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Inspector Gowda #1
Cut Like Wound
It is the first night of Ramadan. At Shivaji Nagar in the heart of Bangalore, a young male prostitute is killed and burnt alive. It would have stayed as yet another unsolved murder, but for Inspector Borei Gowda, the investigating officer. As bodies begin to pile up one after the other, and it becomes clear that a serial killer is on the prowl, Gowda recognizes a pattern in the killings which no one else does. Even as he negotiates serious mid-life blues, problems with his wife and son, an affair with an ex-girlfriend, and official apathy and ridicule, the killer moves in for the next victim...
Steeped in the lanes and atmosphere of the city of Bangalore, Cut Like Wound introduces to the reader a host of unforgettable characters and is a brutal psychological thriller unlike any in Indian fiction.
Steeped in the lanes and atmosphere of the city of Bangalore, Cut Like Wound introduces to the reader a host of unforgettable characters and is a brutal psychological thriller unlike any in Indian fiction.
368 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2012
58 people are currently reading
859 people want to read
About the author
Anita Nair
95 books472 followersAnita Nair is the bestselling and critically acclaimed author of the novels The Better Man, Ladies Coupé, Mistress, Lessons in Forgetting, Idris: Keeper of the Light and Alphabet Soup for Lovers. She has also authored a crime series featuring Inspector Gowda.
Anita Nair’s other books include a collection of poems titled Malabar Mind, a collection of essays titled Goodnight & God Bless and six books for children. Anita Nair has also written two plays and the screenplay for the movie adaptation of her novel Lessons in Forgetting which was part of the Indian Panorama at IFFI 2012 and won the National Film Award in 2013. Among other awards, she was also given the Central Sahitya Akademi award and the Crossword Prize. Her books have been translated into over thirty one languages around the world. She is also the founder of the creative writing and mentorship program Anita’s Attic.
Anita Nair’s other books include a collection of poems titled Malabar Mind, a collection of essays titled Goodnight & God Bless and six books for children. Anita Nair has also written two plays and the screenplay for the movie adaptation of her novel Lessons in Forgetting which was part of the Indian Panorama at IFFI 2012 and won the National Film Award in 2013. Among other awards, she was also given the Central Sahitya Akademi award and the Crossword Prize. Her books have been translated into over thirty one languages around the world. She is also the founder of the creative writing and mentorship program Anita’s Attic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
February 6, 2017
Anita Nair is an impressive author and I have come to enjoy a couple of her books. I desperately wanted to kick start my Indian books reading challenge, hence picked up this book without even reading the blurb.
I was in for a pleasant surprise as I came to know that one of my favorite Indian authors have attempted a foray into my favourite genre - unravelling the murky minds of the serial killer.
This is a serial killer novel with a twist- not only is the characterization and depiction of places superb, but the story also carries substance to it.
I was exposed for the first time to the remarkable, unenviable world of Indian transgenders and to the trials they face trying to blend in a society that despises and fears them.
I could guess at the perp when I was about 70% through, but what irks me is the
I was in for a pleasant surprise as I came to know that one of my favorite Indian authors have attempted a foray into my favourite genre - unravelling the murky minds of the serial killer.
This is a serial killer novel with a twist- not only is the characterization and depiction of places superb, but the story also carries substance to it.
I was exposed for the first time to the remarkable, unenviable world of Indian transgenders and to the trials they face trying to blend in a society that despises and fears them.
I could guess at the perp when I was about 70% through, but what irks me is the
February 13, 2013
A Bangalore based Murder mystery- multiple murders, the Indian Police and an intriguing story. The protagonist here is an unusual middle aged cop, who struggles with his own identity and finds himself questioning his entire life and career. He does have a charm about him though that you can't help enjoy. I wish his character had developed a little further in the book, somehow left me longing for more. The book is unique in many ways, but I felt it missed Anita's magnificent story writing. I found that there were gaps in the story and the writing wasn't really fluid.I even found portions of this book disturbing and sometimes unnecessary.
If this is your first Anita Nair book you will probably really like it, but I was left disappointed. Nevertheless it was quite a 'thrilling' read and it did keep me entertained. I have to admit it was incredibly refreshing to read a story revolving around Bangalore and I found myself looking forward to the tidbits in Kannada. All in all, interesting read,I'd suggest reading it with an open mind.
If this is your first Anita Nair book you will probably really like it, but I was left disappointed. Nevertheless it was quite a 'thrilling' read and it did keep me entertained. I have to admit it was incredibly refreshing to read a story revolving around Bangalore and I found myself looking forward to the tidbits in Kannada. All in all, interesting read,I'd suggest reading it with an open mind.
March 15, 2013
To me, it seemed like the author watched a couple of movies and then decided to write a book overnight. For God's sake! the killer calls his victim's family after each kill!!, yet the inspectors cannot trace the numbers that makes the call? yet some other evidence seems to magically land on the inspector's lap. The plot is quite cliche, nothing new, a heroic inspector at the twilight of his career, a half wit assistant still wet behind his ears, a schizophrenic villain with a troubled past, a egoistic corrupt boss who gets in the way of the investigation, an old flame thrown in for good measures...and of course, all of it leading up to the final dramatic showdown and the predictable end.
I love detective books,we need more Indian authors writing thrillers, this one is not great, but at least a start..we can do better.
I love detective books,we need more Indian authors writing thrillers, this one is not great, but at least a start..we can do better.
November 20, 2016
I came to Anita Nair's much talked-about first Inspector Gowda book with a lot of expectation. And it has both been an enjoyable read as well as bit of a let-down.
I'll explain.
As a police investigation thriller, Cut Like Wound fares very well indeed. Well rounded, complicated, very detailed character studies make this novel come alive, and how. It's not just Gowda, even the villains have brilliant back-stories. You know why they are who they are.
But Cut Like Wound was also supposed to be a novel of the Bangalore underworld, and somehow I don't think it completely achieves that (admittedly) lofty goal. Not that Nair doesn't achieve an effect of place. She does, like in the UB city passage. But as someone who has read her earlier books, I'm slightly disappointed.
