This was different from other books that I usually read. It was a mix of romance, thriller, and police procedural, so that definitely kept things interesting. And y’all, I was actually so invested in the romance. Arnav and Tara’s relationship was so much fun to read about. It had a bit of a star-crossed lovers vibe and I loved that!

I would say my favourite part of the story was the POV of the killer (yeah, yeah, there’s something wrong with me).. It was just so creepy to read from his perspective and not know who he could be.

I did find that the story was a bit slow at times, and I struggled to keep track of all the characters. But there were also many moments where there was so much happening and I was glued to the pages. I also loved the amount of detail, and the writing was very well done!

This review is posted on my Goodreads and on my Bookstagram account.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer , @netgalley and @damyantig for my review copy.

Gripping, clever, and, unputdownable The Blue Bar had me in its grasps from the very first page. Set in Mumbai, you get a little bit of everything, glamorous Bollywood, the underground dons and, police inspectors. Tara and Arnav characters you can find yourself quickly rooting for and caring so much for. I really enjoyed the pacing of the story and all the possibilities of who is doing what. There was so much tension as you race with Arnav to find answers for these women and for Tara. With multiple POVs you get a feel into what they are thinking even the I known bad guy and his helper!
4.5🌟

After the discovery of several human remains, each bearing the same markers of disposal, Inspector Arnav Rajput was convinced that there was a serial killer on the loose. And Arnav was determined to capture the perpetrator.

Set in the tropical region of Mumbai, The Blue Bar is a suspenseful tale of a police inspector following a trail that could lead to the arrest of a suspected serial killer and the uncovering of corruption in the department hierarchy.

For me, The Blue Bar was a slow read. I got tangled up with the Hindi words and phrases as well as the names of the numerous characters. It took me a while to get with the flow as all of the names seemed so similar to me. Outside of Arnav Rajput, it was not until close to the end that I finally managed to distinguish one character from the other.

The story unfolds through multiple points of view and I liked that even the unsub’s point of view was given. It sure made it easier to determine the motive for all of the murders.

There were several plot twists that made the story engaging and suspenseful. A lot of the plot twists were not expected and some of them, surprising.

There were a number of characters and although I got confused with the names, they all were developed and fleshed out enough to get a feel for each of their moral compasses.

Overall, I found The Blue Bar to be an enjoyable novel worth of four stars.

I received a digital ARC from Thomas & Mercer via the author, through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

When I reviewed You Beneath Your Skin by Damyanti Biswas, I mentioned the truthfulness of her writing. She describes a society which is broken, especially with regard to the safety of women, but her characters shine with passion and human kindness. Her second novel, The Blue Bar, continues in the same mode, but has an even more complex plot. A serial killer hiding behind power and status is exposed through the mutual devotion of two lovers. The Blue Bar is both shocking and emotionally satisfying, without being moralistic.

The reader must use their brain to keep up with the fast-paced action in The Blue Bar. Inspector Arnav is a serving police officer. For him there is no such thing as a quiet day at the office. Ravaged bodies of women begin to be unearthed and it becomes clear that evil is abroad. Throughout all this horror the charm of Mumbai itself never fades. Tara the dancer has suffered terribly and policeman Arnaz sees the worst of humanity every day, but neither of them considers leaving.

Tara was a rebellious teenager. As a result her family sold her to the owner of the Blue Bar, where she spent her youth dancing provocatively for the pleasure of strangers. She disappears after the bar owner is paid by a wealthy stranger to supply women to act out their fantasies. It is not clear whether Tara was involved in prostitution while employed at the bar. To judge from the words of the bar owner, who says he doesn’t interfere with what ‘the girls’ do in their spare time, she may have been tempted to make money out of her situation. In Tara’s world women’s bodies are monetised and their lives treated as worthless, except when they are servicing men. Violence against them is either ignored or tolerated. Only good men like Inspector Arnav care enough to protect women.

Arnav has his own problems. He has a rich and affecting back story, like all the other characters in The Blue Bay. The way they interact while his investigation proceeds is intriguing. Arnav and Tara were childhood sweethearts and he has not stopped thinking about her since the day she left their home town. He is under pressure from an influential developer to reopen a construction site where headless corpses have been found. Some of his police colleagues are more trustworthy than others and few of them feel the same responsibility as he does to combat violence against women.

