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Blue Mumbai #1
The Blue Bar
On the dark streets of Mumbai, the paths of a missing dancer, a serial killer, and an inspector with a haunted past converge in an evocative thriller about lost love and murderous obsession.
After years of dancing in Mumbai’s bars, Tara Mondal was desperate for a new start. So when a client offered her a life-changing payout to indulge a harmless, if odd, fantasy, she accepted. The setup was simple: wear a blue-sequined saree, enter a crowded railway station, and escape from view in less than three minutes. It was the last time anyone saw Tara.
Thirteen years later, Tara’s lover, Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, is still grappling with her disappearance as he faces a horrifying new crisis: on the city’s outskirts, women’s dismembered bodies are being unearthed from shallow graves. Very little links the murders, except a scattering of blue sequins and a decade’s worth of missing persons reports that correspond with major festivals.
Past and present blur as Arnav realizes he’s on the trail of a serial killer and that someone wants his investigation buried at any cost. Could the key to finding Tara and solving these murders be hidden in one of his cold cases? Or will the next body they recover be hers?
After years of dancing in Mumbai’s bars, Tara Mondal was desperate for a new start. So when a client offered her a life-changing payout to indulge a harmless, if odd, fantasy, she accepted. The setup was simple: wear a blue-sequined saree, enter a crowded railway station, and escape from view in less than three minutes. It was the last time anyone saw Tara.
Thirteen years later, Tara’s lover, Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, is still grappling with her disappearance as he faces a horrifying new crisis: on the city’s outskirts, women’s dismembered bodies are being unearthed from shallow graves. Very little links the murders, except a scattering of blue sequins and a decade’s worth of missing persons reports that correspond with major festivals.
Past and present blur as Arnav realizes he’s on the trail of a serial killer and that someone wants his investigation buried at any cost. Could the key to finding Tara and solving these murders be hidden in one of his cold cases? Or will the next body they recover be hers?
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2023
About the author
Damyanti Biswas
13 books1,010 followers Damyanti Biswas is an author, blogger, animal-lover, spiritualist.
Her Indian debut literary crime novel You Beneath Your Skin was an Amazon bestseller, and optioned for the screens by Endemol Shine. Her next, The Blue Bar was a #1 new release on Amazon and a #1 Bestseller on Amazon USA. Publisher's Weekly, in their Starred review called it 'an unforgettable, searing portrait of marginalized people struggling for survival'.
Her work has been published in Smokelong Quarterly, Ambit, Pembroke Review, Griffith review, Flash Fiction Online, among many others in the US, UK, and Australia. She also serves as one of the editors of the The Forge literary magazine.
Be sure to follow Damyanti on Bookbub for the latest on sales and giveaways.
Say hello on Twitter or Instagram : where she loves chatting with readers about books, cake, and existential angst.
If you'd like curated writing advice, book recommendations and slices from her Blue Mumbai universe, sign up for her newsletters at : www.damyantiwrites.com
Her Indian debut literary crime novel You Beneath Your Skin was an Amazon bestseller, and optioned for the screens by Endemol Shine. Her next, The Blue Bar was a #1 new release on Amazon and a #1 Bestseller on Amazon USA. Publisher's Weekly, in their Starred review called it 'an unforgettable, searing portrait of marginalized people struggling for survival'.
Her work has been published in Smokelong Quarterly, Ambit, Pembroke Review, Griffith review, Flash Fiction Online, among many others in the US, UK, and Australia. She also serves as one of the editors of the The Forge literary magazine.
Be sure to follow Damyanti on Bookbub for the latest on sales and giveaways.
Say hello on Twitter or Instagram : where she loves chatting with readers about books, cake, and existential angst.
If you'd like curated writing advice, book recommendations and slices from her Blue Mumbai universe, sign up for her newsletters at : www.damyantiwrites.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 544 reviews
December 30, 2022
In a Nutshell: A literary crime noir set in my beloved city of Mumbai!!! (Trying my best not to be biased in this review! 😃) Complicated characters, gritty plot, fast-paced writing. Enjoyed most of it. But this *might* work better for those familiar with Mumbai.
Story Synopsis:
I had read Damyanti’s debut work, ‘You Beneath Your Skin’, a couple of years ago and was blown away by her narrative control and plot choices. It remains one of my favourite books by a contemporary Indian writer. That novel revealed the darker shades of New Delhi. This time, it’s Mumbai’s turn. Yay!
Where the book worked for me:
💘 My city. In a fictional book. That is well-written! Many of you might already know how this feels, but to me, this is the first time ever that I read a great (though not perfect) representation of Mumbai. The local lingo, the attitude of the people, the fast-moving lifestyle, the larger-than-life persona of movie stars,… Cant tell you how much I enjoyed this aspect of the novel. Having familiarity with the locations helps so much in visualising the story!
💘 After the initial couple of chapters, the book really upped the action. The writing is quick-paced without compromising on quality.
💘 Though the writing seems a teeny bit repetitive at times, it was helpful for a change, as the storyline was quite tricky to keep track of. (And this is despite my being comfortable with the Indian names, locations and words!) Arnav’s regular summations helped to keep abreast of the entire investigation without losing track of anything.
💘 This was an Indian book that felt Indian – it has its heart in the country. If you pick this up expecting something as exotic as ‘The Henna Artist’ or as dramatic as ‘The Spaces Between Us’, you are the wrong audience for this novel. (Also, if you think that those two books present “the true picture of India”, you couldn’t be more wrong!) This is not a book selling glamorised versions of Indian society, nor is it peddling to you stereotypical portrayals of the casteist/religious issues in the country. It is a presentation of the darker side of Mumbai City, the seedy underbelly that lurks in the background under the glamorous exteriors of Bollywood and business. AND it sticks to this purpose without adding in social commentary or moralising characters. Loved the reality.
💘 Though I did guess the identity of the serial killer, I loved the path to this discovery. The author doesn’t make things easy with her regular curveballs of data highlighting the flaws of multiple characters.
💘 There is a minor thread of romance in the book which does help relieve tensions. At the same time, the romance never overshadows the crime arc.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
💔 There are a few data-based errors in the writing. None of this would be noticeable to any outsider, and none affect the flow of the story. However, as a Mumbaikar, the errors sort of popped out before my eyes. Also, the spellings & meanings of a few of the Indian words are incorrect. (I say ‘Indian” because the book uses words from a variety of languages.)
💔 The ending (which felt like it came straight out of a Bollywood action flick) seems a bit hurried. It was over just when I expected it to provide an adrenaline surge.
I've a strong feeling this book will work better for Indian readers than international readers. We Indians are attuned to reading international (or rather, American and British) books right since our childhood. However, those in the US won't be accustomed to reading Indian works. The story is much dependent on a familiarity with local lifestyle and practices, none of which transport well to an international setting. The idiosyncrasies of Mumbai can be understood only by a Mumbaikar. (This last line can be extrapolated to India/Indians as well.)
Does this mean that I won’t recommend the novel to those unfamiliar with India? On the contrary, I wish with all my heart that you read this novel and experience a story that is authentic to the Indian experience. As a crime noir, this covers only the grittier side of Mumbai city, but it is still done in a scintillating way.
Recommended if you want to try a different kind of literary crime thriller. True crime fans and police procedural fans who want to check out Indian noir, here’s a wonderful chance.
If you are an Indian reader, think Anurag Kashyap plus Madhur Bhandarkar plus Ram Gopal Verma at their best. You can’t miss this work, despite some minor flaws.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to author Damyanti Biswas, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Blue Bar”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. I can’t wait to read the next book in the ‘Blue Mumbai’ series.
Trigger warning: The crimes are pretty gruesome, though nothing too graphic happens on page.
———————————————
This was a buddy read with my friend and fellow reviewer, Srivalli. We had fun discussing an entertaining thriller set in our very own country. Do check out her review as well.
Sri, we've been two times lucky with buddy reads. Let's hope the trend continues. 😁
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Mumbai, 2002. Tara Mondal, a young bar dancer, had been offered an odd assignment for a hefty payment. She just needed to wear a blue sequinned saree, enter a crowded railway station, and escape from the premises within three minutes. That was the last time anyone saw Tara.
Mumbai, mid-2010s. Inspector Arnav Rajput, who was Tara's lover back when he was a constable, has just been informed of a woman’s body being discovered in a construction site. As his officers begin investigating, they realise that this is just one of several other similar cases. All that they have to connect the decapitated bodies are some scattered blue sequins.
The search for a possible serial killer leads to a blurred line between the past and the present, as Arnav desperately tries to nab the culprit before it might be too late. Will this investigation also reveal to him what happened to Tara all those years ago?
The story comes to us in the limited (mostly) third person perspective of four key characters.