All that said, the book still sets this up as a series to watch out for. Maybe as we keep meeting Inspector Gowda, his Bangalore will become more and more clearer, and we will understand and be afraid of the coldness in this southern megapolis.
I'll explain.
As a police investigation thriller, Cut Like Wound fares very well indeed. Well rounded, complicated, very detailed character studies make this novel come alive, and how. It's not just Gowda, even the villains have brilliant back-stories. You know why they are who they are.
But Cut Like Wound was also supposed to be a novel of the Bangalore underworld, and somehow I don't think it completely achieves that (admittedly) lofty goal. Not that Nair doesn't achieve an effect of place. She does, like in the UB city passage. But as someone who has read her earlier books, I'm slightly disappointed.
All that said, the book still sets this up as a series to watch out for. Maybe as we keep meeting Inspector Gowda, his Bangalore will become more and more clearer, and we will understand and be afraid of the coldness in this southern megapolis.
August 27, 2017
Read it because it was part of a readathon and because it was Anita Nair. Loved Mistress and Ladies Coupé. But though it was a police procedural (One of my favourites) did not like it as much as expected. For one Inspector Gowda's intuition failed to impress me. I guessed the culprit from the very start and I hate it when that happens. There should have been an element of surprise. And it was dark and gory at places.Also there was no real completion both in the case and the Inspector's personal life.
August 8, 2017
This is the second novel I've read from the same Indian author Anita Nair. The first read novel is Quand Viennent Les Cyclones. In this novel, the author shows the full extent of her writing skills because she wrote her first crime novel while the previous novel I read fell in the social drama category. Overall, this book is well written as the other ones and as much as the other crime novel I've read. This novel follows the inspector Gowda pursuing a serial criminal in Bengalore, India.
The first main character: Inspector Gowda. He ressembles very much like most other inspector we've read from other crime novels such as Bosh Inspector series from author Michael Connelly and others. The character is indeed very well developed, but there is not much surprise. He has decades of police experience behind him and is very good at his work, but he's under-appreciated by his superiors and has poor professionnal and personnal relationship skills with almost everyone around him. Readers follow Gowda's investigation several crimes linked to the same serial criminal and his chaotic personnal life with his son, his absent wife, and a former girlfriend.
The second main character: The serial criminal. The originality of this novel lies with this character because the author made a bold decision, never read before in my life as much as I can remember. The author introduced us to the serial criminal from the start of the novel without revealing his true identity and creating confusion on who the criminal might be. This character is developped as much as the Gowda inspector's character, from a ciminal and personnal perspective. The personnal story of the criminal is revealed slowly throughout the novel such as the motive, the criminal methodology, and how/why the serial criminal became who he is now.
Other characters: The second originality is that the victims are introduced briefly to the readers prior to being killed, not after like in most cime novels. Some secondary characters are developed while they don't play even a supporting role, disappearing from the story as fast they entered it. However, other secondary characters are present throughout the story playing a certain role, but they are not sufficiently detailed for the readers to understand them.
The setting: Bengalore. In this novel, readers discover a different image of Bengalore from the one read in the first novel I've read. We seem the dark side of the city where crime and corruption are common, but we also realize the existence of hidden minorities and other divinities.
Anita Nair succeeded in writing a very good crime novel showing she can write novels in different categories and not limited to one.
The first main character: Inspector Gowda. He ressembles very much like most other inspector we've read from other crime novels such as Bosh Inspector series from author Michael Connelly and others. The character is indeed very well developed, but there is not much surprise. He has decades of police experience behind him and is very good at his work, but he's under-appreciated by his superiors and has poor professionnal and personnal relationship skills with almost everyone around him. Readers follow Gowda's investigation several crimes linked to the same serial criminal and his chaotic personnal life with his son, his absent wife, and a former girlfriend.
The second main character: The serial criminal. The originality of this novel lies with this character because the author made a bold decision, never read before in my life as much as I can remember. The author introduced us to the serial criminal from the start of the novel without revealing his true identity and creating confusion on who the criminal might be. This character is developped as much as the Gowda inspector's character, from a ciminal and personnal perspective. The personnal story of the criminal is revealed slowly throughout the novel such as the motive, the criminal methodology, and how/why the serial criminal became who he is now.
Other characters: The second originality is that the victims are introduced briefly to the readers prior to being killed, not after like in most cime novels. Some secondary characters are developed while they don't play even a supporting role, disappearing from the story as fast they entered it. However, other secondary characters are present throughout the story playing a certain role, but they are not sufficiently detailed for the readers to understand them.
The setting: Bengalore. In this novel, readers discover a different image of Bengalore from the one read in the first novel I've read. We seem the dark side of the city where crime and corruption are common, but we also realize the existence of hidden minorities and other divinities.
Anita Nair succeeded in writing a very good crime novel showing she can write novels in different categories and not limited to one.
March 4, 2013
Waste of time. Author loves to describe surroundings more than narrating story. dragging. Sad attempt
April 25, 2023
I actually really enjoyed it! It is a page-turner and I was genuinely interested to know what happened next. Some aspectasof it, though, feel lacking. The whole identity dilemma with Gowda and his relationship with his son and with Urmila? Like, it had potential but I don't feel like it added anything to the plot nor overall characterisation. And the ending was rushed, what do you mean it ends like that!!!! Tell me more!!! It is not finished!!! And everything happened suddenly? whatevs~
4/5 stars, I liked it because it didn't feel boring and that is a big achievement considering i seem unable to enjoy a book this year :))
4/5 stars, I liked it because it didn't feel boring and that is a big achievement considering i seem unable to enjoy a book this year :))
March 19, 2013
A young male prostitute is found murdered and burnt in one of the many alleys in Shivajinagar in Bangalore. The case lands on the desk of Inspector Gowda and his new subordinate, SI Santhosh. Gowda is distracted, with personal issues crowding him. Not the most social person even normally, Santhosh finds him even more grouchy and grumpy than he expected. As they start investigating, they realize the case is more complex than they thought initially, it has all the indications of being a serial murder. The only clue they have is the modus operandi and a solitary pearl earring that they found on one of the victims. They have to use all their investigative skills and intuition to solve the case, while fighting bureaucratic bosses along with clever criminals.
