This book may have ninety-seven (97!!!) chapters, but let me tell you none of them felt boring. This story is taking its time yet is action packed exactly where it should be. The characters all felt very alive and three dimensional, and I liked that we have multiple povs with one of them being the killer — there's just something about being in the head of the villain without knowing their identity that I love in thrillers.
Also, being used to reading thrillers set in the US and Europe, reading one taking place in Mumbai was such a nice change! You can tell Biswas did a lot of research concerning how their police system (and its inevitable corruption) works.
I'm glad this is gonna be a series, and found a new thriller author whose future releases I'll be looking forward to. ☺️

Where are my true crime lovers?

You’ll want to grab this one! It is set in Mumbai and follows a series a horrific crimes.

At the center of the story is Tara, a dancer in search of a new life, who is offered a chance at that, for less than three minutes of her time. Fast forward 13 years and Tara’s former lover still dealing with her disappearance, finds himself on the trail of a serial killer.

This is a fast past read, that switches between past and present will keep on you on the edge of your seat to the very end.

The Blue Bar by Damyanti Biswas

Reading a book based out of my city Mumbai and that too such a horrifying thriller, murderous obsession, I am glad to have got a chance to read this.

This was brilliantly written, with a plot that is gruesome, fast paced and characters that are good and bad and complex.

The familiarity with locations, talking about stars, the attitude this showed Mumbai but not completely perfect. It was like watching a murder mystery, action, crime, thriller everything in one.

The weaving done by author is good. She doesn't make it easy to know how things will turn though at times it became a tad bit repetitive and practical, however it didn't stop me from being on edge and wanting to know what will have.

I would recommend this engaging book to everyone to get a taste of dark, gritty side of Mumbai.

This was a really enjoyable mystery to read. The Mumbai backdrop made for an great setting. The characters were really interesting and well developed. The twist at the end was a good one that I didn’t see coming.

Read This if You Enjoy:
🔵 Second Chance Romance
🔵 Indian Culture
🔵 Serial Killer Thrillers
🔵 Cold Case Mysteries
🔵 Bollywood

#TheBlueBar #NetGalley
Awesome.
After years of dancing in Mumbai’s bars, Tara Mondal was desperate for a new start. So when a client offered her a life-changing payout to indulge a harmless, if odd, fantasy, she accepted. The setup was simple: wear a blue-sequined saree, enter a crowded railway station, and escape from view in less than three minutes. It was the last time anyone saw Tara. Thirteen years later, Tara’s lover, Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, is still grappling with her disappearance as he faces a horrifying new crisis: on the city’s outskirts, women’s dismembered bodies are being unearthed from shallow graves. Very little links the murders, except a scattering of blue sequins and a decade’s worth of missing persons reports that correspond with major festivals.
Past and present blur as Arnav realizes he’s on the trail of a serial killer and that someone wants his investigation buried at any cost. Could the key to finding Tara and solving these murders be hidden in one of his cold cases? Or will the next body they recover be hers?
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for giving me an advance copy.

It's no secret that I have a weak spot for stories with international settings, and I don't think I've read many books set in India before. This was probably one of the main reasons why I had to add The Blue Bar to my wishlist as soon as I first heard about it... That, and the fantastic premise of course; it's no secret that I can never resist a good serial killer thriller either. And I'm so glad I added this first book of a new series to my shelves, because I ended up having an excellent time with this thriller!

One of the stars of the show is without doubt its Mumbai setting. The Indian setting was one of the reasons why I wanted to read The Blue Bar in the first place, and the story more than delivered on that front. There are many many vivid descriptions of both Mumbai, the local culture and customs, something I highly appreciated and it helped me get a better picture of what life in Mumbai is like. The thorough descriptions truly made the city come alive, and it was one of the highlights of this story for me. The focus on dance bars, the police, corruption, crime and Bollywood was also fascinating, and I like what it added to the plot.

The plot itself is fantastic in general. Like I said before, I can never resist a good serial killer thriller, and things definitely get dark and gritty before you reach that final page. The Blue Bar uses a multiple POV structure, switching between different characters in play both to add dept and suspense. The two most strongest POVs are main character Arnav and the unnamed killer though; especially the second was particularly dark and shocking, while also being utterly intriguing. Then again, I do always love it when a thriller gives us a glimpse inside the head of a killer...

The characters in general are well rounded and well developed, flaws and all. This makes them both feel more realistic and easier to approach, and I like what they added to the plot. I warmed up to main character Arnav immediately, and I had an excellent time getting to know him better and seeing him trying to solve the crimes despite all the obstacles he faces. True, I could have done without the love triangle and cheating, which put a slight damper on things... But thankfully there was so much going on especially in the second half of the story that I didn't have a lot of time to stand still and think about it.

