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Blue Mumbai #2
The Blue Monsoon
A ritual murder at a Mumbai temple exposes the city’s dark secrets and ravages the personal life of a detective in this sequel to The Blue Bar.
Amid incessant rains pounding down on Mumbai, Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput is called to a shocking crime scene. A male body is found dismembered on the steps of a Kaali temple. Drawn into his flesh are symbols of a tantra cult. The desecration of a body at a Hindu place of worship puts the city on edge and divides Arnav’s priorities: stopping a fanatic from killing again and caring for his wife who’s struggling through a challenging pregnancy.
Then video footage of the murder is uploaded onto the account of a Bollywood social media influencer, triggering twists in the investigation Arnav didn’t see coming. Caste systems at war. A priest under suspicion. And an anonymous threat that puts his wife’s welfare at risk. When more bodies are found, the savagery of the city begins to surface—and Arnav fears that no one is safe from a bigger storm brewing.
Amid incessant rains pounding down on Mumbai, Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput is called to a shocking crime scene. A male body is found dismembered on the steps of a Kaali temple. Drawn into his flesh are symbols of a tantra cult. The desecration of a body at a Hindu place of worship puts the city on edge and divides Arnav’s priorities: stopping a fanatic from killing again and caring for his wife who’s struggling through a challenging pregnancy.
Then video footage of the murder is uploaded onto the account of a Bollywood social media influencer, triggering twists in the investigation Arnav didn’t see coming. Caste systems at war. A priest under suspicion. And an anonymous threat that puts his wife’s welfare at risk. When more bodies are found, the savagery of the city begins to surface—and Arnav fears that no one is safe from a bigger storm brewing.
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2023
224 people are currently reading
5806 people want to read
About the author
Damyanti Biswas
13 books1,055 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 224 reviews
October 11, 2023
Damyanti Biswas transports readers to Mumbai, India, during the middle of monsoon season in
The Blue Monsoon
, the second book in the Blue Mumbai police procedural series featuring Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput. A ritual murder has occurred at a temple and Arnav is called to the shocking crime scene. When video footage of the murder is uploaded onto the account of a social media influencer, additional twists to the murder occur. On top of this, Arnav’s wife Tara is seven months pregnant and in a wheel chair due to a spinal cord injury. Sub-inspector Sita Naik is back in this novel as well to help with the investigation, but things don’t go smoothly. Anonymous threats and storms both inside the investigation and weather related are relentless.
The story is mainly from Arnav’s point of view. However, there are also chapters featuring Tara, Sita, and an unknown antagonist. The characters are well-defined and readers can easily relate to them.
The book is very atmospheric and easily transports readers to Mumbai in July. The author did a great job of portraying the city, its people, and the cultural lifestyles. A deeply involved plot with twists and turns and an ending that was startling combined with a terrific narrative made this an unforgettable read. One thing that I wish I had realized before I started the book is that there is a glossary of terms at the end of the book. That would have been helpful as I read it. Themes include murder, corruption, trust, class implications, religious differences, wealth differences, social hierarchy systems and stratification, prejudices, and much more.
Overall, this book was suspenseful and thought-provoking with an incredible setting and diverse characters. If you enjoy well-written crime thrillers and police procedurals with a strong lead character, then this may be the series for you. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series as well as reading the earlier novel.
Thomas & Mercer and Damyanti Biswas provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for October 24, 2023.
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My 4.05 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
The story is mainly from Arnav’s point of view. However, there are also chapters featuring Tara, Sita, and an unknown antagonist. The characters are well-defined and readers can easily relate to them.
The book is very atmospheric and easily transports readers to Mumbai in July. The author did a great job of portraying the city, its people, and the cultural lifestyles. A deeply involved plot with twists and turns and an ending that was startling combined with a terrific narrative made this an unforgettable read. One thing that I wish I had realized before I started the book is that there is a glossary of terms at the end of the book. That would have been helpful as I read it. Themes include murder, corruption, trust, class implications, religious differences, wealth differences, social hierarchy systems and stratification, prejudices, and much more.
Overall, this book was suspenseful and thought-provoking with an incredible setting and diverse characters. If you enjoy well-written crime thrillers and police procedurals with a strong lead character, then this may be the series for you. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series as well as reading the earlier novel.
Thomas & Mercer and Damyanti Biswas provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for October 24, 2023.
--------------------------------------
My 4.05 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
October 25, 2023
3.5
Humans could be the kindest of creatures, and also the cruelest.
The Blue Monsoon, the second book in Blue Mumbai series, is a gripping mystery/thriller with some good twists and turns.
A ritualistically castrated and defaced body is found at a temple.
Who is the victim? What has he done to deserve to die in such a gruesome way?
Welcome to Mumbai, where its darkest corners hold darker secrets; where sinister minds have taken over; where no one is safe, not even the detectives on the case.
Is there going to be a second body…or maybe even a third?
Thanks to the author, the NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of the book.
Humans could be the kindest of creatures, and also the cruelest.
The Blue Monsoon, the second book in Blue Mumbai series, is a gripping mystery/thriller with some good twists and turns.
A ritualistically castrated and defaced body is found at a temple.
Who is the victim? What has he done to deserve to die in such a gruesome way?
Welcome to Mumbai, where its darkest corners hold darker secrets; where sinister minds have taken over; where no one is safe, not even the detectives on the case.
Is there going to be a second body…or maybe even a third?
Thanks to the author, the NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of the book.
October 17, 2023
This upcoming release gets five thrilling stars from me. Here is why:
💙 The world of Mumbai come to life with temples, factories, police stations, chawls, and monsoon flooded streets.
💙 Richly drawn characters like Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, his wife Tara, and the indefatigable Sub-Inspector Sita Naik (my favorite).
💙This is a sequel, but worked well as a standalone.
💙 The well-paced plot moved at a a breakneck pace and kept the pages turning.
💙 Includes a list of characters, a glossary (look up words like chawl there), and informative author's notes.
Thank you to Thomas Mercer and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
💙 The world of Mumbai come to life with temples, factories, police stations, chawls, and monsoon flooded streets.
💙 Richly drawn characters like Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, his wife Tara, and the indefatigable Sub-Inspector Sita Naik (my favorite).
💙This is a sequel, but worked well as a standalone.
💙 The well-paced plot moved at a a breakneck pace and kept the pages turning.
💙 Includes a list of characters, a glossary (look up words like chawl there), and informative author's notes.
Thank you to Thomas Mercer and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2023
This is a sequel to The Blue Bar. Review here: . https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...# In many ways, it also continues the story of Arnav and Tara.
But…
Mostly it is crime fiction at its best.
This author does not hold back when it comes to describing the dark side of life in Mumbai. She provides a character driven story with continuing characters that you want to root and care for, even as they get themselves into messy situations. One because of his job, the other, well, because she wants to be strong, and grow and be more than what her limitations provide to her.
This will be a gripping, tense, dark, twisted, haunting thriller.
A ritual murder at a Mumbai temple brings out Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput to the crime scene. This killing puts the city on edge.
But…
At the same time, Arnav is dealing with and struggling with his wife, Tara’s challenging pregnancy.
Then…
Video footage of the murder is uploaded onto a Bollywood social media influencer’s account.
Now…
Caste systems are at war.
A priest is under suspicion.
An anonymous threat puts his wife’s welfare at risk.
Is anybody safe?
