Library Journal
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Kashiwai's third installment in the "Kamogawa Food Detectives" series (after The Restaurant of Lost Recipes) once again entices listeners with evocative descriptions of Japanese cuisine and reminders of the healing power of food. Each chapter centers on a client seeking to recover something lost, such as a relationship or a sense of self, by reconnecting with a dish tied to a meaningful moment from their past. The Kamogawa Detective Agency is run by the wise and observant chef Nagare and his daughter Koishi with their cat Drowsy making welcome appearances. Each chapter features one client, an intake visit devoted to uncovering clues through conversation and sensory detail, followed by a second visit that offers resolution and a taste of the food they were seeking. Narrator Footman returns, continuing a near-perfect pairing of voice and story. Her measured pacing and subtle shifts in tone highlight the warmth and nuance of the father-daughter relationship, rewarding attentive listeners with layers of emotional insight. VERDICT Listeners will delight in this latest entry in the beloved series and eagerly anticipate the next English translation. Essential for any healing-fiction collection.—Christa Van Herreweghe

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

The third installment in Kashiwai’s bestselling series arrives in another cozy translation by Kirkwood. A nondescript two-story building houses Kyoto’s Kamogawa Diner, enticing customers with spectacular meals created by policeman-turned-chef Nagare and with the detective agency headed by Nagare’s daughter, Koishi. Replicating comfort foods are the usual requests from clients desperate to reconnect with warming memories. A dancer longs for plain noodles in broth last shared with his father. A lacquerware maker hopes for his daughter’s curry and rice. A pianist desires her first love’s yakisoba. A hotelier asks for gyoza made by the parents of a woman he abandoned. A businessman seeks the omurice of his rival’s mother (and shares news about his boss from the first book). An author desires the stolen croquettes of her youth. Once again, Kashiwai indubitably satisfies delicious wishes. Drowsy the tabby figures prominently on every cover. Despite Nagare’s protestations—“can’t have a cat running around while people are trying to eat”—with five more titles planned, perhaps the loyal feline will finally get an indoor space of his own.