Ignoring political manoeuvring and threats to his future promotion, Arnav ploughs ahead with his investigation. Half way through I thought I had guessed the killer, but I was way off. As the crisis approaches the twists and turns of the story will amaze the reader. I found it hard to keep track of all the names in the last two chapters, but that may just be me. I defy anyone to predict the final resolution, which is beyond original.

I don’t think I have read a thriller set in Mumbai before and it was quite the experience. This one swept me away to a gritty yet simultaneously glittery locale and took me on a dark journey that captivated me.

Being immersed in the culture of India was such a fascinating experience, the author described the sights, smells and overall feel of Mumbai in such an incredible way. I really felt like I was right there with Arnav as he tried to catch a possible serial killer despite resistance from everyone around him. So you have Arnav investigating a grisly case but there is also a romantic thread as well bringing some joy to a bleak story. This was also deftly plotted with some surprising reveals and an ending I didn’t see coming. I was super impressed by this one and am excited it’s the start of a series, try this if you’re a thriller fan and want something that feels fresh and unique.

The Blue Bar will transport you to Mumbai with it’s vivid descriptions and atmospheric writing. I could almost taste the food as I was reading this close to midnight. Certainly made me hungry 🙂 This was the first book that I have read set in India from memory and it was a nice change of scenery. I do love a dark and gritty crime thriller and this book had it all….corruption, a serial killer, secrets, unlikeable characters and even a bit of romance. I look forward to reading more in this series from Damyanti Biswas.

13 years ago, Tara was a dancer at The Blue Bar. After being given the opportunity to make some big money on an outside job, she vanished. Her lover at the time, Inspector Arnav Singh Raiput, has never gotten over her. But he has his hands full with the discovery of multiple womens bodies across the city.these body’s have been dismembered, but all have blue sequins in the soil around them. What is the connection? Could Tara be one of these bodies? You will have to read it to find out.

Thanks to the author, Thomas and a Mercer and NetGalley for my advanced course of this book to read. Publishes on January 1st.

𝘛ʜᴇ 𝘉ʟᴜᴇ 𝘉ᴀʀ ʙʏ 𝘋ᴀᴍʏᴀɴᴛɪ 𝘉ɪ𝘴ᴡᴀ𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘈 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳, 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘪.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘗𝘖𝘝𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘪 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘴.

If you want to be transported to Mumbai, The Blue Bar is for you. Damyanti Biswas has brought it to life with all of the descriptive details and descriptions. I thought I was walking through the hot, smog filled air. On my way to taste all of the tantalizing street food, that will make my taste buds sing. All the while the Mumbai's underworld comes crashing down and mixes with the police force. Making for a murky, dark, mystery that will leave your brain spinning.

Thirteen years ago, Inspector Avi's love simply disappeared. Leaving no trace and leaving him to go through life always dreaming of Tara. Not being able to let go and to move on with his life. He is stuck in a time warp that sends him careening off track every time a body is discovered, always thinking this could be his lost love. When remains are uncovered on a building site. Avi believes he is onto a serial killer; the body is disposed of in a similar manner to other cold cases he has worked. As Avi dives deeper, roadblocks are put in his way. Willing him to stop investigating and to move onto another case. Will he be able to uncover what is occurring around Mumbai before another woman goes missing...

I am in love with the way Biswas set up the book, the ending knocked me for a loop. I had to reread the page twice before my brain clicked for the aha moment. The only aspect I struggled with is the number of characters that you had to wade through. I wish I had started a list to keep them all straight. Biswas did begin showing a list toward the end that did help straighten this out. Thank you to Damyanti Biswas and Thomas & Mercer for gifting me this high octane read.

THE BLUE BAR is a compelling thriller that I read in just a few days. Arnav, the police detective at the heart of this tale is hunting a serial killer in Mumbai, trying to shake his feelings for Tara, a mysterious bar girl he had a fling with years previous but has since disappeared. As tension mounts, Arnav fights corruption, class problems, and his haunted past. This book is tense, well-structured, and full of gorgeous, transportive writing that swept me away. A really stellar read! I especially connected with the love story - so well done. Many thanks to the author and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC! Can’t wait to see what’s next from this writer.