The author does an excellent job of transporting reader’s once again to Mumbai. Not only to Mumbai, but inside a storm. It is as if you can feel the rain coming down on you as you turn the pages.
The story is told in shifting points of view from Tara, Arnav’s and Sita’s (another character’s) perspective.
Don’t miss reading the author’s glossary of terms and the notes about “The Blue Monsoon” at the end. She also shares a list of books that she read while she was writing this book which she believed helped her with additional context.
As with “The Blue Bar” if you love crime fiction and getting gritty with a thriller, where you don’t mind all the intense detail, this might be the series for you.
I want to thank the author for this complimentary book for our Little Free Library Shed. I am providing an honest review.
But…
Mostly it is crime fiction at its best.
This author does not hold back when it comes to describing the dark side of life in Mumbai. She provides a character driven story with continuing characters that you want to root and care for, even as they get themselves into messy situations. One because of his job, the other, well, because she wants to be strong, and grow and be more than what her limitations provide to her.
This will be a gripping, tense, dark, twisted, haunting thriller.
A ritual murder at a Mumbai temple brings out Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput to the crime scene. This killing puts the city on edge.
But…
At the same time, Arnav is dealing with and struggling with his wife, Tara’s challenging pregnancy.
Then…
Video footage of the murder is uploaded onto a Bollywood social media influencer’s account.
Now…
Caste systems are at war.
A priest is under suspicion.
An anonymous threat puts his wife’s welfare at risk.
Is anybody safe?
The author does an excellent job of transporting reader’s once again to Mumbai. Not only to Mumbai, but inside a storm. It is as if you can feel the rain coming down on you as you turn the pages.
The story is told in shifting points of view from Tara, Arnav’s and Sita’s (another character’s) perspective.
Don’t miss reading the author’s glossary of terms and the notes about “The Blue Monsoon” at the end. She also shares a list of books that she read while she was writing this book which she believed helped her with additional context.
As with “The Blue Bar” if you love crime fiction and getting gritty with a thriller, where you don’t mind all the intense detail, this might be the series for you.
I want to thank the author for this complimentary book for our Little Free Library Shed. I am providing an honest review.
July 12, 2023
The Blue Monsoon is the sequel to The Blue Bar but can be read as a standalone. Welcome to chaotic and exotic 'Mumbai! Detective Arnav Singh Rajput is assigned to a murder at a temple that includes disfigurement. The marks are part of a cult and the placement of the body at a Hindu temple tears the city in two. Arnav is pulled between a very high pressure, gory case and the fragility of his wife who is pregnant and still recovering from a coma.
This is a shocking, gritty almost noir story with non-stop action and complex story lines. You will learn tons about India and power systems along the way - Mumbai is very much it's own atmospheric character in this book. If you like police procedurals, learning about countries and culture via reading or just love a gritty and graphic mystery then The Blue Monsoon is for you! #Thomas&Mercer #TheBlueMonsoon #DamyantiBiswas
This is a shocking, gritty almost noir story with non-stop action and complex story lines. You will learn tons about India and power systems along the way - Mumbai is very much it's own atmospheric character in this book. If you like police procedurals, learning about countries and culture via reading or just love a gritty and graphic mystery then The Blue Monsoon is for you! #Thomas&Mercer #TheBlueMonsoon #DamyantiBiswas
July 8, 2023
Tense and complex mystery - secrets, lies, betrayal, revenge, all circling around the caste system and subjugation of women. Child pornography and trafficking and systemic bigotry hit sensitive and important topics, as well as rampant corruption. Not a dull moment, and he just can't catch a break from being in the middle of horror. Excellent and intense second installment.
July 21, 2023
Damyanti Biswas’s eagerly awaited third book, the second in the Blue Mumbai series does not disappoint. The blue sequins in The Blue Bar kept glimmering in my imagination, as I waited for this book. I have wondered what happened to Arnav and Tara and here they are again, in a new chapter in their lives. This is a spoiler-free review so I will only hint at events. I prefer not to give anything away.
The book begins with a gruesome murder juxtaposed with an essential event in Arnav and Tara's life. Damyanti dances between the comforting familiarity of a festive domestic event and a grisly homicide. The killing is visually shocking and deliberately creepy with tantric symbols and ritual mutilation. Damyanti has explained the symbolism of the Kali temple for readers unfamiliar with India.
The monsoon, with its ability to wash away clues and obstruct investigations, is an ever-present ally of criminals and foe of the police. The pouring rain, flooded streets, flickering lights, and sketchy phone signals are unsurprising for those of us who live in monsoon lands. I began reading the book just as the monsoon rains broke over Delhi in a dramatic turn of dark grey clouds towering above us, shedding some of their weight in heavy drops that quickly became a relentless stream. What better way to weather the storm than by racing through a gripping thriller?
Damyanti’s settings come to life in each of her books; this book doesn’t disappoint either. Bombay life is so vividly drawn, the reader is transported to the city of seven islands. Another aspect that rings true is the blurring of lines between police and criminals. The cops have their informers, petty or reformed criminals with their ears to the ground. The police are rarely boy scouts living by some unbelievably high moral code. There is give and take in their world as we can see that the cops don’t solve the mysteries in isolation. They need the help of criminals who are aligned against the particular criminals who are in the crosshairs now.
The surprise ending hurtles the reader along a roller coaster ride where you hang on for dear life.
Caste, explanations for caste and the reasons why so much of India doesn’t acknowledge caste plays an important role. It runs through much of the book like a leaden thread elevating it from a crime thriller set in Mumbai to a book that doesn't hesitate to talk about aspects of Indian life that remain unacknowledged except by journalists and sociologists.
Atmospheric and thrilling, the reader is immediately drawn into the lives, the highs and lows of the finely drawn characters. It is the best kind of thriller.
The book begins with a gruesome murder juxtaposed with an essential event in Arnav and Tara's life. Damyanti dances between the comforting familiarity of a festive domestic event and a grisly homicide. The killing is visually shocking and deliberately creepy with tantric symbols and ritual mutilation. Damyanti has explained the symbolism of the Kali temple for readers unfamiliar with India.
The monsoon, with its ability to wash away clues and obstruct investigations, is an ever-present ally of criminals and foe of the police. The pouring rain, flooded streets, flickering lights, and sketchy phone signals are unsurprising for those of us who live in monsoon lands. I began reading the book just as the monsoon rains broke over Delhi in a dramatic turn of dark grey clouds towering above us, shedding some of their weight in heavy drops that quickly became a relentless stream. What better way to weather the storm than by racing through a gripping thriller?
Damyanti’s settings come to life in each of her books; this book doesn’t disappoint either. Bombay life is so vividly drawn, the reader is transported to the city of seven islands. Another aspect that rings true is the blurring of lines between police and criminals. The cops have their informers, petty or reformed criminals with their ears to the ground. The police are rarely boy scouts living by some unbelievably high moral code. There is give and take in their world as we can see that the cops don’t solve the mysteries in isolation. They need the help of criminals who are aligned against the particular criminals who are in the crosshairs now.
The surprise ending hurtles the reader along a roller coaster ride where you hang on for dear life.
Caste, explanations for caste and the reasons why so much of India doesn’t acknowledge caste plays an important role. It runs through much of the book like a leaden thread elevating it from a crime thriller set in Mumbai to a book that doesn't hesitate to talk about aspects of Indian life that remain unacknowledged except by journalists and sociologists.
Atmospheric and thrilling, the reader is immediately drawn into the lives, the highs and lows of the finely drawn characters. It is the best kind of thriller.