I had read Damyanti’s debut work, ‘You Beneath Your Skin’, a couple of years ago and was blown away by her narrative control and plot choices. It remains one of my favourite books by a contemporary Indian writer. That novel revealed the darker shades of New Delhi. This time, it’s Mumbai’s turn. Yay!
Where the book worked for me:
💘 My city. In a fictional book. That is well-written! Many of you might already know how this feels, but to me, this is the first time ever that I read a great (though not perfect) representation of Mumbai. The local lingo, the attitude of the people, the fast-moving lifestyle, the larger-than-life persona of movie stars,… Cant tell you how much I enjoyed this aspect of the novel. Having familiarity with the locations helps so much in visualising the story!
💘 After the initial couple of chapters, the book really upped the action. The writing is quick-paced without compromising on quality.
💘 Though the writing seems a teeny bit repetitive at times, it was helpful for a change, as the storyline was quite tricky to keep track of. (And this is despite my being comfortable with the Indian names, locations and words!) Arnav’s regular summations helped to keep abreast of the entire investigation without losing track of anything.
💘 This was an Indian book that felt Indian – it has its heart in the country. If you pick this up expecting something as exotic as ‘The Henna Artist’ or as dramatic as ‘The Spaces Between Us’, you are the wrong audience for this novel. (Also, if you think that those two books present “the true picture of India”, you couldn’t be more wrong!) This is not a book selling glamorised versions of Indian society, nor is it peddling to you stereotypical portrayals of the casteist/religious issues in the country. It is a presentation of the darker side of Mumbai City, the seedy underbelly that lurks in the background under the glamorous exteriors of Bollywood and business. AND it sticks to this purpose without adding in social commentary or moralising characters. Loved the reality.
💘 Though I did guess the identity of the serial killer, I loved the path to this discovery. The author doesn’t make things easy with her regular curveballs of data highlighting the flaws of multiple characters.
💘 There is a minor thread of romance in the book which does help relieve tensions. At the same time, the romance never overshadows the crime arc.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
💔 There are a few data-based errors in the writing. None of this would be noticeable to any outsider, and none affect the flow of the story. However, as a Mumbaikar, the errors sort of popped out before my eyes. Also, the spellings & meanings of a few of the Indian words are incorrect. (I say ‘Indian” because the book uses words from a variety of languages.)
💔 The ending (which felt like it came straight out of a Bollywood action flick) seems a bit hurried. It was over just when I expected it to provide an adrenaline surge.
I've a strong feeling this book will work better for Indian readers than international readers. We Indians are attuned to reading international (or rather, American and British) books right since our childhood. However, those in the US won't be accustomed to reading Indian works. The story is much dependent on a familiarity with local lifestyle and practices, none of which transport well to an international setting. The idiosyncrasies of Mumbai can be understood only by a Mumbaikar. (This last line can be extrapolated to India/Indians as well.)
Does this mean that I won’t recommend the novel to those unfamiliar with India? On the contrary, I wish with all my heart that you read this novel and experience a story that is authentic to the Indian experience. As a crime noir, this covers only the grittier side of Mumbai city, but it is still done in a scintillating way.
Recommended if you want to try a different kind of literary crime thriller. True crime fans and police procedural fans who want to check out Indian noir, here’s a wonderful chance.
If you are an Indian reader, think Anurag Kashyap plus Madhur Bhandarkar plus Ram Gopal Verma at their best. You can’t miss this work, despite some minor flaws.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to author Damyanti Biswas, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Blue Bar”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. I can’t wait to read the next book in the ‘Blue Mumbai’ series.
Trigger warning: The crimes are pretty gruesome, though nothing too graphic happens on page.
———————————————
This was a buddy read with my friend and fellow reviewer, Srivalli. We had fun discussing an entertaining thriller set in our very own country. Do check out her review as well.
Sri, we've been two times lucky with buddy reads. Let's hope the trend continues. 😁
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
December 2, 2022
I don’t think I have read a thriller set in Mumbai before and it was quite the experience. This one swept me away to a gritty yet simultaneously glittery locale and took me on a dark journey that captivated me.
Being immersed in the culture of India was such a fascinating experience, the author described the sights, smells and overall feel of Mumbai in such an incredible way. I really felt like I was right there with Arnav as he tried to catch a possible serial killer despite resistance from everyone around him. So you have Arnav investigating a grisly case but there is also a romantic thread as well bringing some joy to a bleak story. This was also deftly plotted with some surprising reveals and an ending I didn’t see coming. I was super impressed by this one and am excited it’s the start of a series, try this if you’re a thriller fan and want something that feels fresh and unique.
Being immersed in the culture of India was such a fascinating experience, the author described the sights, smells and overall feel of Mumbai in such an incredible way. I really felt like I was right there with Arnav as he tried to catch a possible serial killer despite resistance from everyone around him. So you have Arnav investigating a grisly case but there is also a romantic thread as well bringing some joy to a bleak story. This was also deftly plotted with some surprising reveals and an ending I didn’t see coming. I was super impressed by this one and am excited it’s the start of a series, try this if you’re a thriller fan and want something that feels fresh and unique.
April 26, 2022
It's always a delight to find a book that is so engrossing you sit and read it in a few marathon sessions! I read this in two days, swept away to Mumbai for some armchair traveling. The characters wade through outlying muggy mangrove swamps and force their way through crowds in the busy city center, all in the days leading up to Diwali. The fabulous descriptions of street foods made me tremendously hungry.
Arnav is the detective at the center, beset with personal complications and working from an underfunded police station that lacks many basic resources. An inconvenient body turns up on the building site of a wealthy developer. Followed quickly by a few more bodies, all disfigured in the same ways. Arnav finds himself chasing a serial killer who is preying on the most vulnerable women in Mumbai. Worse, the killer clearly has friends and protectors of the most dangerous sort, complicating every aspect of Arnav's investigation. Arnav presses on despite all the warning signs because he can't stop thinking about Tara, a woman he loved who went missing years ago. He's worried that the next body he finds will be Tara's.
It becomes clear Arnav's up against powerful businessmen, corrupt police officials, and shady government ministers. All he's really got is a handful of bloody blue sequins and some dubious informants. He's going to have to trust someone, but who?
As in You Beneath Your Skin, Biswas's intricate plotting, lush language, and gripping storytelling make this book a true delight. The book uses multiple points of view and is a fast-paced, fun read. I was delighted to receive an ARC for review.
Arnav is the detective at the center, beset with personal complications and working from an underfunded police station that lacks many basic resources. An inconvenient body turns up on the building site of a wealthy developer. Followed quickly by a few more bodies, all disfigured in the same ways. Arnav finds himself chasing a serial killer who is preying on the most vulnerable women in Mumbai. Worse, the killer clearly has friends and protectors of the most dangerous sort, complicating every aspect of Arnav's investigation. Arnav presses on despite all the warning signs because he can't stop thinking about Tara, a woman he loved who went missing years ago. He's worried that the next body he finds will be Tara's.
It becomes clear Arnav's up against powerful businessmen, corrupt police officials, and shady government ministers. All he's really got is a handful of bloody blue sequins and some dubious informants. He's going to have to trust someone, but who?
As in You Beneath Your Skin, Biswas's intricate plotting, lush language, and gripping storytelling make this book a true delight. The book uses multiple points of view and is a fast-paced, fun read. I was delighted to receive an ARC for review.
June 3, 2022
I read a lot of crime/thriller/police procedural and was delighted to discover this exciting new author. The Blue Bar is well-paced, and beautifully written. It takes everything that's good about the genre and places it in the vibrant, dusty, dark city of Mumbai - a first for me, and something I thoroughly enjoyed. I was fully invested in Arnav's journey, and equally invested in Tara's story. The location was brought vividly alive with authenticity, including a lovely peppering of words from Indian languages and enough description about Indian food to have me almost drooling. I will be looking for more from this author, but above all, I really hope this gets picked up by the film industry as I would love to see it brought to life on TV or film - it was easy throughout the story to visualise the setting and events, and would sit easily into the plethora of crime dramas that fill my TV viewing.
May 23, 2022
“Look, Avi . . . I mean, Arnav, you made it clear we had an arrangement. I wasn’t your
girlfriend. Did your friends know about me? I was a bar girl, a nobody. So I behaved like one.”
As gritty and gristly as it is transportive and propulsive, THE BLUE BAR is a suspenseful mystery that glitters with a romantic thread in the weave. Arnav is a driven investigator who laments the loss of his beloved Tara, who was most assuredly not merely a bar girl in his heart. He is also compelled to apprehend the serial killer who is terrorizing and women in heinous ways with impunity--a protection that is likely a result of the corruption that Arnav bumps against all along the way. Tara is a dedicated mother doing what needs to be done to survive, and she keeps us on pins and needles and turning the page as she and her daughter Pia are potentially in danger from the hands of an unfathomable evil. We are taken through studies in contrasts, from the slums of Mumbai to the elite environs of Bollywood stars and resort real estate developers, and the journey is fast-moving and cinematic with action-packed short chapters and evocative dialogue.
