My enormous thanks to Suk Pannu for arranging to have Mrs Sidhu’s Just Desserts sent to me after we chatted at Capital Crime and to Felicity Denham for making sure it arrived. I so enjoyed Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone (reviewed here) and am delighted to share my review of Mrs Sidhu’s Just Desserts today. 

Mrs Sidhu’s Just Desserts is published by Harper Collins imprint Hemlock and is available for purchase through the links here. 

Mrs Sidhu’s Just Desserts

It’s the most glamorous event of the year

Mrs Sidhu has snagged the contract of her life: catering the grand opening of Berkshire’s new art gallery.

But there’s horror among the hors d’oeuvres

Then the gallery’s star painting is stolen, and Mrs Sidhu’s favourite waitress is left dead on the floor.

Now it’s caterer vs murderer

The odds are stacked against her, but Mrs Sidhu is determined to crack the strangest case of her career and serve up her signature dish: just desserts.

My Review of Mrs Sidhu’s Just Desserts

Mrs Sidhu is catering a prestigious event. 

Hurrah! It’s always an anxious time when reading a second book in a series in case it doesn’t quite match up to the first (Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone) but I thought Mrs Sidhu’s Just Desserts was even better. It felt a little bit darker this time because of Daisy’s demise, but that served as a contrast to the wit and humour threaded throughout so that the narrative is completely engaging. Suk Pannu’s observational eye for who we are is a truly winning feature of the story.

The plot is stunning, being twisty and packed with action. I made several incorrect guesses as I was duped by the writing, just as much as Inspector and Mrs Sidhu are so that I felt immersed in the action. Mrs Sidhu’s Just Desserts races along making it impossible to put it down. I think what works so well is the plausibility of red herrings and the hugely satisfying end to the narrative. The story is completely absorbing.

I loved the development of Mrs Sidhu. She retains all those features of a typical Indian ‘Auntie’ that were in the first book, but this time there is more of her internal persona so that she comes to life even more. She retains her obsession with food and solving (interfering in) crimes so that she feels familiar. However, her stultifying grief at the loss of her husband, her frequent suppressed anger and some surprising actions give her an edgier and thoroughly compelling aspect. I adore her relationships with Burton and with her son Tez as she realises Tez isn’t just a child. Mrs Sidhu begins to understand her own loneliness, making me want Burton to fall in love with her but you’ll need to read Mrs Sidhu’s Just Desserts to discover if this happens.

Underpinning a warm, witty and engaging story are affecting, relatable and engaging themes of self-awareness, humility and pride, loneliness, friendships, relationships and an assiduously researched insight into the world of art. These combine into a really absorbing story.

I think Mrs Sidhu’s Just Desserts is a fabulous cosy crime. It is also a wonderfully observed insight into humanity. Entertaining, engaging and exciting, I think it deserves a top slot in the genre. Make sure you read it. 

About Suk Pannu

Suk Pannu wrote for Goodness, Gracious, Me and five series of the Emmy Award winning Kumars at No. 42. He’s written for BBC’s My Family and is a regular contributor to TV and Radio sketch and topical shows with spells on The News Quiz, Swinging, Armando Iannucci’s Charm Offensive.

His debut cosy crime novel, Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone was published by HarperCollins in 2023.

For further information, follow Suk on X @SukPannu, Bluesky and Instagram.