October 24, 2023
The Blue Monsoon was a gripping crime thriller, and sequel to The Blue Bar. I was thrilled to pick back up where I left off with Arnav and Tara's story.
A ritualistic murder at a Mumbai temple reveals a sinister city secret, and thrusts Detective Arnav into a chaotic whirlwind. Who would do such a horrific thing? The monsoon rains challenge the investigation. The murder video is uploaded to a social media star's influencer's account. Why? Arnav attempts to care for his wife's challenged pregnancy. And on it goes.
The main characters were well developed and fleshed out, and readers received the benefit of multiple points of view. The plot was fast-paced and gritty. I couldn't put it down. The depiction of the setting was so strong, I could not only picture it, but felt like I was there. Biswas drew attention to caste in India, trafficking, corruption in law enforcement, and bigotry all amidst an intense plot that soars you through the city streets of Mumbai.
Do yourself a favor and read both The Blue Bar, and The Blue Monsoon.
Thank you for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. It is a delightful must read book!
A ritualistic murder at a Mumbai temple reveals a sinister city secret, and thrusts Detective Arnav into a chaotic whirlwind. Who would do such a horrific thing? The monsoon rains challenge the investigation. The murder video is uploaded to a social media star's influencer's account. Why? Arnav attempts to care for his wife's challenged pregnancy. And on it goes.
The main characters were well developed and fleshed out, and readers received the benefit of multiple points of view. The plot was fast-paced and gritty. I couldn't put it down. The depiction of the setting was so strong, I could not only picture it, but felt like I was there. Biswas drew attention to caste in India, trafficking, corruption in law enforcement, and bigotry all amidst an intense plot that soars you through the city streets of Mumbai.
Do yourself a favor and read both The Blue Bar, and The Blue Monsoon.
Thank you for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. It is a delightful must read book!
August 1, 2023
This was an excellent addition to the Blue Mumbai series. This was a very well written atmospheric thriller that I enjoyed just as much as the first book, The Blue Bar. This book had me intrigued immediately and I felt invested through the very end. I appreciated the multiple POVs in this book as well as its fast pace. I also found the glossary and notes in the back of the book incredibly useful as I’m not too familiar with Mumbai and its culture. I definitely recommend checking out this series if you like thrillers!
November 10, 2023
The second book in the Blue Mumbai series and another solid police thriller. It is always interesting to learn about different countries and cultures. The author firmly places the reader in the heart of the drama, the sights, sounds and smells all come to life in this dark and gritty story set in Mumbai.
The Blue Monsoon can be read as a stand alone novel but will have you wanting to go back for more information about these characters. Arnat is back has his hands full in both his professional and private lives. His wife is now in a wheelchair and pregnant. On top of that he is called to the scene of a gruesome crime scene, where a man has been mutilated and body party’s removed, left in the steps of a temple.
Another fantastic read that kept me read into the night. Thank you to the author, Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on October 24th.
The Blue Monsoon can be read as a stand alone novel but will have you wanting to go back for more information about these characters. Arnat is back has his hands full in both his professional and private lives. His wife is now in a wheelchair and pregnant. On top of that he is called to the scene of a gruesome crime scene, where a man has been mutilated and body party’s removed, left in the steps of a temple.
Another fantastic read that kept me read into the night. Thank you to the author, Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on October 24th.
August 1, 2023
What a great read! The author does a great job at vividly describing Mumbai and its culture which created a very atmospheric reading experience. I really enjoyed how this story was told through multiple POVs. The Blue Monsoon is book 2 in the Blue Mumbai series and I thought this book was equally as good as The Blue Bar. You can read this one as a standalone, but would recommend picking up The Blue Bar first to get a better feel of the characters and setting. Overall, this was a great thriller that I didn’t want to put down.
August 1, 2023
Social constructs, family relationships, religion, and politics flawlessly come together in this stunner of a thriller. With the pulsing heart of Mumbai at its center and Damyanti Biswas's lush, rich writing, THE BLUE MONSOON is a terrifying, mesmerizing ride with a shock in every chapter. Biswas has created an astonishing cast of characters who collide in a seismic conclusion that will rock you to your core. An exceptional read!
October 24, 2023
At work, Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput of the Mumbai Police is called to a horrifying crime scene. The male victim’s naked body is emasculated and dismembered with symbols of a tantra cult on his chest, the face unrecognizable. Who has left this desecration on the steps of a Kaali temple, a Hindu place of worship?
At home, Arnav navigates as husband to his wife Tara in the later months of her pregnancy, still recovering from an accident that paralyzed her legs. The future if she will ever walk again unknown. Arnav also continues building a relationship with his teenage daughter Pia, learning of his fatherhood only in recent years. What takes precedence when there is a conflict of needs between work and home?
As in Book 1, the first line commands attention with an unknown person stating,
As a reader, I was immersed in the sights and sounds of Mumbai. I began to feel the highs and lows, the joy, the fear, the worry, and the constraints as if they were my own. Reading this novel, I was in a world of cultural and religious differences far beyond my knowledge. But beyond what is unique, some elements are universal in the differences between law enforcement officers seeking justice for victims, while some are there for the power to elevate themselves before others, whether through bribes, corruption, or lies. Only power is important. The universal sameness of the reasons for crime, from jealousy to territorial conflicts, the hunger for power, and greed. The universal sameness of managing conflicts between career and family. The universal sameness of need to protect one’s family regardless of relationship within the family.
I didn’t think it was possible, but I enjoyed this sequel even more than the introduction to these characters. The book can be read as a stand-alone, but reading the series in order will provide a deeper understanding of the nucleus characters, the relationships, motivations, and choices in moving forward. I look forward to reading more of this series.
At the beginning of the novel, Characters Who Appear in The Blue Monsoon are listed with brief descriptions. Glossary of Terms, Notes About The Blue Monsoon (e.g., Caste System, Tantra and Tantric Practices, Kinnar or Hijra), and Books I Read While Writing The Blue Monsoon are provided at the end of the novel. I highly recommend reading all the special features as each adds to the reading experience.
Thank you Damyanti Biswas, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
At home, Arnav navigates as husband to his wife Tara in the later months of her pregnancy, still recovering from an accident that paralyzed her legs. The future if she will ever walk again unknown. Arnav also continues building a relationship with his teenage daughter Pia, learning of his fatherhood only in recent years. What takes precedence when there is a conflict of needs between work and home?
As in Book 1, the first line commands attention with an unknown person stating,
"Let’s kill them all."As a reader, I was riveted to the edge of my seat, and the page-turning suspense pace is equivalent to my imagination of the speed of a runaway train. Using the monsoon season as a backdrop built a presence, almost a character of note in itself, adding to the risks, heightening tension and drama of every action and emotion. There are lies, secrets, betrayals, greed, violence, bribery, and corruption at every twist in the investigation. Is justice even a possibility in this lurid world?
As a reader, I was immersed in the sights and sounds of Mumbai. I began to feel the highs and lows, the joy, the fear, the worry, and the constraints as if they were my own. Reading this novel, I was in a world of cultural and religious differences far beyond my knowledge. But beyond what is unique, some elements are universal in the differences between law enforcement officers seeking justice for victims, while some are there for the power to elevate themselves before others, whether through bribes, corruption, or lies. Only power is important. The universal sameness of the reasons for crime, from jealousy to territorial conflicts, the hunger for power, and greed. The universal sameness of managing conflicts between career and family. The universal sameness of need to protect one’s family regardless of relationship within the family.