I enjoyed the cultural details that helped bring the characters and the setting to life, and the elegant reveals, smart plotting and differing points of view made THE BLUE BAR compelling and a rewarding read. Looking forward to more in this series!
girlfriend. Did your friends know about me? I was a bar girl, a nobody. So I behaved like one.”
As gritty and gristly as it is transportive and propulsive, THE BLUE BAR is a suspenseful mystery that glitters with a romantic thread in the weave. Arnav is a driven investigator who laments the loss of his beloved Tara, who was most assuredly not merely a bar girl in his heart. He is also compelled to apprehend the serial killer who is terrorizing and women in heinous ways with impunity--a protection that is likely a result of the corruption that Arnav bumps against all along the way. Tara is a dedicated mother doing what needs to be done to survive, and she keeps us on pins and needles and turning the page as she and her daughter Pia are potentially in danger from the hands of an unfathomable evil. We are taken through studies in contrasts, from the slums of Mumbai to the elite environs of Bollywood stars and resort real estate developers, and the journey is fast-moving and cinematic with action-packed short chapters and evocative dialogue.
I enjoyed the cultural details that helped bring the characters and the setting to life, and the elegant reveals, smart plotting and differing points of view made THE BLUE BAR compelling and a rewarding read. Looking forward to more in this series!
May 24, 2022
The Blue Bar by Damyanti Biswas is a fast-paced police procedural with an intriguing storyline that keeps you engaged and at the edge of your seat until the last page. Without repeating the synopsis which you can obviously read in the book blurb, let me share what I loved about the book. One of my favorite genres is murder mysteries, thrillers, and police procedurals and I know how hard they are to write. I was thrilled to see that Biswas did an excellent job.
The characterization, the flow of the story, and the writing are exquisite. What really thrilled me was the in-depth research that has gone into the book. Every character builds up beautifully in the book. We know that corruption rules politics; still, it is scary to see how corrupt. Biswas's book has everything to make it a bestseller: love, intrigue, fantastic plot, mystery, different colors of human nature, and a gruesome serial killer. And of course, one has to fall in love with Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput for his dogged pursuit of the case, for he will not rest until he solves it, no matter what obstacles are thrown in his way.
Overall, loved the book. Reading it was like watching an action crime-thriller. Such a great plot for a movie!
I thank the author and Thomas & Mercer for the advance review copy.
The characterization, the flow of the story, and the writing are exquisite. What really thrilled me was the in-depth research that has gone into the book. Every character builds up beautifully in the book. We know that corruption rules politics; still, it is scary to see how corrupt. Biswas's book has everything to make it a bestseller: love, intrigue, fantastic plot, mystery, different colors of human nature, and a gruesome serial killer. And of course, one has to fall in love with Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput for his dogged pursuit of the case, for he will not rest until he solves it, no matter what obstacles are thrown in his way.
Overall, loved the book. Reading it was like watching an action crime-thriller. Such a great plot for a movie!
I thank the author and Thomas & Mercer for the advance review copy.
May 3, 2022
The Blue Bar is an absolutely gripping and transportive crime/detective thriller. It's clear from the first few pages that Damyanti Biswas did extensive research into Mumbai's seedy underworld of strip clubs and organized crime, as well as the inner workings of Bollywood and the Mumbai police.
I've been to India five times and from the moment I started reading, I felt like I was whisked right back to Mumbai. Every sense is vividly described, often in context of the colorful chaotic action that's omnipresent in India.
The book starts with an incredibly tense mystery and it's off to the races from there, culminating in an action-packed climax.
But beyond the stellar writing, setting and plot, what I loved most about The Blue Bar is the characters. All of them are fleshed out, grappling with the past and present, and inner and outer demons. Some you'll fall in love with and some you'll find reprehensible. If you like character-driven crime/detective stories, definitely pick this one up. Highly recommended.
Thank you to Damyanti Biswas and Thomas & Mercer for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I've been to India five times and from the moment I started reading, I felt like I was whisked right back to Mumbai. Every sense is vividly described, often in context of the colorful chaotic action that's omnipresent in India.
The book starts with an incredibly tense mystery and it's off to the races from there, culminating in an action-packed climax.
But beyond the stellar writing, setting and plot, what I loved most about The Blue Bar is the characters. All of them are fleshed out, grappling with the past and present, and inner and outer demons. Some you'll fall in love with and some you'll find reprehensible. If you like character-driven crime/detective stories, definitely pick this one up. Highly recommended.
Thank you to Damyanti Biswas and Thomas & Mercer for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2022
Wow! What a fantastic thriller! This one pulled me in right away and I was thoroughly captivated by the intricate plot and the interesting characters. I love how all of the characters were realistic and each battled real issues regarding their past and future experiences.
As someone who has never been to Mumbai, the author did a great job describing the setting and made me feel like I was there right alongside the characters. The writing style throughout this book is really amazing and the plot is extremely well thought out. If you like crime/detective stories that are character-driven you should definitely check this one out.
What I liked:
🔹Multiple POV
🔹The fast pace
🔹The descriptive writing style
As someone who has never been to Mumbai, the author did a great job describing the setting and made me feel like I was there right alongside the characters. The writing style throughout this book is really amazing and the plot is extremely well thought out. If you like crime/detective stories that are character-driven you should definitely check this one out.
What I liked:
🔹Multiple POV
🔹The fast pace
🔹The descriptive writing style
June 6, 2022
From the very first sentence The Blue Bar grabs you by the throat. It is so immersive and pitch perfect. The characters are written with such perfection and the plot is paced perfectly. I felt I was dropped into Mumbai, and transported completely into the world of this book.
I love a good detective novel and this one is an absolute masterclass in how to write one.
This story will lodge into your mind. Damyanti Biswas is a writer of considerable talents. I absolutely adored this book and I cannot recommend it enough.
I love a good detective novel and this one is an absolute masterclass in how to write one.
This story will lodge into your mind. Damyanti Biswas is a writer of considerable talents. I absolutely adored this book and I cannot recommend it enough.
June 22, 2022
I was so happy to receive an advance copy of "The Blue Bar" Damyanti Biswas’ latest novel via NetGalley. After having enjoyed Biswas’ first book, “You Beneath Your Skin,” I knew “The Blue Bar” would be hard to put down. It was.
The Blue Bar commanded my attention from the first few lines. The story has a grit, a look into the life of bar dancers and the people who exploit them. A string of similar murders, a determined police inspector, a lost love, corruption, crime, and a level of intrigue that held my attention throughout. During a criminal investigation, there’s a sense that it's the way policework really happens as opposed to the storybook fantasies that are so often offered in books and on video. Real cops, real crimes, real problems, characters with courage in the face of danger, and characters that display a sense of duty – and a sense of loss. Characters whose lives intertwine with each other in much larger stories.
Biswas leads the reader through a complex story with ease. She describes everything, from grizzly crime scenes to the stage of a dance bar. From business-like meeting to tension-filled encounters. They all come to life, with sounds, scents, anxiety, and fear. Her characters come to life in ways you can relate to, even though they exist at the extreme edges of life.
Biswas keeps you guessing throughout the story. Guessing about a shadowy figure, about peoples' real motives, about where the story is heading. No spoilers here, but if you like books that draw you in tight so you will sit and read until you’re done, I highly recommend this The Blue Bar. Although I’ve read this advance copy, I have pre-ordered the book.
The Blue Bar commanded my attention from the first few lines. The story has a grit, a look into the life of bar dancers and the people who exploit them. A string of similar murders, a determined police inspector, a lost love, corruption, crime, and a level of intrigue that held my attention throughout. During a criminal investigation, there’s a sense that it's the way policework really happens as opposed to the storybook fantasies that are so often offered in books and on video. Real cops, real crimes, real problems, characters with courage in the face of danger, and characters that display a sense of duty – and a sense of loss. Characters whose lives intertwine with each other in much larger stories.
Biswas leads the reader through a complex story with ease. She describes everything, from grizzly crime scenes to the stage of a dance bar. From business-like meeting to tension-filled encounters. They all come to life, with sounds, scents, anxiety, and fear. Her characters come to life in ways you can relate to, even though they exist at the extreme edges of life.
Biswas keeps you guessing throughout the story. Guessing about a shadowy figure, about peoples' real motives, about where the story is heading. No spoilers here, but if you like books that draw you in tight so you will sit and read until you’re done, I highly recommend this The Blue Bar. Although I’ve read this advance copy, I have pre-ordered the book.
