A promising start that dwindled for me, I DNF'd I'd somewhere in the middle. It dragged and didn't rack up the tension like I'd hoped it would.

This was a solid thriller set in Mumbai. When I first started reading, I wasn't sure if I would get more into it, and I quickly did. It moved along, great characters.
Thankful for the ARC For this mystery thriller!

A gritty symphony of police procedural and crime thriller. Immersed in cultural nuances, the characters come to life, their complexities adding layers to the narrative. The author's skillful pacing and intricate plot twists compelled me to reassess my suspicions about the killer. The evocative descriptions of Mumbai's surroundings transported me, creating an immersive experience. This debut is enriched with memorable characters and a distinctive setting, resonates as a lyrical composition in the realm of gripping storytelling.

This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it! I am giving this book three stars, as I don't want to give it a good or bad rating, since I did not get to it and we have to leave a star rating.

This was a beautifully written book. It was an excellent blend of many genres and I can't wait to get more from this author. Thank you so much for my arc!

Tara Mondal had danced her nights away in the bars of Mumbai, seeking an escape from her life's monotony. The yearning for a fresh beginning led her to accept a lucrative offer from a client: she was to fulfill an unusual, seemingly harmless fantasy, adorned in a blue-sequined saree, within the bustling confines of a railway station. Her task was simple—disappear from sight in under three minutes. It was an innocuous-seeming request, yet it marked the last time anyone laid eyes on Tara.

Over a decade later, Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, Tara's lover, remains haunted by her enigmatic vanishing act. Now, he faces an unsettling new crisis: a series of grisly discoveries occur on the city's outskirts as dismembered women's bodies are unearthed from shallow graves. Very little connects the victims, save for the presence of scattered blue sequins. A disturbing revelation surfaces as years' worth of missing persons reports correspond to significant festivals, drawing unnerving parallels.

Past and present collide as Arnav embarks on a relentless pursuit of a serial killer, driven by the unsettling realization that someone will stop at nothing to bury his investigation. The narrative unfolds through alternating chapters, providing insights from the perspectives of Arnav, Tara, 'the boy,' and the boy's devoted servant, Bilal. Throughout the story, traces of noir aesthetics emerge, particularly in the interactions between Arnav and the forensic coroner, as he delves into the quest to uncover the truth behind the murdered women. His meticulous diary of suspects in each chapter adds an additional layer of intrigue. "Blue Sequins" is a tale featuring intricate characters, a gritty storyline, and a fast-paced narrative that captivates, making it an enthralling read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Intriguing serial killer thriller set in Mumbai. A departure from the typical read which made this a great read.

The best thrillers make sure that when the big reveal comes, it shocks the reader. In The Blue Bar, the author drops many red herrings, but when the unmasking happens, this reader was definitely surprised. Thus, the author not only succeeded in creating a world and characters that felt real, but she also succeeded in keeping the identity of the killer a secret right until the end.

I've read the author's first book, You Beneath Your Skin which was brilliant and had high hopes for this one but somewhere, somewhat this one is a mildly average read . Lost interest around midway and was only able to finish the book at a much slower pace. The book drags and lingers in some places and the first connect that happens like in the case of YBYS, was missing here. Hope the author finds her magic back with the next one!

This was a different read for me. Beautifully written, and captures the essence of Mumbai very well.
It was clearly well researched, and had an interesting plot to keep me engaged. I look forward to the next novel.

The first in a series of Blue Mumbai. A thriller and a literary novel all in one. I love the descriptions and how vivid they are. You are immersed into the story. I love detective stories and this one is high on the list.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I have been getting hooked on thrillers, and this one was in that category. Not only did I enjoy the growth of the characters, I loved the flow of this book. It kept me hooked from beginning to end. I had no idea what was going to happen from beginning to end, and I did not want this story to end.

I avoid reading books by Indian and Pakistani authors in general because I feel most of the time they are just overrated. When I saw that this book was a crime noir set in Mumbai I decided to give it a try and overall it did not disappoint. Judging by the number of 5⭐ and 4⭐ ratings the book has received on Goodreads, a lot of readers have enjoyed it as well.

The book was interesting and I had no problems understanding the Hindi words/phrases and different aspects of Mumbai city described (thank you Bollywood!) but the mystery did not feel new or unique. Bollywood and the Mumbai underworld have always been linked together and I am pretty sure I have seen almost the same premise (with slight variations) been depicted in different Bollywood mystery/thrillers over the years.

It was a good book overall and if the series gets better and more interesting, it has the potential to be turned into a television/web series.

I received an e-Arc of the book from the publisher Thomas and Mercer and the author Damyanti Biswas via NetGalley.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫

The Blue Bar by Damayanti Biswas is one book that had me thinking about if for a long time after I finished the book. I just could not pick up any book after this for more than a week. But I am not complaining. I got some crochet done…..

The book takes some time to get a hang of, but by the time the fourth chapter was done, I was hooked. As the story unfolded, the skeletons in the closet or should I say buried in the earth kept on coming out and I got sucked more into the book.

The characters are well developed and their back stories explain a lot as to how they behave. Both Arnav Singh Rajput, an Inspector with the Mumbai police and Tara, Arnav’s love interest who disappeared thirteen years ago are realistic and their conversations and fears even more so.

The research done seems to be extensive going by the details that the author has brought into the story. The descriptions are detailed for both the characters and the scenes.

The story is set in Mumbai and has been written from multiple points of view giving the reader an idea as to what is going in the character’s mind. And as the story progressed, I was drawn into it, and really wanted to know what happened next.
The book has murders, corpses, serial killer, bar dancers, cops, politicians, Bollywood actors, socialites, a blue sequined saree, a love story, and the list goes on that you really should not be able to keep track, but subconsciously you do, the writing is such that you do.

Loved the book. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

As always, Damayanti rocks!

I really liked the Mumbai setting in The Blue Bar and the police/crime suspense elements were very interesting in how the cases developed. The pace was slow, but the characters are well developed. What really got me about The Blue Bar was the plot twists!! Read this and try to guess who did it!

This one wasn’t for me. I tried reading it and I don’t enjoy not knowing how to pronounce words that I’m reading so I tried the audiobook, which is usually a win. However, the narrator fell short and I was constantly getting lost.

I made it about a quarter of the way through this one and decided to put it down. I’m just not interested in the story and I find myself never really feeling like picking it up. The synopsis sounded intriguing and I liked the setting of India, but it’s just not piquing my interest. I won’t be reviewing this one on my bookstagram account, but I will post this review on Goodreads with no rating as it was a dnf.

This was a bit of a slow read for me at first, but I did enjoy the police/crime/thriller elements once I got into the book. I recommend adding this one to your list and trying it. I'm newer to thrillers so that may have been the reason for my reading experience.

Thank you Amazon Publishing and LetsTalkBooksPromo for my gifted copy.

This was a great read!!! I have read quite a few serial killer novels but this one is a world apart. I loved the storyline being told in 3 POVs. It really kept everything suspenseful. Creepy and very gritty atmosphere too.

I liked this thriller and the back story. I dont know if it's going to be a series but I did like the main character