I didn’t think it was possible, but I enjoyed this sequel even more than the introduction to these characters. The book can be read as a stand-alone, but reading the series in order will provide a deeper understanding of the nucleus characters, the relationships, motivations, and choices in moving forward. I look forward to reading more of this series.
At the beginning of the novel, Characters Who Appear in The Blue Monsoon are listed with brief descriptions. Glossary of Terms, Notes About The Blue Monsoon (e.g., Caste System, Tantra and Tantric Practices, Kinnar or Hijra), and Books I Read While Writing The Blue Monsoon are provided at the end of the novel. I highly recommend reading all the special features as each adds to the reading experience.
Thank you Damyanti Biswas, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 23, 2023
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
THE BLUE MONSOON (Blue Mumbai Book #2) by Damyanti Biswas is an atmospheric and suspenseful crime thriller/police procedural pitting a Senior Inspector against a ritualistic serial killer in Mumbai, India during the monsoon season. This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.
Senior Inspector Arnav Rajput is called to the scene of a brutal ritualistic murder on the steps of a Kaali temple. The desecration of the Hindu temple sets the city on edge. A video of the murder is uploaded onto the account of a Bollywood social media influencer which leads to many more threads of this tangled web of an investigation.
A second mutilated body is discovered, and Arnav finds himself not only searching for a killer, but also dealing with duplicity and betrayal in his own police station. He seeks the help of his old partner, Sita Haik and the two are thrown into the middle of the intricate plot of a killer.
I loved this second book in the series as much as the first, The Blue Bar. Ms. Biswas’ writing immerses the reader in the underbelly of Mumbai and in this book an added antagonist is the monsoon season. Arnav is a realistic character who has a strong sense of right and wrong, but he also must bend at times within a corrupt system. Not only does he have a difficult case to solve, but his paraplegic wife who is about to give birth finds herself in danger, too. All the characters are fully developed and play key roles in this intricate plot. The discussions between characters of the still prevalent caste system and subjugation of women in India was fascinating and educational. The crime plot is intricate and has many tentacles with several crimes and criminal enterprises overlapping. The tension ramped up continually to keep me turning the pages until a surprising conclusion.
I highly recommend this immersive crime thriller/police procedural with its unique setting and memorable characters.
THE BLUE MONSOON (Blue Mumbai Book #2) by Damyanti Biswas is an atmospheric and suspenseful crime thriller/police procedural pitting a Senior Inspector against a ritualistic serial killer in Mumbai, India during the monsoon season. This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone.
Senior Inspector Arnav Rajput is called to the scene of a brutal ritualistic murder on the steps of a Kaali temple. The desecration of the Hindu temple sets the city on edge. A video of the murder is uploaded onto the account of a Bollywood social media influencer which leads to many more threads of this tangled web of an investigation.
A second mutilated body is discovered, and Arnav finds himself not only searching for a killer, but also dealing with duplicity and betrayal in his own police station. He seeks the help of his old partner, Sita Haik and the two are thrown into the middle of the intricate plot of a killer.
I loved this second book in the series as much as the first, The Blue Bar. Ms. Biswas’ writing immerses the reader in the underbelly of Mumbai and in this book an added antagonist is the monsoon season. Arnav is a realistic character who has a strong sense of right and wrong, but he also must bend at times within a corrupt system. Not only does he have a difficult case to solve, but his paraplegic wife who is about to give birth finds herself in danger, too. All the characters are fully developed and play key roles in this intricate plot. The discussions between characters of the still prevalent caste system and subjugation of women in India was fascinating and educational. The crime plot is intricate and has many tentacles with several crimes and criminal enterprises overlapping. The tension ramped up continually to keep me turning the pages until a surprising conclusion.
I highly recommend this immersive crime thriller/police procedural with its unique setting and memorable characters.
November 10, 2023
Fantastic read!! I've read all Damyanti books and enjoyed them. The author has a beautiful and captivating writing style. She sweeps you to exotic Mumbai in this procedural case. One of the reasons I love her books is because the author connects the reader to the cultural and we explore the traditions of Mumbai. I've never visited but felt as if I was there by the vivid descriptions. She gives minuet details while solving a gripping, complex case.
April 30, 2024
I have received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Blue Monsoon is the second book within the Blue Mumbai Series. In this, you are still following Senior Inspector Arnav and the current crime he is trying to solve. There's so many twists and turns throughout this book that it's so hard to keep track of who was or wasn't a true suspect. With social media, dismembered bodies, and so many threats lurking in the shadows, it was hard to follow the pieces before the big reveal.
Or maybe that's just how I felt when reading this book the first time around. I don't even want to mention how I felt the second time around. With a storm brewing over the city, each chapter held me in a grip because I just wanted to know who did it. I also wanted to see if I could remember who did it.
In the end, I still really enjoyed the heck out of this series and the challenges the characters went through. The big reveal still got to me, so spoiler: I didn't remember who was behind it all. I definitely need some mystery thrillers today and this didn't disappoint one bit.
The Blue Monsoon is the second book within the Blue Mumbai Series. In this, you are still following Senior Inspector Arnav and the current crime he is trying to solve. There's so many twists and turns throughout this book that it's so hard to keep track of who was or wasn't a true suspect. With social media, dismembered bodies, and so many threats lurking in the shadows, it was hard to follow the pieces before the big reveal.
Or maybe that's just how I felt when reading this book the first time around. I don't even want to mention how I felt the second time around. With a storm brewing over the city, each chapter held me in a grip because I just wanted to know who did it. I also wanted to see if I could remember who did it.
In the end, I still really enjoyed the heck out of this series and the challenges the characters went through. The big reveal still got to me, so spoiler: I didn't remember who was behind it all. I definitely need some mystery thrillers today and this didn't disappoint one bit.
August 13, 2023
Gripping book two in the Blue Mumbai Thriller series finds ritual murders occurring in gritty Mumbai. Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput investigates, while also concerned about his disabled pregnant wife. An explosive story, penned by a genius author, that will keep you up late.
September 14, 2023
An excellent follow-up to what was a great start to this series, I think this even improves on the first installment. We rejoin Inspector Arnav Jajput to investigate another disturbing case in the gritty underbelly of Mumbai, this time a series of mutilated and castrated male bodies left on temple steps. His wife Tara meanwhile, who has already been through a horrific series of traumas, is not content to sit quietly at home despite being both pregnant and wheelchair bound and does some detective work of her own at the mysterious Remy Virgin Hair Factory, run by Rasool Mohsin, a mafia don in the city's shady underworld who's also the partner of her best friend, Zoya.
Without wanting to give any more away, this should already tell you that The Blue Monsoon spins an intricate web of divided loyalties. Add into the equation the titular storm, which effectively acts as its own character and adds a constant percussive presence, not only drumming away in the background but also threatening to interfere with the investigations by washing away evidence, and an education on the current state of the caste system in India - still very much a thing, and enabling favours and corruption - as well as on the persecution of the transgender community, trying to eke out a living on the margins of society, and you have a multilayered and deeply satisfying read. At its heart, it's a straightforward police procedural, and an extremely tense and gripping one, too, but it's also so much more. Highly recommended.