December 31, 2022
4.3 Stars
One Liner: Gritty and dark police procedural; entertaining
Tara Mondal disappears as a young bar dancer in Mumbai. No one knows where she went after a stint at a crowded railway station wearing a blue sequin saree.
Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput has had a busy career, but he can’t stop thinking about his girlfriend, Tara. It has been thirteen years since her disappearance.
A recent discovery of a dead body in a ligation land opens a can of worms. Inspector Arnav knows that it’s not a lone case but has very little to work on. It doesn’t help that the landowner is super rich and has enough influence to disrupt the case.
As things are set in motion, Arnav realizes that the case has links to his past, and there’s someone out there who will do anything to prevent him from finding the killer. Can Arnav get to the root of the matter? What will it cost him? What does Tara have to do with everything?
The story comes in the third-person POV of Arnav, Tara, and a couple of other characters.
What I Like:
As someone who devoured countless episodes of CID, Adalat, Arjun, Agent Raghav, PI, et al, reading this book was like revisiting the shows (albeit in a darker setting). Though I haven’t been to Mumbai, I identify the places from these shows. This familiarity is a definite plus.
The book is a gritty and dark police procedural that reminded me of Madhur Bhandarkar movies. In fact, his film Chandni Bar shows the stark realities of dance bars, the connections with the Mumbai underworld, and prostitution. The book also has Ram Gopal Verma’s vibes (not his Twitter personality, but his movies like Company and Sarkar).
Inspector Arnav is easy to like despite his flaws. Yeah, there were times I wanted to whack him on the head, but who doesn’t love a flawed character when he owns up to his mistakes and tries to become a better person? Tara and Zoya were well-etched. Nandini, too, though she is a little too flawless.
There is a love track that is seamlessly integrated into the plot instead of providing relief from the tension. This helps in sustaining the tempo and the dark mood throughout the book.
The story takes place during Dusshera and Diwali, which means there are enough references to Ravan Dahan. What I like (love) in this book is how Ravan is described as who he is. The killer is compared to Ravan for sexually assaulting, hurting, and murdering women.
(This shouldn’t even be a point to highlight. However, two books I read this year by Indian American authors made me emphasize it. Kaikeyi outright whitewashed Ravan’s rapes and presented him as someone who respects women. Then, recently, The Bandit Queens had a statement that Ravan was madly in love with Sita. After such works, it’s a relief to read something that mentions things as they are.)
Another aspect I like about the book is the maturity with which it deals with subjects like religion, politics, corruption, mafia, Bwood, etc. (It’s a relief to say this as a part of me was worried.)
There’s no virtue signaling or targeting based on ideology. Things are presented as they are and used for the plot. The writer’s focus has to be plot rather than pseudo activism. The author maintains the balance throughout, making it a fairly realistic Indian police procedural (or crime thriller).
The book deals with themes that have a great scope for graphical descriptions. While there is some description, it is not very detailed or graphic. This keeps the focus on the plot. The narration is controlled and gives enough information for the reader to imagine the rest.
The climax is ek dum filmy, an advantage and a disadvantage. It worked well for me (mostly) as I like watching the shootout scenes in crime shows. However, for a book, the scenes feel a little too filmy. It was fun to imagine one of my favorite small-screen actor in the lead role. ;)
I'm going to try and add an image. Let's see what GR does!
What Could Have Been Better for Me:
I’m not a fan of slow-burn thrillers (a reason why I don’t enjoy noir). This one picks up pace as the story progressed, but the beginning is slow. The chapters with the killer’s POV distract the focus from the main plot. Those are necessary later on, but I feel around 5 chapters could have been removed and the information scattered into the other chapters. It would have tightened the narration.
A couple of words have incorrect meanings or spelling, though nothing that’ll affect your reading experience. One of them irked me as a South Indian, but I can see why it had to be done. (Indian readers, you know what I’m referring to.)
To summarize, The Blue Bar is an Indian crime thriller that presents the dark aspects of society but with a great balance and maturity. It is a desi novel I’m glad to have read (after being burnt by you-know-what), and looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
This book is not about exotic India with snake charmers or spicy cuisine. It is not about the dirty, poor, and stereotypical India where nothing good exists. The Blue Bar is India as Indians know it. It has good, bad, and ugly. Go with the right expectations, and you’ll enjoy the book more.
I should mention that I read the author’s Twitter thread about hateful and racist DMs she received for the book. It is saddening to see that happen, though I wonder if the reason partly lies with the book not catering to either stereotype mentioned above.
Thank you, Damyanti Biwas, NetGalley, and Thomas & Mercer, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheBlueBar
***
P.S.: I’m the co-founder and managing partner at The Hive Publishers. Damyanti has given us a wonderful foreword for our second book, Blood Runs Cold, a thriller anthology. She was our second guest at Heart2Heart with The Hive, an author-interview session hosted by my teammates.
However, this association doesn’t affect my review.
***
P.P.S: This was a buddy read with Rosh. Check out her review after you read mine (she’s a Mumbaikar, so you’ll get the local flavor in her review).
One Liner: Gritty and dark police procedural; entertaining
Tara Mondal disappears as a young bar dancer in Mumbai. No one knows where she went after a stint at a crowded railway station wearing a blue sequin saree.
Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput has had a busy career, but he can’t stop thinking about his girlfriend, Tara. It has been thirteen years since her disappearance.
A recent discovery of a dead body in a ligation land opens a can of worms. Inspector Arnav knows that it’s not a lone case but has very little to work on. It doesn’t help that the landowner is super rich and has enough influence to disrupt the case.
As things are set in motion, Arnav realizes that the case has links to his past, and there’s someone out there who will do anything to prevent him from finding the killer. Can Arnav get to the root of the matter? What will it cost him? What does Tara have to do with everything?
The story comes in the third-person POV of Arnav, Tara, and a couple of other characters.
What I Like:
As someone who devoured countless episodes of CID, Adalat, Arjun, Agent Raghav, PI, et al, reading this book was like revisiting the shows (albeit in a darker setting). Though I haven’t been to Mumbai, I identify the places from these shows. This familiarity is a definite plus.
The book is a gritty and dark police procedural that reminded me of Madhur Bhandarkar movies. In fact, his film Chandni Bar shows the stark realities of dance bars, the connections with the Mumbai underworld, and prostitution. The book also has Ram Gopal Verma’s vibes (not his Twitter personality, but his movies like Company and Sarkar).
Inspector Arnav is easy to like despite his flaws. Yeah, there were times I wanted to whack him on the head, but who doesn’t love a flawed character when he owns up to his mistakes and tries to become a better person? Tara and Zoya were well-etched. Nandini, too, though she is a little too flawless.
There is a love track that is seamlessly integrated into the plot instead of providing relief from the tension. This helps in sustaining the tempo and the dark mood throughout the book.
The story takes place during Dusshera and Diwali, which means there are enough references to Ravan Dahan. What I like (love) in this book is how Ravan is described as who he is. The killer is compared to Ravan for sexually assaulting, hurting, and murdering women.
(This shouldn’t even be a point to highlight. However, two books I read this year by Indian American authors made me emphasize it. Kaikeyi outright whitewashed Ravan’s rapes and presented him as someone who respects women. Then, recently, The Bandit Queens had a statement that Ravan was madly in love with Sita. After such works, it’s a relief to read something that mentions things as they are.)
Another aspect I like about the book is the maturity with which it deals with subjects like religion, politics, corruption, mafia, Bwood, etc. (It’s a relief to say this as a part of me was worried.)
There’s no virtue signaling or targeting based on ideology. Things are presented as they are and used for the plot. The writer’s focus has to be plot rather than pseudo activism. The author maintains the balance throughout, making it a fairly realistic Indian police procedural (or crime thriller).
The book deals with themes that have a great scope for graphical descriptions. While there is some description, it is not very detailed or graphic. This keeps the focus on the plot. The narration is controlled and gives enough information for the reader to imagine the rest.
The climax is ek dum filmy, an advantage and a disadvantage. It worked well for me (mostly) as I like watching the shootout scenes in crime shows. However, for a book, the scenes feel a little too filmy. It was fun to imagine one of my favorite small-screen actor in the lead role. ;)
I'm going to try and add an image. Let's see what GR does!
What Could Have Been Better for Me:
I’m not a fan of slow-burn thrillers (a reason why I don’t enjoy noir). This one picks up pace as the story progressed, but the beginning is slow. The chapters with the killer’s POV distract the focus from the main plot. Those are necessary later on, but I feel around 5 chapters could have been removed and the information scattered into the other chapters. It would have tightened the narration.
A couple of words have incorrect meanings or spelling, though nothing that’ll affect your reading experience. One of them irked me as a South Indian, but I can see why it had to be done. (Indian readers, you know what I’m referring to.)
To summarize, The Blue Bar is an Indian crime thriller that presents the dark aspects of society but with a great balance and maturity. It is a desi novel I’m glad to have read (after being burnt by you-know-what), and looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
This book is not about exotic India with snake charmers or spicy cuisine. It is not about the dirty, poor, and stereotypical India where nothing good exists. The Blue Bar is India as Indians know it. It has good, bad, and ugly. Go with the right expectations, and you’ll enjoy the book more.
I should mention that I read the author’s Twitter thread about hateful and racist DMs she received for the book. It is saddening to see that happen, though I wonder if the reason partly lies with the book not catering to either stereotype mentioned above.
Thank you, Damyanti Biwas, NetGalley, and Thomas & Mercer, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheBlueBar
***
P.S.: I’m the co-founder and managing partner at The Hive Publishers. Damyanti has given us a wonderful foreword for our second book, Blood Runs Cold, a thriller anthology. She was our second guest at Heart2Heart with The Hive, an author-interview session hosted by my teammates.
However, this association doesn’t affect my review.
***
P.P.S: This was a buddy read with Rosh. Check out her review after you read mine (she’s a Mumbaikar, so you’ll get the local flavor in her review).
June 19, 2022
A spine-tingling, elegant Mumbai detective thriller.
From the opening chapter where petite, pretty Tara is assigned mysteriously to pose at a Mumbai railway station to an explosive climax where protagonist Arnav seeks to track down a killer not knowing whom he can trust in the Mumbai police, you know you are in the hands of a master storyteller. The sounds, smells and heat of Mumbai are brilliantly captured; the endemic corruption and ubiquitous violence that haunt poverty-stricken women trying to better their lives are exposed in excoriating detail. Elements such as the "khabri" structure of informers, feeding police tidbits to try and earn favours or protection, were revelatory. Tara's efforts to protect her daughter Pia are heart-rending. And the villain - is he a psychopath? - behind an unsolved series of murders is chillingly cruel.
This is also a love story as two key characters try to rekindle a long-past relationship while both have terrible threats hanging over their heads. I particularly enjoyed the allegorical elements - as when Tara, returning to Mumbai full of dreams and hopes sees a white goat in the back of a van heading to its death. The writing is lovely too: "Tara... had become the epicentre of a slow earthquake..."
Full marks to Damyanti Biswas for an unusual, haunting thriller. Worth a look.
From the opening chapter where petite, pretty Tara is assigned mysteriously to pose at a Mumbai railway station to an explosive climax where protagonist Arnav seeks to track down a killer not knowing whom he can trust in the Mumbai police, you know you are in the hands of a master storyteller. The sounds, smells and heat of Mumbai are brilliantly captured; the endemic corruption and ubiquitous violence that haunt poverty-stricken women trying to better their lives are exposed in excoriating detail. Elements such as the "khabri" structure of informers, feeding police tidbits to try and earn favours or protection, were revelatory. Tara's efforts to protect her daughter Pia are heart-rending. And the villain - is he a psychopath? - behind an unsolved series of murders is chillingly cruel.
This is also a love story as two key characters try to rekindle a long-past relationship while both have terrible threats hanging over their heads. I particularly enjoyed the allegorical elements - as when Tara, returning to Mumbai full of dreams and hopes sees a white goat in the back of a van heading to its death. The writing is lovely too: "Tara... had become the epicentre of a slow earthquake..."
Full marks to Damyanti Biswas for an unusual, haunting thriller. Worth a look.
Read
August 8, 2022This is the novel I've written, so I won't give it stars. That's your prerogative, the ones who will (hopefully) read it.
The Blue Bar is all about second chances. About taking a shot again at life, love, and lost opportunities in India's maximum city, the city of a million broken hearts and dreams, Mumbai.
This book has been in the making since 2019. Or maybe, that’s not entirely right. It began in my consciousness in a workshop in India led by Romesh Gunasekera back in 2017.
The writing prompt? Write about a character who is being watched. And in strode a woman wearing a glimmering blue saree, at a railway station in Mumbai, standing alone like a pool of light amid the clamor of evening rush hour.
I named her much later, but that image of a woman in a blue saree became the first three lines of The Blue Bar.
Wish I could say I had tons of fun writing this, but I'm one of those writers who writes out of compulsion, not joy. That too shall happen one day--I live in hope.
In the meanwhile, as I work on the sequel, on another of Arnav Singh Rajput's exploits in Mumbai, it is over to you, the reader. Because, as I keep saying, an author merely writes a book. It truly finds completion in the minds of those who read it.
The Blue Bar is all about second chances. About taking a shot again at life, love, and lost opportunities in India's maximum city, the city of a million broken hearts and dreams, Mumbai.
This book has been in the making since 2019. Or maybe, that’s not entirely right. It began in my consciousness in a workshop in India led by Romesh Gunasekera back in 2017.
The writing prompt? Write about a character who is being watched. And in strode a woman wearing a glimmering blue saree, at a railway station in Mumbai, standing alone like a pool of light amid the clamor of evening rush hour.
I named her much later, but that image of a woman in a blue saree became the first three lines of The Blue Bar.
Wish I could say I had tons of fun writing this, but I'm one of those writers who writes out of compulsion, not joy. That too shall happen one day--I live in hope.
In the meanwhile, as I work on the sequel, on another of Arnav Singh Rajput's exploits in Mumbai, it is over to you, the reader. Because, as I keep saying, an author merely writes a book. It truly finds completion in the minds of those who read it.
October 5, 2023
3.5 stars
Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, who's been with the Mumbai police for twenty years, is called to the scene when a dead body is discovered on Madh Island.
During excavations for a luxury spa on the site, laborers uncover the corpse of a woman missing her head, hands, and feet. The bodies of two more women are found nearby, also missing their heads, hands, and feet.
The mutilated corpses stir a memory in Arnav and he has his capable assistant, Sub-Inspector Sita Naik, look up all unsolved cases involving decapitated bodies.
It turns out at least five beheaded female bodies were found in Mumbai over the last twenty years, and Arnav believes a serial killer is at work.
Businessman Rahul Taneja, who's building the spa on Madh Island, has powerful connections among police and politicians, and he's anxious to have construction continue....so he pulls some strings.
Thus high-ranking police officials discourage Arnav's talk of a serial killer, and encourage him to release the island crime scene so construction of the spa can resume.
As it turns out there's an entire cadre of people who want Arnav's serial killer inquiries shut down, including police, mobsters, government officials, and Bollywood bigwigs.
Worse yet, some conspirators seem willing to kill Arnav to stop the investigation.
Arnav has other things on his mind as well. He still pines for an old girlfriend named Tara Mondal, who was a teenage dancer in an establishment called The Blue Bar when Arnav met her.
Tara disappeared from Mumbai fourteen years ago, without a word to Arnav, and the Inspector still mourns the break-up.
In Arnav's free time he sees his current girlfriend, a journalist named Nandini.....
.....and hangs out with his colleague and best friend Hemant Shinde.
Both Arnav and Shinde long to expose a corrupt Joint Commissioner of Crime named Neelesh Joshi, who didn't properly investigate the rape of Arnav's sister Asha many years ago - implying Asha shouldn't have been out at night.
The resulting distress and humiliation led to Asha's suicide and Arnav is determined to take Joshi down.
Meanwhile, dance bars, which had been banned in Mumbai for over a decade because of unsavory practices, are being permitted to reopen. This includes The Blue Bar, and Tara Mondal is returning for one week, to work as a dancer and choreographer.
This leads to Arnav and Tara meeting again after fourteen years, and results in various kinds of drama.
The story is told in alternating chapters that follow the points of view of of Arnav, Tara, a character called 'the boy', and the boy's servant Bilal.
In Arnav's sections we observe his investigation of the serial killings, his renewed relations with Tara, and his delving into suspected collusion among cops, gangsters, politicos, business executives, and the like....whose main interests are power and money.
In Tara's chapters, we learn what's it like to dance in Mumbai bars - with drunk smelly men pawing you, throwing money at you, and negotiating for 'night work' (prostitute services).
We also find out why Tara left Mumbai fourteen years ago, after her boss at The Blue Bar sent her to entertain a perverted rich client who had special requests.
In sections devoted to the boy, we meet the psychopathic murderer that kills and mutilates women.
And in Bilal's chapters we discover that he's looked after the boy for many years, and (reluctantly) helped clean up after the boy's unsavory activities.
The novel immerses us in Indian culture, and though I'm not familiar with all the references to festivals, food, clothing, language, gods, goddesses, etc., I enjoyed the depictions. Moreover, I often felt I was steeped in the ambiance of Mumbai. For example, when young Tara first arrived in Mumbai on a train, "The stench of the city had overwhelmed her: a mix of rotting vegetation, frankincense, urine, perfume, frying fish, and the hopes and despair of more people than she'd ever seen gathered in one place."
And when Tara was sent to Borivali Train Station during rush hour, "[She] elbowed her way through the milling passengers. Many regional languages. Body odor. Perfumes. If she didn't give way to the men, they'd shove her at the shoulder if she was lucky; lower, if she wasn't."
I also liked the sprinkling of Indian slang words, like pandu (idiotic policeman); khabri (police informers); khajoor (stupid person); supari (contract to kill); fattu (a person who's afraid of breaking rules); and more.
I enjoyed the book, which is essentially a police procedural in an exotic (to me) setting. I look forward to future books in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley, Damyanti Biswas, and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of the manuscript.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
January 8, 2023
This was a very interesting police procedural. I think the most interesting part was that it takes place in India where the political and cultural differences to crime solving are different than most of what I have read. I liked the cultural piece, but especially the frustration in following a crime solver who is determined in a culture that seems to discourage questions when they are inconvenient for the rich. When a body is found on a construction site without head, feet, or hands and clearly buried for some time Inspector Arnav is determined to work this homicide. He recalls an earlier case with similar details and quickly is able to tie several dismembered women together. Tara had been a bar girl but when she got a bad feeling doing some extra night work she fled 13 years ago hiding their child from Arnav. But she is back in Mumbai now determined to make enough money to send her daughter to a good international school. Things get dangerous as some powerful people seem very determined to stop Arnav from stopping a serial killer. Overall I give this one 3.5 stars rounded up for it being a unique cultural read.
July 1, 2022
A gritty, fast-paced, multi-POV crime novel set in one of my favorite cities: Mumbai. Biswas leads us with an expert hand through the crowded streets and humid mangroves of the city into a tale filled with light and dark, hope and despair, death and survival.
14 years ago, bar girl Tara vanished from Inspector Arnav's life. Other bar girls, too, have vanished over the years. When decomposed bodies are found at a construction site, Arnav comes to the sinking realization that he might be on the trail of a serial killer. The problem? His bosses don't want him to investigate.
I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping story. Biswas kept me guessing the killer's identity till the very end. Quite apart from the fast-paced plot, I also really liked the portrayal of the women characters - not just the spirited Tara, but also the balanced Nandini, and the loyal Naik. I also loved the romance between Arnav and Tara. No matter what Tara thinks, they make a perfect pair.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy action-packed thrillers. Bonus points for non-Western setting!
With many thanks to the author for an early copy.
14 years ago, bar girl Tara vanished from Inspector Arnav's life. Other bar girls, too, have vanished over the years. When decomposed bodies are found at a construction site, Arnav comes to the sinking realization that he might be on the trail of a serial killer. The problem? His bosses don't want him to investigate.
I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping story. Biswas kept me guessing the killer's identity till the very end. Quite apart from the fast-paced plot, I also really liked the portrayal of the women characters - not just the spirited Tara, but also the balanced Nandini, and the loyal Naik. I also loved the romance between Arnav and Tara. No matter what Tara thinks, they make a perfect pair.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy action-packed thrillers. Bonus points for non-Western setting!
With many thanks to the author for an early copy.
July 15, 2022
In Damyanti Biswas' The Blue Bar (Thomas & Mercer 2022), Indian Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput is drawn into a cold case involving bar girls who disappeared, purportedly to return to their homes, but some are found buried without their heads, hands, or feet. Many are tied into a bar where Arnav fell for one of the bar girls, Tara Mondal. When she disappeared, he thought she simply left, didn't feel as he did. For fourteen years, he missed her, thought about what could have been, and then she reappears at a new place called the Blue Bar. This new bar is tangentially associated with the old unsolved murders as well as new similar ones. Arnav is convinced there is a serial killer on the lose in Mumbai and Tara is right in the middle of his treachery. Somehow he must keep her safe, revive their relationship, and regain her trust enough that she will share her final life-changing secret. He must work fast because he doesn't want Tara's murder to be the killer's next.
As in her first book, Biswas strikes the perfect balance between the hot humid world of India and the determined detectives tasked with solving these murders. The Indian lifestyle--made pleasingly authentic by the authors constant use of Indian terms and language--and police protocols is as much part of the story as the murdered girls and the devious culprit. This well crafted book never lets you stop thinking, never lets you imagine you really know what's going on, and always has you wondering when the next shoe will drop that will undo or resolve everything. If you liked Biswas' first book (click for my review of You Beneath My Skin), you’ll love this one even more. Highly recommended to those who thrive on fully developed characters who figure out how to survive serious problems.
As in her first book, Biswas strikes the perfect balance between the hot humid world of India and the determined detectives tasked with solving these murders. The Indian lifestyle--made pleasingly authentic by the authors constant use of Indian terms and language--and police protocols is as much part of the story as the murdered girls and the devious culprit. This well crafted book never lets you stop thinking, never lets you imagine you really know what's going on, and always has you wondering when the next shoe will drop that will undo or resolve everything. If you liked Biswas' first book (click for my review of You Beneath My Skin), you’ll love this one even more. Highly recommended to those who thrive on fully developed characters who figure out how to survive serious problems.
July 5, 2022
Damayanti Biswas is a truly gifted writer, with a talent for immersing you in the setting she writes about - Mumbai, city of contrasts, with its towering skyscrapers and opulence, and densely packed slums with vibrant street life, creativity and a zest for life juxtaposed along ennui and the daily grind of poverty. From the opening page, The Blue Bar gripped me. At times violent and at times poignantly beautiful, the life of this unique city shines through the book. The love story of Arnav and Tara is enthralling, playing out as it does against the backdrop of a sadistic, vicious killer at work. The chills and twists in the story keep the reader turning the pages, wanting to know how it all turns out. I look forward to reading more of her work.
August 23, 2022
The Blue Bar
By Damyanti Biswas
I enjoyed Damyanti Biswas's first book, so I was thrilled when I was given an arc copy of The Blue Bar! I'm happy to say that it was absolutely fantastic! The story was extremely well written and remains interesting throughout the duration. I don't want to delve too deep into the details because I'm afraid to spoil certain aspects of it, but I will say that I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author for allowing me access to an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
By Damyanti Biswas
I enjoyed Damyanti Biswas's first book, so I was thrilled when I was given an arc copy of The Blue Bar! I'm happy to say that it was absolutely fantastic! The story was extremely well written and remains interesting throughout the duration. I don't want to delve too deep into the details because I'm afraid to spoil certain aspects of it, but I will say that I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author for allowing me access to an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
December 11, 2022
After the discovery of several human remains, each bearing the same markers of disposal, Inspector Arnav Rajput was convinced that there was a serial killer on the loose. And Arnav was determined to capture the perpetrator.
Set in the tropical region of Mumbai, The Blue Bar is a suspenseful tale of a police inspector following a trail that could lead to the arrest of a suspected serial killer and the uncovering of corruption in the department hierarchy.
For me, The Blue Bar was a slow read. I got tangled up with the Hindi words and phrases as well as the names of the numerous characters. It took me a while to get with the flow as all of the names seemed so similar to me. Outside of Arnav Rajput, it was not until close to the end that I finally managed to distinguish one character from the other.
The story unfolds through multiple points of view and I liked that even the unsub’s point of view was given. It sure made it easier to determine the motive for all of the murders.
There were several plot twists that made the story engaging and suspenseful. A lot of the plot twists were not expected and some of them, surprising.
There were a number of characters and although I got confused with the names, they all were developed and fleshed out enough to get a feel for each of their moral compasses.
Overall, I found The Blue Bar to be an enjoyable novel worthy of four stars.
I received a digital ARC from Thomas & Mercer via the author, through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Set in the tropical region of Mumbai, The Blue Bar is a suspenseful tale of a police inspector following a trail that could lead to the arrest of a suspected serial killer and the uncovering of corruption in the department hierarchy.
For me, The Blue Bar was a slow read. I got tangled up with the Hindi words and phrases as well as the names of the numerous characters. It took me a while to get with the flow as all of the names seemed so similar to me. Outside of Arnav Rajput, it was not until close to the end that I finally managed to distinguish one character from the other.
The story unfolds through multiple points of view and I liked that even the unsub’s point of view was given. It sure made it easier to determine the motive for all of the murders.
There were several plot twists that made the story engaging and suspenseful. A lot of the plot twists were not expected and some of them, surprising.
There were a number of characters and although I got confused with the names, they all were developed and fleshed out enough to get a feel for each of their moral compasses.
Overall, I found The Blue Bar to be an enjoyable novel worthy of four stars.
I received a digital ARC from Thomas & Mercer via the author, through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
December 28, 2022
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
THE BLUE BAR (Blue Mumbai Thriller Book #1) by Damyanti Biswas is a gritty crime thriller/police procedural which is hopefully the first in a new series set in Mumbai, India, and features Inspector Arnav Rajput.
This thriller pulled me in with a perfectly paced police procedural on the hunt for a serial killer who has been able to kill for two decades without capture. Money, power, fame, government corruption, and police graft have misdirected or eliminated attempts to solve the killings of dance girls in the Mafia controlled Mumbai bar scene. The girls are all found without the same body parts, but the killings are not described in real time.
The story is told in alternating chapters by Inspector Arnav Rajput of the Mumbai Police department and Tara Mondal who was a young bar girl who got away but is back for the offer of a life-changing payment for one week’s work at the re-opening of The Blue Bar. They slept together when they were young and then Tara disappeared without a word. Arnav has never forgotten her and fears every time he discovers a young female’s body that it will be Tara. He shows up for The Blue Bar’s re-opening and is shocked to find Tara there once again. While Arnav has changed and wants Tara back, she is hiding a secret from him. Tara was the one who got away, not just from Arnav, and now that she is back, she once again becomes a target of the serial killer.
I was completely engrossed in this thriller. The characters are fully drawn and believable and even more interesting with the cultural differences. The crime thriller plot was paced perfectly as it continued to gain momentum as it got closer to the climax. I had to change my guess of who I believed was the serial killer several times. The descriptions of the scenery in and around Mumbai were vivid and made me feel like I was there. This was the first book I have read by this author, and it definitely will not be the last.
I highly recommend this crime thriller/police procedural with memorable characters and unique setting.
THE BLUE BAR (Blue Mumbai Thriller Book #1) by Damyanti Biswas is a gritty crime thriller/police procedural which is hopefully the first in a new series set in Mumbai, India, and features Inspector Arnav Rajput.
This thriller pulled me in with a perfectly paced police procedural on the hunt for a serial killer who has been able to kill for two decades without capture. Money, power, fame, government corruption, and police graft have misdirected or eliminated attempts to solve the killings of dance girls in the Mafia controlled Mumbai bar scene. The girls are all found without the same body parts, but the killings are not described in real time.
The story is told in alternating chapters by Inspector Arnav Rajput of the Mumbai Police department and Tara Mondal who was a young bar girl who got away but is back for the offer of a life-changing payment for one week’s work at the re-opening of The Blue Bar. They slept together when they were young and then Tara disappeared without a word. Arnav has never forgotten her and fears every time he discovers a young female’s body that it will be Tara. He shows up for The Blue Bar’s re-opening and is shocked to find Tara there once again. While Arnav has changed and wants Tara back, she is hiding a secret from him. Tara was the one who got away, not just from Arnav, and now that she is back, she once again becomes a target of the serial killer.
I was completely engrossed in this thriller. The characters are fully drawn and believable and even more interesting with the cultural differences. The crime thriller plot was paced perfectly as it continued to gain momentum as it got closer to the climax. I had to change my guess of who I believed was the serial killer several times. The descriptions of the scenery in and around Mumbai were vivid and made me feel like I was there. This was the first book I have read by this author, and it definitely will not be the last.
I highly recommend this crime thriller/police procedural with memorable characters and unique setting.
August 5, 2022
Biswas has done it again! I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of The Blue Bar. This book about bar dancers who disappear under strange circumstances is chock-full of twists and turns. The writing really transports you straight to Mumbai. Moreover, the characters are all so multilayered, with deep and rich histories that make you question everyone just a little -- and make you want to root for everyone too.
December 1, 2022
This was such a great read! I loved the setting, I’d never read a thriller that took place in Mumbai before and really enjoyed it! I loved the multiple POV and the fast pace as well as the characters of this one! Overall this book was extremely well written. If you like thrillers, you should definitely give this one a try 😁
July 13, 2022
The first lines into Damyanti Biswas’ The Blue Bar serve as an introduction in situ. Not just to Tara, the bar girl on assignment at a crowded train station, but to the city of Mumbai. A city of islands, Mumbai is a perfect character in a crime story with disparate people, each an island to themselves. More than a setting, The City of Dreams is in turns squalid and seductive, sinister and sophisticated. And always as shocking as Tara’s low-slung saree.
We meet our other protagonist, Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, fittingly at a crime scene. Called to a construction site after the discovery of a headless, handless body, Inspector Arnav is both appalled by the attitudes toward the victim but also quietly resigned to another day on a tough police beat. Then one body leads to two others.
As daunting as the specter of a serial killer might be, Arnav must also contend with pressure to reopen a rich, well-connected developer’s construction site as well as administrative pressure to put the case of headless bodies to rest. Instead of complying, Arnav pushes harder and his investigation quickly escalates from minor annoyance to major impediment.
Consequences stack up in a political town with deep party roots and deeper political bloodlines. When Arnav ignores not-so-subtle warnings that the investigation may impact his advancement, the powers-that-be amp up the pressure. Yet as the vice tightens on him, Arnav driven to hunt for the killer and end the slaughter.
More than a standard mystery, The Blue Bar is also insight on social norms that—while not causing these horrific murders—certainly contribute to a shrug-and-tsk-tsk acceptance of violence against women. Indeed the eponymous Blue Bar is a venue where women dance to “lewd Bollywood songs” for money. As seen in similar establishments in the west, the step to prostitution is more skip than leap.
So, ultimately, the villain here is misogyny, bar girls to office girls to Bollywood actresses, women are treated as commodities for trade. Just as often they are discarded as refuse for the crime of existing. Blamed for the way they dress, the work they do, or simply being out of the house, their only real provocation is bringing a moment of light or joy to otherwise mundane lives.
In genre’s best tradition, Biswas raises questions of social responsibility, (here, it’s how we treat women) but leaves the answers to us. Echoes of her opening lines on beginnings and endings run through my thoughts as I type this.
If not readily apparent, The Blue Bar is a deeply affecting story without benefit of spoon-feeding or the burden of preaching.
Two years ago, I had the good fortune to find Damyanti Biswas’ excellent crime novel, You Beneath Your Skin. That book absolutely captivated me and I still think about Anjali Morgan, Jatin Bhatt, and the crew at the Vigil. The Blue Bar not only measures up to the standard set by that first effort but exceeds it. If possible, Biswas’ skill has developed even more and her prose are even more fearless. I have no doubt that The Blue Bar will stay with me just as YBYS has.
Indeed, Biswas infuses Mumbai with the same life that she so deftly revealed in the New Delhi of YBYS. When Tara reflects that she will neither leave Mumbai nor would she want to, I feel her sentiment in my deep love of cities. Even as we are elbow-to-elbow with Arnav while he hunts the killer, I feel the love for a wondrous place full of danger but also of vibrant life. The sweltering heat, the “tinny songs,” and food-stall aromas brace us as we slide in the direction we want to go (justice?) while the throngs carry us along but not entirely as intended (resolution?).
In short, reading Damyanti’s latest is like catching up with an old friend or making a new friend all over again. Check it out.
We meet our other protagonist, Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, fittingly at a crime scene. Called to a construction site after the discovery of a headless, handless body, Inspector Arnav is both appalled by the attitudes toward the victim but also quietly resigned to another day on a tough police beat. Then one body leads to two others.
As daunting as the specter of a serial killer might be, Arnav must also contend with pressure to reopen a rich, well-connected developer’s construction site as well as administrative pressure to put the case of headless bodies to rest. Instead of complying, Arnav pushes harder and his investigation quickly escalates from minor annoyance to major impediment.
Consequences stack up in a political town with deep party roots and deeper political bloodlines. When Arnav ignores not-so-subtle warnings that the investigation may impact his advancement, the powers-that-be amp up the pressure. Yet as the vice tightens on him, Arnav driven to hunt for the killer and end the slaughter.
More than a standard mystery, The Blue Bar is also insight on social norms that—while not causing these horrific murders—certainly contribute to a shrug-and-tsk-tsk acceptance of violence against women. Indeed the eponymous Blue Bar is a venue where women dance to “lewd Bollywood songs” for money. As seen in similar establishments in the west, the step to prostitution is more skip than leap.
So, ultimately, the villain here is misogyny, bar girls to office girls to Bollywood actresses, women are treated as commodities for trade. Just as often they are discarded as refuse for the crime of existing. Blamed for the way they dress, the work they do, or simply being out of the house, their only real provocation is bringing a moment of light or joy to otherwise mundane lives.
In genre’s best tradition, Biswas raises questions of social responsibility, (here, it’s how we treat women) but leaves the answers to us. Echoes of her opening lines on beginnings and endings run through my thoughts as I type this.
If not readily apparent, The Blue Bar is a deeply affecting story without benefit of spoon-feeding or the burden of preaching.