A page turner, it is a wonderful book. I especially like the flavour of Bangalore that comes through so strongly in the book. It was like Bangalore was another character in the book, genteel and sophisticated at times, seedy and shady at others. Anita Nair’s writing reminds me of Elizabeth George’s crime books. Complex crimes, beautifully interwoven snippets of local life, and complex characters, interesting, and different practices, it was a very interesting book to read. I had an inkling of who the murderer might be, and yet the ending was very impressive. A book that I enjoyed till the last page.
Since this book ‘introduced’ Inspector Gowda, I, for one, am looking forward to more of Inspector Gowda thrillers from the author.
A page turner, it is a wonderful book. I especially like the flavour of Bangalore that comes through so strongly in the book. It was like Bangalore was another character in the book, genteel and sophisticated at times, seedy and shady at others. Anita Nair’s writing reminds me of Elizabeth George’s crime books. Complex crimes, beautifully interwoven snippets of local life, and complex characters, interesting, and different practices, it was a very interesting book to read. I had an inkling of who the murderer might be, and yet the ending was very impressive. A book that I enjoyed till the last page.
Since this book ‘introduced’ Inspector Gowda, I, for one, am looking forward to more of Inspector Gowda thrillers from the author.
July 24, 2013
This is an exciting detective thriller set in Bangalore (India), a city that I visit often.
Anita Nair, the author, has packed this story with a wide variety of low-life: murderers, a corrupt politician, his curious henchmen, other gangsters, and a murderer. Her depiction of Bangalore, where she lives, is superb and adds much to the sordid story that she relates. Gowda, the chief protagonist of the story has many personal and professional problems to deal with apart from persuading his colleagues that there is a serial killer on the loose, and trying to find him... or is it her?
I particularly enjoyed this book not only because my interest was held from the very first page, but also because Nair portrays the seamy side of Bangalore so well. I have always suspected that it existed, and many stories in the local newspapers confirm my suspicion, but Nair's well-researched book brings this to life so brilliantly.
I will not reveal any of the plot, but take it from me that you will be unable to put this volume down until you reach its last page.
Anita Nair, the author, has packed this story with a wide variety of low-life: murderers, a corrupt politician, his curious henchmen, other gangsters, and a murderer. Her depiction of Bangalore, where she lives, is superb and adds much to the sordid story that she relates. Gowda, the chief protagonist of the story has many personal and professional problems to deal with apart from persuading his colleagues that there is a serial killer on the loose, and trying to find him... or is it her?
I particularly enjoyed this book not only because my interest was held from the very first page, but also because Nair portrays the seamy side of Bangalore so well. I have always suspected that it existed, and many stories in the local newspapers confirm my suspicion, but Nair's well-researched book brings this to life so brilliantly.
I will not reveal any of the plot, but take it from me that you will be unable to put this volume down until you reach its last page.
July 7, 2017
3.5/5 Stars
Having read Ladies Coupé by Anita Nair, I was really excited to read this. I did enjoy this book as I was already comfortable with her style. I was also really fascinated that the story line was set up in Bangalore, and being a resident of Bangalore I could actually visualize it better.
The story revolves around serial murders, and how Inspector Borei Gowda investigates it was an interesting. However, I did feel there were few unnecessary story lines and characters introduced which was a let down. And the mystery murderer was not so mysterious half way into the book, hence the book felt like it was dragged for a few more pages. The twist was really short though (in the end it all came to him in a jiffy in like a paragraph. Would have liked to see all the loose end come together and how he did it) and expected.
Overall, it was a good reading experience and will definitely read the next book in the Inspector Gowda series.
Having read Ladies Coupé by Anita Nair, I was really excited to read this. I did enjoy this book as I was already comfortable with her style. I was also really fascinated that the story line was set up in Bangalore, and being a resident of Bangalore I could actually visualize it better.
The story revolves around serial murders, and how Inspector Borei Gowda investigates it was an interesting. However, I did feel there were few unnecessary story lines and characters introduced which was a let down. And the mystery murderer was not so mysterious half way into the book, hence the book felt like it was dragged for a few more pages. The twist was really short though (in the end it all came to him in a jiffy in like a paragraph. Would have liked to see all the loose end come together and how he did it) and expected.
Overall, it was a good reading experience and will definitely read the next book in the Inspector Gowda series.
November 3, 2012
I was so excited to hear that Anita Nair had written a thriller novel, and that there was finally some thrillers being written in India. To be fair, this is a very well written book, no surprise considering this is written by a fine author. But this isn't exactly a great suspense thriller. The perpetrator is very obvious if you have half a brain, which makes me wonder if the author intended this to happen? Though I wonder why? Isn't the very point of a whodunit to keep you guessing? This one didn't in the very least.
Also the author seems a little confused about cross-dressing and homosexuality. Also a cross-dresser being a serial killer is a little too 1990s for my liking.
Thankfully, it's a well written book and the characters are well fleshed out and I am looking forward to other books featuring inspector Gowda.
May 23, 2016
The novel introduces Inspector Gowda, a jaded but brilliant officer. A very good police procedural follows, set in Bangalore. Bangalore localities play a large part in the narrative. The characters are well written and are many shades of human gray. The build-up to climax is good and the twist in the end is nicely done. While a lot of time is spent on Inspector Gowda's personal life, it doesn't detract from the story. The inspector's love for his bullet is a nice touch and will make many readers grin in understanding.
Overall a very well written murder mystery and recommended read for folks who like this genre.
Overall a very well written murder mystery and recommended read for folks who like this genre.
October 3, 2016
After long delays due to work and homework, I finished cut like the wound.
Read a thriller after a long time. I think I have a crush on Inspector Borei Gowda.
It became more interesting as I live in Bangalore. I have visited most of the places mentioned in the book. So it was easy visualising the scenes. Yet the darkness did not completely spook me out. It was in the correct dose that I liked. And even though it is a thriller, you can find the brilliance of Anita Nair shine through, especially in language and structure.
