Damyanti BiswasReseñas

The Blue Monsoon is the second book in the Mumbai Blue crime thriller series. In this installment of the series Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput has to find a serial killer who leaves his victims spreadeagle and castrated at the entrance to Hindu temples with their faces cut beyond recognition. Drawn into their flesh are symbols of a tantra cult. He also must deal with friction within the caste system. His own associate will not investigate premises that are owned by lower castes. While the victims are from different castes so are the suspects and none of them want to be associated with each other. A video of the first murder is uploaded onto the account of a Bollywood social media influencer and millions of people had viewed it before her social media accounts were suspended. The desecration of a body at a Hindu place of worship puts the city on edge and divides Arnav’s priorities: stopping a fanatic from killing again and caring for his wife who’s struggling through a challenging pregnancy. If you’ve read the first book in the series, The Blue Bar, you will remember that Arnav Singh Rajput married his wife Tara, after she became paralyzed.

The setting was the weather. The story takes place during monsoon season and the rain is mentioned on almost every page. I never knew much about monsoons but have learned that they are flash flood rains where the flood waters can reach up to a person's knees. It is impossible to remain dry when you walk from a car to inside a building and the characters' clothes stayed damp all day with mud splattered all over them. Of course, this makes keeping a crime scene dry near impossible. However, Arnav and his fellow inspectors had no problems reading the crime scenes. The monsoon atmosphere takes the reader to Mumbai in July and I could almost feel my arthritis kicking in when I read about the characters always being damp from coming inside from the rain.

I love the main character Arnav. He seems to be a realistic guy. Arnav's relationship with his wife and daughter resemble families we all know. While he has a good relationship with both he feels the usual aggravation from them that all couples must deal with. Arnav makes mistakes but doesn't become angry when they happen and he always admits making mistakes when he is called on the carpet. When he gets caught speaking white lies, he always admits doing so and you think that these admissions will result in a change in the plot. Instead, after the admission of guilt, Arnav takes the plot somewhere else. I also love that he chose an outspoken woman as his wife. Tara continues to push all his buttons even though she is totally dependent on him for care and support.

Mystery lovers who have not read the series yet should begin with the first book, The Blue Bar. It was just as good as this one and I highly recommend it.

The Blue Monsoon by Damyanti Biswas is a medium paced thriller set in Mumbai. The book is the second instalment of Blue Monsoon Thriller Series but can be read as a standalone. Right from the first page the atmosphere is dark and heavy and the thrill hits our body and mind. The only loophole for me were the relation between few of the characters in the beginning. It confused me a little bit but, after that it was a thrilling ride. The mystery deepens and it takes you on an exciting journey of murder and superstitions. No one knows what is right until you reach the climax.

The book also focuses on the personal and professional life of a policeman which equally contributed to the plot. The haunting atmosphere and the mystery was just enigmatic and readers are definitely going to enjoy the book. Now, after reading this book, I am going to read the first part also. Definitely, the book deserves 4 stars and my recommendation. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an opportunity to be a part of the blog tour.

crime-fiction, thriller, suspense, spinal-cord-injury, pregnancy, cultural-differences, cultural-exploration, cultural-heritage, caste-system, relationship-issues, relatives, religious-differences, religious-practices, religious-symbolism, family, family-dynamics, friendship, India, ritual-killing, social-justice, multiple-murder, noir, unputdownable*****

Due to my cultural ignorance, I kept stopping the read to investigate things I wanted to know more about. One theme is the pregnancy of the wheelchair bound wife of Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput of Mumbai. The murder investigation involves a murder with ritualistic brutality and involves many inroads into the cultural realities of Mumbai. I couldn't really put the book down, but I find that I can't condense the story. I loved it and hope it will be in audio format soon!
I requested and received an EARC from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. Thank you.

When a mutilated body, with a cult tantric symbol, was found in a sacred Mumbai temple during this gloomy and depressing monsoon rain, it is just the beginning of a series of horrific and harrowing investigations for Senior inspector Arnav.

