Uzma Jalaluddin

Uzma Jalaluddin
Uzma Jalaluddin signing her novel, Ayesha At Last
Born1980 (age 45–46)[1]
OccupationsWriter, teacher

Uzma Jalaluddin (ooz-MA Jah-LA-loo-deen)[2] is a Canadian writer and teacher, known for her 2018 debut novel Ayesha At Last. She writes novels in the mystery and romance genres.

Career

Jalaluddin writes a column for the Toronto Star.[3][4][5] In 2017 Jalaluddin was one of several women the Toronto Star interviewed for their opinions on the future of feminism.[6]

She is part of a writing circle with Ausma Zehanat Khan and S.K. Ali.[7] She is also a high school teacher.[8]

Novels

Ayesha At Last

Jalaluddin began writing her debut novel Ayesha At Last when she was pregnant with her son Ibrahim, but only decided to finish it when he was seven years old.

Published in 2018, Ayesha At Last was longlisted for the Toronto Book Awards,[9] shortlisted for the 2019 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize,[10][11] and longlisted for the Stephen Leacock Humour Award.[12] It won a Hearst UK Big Book Award selected by Atlantic Books.[13] The novel has been favourably compared with Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.[14][3][15]

The film rights to Ayesha At Last were acquired by Amy Pascal's production company Pascal Pictures in August 2018.[16][17][18][19][20][21]

Other novels

Jalaluddin's second novel, Hana Khan Carries On, was published in June 2021.[22] The novel is about a rivalry between two competing halal restaurants. Her subsequent romance titles have included both Much Ado About Nada[23] and Three Holidays and a Wedding (co-written with Marissa Stapley) in 2023.[24] In 2025 she released Yours For the Season.[25]

In May 2025, Jalaluddin branched into the mystery genre with Detective Aunty, following South Asian Muslim sleuth Kausar Khan as she solves a murder in which her daughter is considered the prime suspect.[26] This was followed in 2026 by the sequel Moonlight Murder, in which Khan aims to solve another murder case in the Golden Crescent neighbourhood of Toronto.[27]

Works

  • Ayesha At Last (2018)
  • Hana Khan Carries On (2021)
  • Much Ado About Nada (2023)
  • Three Holidays and a Wedding (2023)
  • Detective Aunty (2025)
  • Yours For the Season (2025)
  • Moonlight Murder (2026)

Awards and reception

References

  1. ↑ Laura Beeston, Jackie Hong (2017-03-08). "Toronto women on the future of feminism". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 2017-03-08. Retrieved 2018-09-26. Instead of being exclusionary, now is the time to welcome and celebrate what we all bring to this movement. The idea of not discounting people who don't look like us or talk like us is so important, especially in Toronto.
  2. ↑ "About". UZMA JALALUDDIN. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  3. 1 2 Daigle, Chelby (2018-07-09). "Muslim Canadian Novelist Uzma Jalaluddin will be in Ottawa This Wednesday". MuslimLink. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  4. ↑ Patrick, Ryan B. (2018-05-07). "Uzma Jalaluddin's novel Ayesha At Last subverts Muslim stereotypes in its look at romantic love". CBC Books.
  5. ↑ Tabassum, Ayesha (2019-06-04). "Uzma Jalaluddin's debut novel Ayesha At Last is a fun love story about immigrant Muslims in Canada". Indulgexpress. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  6. ↑ Beeston, Laura; Hong, Jackie (2017-03-08). "Toronto women on the future of feminism". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  7. ↑ Douglas, Nick (2018-11-28). "I'm Novelist Ausma Zehanat Khan, and This Is How I Work". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  8. ↑ Miah, Umma (2025-11-04). "In Conversation with Uzma Jalaluddin". MWN HUB. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  9. ↑ Porter, Ryan (2019-06-19). "Twelve titles longlisted for Toronto Book Award". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  10. ↑ July, Ashly (2019-05-01). "Tanya Tagaq, Kate Harris and Terese Marie Mailhot shortlisted for $10K Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize". CBC Books.
  11. ↑ Kozlowski, Michael (2019-05-02). "Looking for a new ebook to read? Kobo has you covered". Good e-Reader. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  12. ↑ "Ten finalists for Leacock Medal for Humour revealed". OrilliaMatters.com. 2019-04-23. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  13. ↑ Davila, Ana (2019-06-12). "Big Book Awards 2019 winners revealed: Here are the hottest reads of the summer". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  14. ↑ Roy, Piali (2018-06-25). "Ayesha at Last". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  15. ↑ "Why Uzma Jalaluddin wrote a Muslim, modern-day update of Pride and Prejudice". CBC Radio. 2018-09-03.
  16. ↑ Wong, Tony (2018-09-08). "Why Canadian authors are hot in Hollywood". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  17. ↑ Van Koeverden, Jane (2018-08-28). "Film rights to Uzma Jalaluddin's Ayesha at Last acquired by Pascal Pictures". CBC Books.
  18. ↑ "'Crazy Rich Asians' Buzz Gets Muslim Canadian Novel 'Ayesha At Last' Acquired by Hollywood Execs". MuslimLink. 2018-08-28. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  19. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr (2018-08-27). "Pascal Pictures Acquires Uzma Jalaluddin Novel 'Ayesha At Last'". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  20. ↑ Gardner, Kate (2018-08-27). "Amy Pascal Options 'Ayesha At Last'". The Mary Sue. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  21. ↑ Lenker, Maureen Lee (2018-11-14). "Get an exclusive first look at the buzzy romance novel 'Ayesha At Last'". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2022-06-26. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  22. ↑ "Hana Khan Carries On". HarperCollins Canada. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  23. ↑ Imami, Sabriya (2023-05-08). "Uzma Jalaluddin's newest book enthralls". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 2026-05-03.
  24. ↑ "THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING". Kirkus Reviews. 2023-07-13.
  25. ↑ "YOURS FOR THE SEASON". Kirkus Reviews. October 10, 2025.
  26. ↑ "DETECTIVE AUNTY". Kirkus Reviews. 2025-05-03.
  27. ↑ "Moonlight Murder". HarperCollins Canada. Retrieved 2026-05-02.
  28. ↑ "Best Books for Adults 2019". New York Public Library. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
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