Read a thriller after a long time. I think I have a crush on Inspector Borei Gowda.
It became more interesting as I live in Bangalore. I have visited most of the places mentioned in the book. So it was easy visualising the scenes. Yet the darkness did not completely spook me out. It was in the correct dose that I liked. And even though it is a thriller, you can find the brilliance of Anita Nair shine through, especially in language and structure.
October 22, 2018
You'll probably come to know midway who the perpetrator is but the writing is so good that you nevertheless stay hooked till the end. Characters are well etched out and the plot is gripping enough to make you want to continue with the series! I'm really looking forward to the next one in this. 4 out of 5 stars.
April 21, 2020
Avevo dei pregiudizi su questo giallo, viste le recensioni che ho letto in giro; e, devo dire, che all'inizio tendevo a dare ragione a quelle recensioni, perché mi sembrava che tutti i personaggi fossero dei pasticcioni, caciaroni, corrotti, e che la narrazione fosse confusionaria come i suoi personaggi. Poi, però, mi sono resa conto che tutto quel caos serviva a far entrare il lettore nell'atmosfera del libro, nell'ambiente degli eunuchi, dei transgender e dei gender fluid che popolano il romanzo, nella loro comunità, che è anche vicina a quella del Consigliere (chiamato anche Anna), una sorta di piccolo capo della mafia di Bangalore, che si è arricchito partendo da una situazione di povertà.
Le indagini sono condotte dall'ispettore Borei Gowda (è il primo libro della serie a lui dedicata), un uomo molto intuitivo, che riesce ad arrivare alle stesse conclusioni di criminologi affermati col suo semplice fiuto, ma che non ha mai fatto carriera in polizia perché è un personaggio scomodo, che spesso calpesta i piedi dei potenti.
«Il tuo problema, Gowda, è che pensi di avere il monopolio della ragione e della giustizia. Tu pensi che tutti gli altri, me incluso, siano degli idioti in uniforme e che tu devi pensare al posto loro. Ecco perché finisci a seguire casi destinati a essere archiviati come di serie B o C. Casi che non sono casi. Fascicoli chiusi per mancanza di prove. Non fanno bella figura nel tuo curriculum» disse il vicecommissario.
Però, a giudicare dal come svolge le indagini rispetto ai suoi colleghi, Gowda ha davvero il monopolio della ragione e della giustizia...
Le indagini sono condotte dall'ispettore Borei Gowda (è il primo libro della serie a lui dedicata), un uomo molto intuitivo, che riesce ad arrivare alle stesse conclusioni di criminologi affermati col suo semplice fiuto, ma che non ha mai fatto carriera in polizia perché è un personaggio scomodo, che spesso calpesta i piedi dei potenti.
«Il tuo problema, Gowda, è che pensi di avere il monopolio della ragione e della giustizia. Tu pensi che tutti gli altri, me incluso, siano degli idioti in uniforme e che tu devi pensare al posto loro. Ecco perché finisci a seguire casi destinati a essere archiviati come di serie B o C. Casi che non sono casi. Fascicoli chiusi per mancanza di prove. Non fanno bella figura nel tuo curriculum» disse il vicecommissario.
Però, a giudicare dal come svolge le indagini rispetto ai suoi colleghi, Gowda ha davvero il monopolio della ragione e della giustizia...
February 27, 2019
Cut Like Wound is the latest book by one of my favourite Indian writers, Anita Nair, and it’s a very new direction for her to take. She normally writes about the rotten lot of Indian women or complicated emotionally-charged romances between unlikely people. I certainly wasn’t expecting her to suddenly come out with a crime novel, apparently the first in a series if the cover blurb of ‘Introducing Inspector Gowda’ is to be believed. I didn’t expect Nair to pack in all her literary fiction and go down the crime route – but of course I knew she’d do it well.
In a dark alley in Bangalore, the charred body of a young male prostitute is found one night by a passing photographer. Whilst initial suspicions are that the man has ‘just’ been set alight, an autopsy shows he shares the same marks around his neck as another man, found elsewhere and killed the same night. There seems no obvious connection between the two but both have been strangled with a ligature. In each case there is crushed glass in the wound, the sort of glass used to coat the strings of fighting kites. Consequently the dead men have been strangled but have a ‘cut-like wound’. The weapon and the damage it has caused are not ones that Inspector Gowda of the Bangalore Police has seen before. His superiors (in rank, if not in intellect) are uninterested in his raving about serial killers. As more men are added to the count of the dead, they’re still not that bothered, after all if none of the relatives are kicking up a big fuss, there are other fish to fry.
As readers we know who the killer is – but then again, we don’t. We know it’s a beautiful young woman who isn’t a woman. We meet her very early in the book, applying make-up to cover any stubble shadow, putting on her jewellery, dressing in an expensive sari and leaving the house against the advice of a friend. We know how and why she killed the first two men, and then as the book progresses, we watch and learn as she dispatches a whole load more to meet their makers. What we don’t know is who she is when she’s not a she – if you see what I mean.
We have plenty of possible candidates, most of them linked to a local gangster-turned-politician called Corporator Ravikumar. Ravikumar’s household includes his brother Chikka, an elderly eunuch called Akka who once saved his life, a big hairy henchman called ‘King Kong’ who acts as his ‘muscle’, and a bunch of transvestites (or possibly transexuals – it doesn’t get too precise and I know this is a very complex area of Indian sub-culture) who help him in his weekly ritual of worship to his favourite goddess.
Inspector Gowda is a middle-aged failure, a man once so brilliant that all his fellow officers marvelled at his deductive reasoning, he has now been consigned to the filing cabinet of police life. His career has stalled, his superiors treat him badly and his wife has moved away to support his son through medical school, leaving him not as bothered as he probably should be. An old school friend comes back to Bangalore and reintroduces Gowda to his old student sweetheart, a woman who passed him over for a man from whom she’s now estranged. She’s interested and available and keen to turn back the clock. Gowda is torn between doing what’s right and turning back the clock with his ex-love. This ‘will-they-won’t-they’ story-line irritated the heck out of me and I kept imagining that it could only be relevant if Urmilla (the love interest) turned out to be somehow implicated in the whole sorry mess. There were too many coincidences – her friendship with the photographer who found the charred man and her manipulation of Gowda into opening a photography exhibition were plot lines that fizzled out without any kind of resolution. Gowda’s relationship with his son was handled quite nicely, but perhaps with a degree of convenience that seemed unauthentic.
Just as Morse needed Lewis, and Sherlock Holmes needed Dr Watson, every literary detective needs a side-kick and Inspector Gowda is no exception. The unlikely Batman to his Robin is Sub-Inspector Santosh, a young man who is thrilled to be working with Gowda and has heard many stories of his boss’s great sleuthing powers. Santosh still believes the police are there to do good, to stop evil and solve crimes. He’s not been corrupted into the apathy of his older colleagues and he’s excited to spend time with the older man. He is the clean, fresh, innocent to Gowda’s jaded old has-been and he’s a lovely fellow to spend time with. Yes, he’s wet behind the ears but in a book filled with death and corruption, it’s good to have one character with his halo still shining.
I’ve read a lot of books featuring hijras (transexuals) and even some autobiographies of these women and what they’ve been through so I know enough to follow some of the finer parts of the plot. Whether the average western reader without that background reading would make head or tail of this, I’m not sure. This is a book written for the Indian market and Nair’s readers will know everything I know and much more but I can see this may not be the best of possible export plot-lines.
As Indian crime fiction goes, this isn’t bad but it’s not brilliant. In comparison with Nair’s usual outstanding writing, it does feel a little bit like she’s slumming it in the wrong genre. It’s like someone shut the poor woman in a shed with a shelf full of crime novels and said “Go on, prove you can do it”. And she has proven that she can do something that she probably should never really have lowered herself into trying. If you asked Beethoven to write a Pot Noodle jingle, it would probably be an entirely acceptable Pot Noodle jingle but you’d still be left thinking he could have done more with his time. That’s how I felt reading this – good for a Pot Noodle, but she could have written a Heston Blumenthal tasting menu of 15 courses of molecular gastronomy.
I like Nair and I like the odd bit of crime fiction. I even liked Gowda and Santosh but I couldn’t help feeling she could have done something better.
In a dark alley in Bangalore, the charred body of a young male prostitute is found one night by a passing photographer. Whilst initial suspicions are that the man has ‘just’ been set alight, an autopsy shows he shares the same marks around his neck as another man, found elsewhere and killed the same night. There seems no obvious connection between the two but both have been strangled with a ligature. In each case there is crushed glass in the wound, the sort of glass used to coat the strings of fighting kites. Consequently the dead men have been strangled but have a ‘cut-like wound’. The weapon and the damage it has caused are not ones that Inspector Gowda of the Bangalore Police has seen before. His superiors (in rank, if not in intellect) are uninterested in his raving about serial killers. As more men are added to the count of the dead, they’re still not that bothered, after all if none of the relatives are kicking up a big fuss, there are other fish to fry.
As readers we know who the killer is – but then again, we don’t. We know it’s a beautiful young woman who isn’t a woman. We meet her very early in the book, applying make-up to cover any stubble shadow, putting on her jewellery, dressing in an expensive sari and leaving the house against the advice of a friend. We know how and why she killed the first two men, and then as the book progresses, we watch and learn as she dispatches a whole load more to meet their makers. What we don’t know is who she is when she’s not a she – if you see what I mean.
We have plenty of possible candidates, most of them linked to a local gangster-turned-politician called Corporator Ravikumar. Ravikumar’s household includes his brother Chikka, an elderly eunuch called Akka who once saved his life, a big hairy henchman called ‘King Kong’ who acts as his ‘muscle’, and a bunch of transvestites (or possibly transexuals – it doesn’t get too precise and I know this is a very complex area of Indian sub-culture) who help him in his weekly ritual of worship to his favourite goddess.
Inspector Gowda is a middle-aged failure, a man once so brilliant that all his fellow officers marvelled at his deductive reasoning, he has now been consigned to the filing cabinet of police life. His career has stalled, his superiors treat him badly and his wife has moved away to support his son through medical school, leaving him not as bothered as he probably should be. An old school friend comes back to Bangalore and reintroduces Gowda to his old student sweetheart, a woman who passed him over for a man from whom she’s now estranged. She’s interested and available and keen to turn back the clock. Gowda is torn between doing what’s right and turning back the clock with his ex-love. This ‘will-they-won’t-they’ story-line irritated the heck out of me and I kept imagining that it could only be relevant if Urmilla (the love interest) turned out to be somehow implicated in the whole sorry mess. There were too many coincidences – her friendship with the photographer who found the charred man and her manipulation of Gowda into opening a photography exhibition were plot lines that fizzled out without any kind of resolution. Gowda’s relationship with his son was handled quite nicely, but perhaps with a degree of convenience that seemed unauthentic.
Just as Morse needed Lewis, and Sherlock Holmes needed Dr Watson, every literary detective needs a side-kick and Inspector Gowda is no exception. The unlikely Batman to his Robin is Sub-Inspector Santosh, a young man who is thrilled to be working with Gowda and has heard many stories of his boss’s great sleuthing powers. Santosh still believes the police are there to do good, to stop evil and solve crimes. He’s not been corrupted into the apathy of his older colleagues and he’s excited to spend time with the older man. He is the clean, fresh, innocent to Gowda’s jaded old has-been and he’s a lovely fellow to spend time with. Yes, he’s wet behind the ears but in a book filled with death and corruption, it’s good to have one character with his halo still shining.
I’ve read a lot of books featuring hijras (transexuals) and even some autobiographies of these women and what they’ve been through so I know enough to follow some of the finer parts of the plot. Whether the average western reader without that background reading would make head or tail of this, I’m not sure. This is a book written for the Indian market and Nair’s readers will know everything I know and much more but I can see this may not be the best of possible export plot-lines.