When the body count of the same MO increases, and the fierce torrential rain further complicates the investigations, Senior Inspector Arnav is racing against time to catch the killer before more harm is being done!

Damyanti Biswas has said that sequels are tricky beasts, but she has outdone herself in THE BLUE MONSOON, the sequel to The Blue Bar! THE BLUE MONSOON is gripping, tense, spine-chilling, and the suspense intensifies as I turn pages until the end! The excellent Biswas also gives me an insight into Mumbai's corrupted political and police system and the unsavory caste system.

I enjoyed THE BLUE MONSOON tremendously, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a dark, twisty and gripping thriller! Now, I am looking forward to Biswas’s next thriller!!

At work, Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput of the Mumbai Police is called to a horrifying crime scene. The male victim’s naked body is emasculated and dismembered with symbols of a tantra cult on his chest, the face unrecognizable. Who has left this desecration on the steps of a Kaali temple, a Hindu place of worship?

At home, Arnav navigates as husband to his wife Tara in the later months of her pregnancy, still recovering from an accident that paralyzed her legs. The future if she will ever walk again unknown. Arnav also continues building a relationship with his teenage daughter Pia, learning of his fatherhood only in recent years. What takes precedence when there is a conflict of needs between work and home?

As in Book 1, the first line commands attention with an unknown person stating,

"Let’s kill them all."

As a reader, I was riveted to the edge of my seat, and the page-turning suspense pace is equivalent to my imagination of the speed of a runaway train. Using the monsoon season as a backdrop built a presence, almost a character of note in itself, adding to the risks, heightening tension and drama of every action and emotion. There are lies, secrets, betrayals, greed, violence, bribery, and corruption at every twist in the investigation. Is justice even a possibility in this lurid world?

As a reader, I was immersed in the sights and sounds of Mumbai. I began to feel the highs and lows, the joy, the fear, the worry, and the constraints as if they were my own. Reading this novel, I was in a world of cultural and religious differences far beyond my knowledge. But beyond what is unique, some elements are universal in the differences between law enforcement officers seeking justice for victims, while some are there for the power to elevate themselves before others, whether through bribes, corruption, or lies. Only power is important. The universal sameness of the reasons for crime, from jealousy to territorial conflicts, the hunger for power, and greed. The universal sameness of managing conflicts between career and family. The universal sameness of need to protect one’s family regardless of relationship within the family.

I didn’t think it was possible, but I enjoyed this sequel even more than the introduction to these characters. The book can be read as a stand-alone, but reading the series in order will provide a deeper understanding of the nucleus characters, the relationships, motivations, and choices in moving forward. I look forward to reading more of this series.

At the beginning of the novel, Characters Who Appear in The Blue Monsoon are listed with brief descriptions. Glossary of Terms, Notes About The Blue Monsoon (e.g., Caste System, Tantra and Tantric Practices, Kinnar or Hijra), and Books I Read While Writing The Blue Monsoon are provided at the end of the novel. I highly recommend reading all the special features as each adds to the reading experience.

Thank you Damyanti Biswas, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The author hasn't tried to soothe the matters into the story. She hits us with the crimes and hits us hard. The story is very indulging with twists that will take our breath away. It feels very real (props to all the crime petrol and savdhaan India that I've watched). The beautiful blend between the personal life of a middle aged man and his work life where he is over powered and under pressure is to look out for. That is the classic Indian mixture which was depicted very intricately. Each crime has been researched and made part of the book in depth. The working of Indian police system hasn't been shied away from. The story feels easy on our minds- believable probably because we have seen such things happen. The best part of the story is the ending. Unlike all the Bollywood movies where truth always wins and obedience triumphs, this story ends in a very realistic way. If you are keen on crime thrillers, You beneath your skin will keep you hooked on.

Couldn’t keep track of the names

Inspector Arnav Rajput is called upon to investigate a decapitated and dismembered body that was found near Aksa beach, on the construction site of Taneja Estate Holdings.

As the investigation goes on, more bodies of the similar descriptions were discovered, at different locations in Mumbai. Inspector Arnav then realizes he’s looking into some cold cases with a possible serial killer on the loose. It also dawns on him that it has everything to do with his own haunting past!

