must conduct their own probe into the case if they have any hope of clearing Neha’s name and identifying the genuine perpetrator. It soon comes to Kamil’s attention that there is a connection between what happened on the Khan case back in Kolkata the previous summer and Rakesh’s murder half a world away. But Kamil knows better than anyone the way the justice system ”works” in India. Can Kamil and Anjoli find out the truth and get to the bottom of the case without putting themselves squarely in the line of fire? This is a scintillating and enthralling debut thriller but not only that, it is rich in Indian culture, food and atmosphere. But while there are many positive aspects of Kolkata depicted throughout, Chowdhury also explores the rampant corruption within India’s police ranks with many known to take bribes. Kamil Rahman is revealed as a likeable man – and morally sound detective – only he got his career start in a country riddled with a police force and judicial system that doesn't often take kindly to those who are honest hard workers looking to deliver real justice. I found this to be fantastic crime fiction with a refreshingly original setting in vibrant, vivid and bustling Kolkata with the whole narrative being linked to the country. Its complex dual plotline is exhilarating, intelligent and had a whole lot of substance to it compared to other thrillers. On a deeper level, The Waiter is a study of the two sides of corruption. One side is kindly, concerned with the protection and promotion of intimates (e.g. nepotism); the other is cruel and greedy, involved in the destruction of the innocent, the ruination of the powerless and the overriding of every honest impulse. Highly recommended.