RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
THE BLUE MONSOON (Blue Mumbai Book #2) by Damyanti Biswas is an atmospheric and suspenseful crime thriller/police procedural pitting a Senior Inspector against a ritualistic serial killer in Mumbai, India during the monsoon season. This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.
Senior Inspector Arnav Rajput is called to the scene of a brutal ritualistic murder on the steps of a Kaali temple. The desecration of the Hindu temple sets the city on edge. A video of the murder is uploaded onto the account of a Bollywood social media influencer which leads to many more threads of this tangled web of an investigation.
A second mutilated body is discovered, and Arnav finds himself not only searching for a killer, but also dealing with duplicity and betrayal in his own police station. He seeks the help of his old partner, Sita Haik and the two are thrown into the middle of the intricate plot of a killer.
I loved this second book in the series as much as the first, The Blue Bar. Ms. Biswas’ writing immerses the reader in the underbelly of Mumbai and in this book an added antagonist is the monsoon season. Arnav is a realistic character who has a strong sense of right and wrong, but he also must bend at times within a corrupt system. Not only does he have a difficult case to solve, but his paraplegic wife who is about to give birth finds herself in danger, too. All the characters are fully developed and play key roles in this intricate plot. The discussions between characters of the still prevalent caste system and subjugation of women in India was fascinating and educational. The crime plot is intricate and has many tentacles with several crimes and criminal enterprises overlapping. The tension ramped up continually to keep me turning the pages until a surprising conclusion.
I highly recommend this immersive crime thriller/police procedural with its unique setting and memorable characters.
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About the Author
Damyanti Biswas lives in Singapore. Her short stories have been published in magazines in the US, UK, and Asia, and she helps edit the Forge Literary Magazine. She runs a 15-year old blog at damyantiwrites.com/blog, where she speaks about her life, writing and reading.
Her debut crime novel, You Beneath Your Skin, has been optioned for screen by Endemol Shine. Her next, The Blue Bar, part of the Blue Mumbai series, was published Jan 1 2023 by Thomas & Mercer. The sequel, The Blue Monsoon, will be published in October 2023.
When she’s not reading, writing or cooking up a storm, you can reach her via Facebook at www.facebook.com/damyantiwrites, on Twitter and Instagram as @damyantig. She loves hearing from readers.
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Social Media Links
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