As Indian crime fiction goes, this isn’t bad but it’s not brilliant. In comparison with Nair’s usual outstanding writing, it does feel a little bit like she’s slumming it in the wrong genre. It’s like someone shut the poor woman in a shed with a shelf full of crime novels and said “Go on, prove you can do it”. And she has proven that she can do something that she probably should never really have lowered herself into trying. If you asked Beethoven to write a Pot Noodle jingle, it would probably be an entirely acceptable Pot Noodle jingle but you’d still be left thinking he could have done more with his time. That’s how I felt reading this – good for a Pot Noodle, but she could have written a Heston Blumenthal tasting menu of 15 courses of molecular gastronomy.
I like Nair and I like the odd bit of crime fiction. I even liked Gowda and Santosh but I couldn’t help feeling she could have done something better.
April 9, 2016
3.5 stars actually. And mainly for a promise of the future. Anita Nair has ventured into a new territory and created a real promising character in Inspector Borei Gowda. Also, the police procedures look well researched. Plus, the artist in Anita Nair makes sure that it is not any mindless potboiler, and the book has some literary quality as well.
But the book itself has some issues, which Anita Nair has to iron out if her character has to acquire any legend.
One. I hated the almost Christie-esque method of diverting the readers' suspicion in the wrong direction in order to accentuate the whodunnit in the end.
Two. Why the hell, didn't the genius Inspector think of tracing the calls made by the murderer! Completely out of character.
Three. The closure was more suited to a drama, than a thriller. A suspense/thriller has to have all loose ends tied at the end. You cannot leave it to the imagination of the readers. That's the whole point of a detective novel. The reader wishes to see all threads well tied up and how the detective came to the conclusion.
Four. In a similar vein
Five. Urmila. Why was the Inspector even hinting about the case with her? He had met her after 20-25 years. How can he be sure of her to put anything about the case to her? Again, out of character.
But all these are not insurmountable problems for the series and can be easily overcome only if some care is taken. The heartening thing is that Gowda seemed to be taking care of his problems at the end, something like Sherlock Holmes who started with morphine issues but seemed to take care of it as the series progressed.
Would certainly like to see more of Inspector Gowda.
But the book itself has some issues, which Anita Nair has to iron out if her character has to acquire any legend.
One. I hated the almost Christie-esque method of diverting the readers' suspicion in the wrong direction in order to accentuate the whodunnit in the end.
Two. Why the hell, didn't the genius Inspector think of tracing the calls made by the murderer! Completely out of character.
Three. The closure was more suited to a drama, than a thriller. A suspense/thriller has to have all loose ends tied at the end. You cannot leave it to the imagination of the readers. That's the whole point of a detective novel. The reader wishes to see all threads well tied up and how the detective came to the conclusion.
Four. In a similar vein
Five. Urmila. Why was the Inspector even hinting about the case with her? He had met her after 20-25 years. How can he be sure of her to put anything about the case to her? Again, out of character.
But all these are not insurmountable problems for the series and can be easily overcome only if some care is taken. The heartening thing is that Gowda seemed to be taking care of his problems at the end, something like Sherlock Holmes who started with morphine issues but seemed to take care of it as the series progressed.
Would certainly like to see more of Inspector Gowda.
February 20, 2016
Inspector Borei Gowda grew up in Jayanagar 5th block, where his retired father still lives in their old house along with his other son and daughter-in-law. Borei Gowda wrote the bank exam and became a clerk according to his father’s desires, but rebelled after a few years to pursue his real passion: solving crimes and bringing criminals to justice. His truant son has been dispatched to Hassan for medical school, and his wife Mamatha gets a job in the ESI Hospital over there in order to stay with him. So Borei lives mostly alone in their new, isolated house at the outskirts of the city. A gruesome murder of a young man hits the Shivajinagar police station limits, and Borei starts to investigate, with support from his new assistant Santosh who is in awe of him.
This is the setting for Anita Nair’s book “Cut Like Wound”. I picked it up because I wanted to read a literary portrayal of Bangalore. I quite enjoyed the dry humour sprinkled throughout and her astute observations of various aspects of Bangalore. Shivajinagar is the scene of much of the action. Then there is Borei’s schoolmate Michael (an Anglo-Indian) who is back from Australia to dispose of his deceased aunt’s house in Whitefield and Borei’s old flame Urmila who is the new socialite in town after divorcing her husband in London.
The mystery part holds up well, I thought. At least I wasn’t able to guess who the murderer is. Quite a few of the characters you meet in the story are transsexuals or queer in some way. There is also a corporator called Caddy Ravi who is a fair stereotype of a politician-goonda. The nature of the plot means you end up reading a lot about the seamier side of life and Bangalore, but it is worth your time if you can bear it.
This is the setting for Anita Nair’s book “Cut Like Wound”. I picked it up because I wanted to read a literary portrayal of Bangalore. I quite enjoyed the dry humour sprinkled throughout and her astute observations of various aspects of Bangalore. Shivajinagar is the scene of much of the action. Then there is Borei’s schoolmate Michael (an Anglo-Indian) who is back from Australia to dispose of his deceased aunt’s house in Whitefield and Borei’s old flame Urmila who is the new socialite in town after divorcing her husband in London.
The mystery part holds up well, I thought. At least I wasn’t able to guess who the murderer is. Quite a few of the characters you meet in the story are transsexuals or queer in some way. There is also a corporator called Caddy Ravi who is a fair stereotype of a politician-goonda. The nature of the plot means you end up reading a lot about the seamier side of life and Bangalore, but it is worth your time if you can bear it.
December 7, 2018
Anita Nair tries to add some unwanted layers to the Police Procedural, which could have actually worked had the plot had some more meat in it. The MO of the killer is repetitive, the details sketchy and vague leaving Inspector Gowda to plod on through the seedy underbelly of Bengaluru. However Gowda is a wahsed out drunkard of a cop, whodoesn't have too many idiosyncrasies or any chutzpah to make him interesting, and is sadly bogged down by his past flame of an ex-girlfriend and a teenage son, whose subplots go nowhere. Since this being a series, their characters and their relationships with Gowda would be explored further in later works, but here they serve only as distractions.