Two years ago, I had the good fortune to find Damyanti Biswas’ excellent crime novel, You Beneath Your Skin. That book absolutely captivated me and I still think about Anjali Morgan, Jatin Bhatt, and the crew at the Vigil. The Blue Bar not only measures up to the standard set by that first effort but exceeds it. If possible, Biswas’ skill has developed even more and her prose are even more fearless. I have no doubt that The Blue Bar will stay with me just as YBYS has.
Indeed, Biswas infuses Mumbai with the same life that she so deftly revealed in the New Delhi of YBYS. When Tara reflects that she will neither leave Mumbai nor would she want to, I feel her sentiment in my deep love of cities. Even as we are elbow-to-elbow with Arnav while he hunts the killer, I feel the love for a wondrous place full of danger but also of vibrant life. The sweltering heat, the “tinny songs,” and food-stall aromas brace us as we slide in the direction we want to go (justice?) while the throngs carry us along but not entirely as intended (resolution?).
In short, reading Damyanti’s latest is like catching up with an old friend or making a new friend all over again. Check it out.
July 16, 2022
Like reading a film- loved the setting, loved the plot twists: no spoilers here. I live in the UK and haven't travelled much, so Mumbai was a particularly exciting setting, but the plot will keep you engaged even if you live in that city. The crimes are gruesome but this raises the stakes, and the writing is not gratuitous. Characters are rounded out, and dialogue flows. Happy to learn that this book has a film agent, would definitely watch this.
February 14, 2024
I cataloged the audiobook and thought it sounded interesting, a fun little police procedural in Mumbai. It turned out to be much darker but also flashier than I'd expected and I really enjoyed it.
The story is told from three main points of view: A police inspector whose sister died when he was an impressionable age, a bar girl, and a serial killer. The serial killer's assistant/butler/caretaker offers his thoughts here and there, as well. The inspector and the serial killer are both connected to the bar girl and each person knows information the others don't, giving the reader insights the characters don't have, a fun and frustrating experience in equal measure.
The background violence is so loud in this one but never specifically examined. Human trafficking, gang violence, abuse of women and children with the fault being placed on the victims, corrupt authorities, and Bollywood all run in the background but the focal points are Detective Arnav's regret over losing both his sister and then, later, the bar girl he loved 14 years ago, and how that informs his need to solve these cold cases of headless/handsless/feetsless women who have been unearthed; how hurt people hurt people in really messed up ways; and the things people will do to take care of and protect those whom they love. This all takes place in the week leading up to Diwali, a festival of light that banishes evil and darkness.
Speaking of Bollywood, the action scenes throughout the book definitely tip the hat to the genre. They're cinematic and over-the-top, full of sacrifice and blood and impossibly choreographed moves. I was delighted. There are even lightly tongue-in-cheek references to a buddy cop movie series that I recognized but kept replacing with the Dhoom series in my head because those are the favorite Bollywood cop movies in my household.
The characters, with one exception, which other reviews have pointed out, are flawed but sympathetic to varying degrees, all interesting, and I was never put out to have to spend time in any of their heads. I particularly enjoyed thinking about Det. Arnav, who is framed as the hero but what does it say about him that his obsession with saving women gets in the way of a healthy relationship with a woman who doesn't need saving because she's strong and capable all on her own?
But what does it say about me that I have no business judging Arnav's need to save the women he feels need saving.
Sneha Mathan does a wonderful job narrating the audiobook. I'm glad I listened to this one.
The story is told from three main points of view: A police inspector whose sister died when he was an impressionable age, a bar girl, and a serial killer. The serial killer's assistant/butler/caretaker offers his thoughts here and there, as well. The inspector and the serial killer are both connected to the bar girl and each person knows information the others don't, giving the reader insights the characters don't have, a fun and frustrating experience in equal measure.
The background violence is so loud in this one but never specifically examined. Human trafficking, gang violence, abuse of women and children with the fault being placed on the victims, corrupt authorities, and Bollywood all run in the background but the focal points are Detective Arnav's regret over losing both his sister and then, later, the bar girl he loved 14 years ago, and how that informs his need to solve these cold cases of headless/handsless/feetsless women who have been unearthed; how hurt people hurt people in really messed up ways; and the things people will do to take care of and protect those whom they love. This all takes place in the week leading up to Diwali, a festival of light that banishes evil and darkness.
Speaking of Bollywood, the action scenes throughout the book definitely tip the hat to the genre. They're cinematic and over-the-top, full of sacrifice and blood and impossibly choreographed moves. I was delighted. There are even lightly tongue-in-cheek references to a buddy cop movie series that I recognized but kept replacing with the Dhoom series in my head because those are the favorite Bollywood cop movies in my household.
The characters, with one exception, which other reviews have pointed out, are flawed but sympathetic to varying degrees, all interesting, and I was never put out to have to spend time in any of their heads. I particularly enjoyed thinking about Det. Arnav, who is framed as the hero but what does it say about him that his obsession with saving women gets in the way of a healthy relationship with a woman who doesn't need saving because she's strong and capable all on her own?
But what does it say about me that I have no business judging Arnav's need to save the women he feels need saving.
Sneha Mathan does a wonderful job narrating the audiobook. I'm glad I listened to this one.
July 15, 2022
Just wow. A thriller that kept me guessing until the end. At one part, I thought I knew who the killer was, but with each new plot twist, plausible possibilities came to light. I did guess in the right direction, but fell into the same trap as Arnav.
A multi-layered story of love, corruption, gender based violence – both sides – and class division.
I liked the cultural immersion – I felt like I was in Mumbai with its highways cutting through the slums, bar dancers dressing up in gaudy versions of sarees, stinking mangroves, and city streets with rats more confident than people.
And once you know why the killer does what he does, you actually feel sad for him.
I liked the social commentary woven throughout.
A richly imagined thriller that grips you until the last page.
Trigger warning: domestic abuse, rape, bullying, stalking, gruesome murders, gender based violence.
*I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest opinion.
A multi-layered story of love, corruption, gender based violence – both sides – and class division.
I liked the cultural immersion – I felt like I was in Mumbai with its highways cutting through the slums, bar dancers dressing up in gaudy versions of sarees, stinking mangroves, and city streets with rats more confident than people.
And once you know why the killer does what he does, you actually feel sad for him.
I liked the social commentary woven throughout.
A richly imagined thriller that grips you until the last page.
Trigger warning: domestic abuse, rape, bullying, stalking, gruesome murders, gender based violence.
*I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest opinion.
July 21, 2022
Biswas’ second novel, The Blue Bar, is a sparkling tapestry of life in modern Mumbai, that weaves together the criminal underworld, high-ranking politicians, the Mumbai police force and the fragile reputations of Bollywood stars.
The Blue Bar is more than a detective story, more than a police procedural, it is an exposé on life in India, from the thick swampy air of the mangrove forests to wide-spread corruption and how life catches us all in thick nets. With an artist’s flair, Biswas paints Mumbai as much a leading lady as a setting for murder.
Biswas gives us a story that is a tribute to India and Indian crime fiction, gilding nothing but celebrating all that is beautiful.
Westerners should not be hesitant to dive into Indian crime fiction, and especially Biswas’ works. The human experience after all is universal.
The Blue Bar is more than a detective story, more than a police procedural, it is an exposé on life in India, from the thick swampy air of the mangrove forests to wide-spread corruption and how life catches us all in thick nets. With an artist’s flair, Biswas paints Mumbai as much a leading lady as a setting for murder.
Biswas gives us a story that is a tribute to India and Indian crime fiction, gilding nothing but celebrating all that is beautiful.
Westerners should not be hesitant to dive into Indian crime fiction, and especially Biswas’ works. The human experience after all is universal.
August 1, 2022
The Blue Bar is a dark, gritty, tense thriller that builds to a frantic crescendo. Told through multiple POVs, including the unnamed killer, the characters are very well drawn and compelling. Though we can’t condone his gruesome activities, Biswas’ skillful handling opens us to understand the chilling factors that can twist a personality beyond redemption.
In addition, there are imaginative plot twists and extensive research immersing us into the fascinating undercurrents of Mumbai’s political and social structure. My knowledge of the culture definitely was expanded, especially within the aspects of law enforcement.
Yet for all the deep, dark corners, The Blue Bar is such a humanizing tale I even teared up a bit at the ending. I also pushed through the last half of the book at record speed, eager to learn “whodunnit.” Thriller / suspense readers, add this one to your TBR!
In addition, there are imaginative plot twists and extensive research immersing us into the fascinating undercurrents of Mumbai’s political and social structure. My knowledge of the culture definitely was expanded, especially within the aspects of law enforcement.
Yet for all the deep, dark corners, The Blue Bar is such a humanizing tale I even teared up a bit at the ending. I also pushed through the last half of the book at record speed, eager to learn “whodunnit.” Thriller / suspense readers, add this one to your TBR!
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