Without wanting to give any more away, this should already tell you that The Blue Monsoon spins an intricate web of divided loyalties. Add into the equation the titular storm, which effectively acts as its own character and adds a constant percussive presence, not only drumming away in the background but also threatening to interfere with the investigations by washing away evidence, and an education on the current state of the caste system in India - still very much a thing, and enabling favours and corruption - as well as on the persecution of the transgender community, trying to eke out a living on the margins of society, and you have a multilayered and deeply satisfying read. At its heart, it's a straightforward police procedural, and an extremely tense and gripping one, too, but it's also so much more. Highly recommended.
July 25, 2024
THE BLUE MONSOON is the second book in the Blue Mumbai series. I read it immediately after reading “The Blue Bar”, the first book in the series, and internally rated it as 3.5 stars, not certain whether to raise or lower it half a star for the final rating. Then I got a bad flu and couldn’t write any reviews or read books for over a month. I am just now, in late July, getting around to writing my review. As I still remember the story quite well, I am going to give it a final four-star rating.
The story takes place several months after the events that occurred in “The Blue Bar” transpired, but contains most of same characters. Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput has now married Tara, his lost love from that first book, but because of events that happened in the first story, she is now crippled and confined to a wheelchair. She also has become pregnant again. Also living with them is their 15-year-old daughter, Pia, who was conceived long ago, before Tara disappeared. Tara’s best friend, Zoya, who accompanied Tara when she disappeared, has also returned to Mumbai, and is now living with her former boyfriend, Rahsool Mohsin, a mafia boss.
The story begins with Rajput being called to a shocking crime scene—a dismembered and castrated male body is found on the steps of a Kaali temple. The desecration of a body at a Hindu place of worship puts the city on edge. To help him solve this crime, Rajput calls on his khabri—small-time criminals on the fringes of Mumbai’s crime, including prostitutes and pawnshop owners who acted as informers: Mumbai Police kept a separate budget for informers, and sometimes Arnav topped up the rewards out of his own pocket.
Then, two more mutilated bodies are discovered in similar circumstances to the first one.
The police force has several corrupt officers. Consequently, the only assistant Rajput can rely on is Sub-Inspector Sita Naik, a female officer who briefly appeared in the first book; her background is explored more deeply in this second one. Being a policewoman in a man’s world was hard enough—she was a policewoman with no woman’s toilet at her workplace. She was also one of the few who refused the hafta, the weekly bribe to let things slide in her precinct.
To Rajput’s dismay, his pregnant wife insists on putting herself in danger by getting involved with a charity for children and visiting the Remy Virgin Hair Factory, a place that his investigation soon found was connected to the mutilated men.
The story moves quickly and gives us a good picture of Mumbai: Mumbai’s extremes—being India’s financial capital yet home to its largest slums, having the busiest airport and seaport yet also some of the nation’s most infamous road traffic, the nonstop, busy hum of Bollywood contrasted with the lazy elegance of colonial buildings.
I definitely didn’t guess who the villains were until they were revealed near the ending. However, I felt that their motive for these horrific crimes was rather flimsy.
The positives of THE BLUE MONSOON were:
(1) its portrayal of the city and its cultural lifestyles;
(2) its portrayal of the police force;
(3) its portrayal of caste dynamics in India; and
(4) its portrayal of Sita Naik.
The negatives of the story were:
(1) the main villain did not have a realistic reason for initiating the carnage;
(2) Rajput, who was so intelligent in terms of his investigative skills, was clueless with regards to the caste discrimination that existed. (Even I, who live in Canada, have more awareness of caste discrimination than Rajput purported to possess); and
(3) Tara seemed more like a Bollywood concept of a heroine, rather than a real person. (This was also true of Tara in the first instalment of this series—“The Blue Bar”.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My review for the first book in the series:
The Blue Bar (Blue Mumbai, #1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The story takes place several months after the events that occurred in “The Blue Bar” transpired, but contains most of same characters. Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput has now married Tara, his lost love from that first book, but because of events that happened in the first story, she is now crippled and confined to a wheelchair. She also has become pregnant again. Also living with them is their 15-year-old daughter, Pia, who was conceived long ago, before Tara disappeared. Tara’s best friend, Zoya, who accompanied Tara when she disappeared, has also returned to Mumbai, and is now living with her former boyfriend, Rahsool Mohsin, a mafia boss.
The story begins with Rajput being called to a shocking crime scene—a dismembered and castrated male body is found on the steps of a Kaali temple. The desecration of a body at a Hindu place of worship puts the city on edge. To help him solve this crime, Rajput calls on his khabri—small-time criminals on the fringes of Mumbai’s crime, including prostitutes and pawnshop owners who acted as informers: Mumbai Police kept a separate budget for informers, and sometimes Arnav topped up the rewards out of his own pocket.
Then, two more mutilated bodies are discovered in similar circumstances to the first one.
The police force has several corrupt officers. Consequently, the only assistant Rajput can rely on is Sub-Inspector Sita Naik, a female officer who briefly appeared in the first book; her background is explored more deeply in this second one. Being a policewoman in a man’s world was hard enough—she was a policewoman with no woman’s toilet at her workplace. She was also one of the few who refused the hafta, the weekly bribe to let things slide in her precinct.
To Rajput’s dismay, his pregnant wife insists on putting herself in danger by getting involved with a charity for children and visiting the Remy Virgin Hair Factory, a place that his investigation soon found was connected to the mutilated men.
The story moves quickly and gives us a good picture of Mumbai: Mumbai’s extremes—being India’s financial capital yet home to its largest slums, having the busiest airport and seaport yet also some of the nation’s most infamous road traffic, the nonstop, busy hum of Bollywood contrasted with the lazy elegance of colonial buildings.
I definitely didn’t guess who the villains were until they were revealed near the ending. However, I felt that their motive for these horrific crimes was rather flimsy.
The positives of THE BLUE MONSOON were:
(1) its portrayal of the city and its cultural lifestyles;
(2) its portrayal of the police force;
(3) its portrayal of caste dynamics in India; and
(4) its portrayal of Sita Naik.
The negatives of the story were:
(1) the main villain did not have a realistic reason for initiating the carnage;
(2) Rajput, who was so intelligent in terms of his investigative skills, was clueless with regards to the caste discrimination that existed. (Even I, who live in Canada, have more awareness of caste discrimination than Rajput purported to possess); and
(3) Tara seemed more like a Bollywood concept of a heroine, rather than a real person. (This was also true of Tara in the first instalment of this series—“The Blue Bar”.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My review for the first book in the series:
The Blue Bar (Blue Mumbai, #1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 18, 2023
Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput is back at it again, striving to catch the killer whose gruesome murders are plaguing his city, Mumbai. Meanwhile, his wife and daughter are coping with their own challenges, and as he dives deeper into the investigation, threats to his wife bring danger closer to home.
I enjoyed this immensely. The Blue Monsoon is a compelling crime novel that features an interesting cast of characters. Biswas weaves a multitude of social themes within the storyline, such as casteism, sexism, and corruption. The writing is engaging, and while I found the murders relatively easy to solve, the characters and social commentary kept me engrossed the entire time. This is perfect for crime enthusiasts who love family drama, intrigue, and revenge.
Thank you to Damyanti Biswas, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this immensely. The Blue Monsoon is a compelling crime novel that features an interesting cast of characters. Biswas weaves a multitude of social themes within the storyline, such as casteism, sexism, and corruption. The writing is engaging, and while I found the murders relatively easy to solve, the characters and social commentary kept me engrossed the entire time. This is perfect for crime enthusiasts who love family drama, intrigue, and revenge.
Thank you to Damyanti Biswas, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 1, 2023
Note: this review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy, however I have pre-ordered my own copy of the book.
Senior Police Inspector Arnav Rajput speeds through flooded streets on a homicide call. A body has been found outside a temple. Expecting a murder, he races against storm waters to recover all possible evidence but what Arnav and his team finds is something much more horrifying.
“…men murdered in or around Kaali temples in what looked like ritualistic…”
Vermilion powder and hibiscus pedals signify something more than a crime of passion or greed. Mutilated eyes and missing genitals point to rage and shame and more frightening: a plan. Then, as crime-scene video is posted on the internet, politicians seize on the opportunity to stoke public outrage.
The sequel to her excellent sophomore book, The Blue Bar, Damyanti Biswas’ Blue Monsoon, reunites us with Arnav Rajput, on his dangerous beat. Like a police ride-along without the reassurance of backup, Arnav works his cases from the edges and angles, often at cross-purposes with his superiors’ objectives and his subordinates’ agendas. He is always one misstep from dismissal or worse.
But if Arnav is the over-worked-bone-aching honesty of Blue Monsoon, then Tara, Arnav’s wife remains the beating heart of the story. She infuses light and hope to Arnav’s world. Crippled from events in the previous book, (which won’t be spoiled here) Tara remains optimistic even as her anxiety for lost mobility, her protracted recovery, and her unborn child prays on her unguarded thoughts.
When we rejoin Tara she is hosting a Shaadh or a baby shower. Like the city she loves, Tara welcomes everyone, regardless of faith, economics, or caste. To Arnav’s dismay, she has invited kinnar, the “third gender” or transexual women to perform. Disarmed by the kinnar’s gratitude, she embraces their blessing on her and her unborn child.
“…a policewoman with no women’s toilet at her workplace…who refused the weekly hefta or bribe to let things slide…”
Sita Naik—Arnav’s erstwhile sub-inspector—contends with the legacy of caste dynamics that high-caste Arnav cannot understand. Ambitious far beyond low-level positions and low-level games, Sita turns societal prejudices to her advantage, using her schedule-caste status and gender to gain entry to places and access to people closed to high-caste men like Arnav.
“Ran battered down like scattershot bullets…”
However the best reunion is with the star of Biswas’ Blue books: Mumbai. The city remains intriguing and seductive and at the same time menacing and deadly. Blue Bar’s sun-seared sweltering dread gives way to Blue Monsoon’s unrelenting rain and noon-to-sudden-night clouds. Killers lurked in blazing sunlight in Blue Bar but in Blue Monsoon death rules the shadows, dark halls, and dank factory floors.
“Everyone ran…whether they liked it or not.”
What remains the same between books is the real villain here: generational abuse and generational poverty. Like cities all over the world, everything is available for the right coin. And just like everywhere else, the poor and the weak pay the ultimate price.
Biswas balances party and caste politics right along with religion and organized crime to illuminate a city of staggering contradictions. Awash in wealth and technology, Mumbai is also inhabited by women who still sell their hair to feed their families. Girls and boys are prayed upon for exploitation. Ancient hatred has deep roots in the fear and greed that drive men.
“No pausing for a breather. Not in Mumbai…”
Yet, for all the commentary Blue Monsoon is never preachy. Biswas never forgets the story. Never gets in the story’s way. The pace is breakneck as Arnav stalks the streets for a killer. Driven by a dread she cannot name, Tara seeks healing for herself and her young daughter, by volunteering at a charity for children and Sita chases down leads on a pervert accosting young girls with unrepeatable propositions. None realize the how deeply their lives, personal and professional, are enmeshed with seemingly unrelated tragedy and terror.
In the churn of life and death in Maximum City, they each dance a deadly circle with the killer.
As the rains threaten to drown the city, outrage turns to a powder keg of civil unrest. Arnav, Sita, et al must contend with cellphone videos and influencers, a lethal turf war between gangsters, and a slew of personal grudges. At every intersection, the wheels are greased—or spoked—by the ever-present corruption. And with each turn, the circle tightens as Tara, Arnav, and Sita, (all on different but converging paths) draw closer to the killer.
“You sign up for a task, you see it through…”
Then, as if by provenance, Arnav’s khabri, (informant network) comes through with a tip on a local gangster concretely linked to one of the victims with possible ties to others. The gunfight that follows rivals Clarice Starling’s throw-down with Jame Gumb in Silence of the Lambs, for atmospheric tension and gravity. Unlike Starling, our heroes find no “gun solution” here.
If not readily apparent, Biswas packs an embarrassment of rich characters in Blue Monsoon. Zoya, Tara’s bestie, is a delight. Tambe, the medical examiner is adult-in-the-room honest. Sita Naik is the hero Mumbai needs, but certainly doesn’t deserve.
The conclusion rolls over everyone like the titular monsoon, engulfing them all in rip currents of betrayal, secrets, and redemption. No one is unscathed. Everyone loses something.
Blue Monsoon is a mystery/thriller of 394 (quick) pages. While there is violence, NONE of the graphic/gory stuff is shown. It is highly engaging and you can easily read it in a day but it will stay with you well after you close the book. Check it out.
Senior Police Inspector Arnav Rajput speeds through flooded streets on a homicide call. A body has been found outside a temple. Expecting a murder, he races against storm waters to recover all possible evidence but what Arnav and his team finds is something much more horrifying.
“…men murdered in or around Kaali temples in what looked like ritualistic…”
Vermilion powder and hibiscus pedals signify something more than a crime of passion or greed. Mutilated eyes and missing genitals point to rage and shame and more frightening: a plan. Then, as crime-scene video is posted on the internet, politicians seize on the opportunity to stoke public outrage.
The sequel to her excellent sophomore book, The Blue Bar, Damyanti Biswas’ Blue Monsoon, reunites us with Arnav Rajput, on his dangerous beat. Like a police ride-along without the reassurance of backup, Arnav works his cases from the edges and angles, often at cross-purposes with his superiors’ objectives and his subordinates’ agendas. He is always one misstep from dismissal or worse.
But if Arnav is the over-worked-bone-aching honesty of Blue Monsoon, then Tara, Arnav’s wife remains the beating heart of the story. She infuses light and hope to Arnav’s world. Crippled from events in the previous book, (which won’t be spoiled here) Tara remains optimistic even as her anxiety for lost mobility, her protracted recovery, and her unborn child prays on her unguarded thoughts.
When we rejoin Tara she is hosting a Shaadh or a baby shower. Like the city she loves, Tara welcomes everyone, regardless of faith, economics, or caste. To Arnav’s dismay, she has invited kinnar, the “third gender” or transexual women to perform. Disarmed by the kinnar’s gratitude, she embraces their blessing on her and her unborn child.
“…a policewoman with no women’s toilet at her workplace…who refused the weekly hefta or bribe to let things slide…”
Sita Naik—Arnav’s erstwhile sub-inspector—contends with the legacy of caste dynamics that high-caste Arnav cannot understand. Ambitious far beyond low-level positions and low-level games, Sita turns societal prejudices to her advantage, using her schedule-caste status and gender to gain entry to places and access to people closed to high-caste men like Arnav.
“Ran battered down like scattershot bullets…”
However the best reunion is with the star of Biswas’ Blue books: Mumbai. The city remains intriguing and seductive and at the same time menacing and deadly. Blue Bar’s sun-seared sweltering dread gives way to Blue Monsoon’s unrelenting rain and noon-to-sudden-night clouds. Killers lurked in blazing sunlight in Blue Bar but in Blue Monsoon death rules the shadows, dark halls, and dank factory floors.
