Children's and YA author Aisha Saeed (Amal Unbound; Yes No Maybe So) weaves a murder mystery into romantic suspense at its best in her first novel for adults, The Matchmaker, a fast-paced and entertaining read.
To the outside world, Nura Khan is perfect. "She's a magician," gush the online reviews of her boutique matchmaking agency, Piyar. "Nura is not just your matchmaker, she's your life fixer." But appearances aren't everything. Nura's best friend, Azar, has been her plus-one to all the weddings she attends, but he might want out of playing her pretend fiancé. Khala, the beloved auntie who raised Nura and taught her everything she knows about matchmaking, has had a series of minor strokes and was recently diagnosed with vascular dementia. And according to the hate mail piling up, someone wants Nura dead.
As a cat-and-mouse game played by someone coming ever closer to executing their threat of murder escalates, The Matchmaker shifts into something more tense than the typical romance narrative, with secrets, guns, danger, and more than a few twists and turns. It seems a given that a novel titled The Matchmaker, about a modern-day matchmaking service, would address themes of love and relationships, and Saeed does reflect on romance here. "There's a special kind of mythmaking people do when it comes to love," she writes. Nura grapples with this alongside her clients every day, not to mention in her own relationship with Azar. But as Nura and those she loves become amateur sleuths, Saeed also pulls in themes of family and belonging, friendship and support, class and race and culture. The Matchmaker is a smart, compelling mystery that sparkles with tension--and engagement rings. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer