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I may never be able to travel in my lifetime, or at least be able to travel to foreign countries, but that’s why I love to read. You can escape to a place you’ve never been before or be able to visit. If you love a good mystery and have always wanted to visit Mumbai, you’ll want to pick up The Blue Monsoon by Damyanti Biswas.
Before we get to my review, here’s a bit about the book:
A ritual murder at a Mumbai temple exposes the city’s dark secrets and ravages the personal life of a detective in this sequel to The Blue Bar.
Amid incessant rains pounding down on Mumbai, Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput is called to a shocking crime scene. A male body is found dismembered on the steps of a Kaali temple. Drawn into his flesh are symbols of a tantra cult. 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.
Then video footage of the murder is uploaded onto the account of a Bollywood social media influencer, triggering twists in the investigation Arnav didn’t see coming. Caste systems at war. A priest under suspicion. And an anonymous threat that puts his wife’s welfare at risk. When more bodies are found, the savagery of the city begins to surface—and Arnav fears that no one is safe from a bigger storm brewing.
My Review
This is actually the second book in a series. I previously read and review The Blue Bar by Damyanti Biswas. It was so good and rich in detail, so I couldn’t wait to read the second one!
I love how Damyanti brings the reader to Mumbai. You are transported to the area and you can almost feel the rain and the storm that contrasts the murder mystery happening. You get two perspectives – the detective, Arnav, and his wife, Tara. It’s got some troubling aspects that are an unfortunate part of our reality with the underground crime and viciousness that goes with it. It’s the very thing Arnav is trying to stop, and then his wife becomes threatened, which increases the intensity of the novel.
It’s not for the faint of heart but if you love crime noir and getting involved in a thriller (and aren’t too affected by gritty detail of crime), you’ll want to read this book. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Pre-order your copy of the book on Bookshop.org, Amazon, or Target. You can also add it to your GoodReads list.
A good review.