“Everyone ran…whether they liked it or not.”
What remains the same between books is the real villain here: generational abuse and generational poverty. Like cities all over the world, everything is available for the right coin. And just like everywhere else, the poor and the weak pay the ultimate price.
Biswas balances party and caste politics right along with religion and organized crime to illuminate a city of staggering contradictions. Awash in wealth and technology, Mumbai is also inhabited by women who still sell their hair to feed their families. Girls and boys are prayed upon for exploitation. Ancient hatred has deep roots in the fear and greed that drive men.
“No pausing for a breather. Not in Mumbai…”
Yet, for all the commentary Blue Monsoon is never preachy. Biswas never forgets the story. Never gets in the story’s way. The pace is breakneck as Arnav stalks the streets for a killer. Driven by a dread she cannot name, Tara seeks healing for herself and her young daughter, by volunteering at a charity for children and Sita chases down leads on a pervert accosting young girls with unrepeatable propositions. None realize the how deeply their lives, personal and professional, are enmeshed with seemingly unrelated tragedy and terror.
In the churn of life and death in Maximum City, they each dance a deadly circle with the killer.
As the rains threaten to drown the city, outrage turns to a powder keg of civil unrest. Arnav, Sita, et al must contend with cellphone videos and influencers, a lethal turf war between gangsters, and a slew of personal grudges. At every intersection, the wheels are greased—or spoked—by the ever-present corruption. And with each turn, the circle tightens as Tara, Arnav, and Sita, (all on different but converging paths) draw closer to the killer.
“You sign up for a task, you see it through…”
Then, as if by provenance, Arnav’s khabri, (informant network) comes through with a tip on a local gangster concretely linked to one of the victims with possible ties to others. The gunfight that follows rivals Clarice Starling’s throw-down with Jame Gumb in Silence of the Lambs, for atmospheric tension and gravity. Unlike Starling, our heroes find no “gun solution” here.
If not readily apparent, Biswas packs an embarrassment of rich characters in Blue Monsoon. Zoya, Tara’s bestie, is a delight. Tambe, the medical examiner is adult-in-the-room honest. Sita Naik is the hero Mumbai needs, but certainly doesn’t deserve.
The conclusion rolls over everyone like the titular monsoon, engulfing them all in rip currents of betrayal, secrets, and redemption. No one is unscathed. Everyone loses something.
Blue Monsoon is a mystery/thriller of 394 (quick) pages. While there is violence, NONE of the graphic/gory stuff is shown. It is highly engaging and you can easily read it in a day but it will stay with you well after you close the book. Check it out.
Read
October 27, 2023This is not a review. Moreover, it contains spoilers for this book and the previous one.
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This is the second in the series after The Blue Bar. The main factors I liked in book one have been negated in this one. While the police procedural and the case are good enough, this one amplifies the caste stereotypes and paints a one-sided picture. I’m tired and sick of it.
Still, I appreciate that the content related to kids is kept to a minimum, and there isn’t anything graphic. Even the other descriptions are provided only as much as necessary for the plot.
Thank you, NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheBlueMonsoon
TW:
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This is the second in the series after The Blue Bar. The main factors I liked in book one have been negated in this one. While the police procedural and the case are good enough, this one amplifies the caste stereotypes and paints a one-sided picture. I’m tired and sick of it.
Still, I appreciate that the content related to kids is kept to a minimum, and there isn’t anything graphic. Even the other descriptions are provided only as much as necessary for the plot.
Thank you, NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheBlueMonsoon
TW:
December 12, 2023
I was recommended The Blue Monsoon by Damyanti Biswas and I’m pleased that I was able to have the opportunity to read and review such an engaging novel.
The mystery pertaining to the grisly initial crime is engrossing and I was trying to guess the perpetrator as the pieces eventually came together. The villain is not a simplistic black-and-white caricature of evil and I appreciated how the plot illustrates that circumstances and misdeeds can create both heroes and villains alike.
I enjoyed reading about Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, his wife Tara, his daughter Pia, Sub-Inspector Sita Naik and the family, acquaintances and coworkers that inhabit their world. They are fascinating characters with flaws and motivations that felt authentic and even relatable given certain situations.
I really enjoyed how accessible The Blue Monsoon was to me both as a new reader-as I had not read the previous book in the series, though I may do so-and as someone who is not well acquainted with the cultural and political aspects of Mumbai.
The discrimination pertaining to the caste system, the corruption within the police force, anti-Muslim sentiments, misogyny and transphobia all play a role in the Blue Monsoon. At times it was a little difficult to keep reading due to how despondent things seemed, but I pushed onward as I felt that the inevitable resolution would be worth it.
Damyanti Biswas’ writing also flows in such a captivating manner that the information presented didn’t feel like exposition and I honestly believe I was able to become a bit more-educated while also reading a gripping novel.
Thank you very much to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and Damyanti Biswas for allowing me to read this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review.
The mystery pertaining to the grisly initial crime is engrossing and I was trying to guess the perpetrator as the pieces eventually came together. The villain is not a simplistic black-and-white caricature of evil and I appreciated how the plot illustrates that circumstances and misdeeds can create both heroes and villains alike.
I enjoyed reading about Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, his wife Tara, his daughter Pia, Sub-Inspector Sita Naik and the family, acquaintances and coworkers that inhabit their world. They are fascinating characters with flaws and motivations that felt authentic and even relatable given certain situations.
I really enjoyed how accessible The Blue Monsoon was to me both as a new reader-as I had not read the previous book in the series, though I may do so-and as someone who is not well acquainted with the cultural and political aspects of Mumbai.
The discrimination pertaining to the caste system, the corruption within the police force, anti-Muslim sentiments, misogyny and transphobia all play a role in the Blue Monsoon. At times it was a little difficult to keep reading due to how despondent things seemed, but I pushed onward as I felt that the inevitable resolution would be worth it.
Damyanti Biswas’ writing also flows in such a captivating manner that the information presented didn’t feel like exposition and I honestly believe I was able to become a bit more-educated while also reading a gripping novel.
Thank you very much to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and Damyanti Biswas for allowing me to read this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review.
August 13, 2023
Gripping book two in the Blue Mumbai Thriller series finds ritual murders occurring in gritty Mumbai. Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput investigates, while also concerned about his disabled pregnant wife. An explosive story, penned by a genius author, that will keep you up way late.
October 28, 2023
Another serial killer on the loose in this sequel to The Blue Bar. I was immersed by the descriptive lifestyle and cultural aspects of this story add corruption, religion, a ritual murder left at a temple and you’ve got a winner.
July 30, 2023
I couldn’t but the book down I read it in one seating. Every time I turned the page I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what will happen.
October 17, 2023
⁉️: What are some books that you think should become television or film adaptions?
Earlier this year, I was so excited to receive the second installment of @damyantig’s 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐵𝓁𝓊𝑒 𝑀𝑜𝓃𝓈𝑜𝑜𝓃. I can see this series becoming a popular movie or television series as the novels kept me at an edge creating an atmosphere making the city of Bombay the central character of the novel. As I turned each page, I kept on getting drawn into the tensions taking place within the city, and I couldn’t keep it down.
