The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai 2 Books Collection Set - Fiction - Paperback

Titles in This Set
The Kamogawa Food Detectives
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes

Details
Condition: Brand New
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780381177379
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Overview
Discover the start of Hisashi Kashiwai's beloved Kamogawa Food Detectives series in this two-book paperback collection. Set in a hidden Kyoto backstreet diner, the books follow chef Nagare Kamogawa and his daughter Koishi as they track down lost recipes that unlock forgotten memories for their customers. Translated from Japanese by Jesse Kirkwood, these gentle, food-filled mysteries pair comforting storytelling with vivid descriptions of traditional Japanese cooking. A bestseller in Japan, the series has found a devoted following among readers of cozy, character-driven fiction. This set brings the first two books together for a satisfying introduction to the Kamogawa Diner.

About the Books
The Kamogawa Food Detectives introduces a quiet Kyoto backstreet where the Kamogawa Diner hides behind an unmarked door. Chef Nagare Kamogawa and his daughter Koishi run more than a restaurant; they operate as "food detectives," using a customer's fragmented memory of taste and setting to track down and recreate a long-lost dish. Each chapter unfolds as its own gentle mystery, following a visitor whose forgotten meal is tied to a first love, a departed parent, or a choice they've spent years regretting. The warmth comes from patience: nothing is rushed, and the reconstructed dishes become quiet vehicles for reconciliation. The Restaurant of Lost Recipes continues directly from there, bringing new patrons to the same diner with dishes tied to even deeper personal histories, from family legacies to lifelong dreams left unfulfilled. Nagare and Koishi's method stays consistent — equal parts culinary skill and empathetic listening — but the emotional stakes widen as cases grow more layered. Across both books, Kashiwai builds a soothing, episodic rhythm: a customer arrives, a memory is described, a meal is recreated, and something quietly shifts. The prose, rendered into fluid English by Jesse Kirkwood, lingers on the textures of Kyoto life without feeling like a cookbook. Together, these two books offer a complete, comforting arc for anyone drawn to stories about food, memory, and second chances.

Key Benefits

• Complete two-book introduction to the bestselling Kamogawa Food Detectives series
• Cozy, low-stakes mysteries ideal for relaxing, comforting reading
• Vivid, sensory descriptions of traditional Japanese cooking and Kyoto life
• Smooth, accessible translation by Jesse Kirkwood
• Great match for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold
• Brand-new paperback set, ready to gift or add to any bookshelf

Book-by-Book Guide
The Kamogawa Food Detectives — Introduces chef Nagare and his daughter Koishi, who reconstruct customers' forgotten dishes from memory alone.
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes — The father-daughter duo return for a second round of cases, recreating dishes tied to deeper, more personal histories.

About the Author
Hisashi Kashiwai was born in 1952 and raised in Kyoto, the city that inspires much of his writing. He graduated from Osaka Dental University and worked for many years as a practicing dentist before turning his attention to fiction rooted in his native city's food, culture, and quiet backstreets. His Kamogawa Food Detectives series became a bestseller in Japan and has since been translated into English by Jesse Kirkwood, introducing his gentle mysteries to readers worldwide. He continues to write about Kyoto and contributes to television programs and magazines there.

Why You'll Love This Set
Perfect for fans of cozy, food-centered fiction, this set makes a thoughtful gift for a foodie friend, a mystery lover, or anyone craving comfort reading. Compact and giftable, it suits birthdays, holiday stockings, book clubs, or a quiet weekend of self-care reading. Warm, memorable, and deeply satisfying from the very first chapter onward.

Please Note: This is the UK edition with the ISBN as listed; the cover may vary slightly from the image shown.