THE BLUE BAR is a taut, gripping, harrowing, and at some points, eerie police procedure thriller that entwined in the complicated web of astounding twists and turns!

I was totally mesmerized by Damyanti Biswas’ latest suspense page-turning thriller THE BLUE BAR, from beginning till the end! I am so looking forward to reading the sequel of The Blue Mumbai Thriller series, The Blue Monsoon which is anticipated to be out later this year!

2002. Mumbai, India.

Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput’s latest case begins with a ghastly crime scene. Justice must be achieved for the dismembered bodies of women buried in shallow graves. Complicating identification as the heads are missing. The only clue left behind is blue sequins. It is difficult to imagine the sparkle of sequins advancing to a dire ending of atrocious cruelty. What changed?

I was captivated by the author’s writing from the 1st line,

"Endings are overrated."

This is not a horror story but rather a story of complicated life choices and law enforcement that will push past personal emotions to give the utmost care for those taken before their time, for those that became entrapped in spine-chilling situations beyond any danger they could have envisioned or foreseen. The story is well-written, with multiple POVs and settings from dance bar neighborhoods to Bollywood.

The characters that step up to ensure this case is solved exhibit through actions, “in life it does not matter how hard you fall, but how promptly you try to rise again.” A gripping and page-turning thriller.

This one wasn’t for me. I tried reading it and I don’t enjoy not knowing how to pronounce words that I’m reading so I tried the audiobook, which is usually a win. However, the narrator fell short and I was constantly getting lost.

The Blue Bar is a fantastic read. The Indian setting is one that I am always attracted to. I love reading about the saris and the food but cannot imagine having to deal with the noise. Likewise, the characters were interesting. Tara and Arnav's love story was charming. However, it didn't seem plausible that Arnav's current girlfriend Nandini would stick around knowing that he was still in love with Tara. Nandini is a professional woman and while she is presented as being independent, I thought she was a doormat. She tripped over her feet while trying to serve him.

The story had a fast pace, owing to the intricate plot. When it became apparent that a serial killer was the perpetrator, I couldn't figure out who it was. The author gave us about 5 prospects for the villain and stumped me. I reread some of the pages hoping to determine the identity of the whodunit but didn't gain any additional insight. I am ambivalent about the ending (after the whodunit reveal) and would have preferred something else. Let's see how it plays out in the second book.

The Blue Bar is an intense love story as much as it is an intense thriller. The characters, including Mumbai where it is set, are beautifully developed and described throughout the novel. It was a pleasure to be so immersed in this enchanting novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this great ARC.

Bar girls, blue saris…a dangerous world!

A dismembered body found on Madh Island in a disputed protected coastal mangrove forest are to the west of Mumbai opens up a trail of disappred bar girls going back years. Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput is called out to a building site where the workers have just uncovered a torso. Arnav dreads each call out he gets. He fears the body will be Tara, the bar girl he was involved with, who disappeared a decade ago without a trace. The Inspector is ordered to close the case, only he suspects that this is just one of many deaths. He also suspects the undercurrent of corruption is involved. In high places possibly. Confirmed to his mind, when he’s offered a promotion that will take him away from this case.
What we have is a whirlwind trip into the killler’s psychological obsessions, his targets referred to as Items, the involvement of high powered mafia type bosses, corrupt officials and parliamentarians, rich landowners, Bollywood stars, and the disappointment of a friend’s malfeasance.
Meanwhile the Supreme Court of India has ruled that dance bars can be reopened in Mumbai.
In a twist, the former bar dancer Tara, the woman Arnav has never forgotten, the girl he expects to find turning up as a body, has returned to the Blue Bar for a week to choreograph the bar’s dancers.
Now Tara’s become a target for the killer—for the second time! Can Arnav protect her? This time he has much more to lose.
A gritty account of the world of bar girls, the dark corners of the underbelly of the city, the other side of Bollywood and bright lights, the other Mumbai.
A complex novel. It’s easy to become a tad lost. A very rewarding read!

A Thomas & Mercer ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.