The novel is centered on a ritual murder that occurs at a Mumbai temple, Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput is called to the crime scene when he finds a dismembered body on the steps of a Kaali temple. There are symbols of tantra cult etched into his flesh. The desecration of a body in a Hindu temple causes tensions within the city, and forces Arnav to divide his responsibilities between a wife who is experiencing a difficult pregnancy and a man on the run who may kill again. The video footage of the murder is uploaded to the social media platforms adding an unexpected twist, as caste politics come to ahead.
I loved @damyantig’s first novel in the series, 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐵𝓁𝓊𝑒 𝐵𝒶𝓇 was one of my favorite thrillers for last year. Her second novel, 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐵𝓁𝓊𝑒 𝑀𝑜𝓃𝓈𝑜𝑜𝓃, lived up to the expectations and exceeded them because it explores so many complex and nuanced issues regarding themes of casteism, police procedural, difficult pregnancy, and religious politics.
While calling attention to caste and religious politics, Biswas also crafts strong and independent women through Sita Naik and his Arnav’s wife, Tara. The drama that was taking place reminded me of latest web series that I have seen such as Dahaad, which also featured a lower caste indian cop in pursuit of social justice. I think these issues are pertinent and this novel is a solid 5 star ✨ from me! This thriller, crime series releases on October 24th!
Thank you @damyantig and @ThomasandMercer for the gifted arc!
#BIPOC #BIPOCauthor #DamyantiBiswas #TheBlueMonsoon #TheBlueBar #Indianauthor #SingaporeAuthors #shnidhi #thriller #thrillerbooks #Crimeprocedural
Earlier this year, I was so excited to receive the second installment of @damyantig’s 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐵𝓁𝓊𝑒 𝑀𝑜𝓃𝓈𝑜𝑜𝓃. I can see this series becoming a popular movie or television series as the novels kept me at an edge creating an atmosphere making the city of Bombay the central character of the novel. As I turned each page, I kept on getting drawn into the tensions taking place within the city, and I couldn’t keep it down.
The novel is centered on a ritual murder that occurs at a Mumbai temple, Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput is called to the crime scene when he finds a dismembered body on the steps of a Kaali temple. There are symbols of tantra cult etched into his flesh. The desecration of a body in a Hindu temple causes tensions within the city, and forces Arnav to divide his responsibilities between a wife who is experiencing a difficult pregnancy and a man on the run who may kill again. The video footage of the murder is uploaded to the social media platforms adding an unexpected twist, as caste politics come to ahead.
I loved @damyantig’s first novel in the series, 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐵𝓁𝓊𝑒 𝐵𝒶𝓇 was one of my favorite thrillers for last year. Her second novel, 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐵𝓁𝓊𝑒 𝑀𝑜𝓃𝓈𝑜𝑜𝓃, lived up to the expectations and exceeded them because it explores so many complex and nuanced issues regarding themes of casteism, police procedural, difficult pregnancy, and religious politics.
While calling attention to caste and religious politics, Biswas also crafts strong and independent women through Sita Naik and his Arnav’s wife, Tara. The drama that was taking place reminded me of latest web series that I have seen such as Dahaad, which also featured a lower caste indian cop in pursuit of social justice. I think these issues are pertinent and this novel is a solid 5 star ✨ from me! This thriller, crime series releases on October 24th!
Thank you @damyantig and @ThomasandMercer for the gifted arc!
#BIPOC #BIPOCauthor #DamyantiBiswas #TheBlueMonsoon #TheBlueBar #Indianauthor #SingaporeAuthors #shnidhi #thriller #thrillerbooks #Crimeprocedural
September 10, 2023
Disclaimer: I know the author personally and received a free advanced copy of this book.
After The Blue Bar, author Damyanti Biswas follows with a sequel. Is it necessary to have read the first in the series to read this one? Not necessarily, but it probably helps, though some of the back story is hinted at in helpful ways to orientate the first-time reader. This is the third novel I have read from the author and I somehow doubt it will be the last.
This is a fast paced page-turner set in the muggy world of monsoon Mumbai. The weather is almost as much of a character in this book as other players.
Though I come well-disposed to anything Biswas writes, it took me a couple of chapters to warm to this book, but after (what to me seemed like) a faltering start the writer hits her stride, the sentences become more fluid, and the pacing picks up. It gets gruesome by moment, this is not a book for the faint-hearted, but no more bloody than is the norm in much crime writing.
The standout character here for me was policewoman Sita Naik, who also played a role in the previous book in this series. I would like to see her as a main character in some future novel. I found myself empathising more with her than with many of the other main characters, particularly Tara, who spends much of the book bed-bound in hospital, a setting and predicament not unfamiliar to readers of the author's first novel, You Beneath Your Skin.
There's plenty of intrigue and red herrings here to keep the reader guessing, as this is in many ways a classic whodunnit, albeit in what may be to many readers an evocative exotic setting.
A very readable and stimulating novel that shows the author's strengths. I look forward to reading the next instalment.
After The Blue Bar, author Damyanti Biswas follows with a sequel. Is it necessary to have read the first in the series to read this one? Not necessarily, but it probably helps, though some of the back story is hinted at in helpful ways to orientate the first-time reader. This is the third novel I have read from the author and I somehow doubt it will be the last.
This is a fast paced page-turner set in the muggy world of monsoon Mumbai. The weather is almost as much of a character in this book as other players.
Though I come well-disposed to anything Biswas writes, it took me a couple of chapters to warm to this book, but after (what to me seemed like) a faltering start the writer hits her stride, the sentences become more fluid, and the pacing picks up. It gets gruesome by moment, this is not a book for the faint-hearted, but no more bloody than is the norm in much crime writing.
The standout character here for me was policewoman Sita Naik, who also played a role in the previous book in this series. I would like to see her as a main character in some future novel. I found myself empathising more with her than with many of the other main characters, particularly Tara, who spends much of the book bed-bound in hospital, a setting and predicament not unfamiliar to readers of the author's first novel, You Beneath Your Skin.
There's plenty of intrigue and red herrings here to keep the reader guessing, as this is in many ways a classic whodunnit, albeit in what may be to many readers an evocative exotic setting.
A very readable and stimulating novel that shows the author's strengths. I look forward to reading the next instalment.
October 20, 2023
4.5 stars rounding up to 5 stars on Goodreads.
Biswas does it again and felt completely immersed in the culture. You will be immediately transported to the streets of Mumbai. I was fascinated to learn about the caste system and how it affects every aspect of life.
While I loved The Blue Bar, I was more inverted in the characters being this is book #2 and it was an amazing read set in Mumbai! I love reading about other cultures and this police procedural was gripping and I couldn’t stop reading!
While you are going to want to read Book #1, The Blue Bar, first, so you know all of the characters and background, if you are a fan of police procedural plots or exotic settings, this is the book for you!
*****Many thanks for Damyanti Biswas for the gifted copy in turn for my honest review.
Biswas does it again and felt completely immersed in the culture. You will be immediately transported to the streets of Mumbai. I was fascinated to learn about the caste system and how it affects every aspect of life.
While I loved The Blue Bar, I was more inverted in the characters being this is book #2 and it was an amazing read set in Mumbai! I love reading about other cultures and this police procedural was gripping and I couldn’t stop reading!
While you are going to want to read Book #1, The Blue Bar, first, so you know all of the characters and background, if you are a fan of police procedural plots or exotic settings, this is the book for you!
*****Many thanks for Damyanti Biswas for the gifted copy in turn for my honest review.
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