Make no mistake, the writing is fine but unfortunately doesn't befit the genre she was working with. There is some merit to the twist in the end, but the book is too long to hold the reader's interest with more pages dedicated to tedium and less for the actual investigation. This definitely feels like the work of an author working outside her comfort zone, and that in itself is never enough to sustain a 350 page book.
With a 100 page less and in the hands of a pulp writer, this could have been a good one, but the attempt at turning this into a lit-fic robs the book off its edge.
Make no mistake, the writing is fine but unfortunately doesn't befit the genre she was working with. There is some merit to the twist in the end, but the book is too long to hold the reader's interest with more pages dedicated to tedium and less for the actual investigation. This definitely feels like the work of an author working outside her comfort zone, and that in itself is never enough to sustain a 350 page book.
With a 100 page less and in the hands of a pulp writer, this could have been a good one, but the attempt at turning this into a lit-fic robs the book off its edge.
December 10, 2015
I remember the first time I saw this in my regular bookstore. I put it back on the shelf cos police thrillers are not something I enjoy reading. But it was an Anita Nair book after all, so two week later I went back to the store and bought it.
All her books seem to be connected somehow by some common threads. And still, each story is refreshingly different. In the case of ‘Cut Like Wound’, midway through the book, I figured out the ending, but perhaps the author meant it to be that way…? Not sure. I did think at some point though, that the characters Urmila and Inspector Gowda’s son Roshan had something up their respective sleeves.
The story is dark… and disturbing in a Patricia Cornwell kinda way. But the dates used somehow did not seem to coincide the events. There seemed to be some disparity there.
From a “psychological thriller” perspective, and considering the author’s previous works, I certainly felt something was lacking. A good (above average, but below great) read, nevertheless.
https://rainandabook.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/cut-like-wound-by-anita-nair/
All her books seem to be connected somehow by some common threads. And still, each story is refreshingly different. In the case of ‘Cut Like Wound’, midway through the book, I figured out the ending, but perhaps the author meant it to be that way…? Not sure. I did think at some point though, that the characters Urmila and Inspector Gowda’s son Roshan had something up their respective sleeves.
The story is dark… and disturbing in a Patricia Cornwell kinda way. But the dates used somehow did not seem to coincide the events. There seemed to be some disparity there.
From a “psychological thriller” perspective, and considering the author’s previous works, I certainly felt something was lacking. A good (above average, but below great) read, nevertheless.
https://rainandabook.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/cut-like-wound-by-anita-nair/
November 29, 2015
The resolution for 2015 was that I was going to clear my unread bookshelf of the books I'd purchased prior to 2014. Cut Like Wound, an impulsive purchase ad a bookstore in April 2013, was the first on the list.
A whodunit thriller with some good writing (I believe this is the author's first crime thriller, and she is a pretty renowned author for her fiction) set in Bangalore. It almost boils down to the point what Private India by Ashwin Sanghi and James Patterson was (including the way the people are killed). However, what saves the book is its writing and the well done characters, particularly that of Gowda and Santosh. There are few loose ends in the book, but as always they don't seem to matter in the larger scheme of things after the mystery was solved.
A decent start to the new year, I'd say!
A whodunit thriller with some good writing (I believe this is the author's first crime thriller, and she is a pretty renowned author for her fiction) set in Bangalore. It almost boils down to the point what Private India by Ashwin Sanghi and James Patterson was (including the way the people are killed). However, what saves the book is its writing and the well done characters, particularly that of Gowda and Santosh. There are few loose ends in the book, but as always they don't seem to matter in the larger scheme of things after the mystery was solved.
A decent start to the new year, I'd say!
November 3, 2012
An unlikely hero, his fresh-off-the-police-academy sidekick, a ruthless and corrupt Corporator and his ambiguously corrupt younger brother. These are some of the key characters in Anita Nair's debut crime/thriller novel. I have enjoyed Ms. Nair's books in the past and this was no exception. The plot is well thought out, the characters are well carved out and the premise is also interesting. I read it in almost one sitting. I give it 3.5 stars out of 5 because the perpetrator seemed a bit obvious to me very early on in the book. Perhaps that happened because I read and watch a lot of crime fiction..... I still very much enjoyed the book and I hope there is more of Inspector Gowda and SI Santhosh.
March 23, 2013
I was highly impressed by Anita Nair's previous work, Ladies Coupe and so, I decided to give this book a shot. A serial killer with a peculiar modus operandi goes on a murdering spree across Bangalore and the protagonist, Inspector Gowda decides to hunt the killer down. The whole story unfolds at a good pace but some characters are not given enough space and justification. The plot is quick and intriguing but becomes dull in several places. Inspector Gowda isn't your regular super cop, which works in favour of the plot and keeps you involved. I also felt that there were a few loose knots which ought to be taken care off in the sequel (assuming the author pens one).
I have generously given it 3 stars but there's definitely room for improvement. One can finish this book in one go.
I have generously given it 3 stars but there's definitely room for improvement. One can finish this book in one go.
March 10, 2013
This book was a good holiday read. I am currently in Kerala and the author is from Kerala so it is fitting to read a local author. Anita Nair is better known for her more serious writing but this new adventure into crime writing must be fun for her, a total change to her normal genre. The main character Inspector Gowda is a tough rugged cop who brushes his co-workers up the wrong way with his method of policing.
Gowda lives in Bangalore and is determined to capture the serial killer in his area. An interesting storyline involving family secrets, eunuchs, corruption and the seedier side of Bangalore. Great scope for further Inspector Gowda mysteries.
Gowda lives in Bangalore and is determined to capture the serial killer in his area. An interesting storyline involving family secrets, eunuchs, corruption and the seedier side of Bangalore. Great scope for further Inspector Gowda mysteries.
May 14, 2013
Though I did not think much of 'Ladies Coupe' and hence picked this book up merely because I liked the the idea of 'Inspector Gowda', I really enjoyed this book. This Bangalore noir tale, set in Shivajinagar and other areas, is as far away from Bangalore's mall culture as you can get, and the multiple narratives seem believable. Inspector Gowda is a Kannadiga version of Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallander, with a screwed up personal life and a drinking habit that may or may not become a problem. I am looking forward to meeting him again.