A huge thank you to the author for reaching out and providing me with an eARC!

The first chapter was enough to captivate me and sweep me away into the muggy swamps and slums and through the crowds and the dark streets of the busiest city in India, Mumbai.

Amongst powerful elite film stars and businessmen, corrupt police officers, dangerous mafia dons, and shady government ministers, detective Arnav Singh Rajput finds himself in the middle of murder mysteries that ties the underworld, police officials, the film industry, and a strip club together. With a serial killer on the loose and cold cases coming to light, Arnav can’t help but let his mind wander to fourteen years ago when he last saw the love of his life, Tara, a young, troubled girl who worked at the strip club. She was last seen at a train station wearing a blue sequinned saree, a piece of material prominent as evidence in the recent murders Arnav is investigating.

I grew up watching Bollywood films of all genres. The Blue Bar felt like a cinematic, action, and thriller-packed Indian murder mystery movie, which enhanced my reading experience to a whole new level! The vivid descriptions of criminal investigations and the underworld, the explicit settings, brilliant plotting, and character depth were written so well!

Beyond the writing lies the fleshed-out characters of Arnav and Tara. I loved young Arnav and young Tara even though with the glimpses into the past. The characters of Arnav and Tara, fourteen years later, felt like everything had changed, but their relationship and connection remained the same. I loved how they fit together so perfectly while having individual character development!

The ending felt overly fast-paced and rushed, especially after all the drama faded away, and things with the murder mystery were explained too quickly. The Blue Bar was definitely not the end of it, and despite being super excited for the sequel, I wish the ending was fleshed out and detailed more. It felt like a time jump, and certain things were skipped or ignored.

Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed The Blue Bar, and I absolutely loved the fact it had short chapters! I can’t wait to see what Damyanti Biswas comes up with in the sequel!

When Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput is called to the scene of a gruesome find at a building site, something about the appearance of the corpse reminds him of a case from many years before. When more bodies turn up at the same site, in a similar condition, he knows he is onto something. But his superiors have little interest in pursuing cold cases, especially when an investigation would hold up the plans of the rich and powerful in busy Mumbai.

Arnav, haunted by his childhood and the disappearance of his girlfriend Tara thirteen years ago, cannot let matters rest, even if there is very little to go on other than a hunch and the blue sequins found with the bodies. He is sure there is a serial killer out there murdering young women, and as he tracks down the clues left in dusty old files around the police districts of the city, he realises not only that he is right about this killer that preys on the vulnerable around times of celebration, but that someone is doing their best to stop him pursuing the murderer.

Is Tara's disappearance related to this case? Could she also be buried in a shallow grave somewhere in Mumbai? Arnav will not stop until he finds out and brings the guilty party to justice.

The Blue Bar is an exciting thriller that drops you right into the heart of the chaos of Mumbai for the tense cat and mouse game of tenacious Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput's hunt for a prolific serial killer.

The story moves back and forth between flashes from the past of Arnav and multiple other important characters (who shall remain nameless for fear of spoilers), building up all the background you need alongside the threads of Arnav's investigation in the present. A lot of characters come at you thick and fast, and set against the chaos of a city like Mumbai this means it takes a little while to get into the rhythm of the story, and get a grip on who is who. However, although the diverse threads may seem far apart at the beginning, Biswas keeps them all under tight control and the storylines weave nicely together until they come together in a bloody climax.

Arnav is a complex character, and we know from the outset that he has been shaped by the death of his sister when he was a teenager, and the disappearance of his night-club dancer girlfriend Tara thirteen years ago, which makes him stick doggedly to the search for the killer even when it is quite clear that important people want him to stop. Intriguingly, Biswas also makes sure we know the fateful history of the killer that has moulded him in to twisted person he has become, even if you cannot forgive him for the brutal acts he is compelled to carry out, and I very much enjoyed the way the two characters play off against each other as Arnav painstakingly puts all the pieces of the mystery together.

