Imagine a meal you've had once or twice so long ago but could never find something that tastes like it. Now imagine if there was a detective agency made just to make the long lost meals you can't find anymore. Meet The Kamogawa Food Detectives, a father-daughter duo who own a restaurant that happens to be an agency to find the meal you've been searching to have again.

I honestly really enjoyed this book and thought it was sweet, but I was in a reading slump which is the only reason I didn't rate it higher than. 3. But generally, the plot was sweet and it made me think of all the meals I would want them to recreate for me. I highly recommend it because it's short and sweet and is honestly fit for every kind of reader.

In Brief
Light, soft, and nostalgia-inducing, The Kamogawa Food Detectives is the first in a bestselling Japanese series that offers a charming low-stakes collection of chronological stories following a different client to the detective agency. Nagare Kamogawa and his daughter run a difficult to find diner that also serves as a detective agency. Their clients are an assortment of individuals who come looking to have a certain dish from their past recreated in order to move forward in their lives or experience something they haven’t in many years. From a retired detective nervous about moving on with another woman years after his wife’s death to a woman living with regrets, these stories are filled with food, nostalgia, and the human need for comfort and the ability to move on. While it is disappointing the reader never gets a good look into how Nagare tracks down the ingredients and cooking methods for each dish, the payoff is in the emotions the dishes, and the story Nagare weaves on how he cracked the dish, gives the client. Simple and easy to read, The Kamogawa Food Detectives is a different sort of novel, but it can certainly speak to the human heart.

Extended Thoughts
Right off the bat, I’ll say The Kamogawa Food Detectives is not for everyone. But it’s certainly filled with food, Japanese customs, and a softness in the detective’s ability to offer things like closure and nostalgia to his customers. Told in a series of stories, this novel introduces a father and daughter duo who run a diner with no real signage that also doubles as a unique detective agency that helps clients taste dishes they hadn’t eaten in years. Readers looking for a story detailing how the detective tracks down the dishes and recreates them will be disappointed, but it does offer an easy and quick read that just might make the reader nostalgic for dishes they’ve had in the past.

The first in a bestselling Japanese series, The Kamogawa Food Detectives introduces Nagare Kamogawa, a retired police detective, and his daughter Koishi. Together, they run the Kamogawa Diner, which also essentially fronts as a unique detective agency. Here, they don’t take on things like murder mysteries, but, instead, the mystery of how to perfectly recreate a dish a client has eaten in the past and can no longer find. These vary from home cooked meals to special dishes cooked at various restaurants that may no longer exist. With each story split between one half that details the client and what they’re looking for and the other half that brings the client back to sample the dish, this novel is essentially a series of short stories linked by Nagare and Koishi, but the beauty in them is what this father and daughter duo can offer to help bring peace to their clients so they can move forward.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives is a light, easy read, but, since each story is set up in the same way, it can become a little too formulaic. The charm, though, is that each story both introduces someone new and incorporates some characters from other stories as other diners. I had a lovely time getting to know each client, whether or not I was destined to see them again in one of the other stories. It just offered a bit of life to this novel, something that indicated that, yes, each story is an isolated event, but life continues on. And, really, that’s one thing this book comments on. Each client comes looking for a piece of their past and finding it helps them move on, whether to new locales, new relationships, or just to move past a painful experience. Life continues on, and it was a quiet thrill I got when someone from a previous story showed up.

Each story follows a different client, and I liked that the first one was someone who once worked with Nagare. It was also a fantastic introduction to Nagare and Koishi as it also involved this particular client seeking a dish his late wife used to make so that he could move on to another relationship. It gave Nagare an excellent starting point, and created an easy way for the reader to follow the layout for each story. I did wonder how Nagare could possibly recreate dishes from restaurants that had closed down, or were created by a private individual, but he does reveal how he did it, and I was impressed with the amount of legwork he does for each dish. While I would have loved to travel with him as he figured out how to recreate the dishes, I also really came to appreciate the way each story was told. It was succinct, making it easy to read, while also holding that emotional piece that was so important to each client. From an anxious client hoping Nagare could recreate the dish, to an in-depth interview that helped the client relive the memories, to the tasting of the dish while Nagare wove his tale of how he figured it out, it really focused on letting the client feel and offered a look into the depth of emotions a person is capable of.

While Nagare and Koishi are the food detectives, the focus is never really on them. The reader follows them from story to story, as well as a certain diner Koishi seems to have her eye on though the reader never really gets to know much about him, but it’s difficult to really get to know them. They’re professional while working, familiar when with those they know, and delightful when they’re just father and daughter. Nagare was, through and through, quite the professional, and I adored his commitment to his late wife. Koishi, being much younger, felt a bit more explosive, letting her emotions get the better of her now and then. There was no real growth to them, but the reader comes to understand them a bit more from story to story and, after a while, they come to feel familiar.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives is certainly focused on the food. Each client is served something different when they walk into the diner, and they each come looking for a different dish. It could be overwhelming, at times, the amount of detail the author went into with all the food, but I also found it delightful. Then again, I do enjoy a book with lots of food, even if I’m not particularly familiar with it. I really enjoyed reading about how Nagare managed to track down specific ingredients and cooking methods. Since I wasn’t as familiar with these dishes, it didn’t exactly make me feel hungry, but instead made me crave dishes from my own childhood.

This is, of course, set in Japan, but, as I’ve never been, I struggled a little to picture it. Fortunately, most of the novel is set inside the Kamogawa Diner. This isn’t particularly well-described, either, but my active imagination was able to fill in the gaps. I would, though, love to have seen some of the pictures of the different dishes Nagare had hung up. I loved that each client stopped at a different photo and that it imparted some information to Nagare, and I wish I could have seen them for myself. But I really loved how all the little details made me feel like I was in Japan. The customs are not mine, but they’re similar enough to how I was raised that it felt familiar, and I liked that it felt authentic. I loved that it was so different from Western cultures, and that this wasn’t lost in translation.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives is certainly a different sort of novel. It’s light and easy, but has the potential to pack an emotional punch now and then if the reader is sufficiently engaged in a particular client’s story. I liked the soft edges of this one, and appreciated all the food talk. It took me a couple of stories to acclimate myself to the storytelling, but, when I did, I came to really enjoy it. This novel is sparse on details, but the details that are there spoke volumes. By the end of it, I was sad there were no more stories, but now I’m eagerly anticipating the opportunity to read the rest of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

It was very formulaic and repetetive, the same thing happened, verbatim, in each storyy and it was frustrating considering it is a 200 page book. Not sure if the translation was the issue but it didn't flow well.

A great read! A father-daughter food detective duo in search of customers favorite 'lost' meals. the food descriptions are amazing and the story heartwarming. I look forward to reading more in this series, this is definitely for fans of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series!

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the new definition of a delightfully low-stakes cozy. A former police detective and his daughter open a small, almost impossible to find restaurant with a back room focused on solving the food mysteries that clients bring in, for a cost of whatever they want to pay. Not only did this book (linked short stories) have deliciously described foods that had me drooling, the minute dramas in each chapter were really satisfying to follow. Shockingly, you don't "see" on the page any of the detective actually "solving" the nostalgia quests, you just hear about them later. Really lovely. Will recommend to anyone who wants a gentle read.

I thought there would be more of a true mystery rather than just a food mystery. I found a lot of each section repetitive and the characters just ok. The setting was interesting.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Nagare and his taught Koishi run the Kamogawa Diner. The back of the diner also functions as the Kamogawa Detective Agency. In each chapter we are following the story of different person and their experience at the Kamogawa Diner. I enjoyed reading this book. I wasn't rushing to finish it, but I was invested in Nagare and Koishi. I wish the book contained a pronunciation table for the characters' names. I found myself glazing over the character names because I didn't know how to pronounce them.

4 stars!

I'm very guilty of judging a book by it's cover and not reading the description/summary at all before starting, so when I picked this up I was expecting a cozy mystery, where food somehow helps solve crimes.

While there wasn't any violent crime, I might argue that it is a crime to lose recipes over time, or only get to eat an incredible meal once. Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare are crime fighters in that regard — they help recover "lost" foods, so that an aging man can enjoy a childhood meal, or so that a woman can enjoy the meal she was eating when she was first proposed to again, for example. This was a very cozy story about the connection food can have with emotions, memories, time and place. It made me nostalgic for my own past meals, and very hungry too!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for my honest review :)

The Kamogawa Food Detectives is not exactly what I expected, though the title makes it very clear. Instead of being a cozy (or any other) mystery, it is quite literally about a daughter and her father who find and make important recipes for their clients and unearth the stories behind them. Koishi and Nagare run a little, unassuming restaurant in Kyoto with the primary purpose of helping people find what they lost, relive memories, and heal through food. The format feels almost like interconnected short stories, with each chapter focusing on a different character/client that needs the Kamogawa's help. The Japanese setting and atmosphere is lovely, and the food descriptions are wonderful. The overall vibe is one of nostalgia and comfort.

I am not a big short story fan, so this format was not my favorite but the author succeeded in creating a book that feels undeniably pleasant, like a warm hug or rather a warm bowl of soup. Fans of "What You Are Looking For is in the Library" will also likely enjoy this translated work.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives published on 2/13/24.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy.

Gratitude to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and Hisashi Kashiwai for the ARC of "The Kamogawa Food Detectives." The cover's charm, featuring Asian cuisine and a cat, piqued my interest and set the tone for a delightful read.

Within Kyoto's Kamogawa Diner, Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare embark on a unique culinary journey as 'food detectives.' The narrative, rich with heartwarming stories, revolves around recreating dishes tied to customers' memories. From a widower's quest for a special noodle dish to the nostalgia of a first love's beef stew, the book seamlessly weaves food, emotion, and connection.

"The Kamogawa Food Detectives" is more than a book; it's a celebration of shared meals and the connections they forge. Warning: Do not read hungry! The vivid descriptions led me to pause mid-read, succumbing to the irresistible allure by preparing a bowl of Ramen. This Japanese bestseller is a heartwarming tribute to good company and the magic of shared culinary experiences.

The concept of this was very precious. I love the idea that there is a detective team tracking down what made a culinary dish taste perfect at one moment in time. Nothing can evoke a memory quite like tasting or smelling a dish so delicious we’d been dreaming of it ever since our first taste.

I thought the characters were very sweet and the premise was very unique. This is a short read, but is definitely a book I will think about for a long time after. What would my nostalgia dish be? Honestly, I try to do this detective work myself already. I just recently solved my 18 year mystery of the best pizza pie I’d ever had in Chicago. All I remembered was the front door, the taste of course, and that the pizzeria was within walking distance of the Peggy Notebart Nature Museum. I like to think I’m one of the Food Detectives now, too.

Translated from Japanese a quirky little story about a father and daughter detective team. They don't solve crimes. They food mysteries. Cute.

Thank you, NetGalley!

When I requested this book I thought it was a cozy mystery but more of a heartfelt story. Overall, It was a good book, but I should have read the description better. It was nice to learn more about the different cuisines of Japan.

A quirky, cozy mystery set around a father-daughter team that operate a food detective agency out of the back of their very low key restaurant. I had fun with this title, but really wished that there had been more stories in this volume - it felt a bit cut off by the end, and I wanted more from each story and also from the characters, too. What are daughter-father team Koishi and Nagare's backstories? What happened to Koishi's mom/Nagare's wife? What made them go into figuring out food mysteries for strangers? I know this is a series, and there might be these answers further on, but a bit more info up front would have made this story easier to relate to, and made me feel closer to the two main characters and their clients.

Have you ever had a dish or a meal stuck in your memories, and you try to recreate it… but it’s just not right? The father-daughter team in The Kamogawa Food Detectives specialize in these cases and the book is a collection of short stories or cases in which they help people of all ages who, for varying reasons, are trying to relive that memory of an important meal. And in each case the meal is just the center point of life changing memories. This is for anyone who read and enjoyed Before the Coffee gets Cold.

I thought this book had a wonderful premise and interesting ideas, but unfortunately the translation to English was not the best. The language was a bit lackluster.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives
by: Hisashi Kashiwai
PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons

I would describe The Kamogawa Food Detectives as a culinary mystery. The Kamogawa Diner is a restaurant in Kyoto that is ran by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare. People come to the restaurant so that Koishi and Nagare can recreate memorable food dishes from their past.

The book is divided into six chapters. These tell the individual stories of six guests who sought out the restaurant, as well as history of the dish from their pasts. Kashiwai's writing is warm, engaging, and written with a deep respect for cuisine, treasured recipes, and the ingredients and techniques used in preparation. This book is first in a series.
Thank you to Net Galley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for an advance reader's copy. My review is my own.

I had no idea what to expect going into this book, but the cute cover totally roped me in and I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not normally a fan of mystery/suspense books, but the cozy theme of this one intrigued me. I've been to Japan several times and absolutely love it, making it easy for me to really envision the scenes. I really enjoyed the central theme of nostalgia throughout.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. It was a bestseller in Japan and has been translated into English. Nagare Kamogawa and his daughter, Koishi operate the Kamogawa Diner from a nondescript diner. There are no signs or menu, and people primarily come for one thing, The Kamogawa Detective Agency. They track down the recipes for those longed for dishes from our pasts.

An utterly delightful read. Each chapter presents a different dish and the experiences of the person seeking it. The book is a love letter to food and how it connects us. Food, especially those dishes from our past, is so evocative. It transports us through time and space, reminding us of connections to our family, to our culture, to our place in the world. Nagare and Koishiare our grounds and our guides on this journey, and I appreciate how they unfold over the course of the book. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

🐾 Can we talk about how adorable this cover is?!? Absolute purrfection! 🐾

I absolutely loved this! Cozy, heartfelt and packed with delicious food - it reminded me of the perfect mix of cozy mystery + the Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

10/10 recommend and am keeping my fingers crossed that we get more Hisashi Kashiwai novels translated into English!

Thank you G.P. Putnam's Sons for the gifted copy!