April 6, 2013
It was good effort... But still i feel, India yet lacks in mystery..
And yet again.. while reading this one i felt i was watching some south-indian movie..
Writer had a lot, that could had been done.. but somehow she could not...
I am disappointed..
And yet again.. while reading this one i felt i was watching some south-indian movie..
Writer had a lot, that could had been done.. but somehow she could not...
I am disappointed..
June 26, 2018
This is my first book of the author and it’s a smooth read. I just wish I hadn’t guessed the suspense this early on with the book. I would definitely try Nair’s other works.
May 3, 2021
✨✨✨✨100TH BOOK REVIEW ✨✨✨✨
A CUT LIKE WOUND by @anitanairauthor 🖋️
⭐The concept was good.
⭐The writing style and the flawless merging of the local language, attitude and characters into the story felt real.
⭐ The locality of the crime happening, and the significance of the story blends in well.
⭐The social attitude towards differences and people with different choices are clear from this book. And the hatred and anger that grows inside the one facing this atitude, is totally understandable.
⭐How a person's character is affected by what he had to experience and how dangerous a person can be when he has to go through a lot is well put together.
⭐It had all the necessary elements of a detective fiction novel.
⭐The only thing I hate in this book is the extra marital affair between inspector Gowda and Urmila. It's because I'm strongly against extra marital affairs. And bangalore is a place where lot of extra marital affairs takes place, the story is set in the same place. Its sad that people choose an extra marital relationship. Is it because they feel it's exciting or is it because it's all over the "lover phase"? Well, it's too cheap. (Just hate extra marital affairs and felt like writing so much guys!!)
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#acutlikewound #anitanair #cutlikewound #harpercollins #detectivenovel #detective #fiction #thriller #transgender #enuches #wounded #psychological #cultural #india #mystery #crime #thriller #lgbt #asianliterature #indianliterature #mystery #murdermystery #suspensethriller #suspense #100thbook #reader #reviewer #readerssnapshot #readingcommunity #bookie #bookish #booklover
A CUT LIKE WOUND by @anitanairauthor 🖋️
⭐The concept was good.
⭐The writing style and the flawless merging of the local language, attitude and characters into the story felt real.
⭐ The locality of the crime happening, and the significance of the story blends in well.
⭐The social attitude towards differences and people with different choices are clear from this book. And the hatred and anger that grows inside the one facing this atitude, is totally understandable.
⭐How a person's character is affected by what he had to experience and how dangerous a person can be when he has to go through a lot is well put together.
⭐It had all the necessary elements of a detective fiction novel.
⭐The only thing I hate in this book is the extra marital affair between inspector Gowda and Urmila. It's because I'm strongly against extra marital affairs. And bangalore is a place where lot of extra marital affairs takes place, the story is set in the same place. Its sad that people choose an extra marital relationship. Is it because they feel it's exciting or is it because it's all over the "lover phase"? Well, it's too cheap. (Just hate extra marital affairs and felt like writing so much guys!!)
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.
.
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.
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.
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#acutlikewound #anitanair #cutlikewound #harpercollins #detectivenovel #detective #fiction #thriller #transgender #enuches #wounded #psychological #cultural #india #mystery #crime #thriller #lgbt #asianliterature #indianliterature #mystery #murdermystery #suspensethriller #suspense #100thbook #reader #reviewer #readerssnapshot #readingcommunity #bookie #bookish #booklover
August 16, 2016
This is Anita Nair's first foray into crime fiction, and she has produced a fully realized mystery with interesting and attractive characters. Inspector Gowda is cursed with idiots for supervisors and plodders for assistants, yet he inspires unflinching loyalty and respect from many. When he is given the report of a violent death in Bangalore, the ligature captures his attention. So begins Gowda's investigation of a series of murders in which young men are murdered with what seems to be a manja chord, a string with bits of glass glued to it normally used in kite-flying competitions. Surly, quick to say what he thinks, and terrifying to his underlings, Gowda plods along offending just about everyone until all the pieces of the crime come together.
The investigation takes the reader into the world of hijras/eunuchs/transgenders, political corruption, festivals and pujas, and sturdy links formed during college. The last are about the only thing that keep Gowda from falling into trouble too deep to get out of. He went to school with so many important people that he is spared the consequences of some of his behavior. Complicating his personal life is an old college pal who has returned from UK and wants to rekindle the old flame.
Gowda is in the mold of the British police detective--curmudgeonly, a heavy drinker, stuck with family problems, and brilliant at his job. The mystery, based on perhaps one of the most exotic aspects of Indian culture, is a good one and moves along well, giving us a clear view of how criminal investigations are carried out in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in modern India. The pleasant surprise is that Gowda faces his behavior, tries to be a better father, and is honest about the nature of his adulterous affair.
Nair has a few writing habits that will annoy some readers--she switches points of view in the middle of a scene, sometimes more than once. And she leaves the final solution implied rather than tied up neatly. But she introduces technical information deftly, draws rich characters, and provides the reader with a solid mystery true to India.
The investigation takes the reader into the world of hijras/eunuchs/transgenders, political corruption, festivals and pujas, and sturdy links formed during college. The last are about the only thing that keep Gowda from falling into trouble too deep to get out of. He went to school with so many important people that he is spared the consequences of some of his behavior. Complicating his personal life is an old college pal who has returned from UK and wants to rekindle the old flame.
Gowda is in the mold of the British police detective--curmudgeonly, a heavy drinker, stuck with family problems, and brilliant at his job. The mystery, based on perhaps one of the most exotic aspects of Indian culture, is a good one and moves along well, giving us a clear view of how criminal investigations are carried out in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in modern India. The pleasant surprise is that Gowda faces his behavior, tries to be a better father, and is honest about the nature of his adulterous affair.
Nair has a few writing habits that will annoy some readers--she switches points of view in the middle of a scene, sometimes more than once. And she leaves the final solution implied rather than tied up neatly. But she introduces technical information deftly, draws rich characters, and provides the reader with a solid mystery true to India.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews