The Blue Monsoon by Damyanti Biswas
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.
About the author
Damyanti Biswas’s short fiction has been published at Smokelong, Ambit, Litro, Puerto del Sol, among others, and she's the co-editor of The Forge literary magazine. She's the author of YOU BENEATH YOUR SKIN, an Amazon-bestselling crime novel, which has been optioned for screens by Endemol Shine. Her next crime novel, The BLUE BAR was published by Thomas & Mercer, received a starred review on Publishers Weekly, and was one of 2023's Most Anticipated Mysteries & Thrillers on Goodreads. Its sequel, THE BLUE MONSOON will be released by Thomas & Mercer this October.
Author's Website: www.damyantiwrites.com
Review
‘The Blue Monsoon’ is an exciting and engrossing tale that kept me up to the wee hours, as I was determined to finish it! This is the second in the series, the follow up to ‘The Blue Bar’ but it can be read as a stand-alone very easily as that is how I can came to this series. I thoroughly enjoyed it and all the background information required is supplied by the author. I will be going back to read the first book though as I loved the setting and the characters.
When a ritual murder at a temple in Mumbai occurs Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput is called in to investigate what has happened. A male body has been found disfigured on the steps of a local Kaali temple. Drawn into his flesh are the symbols of a tantric sect. The desecration of a body at the temple puts Mumbai on edge. Arnav is divided by trying to catch the murderer and looking after his disabled wife, who is currently pregnant with their second child. Then when video footage of the murder is uploaded to a Bollywood influencer’s social media, the case takes a very unexpected turn!
This is set in a gritty and dark India, a city under a deluge and one where tensions are rising. I loved how the author wasn’t afraid to highlight the differences between those who had and those who haven’t and how they survive even on the same street. I instantly felt as if I was back in Mumbai and I loved that! The characters were well formed and all had their own distinct voices, especially Arnav, Tara his wife and Sita his work colleague. They all came across as strong characters and they manage to project a light on social issues in India. Being disable in India is hard - society isn’t set up to help those who become or are born disabled, especially if you are poor. Sita makes us examine the patriarchy that is still prevalent in Indian society.
It is clear that the author has done her research when it comes to the caste system in India, with a lot of academic texts mentioned in the afterword and the use of a sensitivity reader on the topic as well. The caste system is a very nuanced subject and is ingrained in Indian society despite some progress since independence from the British. Did it hit true for me? Yes it did. I had one niggle but to mention that verges on a spoiler so I won’t! I remember the first time I visited India, when I was 9, and being shocked by poverty and the jobs that I saw people doing. When my mother tried to explain it to me I was very confused. It’s only through reading and educating myself on the topic that I felt I could understand, but not condone it, myself.
This was a fast paced book that kept me engrossed and I flew through it in one day! Hopefully, we are getting another in the series.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