On the whole, the story is fast paced, suspenseful, and holds your attention well, although I felt that the romantic strand of the book needs more substance to balance out the pull of the more macabre plotlines. Tara's character lacked depth, and Arnav's mooning around over her frustratingly slows the action down for much of the first part of the book. I found myself longing for the story to pick up the threads of the more interesting side of the investigation in those moments, but will admit that Biswas does use the Arnav-Tara relationship to move the plot forward quite cleverly.

What Biswas does do spectacularly well is to immerse you in the melting pot of Mumbai's streets and use the stark contrasts between rich and poor, powerful and powerless to absolute perfection. The descriptions of every location these characters visit is beautifully vivid and often uncomfortably evocative. I really enjoyed the way she employs the themes of corruption, abuse and depravity, mixing together the super wealthy, Bollywood celebrities, and the dark underbelly inhabited by the criminal fraternity in a way that explores how money and fame can buy you everything you ever desire - unless you have someone like Arnav on your trail. There is some lovely misdirection too, that keeps you from guessing where the story eventually goes.

This is the first part in a new series by Biswas featuring Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, which has the potential to be rather addictive. I look forward to Arnav's next crime busting adventure.

Overall Rating: 3.75/5
Short Chapter Rating: 5/5

An interesting concept set in Mumbai. A series of bodies show up on a construction site and could have many high powered people involved given who owns it, and who's been involved.

It's fast paced and shorter chapters made it enjoyable. There were a lot of characters and various suspects that sometimes I found myself confused or needing to go back to understand better. Luckily the author did start to summarize some of the details in later chapters, otherwise I would have been completely lost.

I liked the setting in Mumbai, learning about the police, the dance club scene - it was a nice change from my typical thriller read. I would definitely check out more from Damyanti in the future, now that she's on my radar.

Is this book for you? If you enjoy fast paced thrillers, interested in Mumbai settings, like mysteries with multiple suspects and tracking the details...then give this a go!

Thank you to net galley for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

The start of a new series is always an exciting prospect, getting to know new characters, a new scenario, a new world to immerse yourself in, it is a little piece of bookish magic for the reader.

This new series transports us to India and its darker side, with murder, corruption and a slightly grumpy, preoccupied, yet good policeman called Arnav Singh Rajput. He is very preoccupied with his ex girlfriend Tara, who disappeared without trace 13 years previously. She fills his mind constantly, he can’t let her go, distracting him from his job at hand and the discovery of multiple victims of a potential serial killer. All missing heads, hands and feet, all with a scattering of blue sequins and stretching back across the years to the time of Tara’s disappearance.
Arnav has to fight burocracy on all sides, someone doesn’t want him investigating these crimes, the women don’t seem to matter to anyone least of all the upper echelons of the police, Arnav is the only one who seems to care at all.

This was an interesting read, it took me a little while to get into, mainly because it’s a new series and a new setting. You have to meet and get to know the ‘detective’ as well as their world and India is full of colour as well as having a dark side. I really liked how it managed to carry a real vibrancy yet it was pacy, unsettling and twisting. It drew me in and I ended up loving Arnav. Having thought I knew what was happening, I was blindsided which is always good for a thriller!

I’m looking forward to more investigations for Arnav Singh Rajput and soon I hope!

Wow. I love reading books set in unfamiliar (to me) locations, and the way The Blue Bar transfers the reader to Mumbai is so incredibly immersive. You can smell the smells, hear the sounds, see the sights. A beautifully written story about a hunt for a serial killer. The story pulled me in, the characters had depth, the writing kept the pages turning.

I am still reeling in the aftermath of this book! It was SO good. Highly recommend. 10/10!!!
I love that this book takes place in one of the most famous and beautiful cities of the world- Mumbai, India! There is just something about Mumbai that is always so enthralling and also mysterious.
The author has both Muslim characters and Hindu characters in the story and I as a Muslim reader am happy about the way they are written. As in most books, most Muslim characters are written in a very sterotypical light and in this book this was not the case.
The other thing I absolutely loved about this book- It is written by a South Asian author and set in India but the author is not trying to cater to an American or white audience- things are not over explained as is the case for most of the books I read written by South Asian American authors.
Halfway through the book I thought I had it all figured out but boy was I wrong! So many twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your toes.
This book is written in multiple POV but it was easy to follow along and was not confusing as sometimes books with multiple POV can be
Lastly this book had a little bit of everything- Mystery, thrill, abuse. power play, murder, violence, gangs, police, sex workers but also heart and love, friendships and human relationships.
This is such an amazing debut novel I cant wait to read whats next from Damyanti!

I was first drawn to this book by the stunning cover. This is one fast paced crime thriller that takes place in Mumbai. The descriptions are so vivid you can clearly picture it.

Tara disappears one night without a trace. Arnav is worried each body he finds might be hers. He discovers three female bodies all gruesomely murdered. This is one seriel killer who has been getting away with it for years. He must find the killer and stop them.

He returns to the blue bar and sees Tara. Why did she disappear? She just might hold the key to finding the killer.

Loved the fast pace, writing style, and characters you root for.

Thoughts

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this read. A police procedural? A mystery? A thriller? It “could” check so many different boxes. What intrigued me most was WHERE it took place. The streets of Mumbai- somewhere I have never been, something unfamiliar, it drew me in and the pages flew by….

An easy enjoyable read with good
Pacing, perfect for lovers of detective type mysteries. Read like an extended episode of CSI .

Thank you to @NetGalley and @damyantibiswas for my gifted copy in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own

“The good thing about blood is that everyone’s is the same, mine and theirs…No difference.”
So what is it that veers us towards evil, circumstances or choice?

The Blue Bar by Damyanti Biswas is a gritty, chilling, whodunit. A book that goes beyond the crime itself, to dwell into the reason behind the existence of it.

Mumbai, the city of dreams,the glitz and glamour of Bollywood; attracts people from all over India. Shimmering, full of shine and sparkles just like a blue sequined sari, it sways, mesmerizes, entices, hiding the danger within.

Weaving the story around Mumbai’s dance bars and the people connected to them from the dancers, pimps, customers and of course the police, Damyanti tells a tale rooted in mystery and suspense ,leaving you guessing till the last.

The book follows the life of policeman Arnav Rajput and his quest for love and justice.
Love of his long lost girlfriend, Tara, a dancer from the famous Blue Bar, who disappeared from his life 13 years ago.
Justice for his dead sister Asha.
Along this journey Arnav gets assigned to a routine case of a body being found on a construction site.
A mutilated torso of a young woman with no head, hands or feet.The only clue – a few splattered blue sequins.
A not so ‘routine’ case after all.
Drama, Gossip, Action, yep, this case has a connection to Bollywood and its superstars (albeit fictional ones of course) along with corrupt politicians and the dark seedy underworld 'bhai's' of Mumbai.
Will Arnav fulfil his quests?
Will the dead get justice?

The Blue Bar shines in the mystery quotient, with it being very tough to predict. Keeps you on your toes trying to guess the culprit. It is Damyanti’s lyrical, gritty narrative style that is where this book truly excels. Layer by layer, she peels of the veneer of crime, why it is committed and the psyche behind it. Until you ask yourself - So what is it that veers us towards evil, circumstances or choice?
The answer my friend, is staring us right in the face, isn’t it?


So glad I got this ARC, it was an exhilarating and introspective read. Hope you liked my fair and honest review.

Happy Reading☺

What a book! I was so intrigued by this for so many reasons. First, I enjoyed the setting a lot. The author has a fantastic way of bringing you into the streets of Mumbai and that culture as if you are right there with the main character. Arnav, one of the central characters we’re following, battles personal issues and a poorly funded police department to solve a crime attacking the most vulnerable. There are also alternating POVs offer great insights into each character and the difficult choices they make and the struggles they go through. Most importantly, I thought the plotline was captivating and I absolutely enjoyed this book. There were some dark moments and violent scenes, but overall I highly recommend it!

Like in her first book, Damyanti Biswas takes you on a an exhilarating ride of Indian crime. The setting is dark and immersive, her characters layered and intriguing. You won’t be able to put down the book as the plot keeps you hooked with every twist. What I love is how the author addresses social issues like corruption and femicide and makes them accessible for suspense novel readers. Recommend if you are into dark thrillers that give you more to think about than just ‘who did it’!