I really enjoyed the writing style, which flowed well and was engaging in general. While the pace was a tad slow in the beginning and it took me a little while to get used to the Mumbai world and characters, once I did I couldn't stop turning those pages. There are a lot of twists and turns involved, and while I did guess some things right, I never saw the full twisted picture until it was revealed. There is also plenty of action and danger around every corner; make sure to brace yourself because certain scenes will hit hard!

All in all, The Blue Bar turned out to be an excellent reading experience for me, and if you enjoy a gritty and well written serial killer thriller with an unique setting, I can highly recommend this book.

This was an enjoyable and thrilling ride and the first thriller book I have read set in Mumbai with a touch of Bollywood in it.

In 2000 Tara wearing a blue sequined sari goes into the station and leaves the station within three minutes as she was asked to. That was the last time anyone had seen Tara. Now present day, Arnav Tara's lover who is a police inspector was asked to visit a site belonging to a rich estate mogul, where they had found skeletal remains. Thinking that Tara might be one of the victims as many wore blue sari and were dancers at the blue bar, Arnav must catch the killer who has been roaming in the streets of Mumbai for years.

This was fast paced thriller and quiet unputdownable and literally I was hooked into the story. The author must have done tremendous research on the book as some of the things mentioned in the book was realistic-' corruption among police forces and politicians, prostitution, bribes and the glamour of Bollywood. The story is mainly told in Arnav and Tara POV and do like thd vivid description of the city of Mumbai with Marathi or Hindi added into the story. Overall I enjoyed reading this book and if this book is a series I cannot wait to read the next one- worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and publisher for ARC the review is based on my honest opinion only.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

We learn that Tara, a dancer at The Blue Bar, disappeared in 2002 after she receives an "assignment" for a hefty amount of money. In 2010, we then meet Inspector Arnav Rajput who was Tara's lover back in 2002 and he was still thinking of her, even though he has a new girlfriend. He's investigating decapitated bodies of women and it's beginning to look like a serial killer targeting dancers. Tara returns after many years away with a secret she's hiding from Arnav. Arnav needs to find the killer before anyone else is hurt, including his Tara.

This is the first book I've read set in Mumbai and I enjoyed the setting and the characters. This was a gritty crime novel with lots of twists and turns. I kept turning the pages, wondering who was the killer and what was going to happen next. I am looking forward to the author's next book, because this is a book that should not be missed.

The Blue Bar, is a book that will forever haunt me....

There is a special feeling you get after concluding certain books. It's the feeling of knowing this book will stay with you for a long time.

Waiting for the subway...
You will be thinking about The Blue Bar

Before bed, struggling to sleep...
You will be thinking about The Blue Bar

First thing in the morning...
You will be thinking about The Blue Bar

Mark my words, this book is UNforgettable.

I had seen this book on quite a few feeds while scrolling instagram and of course the fear of missing out consumed me. There was no way I was going to be the only person not reading The Blue Bar.

This book is jam packed with twists and mind blowing moments that will shake you to the core. I honestly believe I might have permanent goosebumps after concluding.

I was completely lost in the Mumbai culture that I sometimes forgot where I was. The surroundings were described so vividly I felt as thought I was there and the storyline was taking place around me.

The characters were incredibly realistic and multi-dimensional. Its hard to believe they are a work of fiction.

This book will literally consume you, hold your attention and have you loose touch with reality. I loved it and I know you will too!

Part police procedural, part thriller, part romance, this is a book that kept me up reading long into the night. I originally signed up for the tour because I love books set in India but I was worried that the description of the murders might be too gory for my liking. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case and I highly enjoyed the alternating both between points of view and between past and present. Plus, obviously, I loved the Mumbai setting and the references to local culture, from food and festivals to clothing and language. The Blue Bar is the first book in the Blue Mumbai Thriller series and I already look forward to reading the second!

This was such an interesting read. I was immediately transported to Mumbai. This book immerses you in the culture, sights and smells of India. While reading this book I felt like I was working with Arnav as he tried to catch the serial killer. This book is one that I can say I read but it honestly wasn’t for me. If you are a fan of thrillers and want something that is fresh and unique please check it out.

THE BLUE BAR by Damyanti Biswas

A blue-sequined sari, a race through the train station, and . . . vanished! This twisty cat-and-mouse tale introduced me to people I love and admire, monsters I loathe, and the large, mysterious city of Mumbai, so full of contrasts. Travel, danger, loyalty, love, all from the safety of my own home. What a gift!
“Bar girls,” dancers, offered a year’s salary and promised safety, brave and resourceful, but insulted and devalued, while others use wealth and power as weapons. Learning whom to trust and whom to fear is a dangerous tightrope dance, but alone is the most fearsome of all.
This book pulled me in, as I followed the twists and worried for the characters I cared for. The writing is splendid, rich descriptions, tight pacing, veiled insights. Powerful!

Genre: a gritty crime thriller with an added intrigue of romance.

Certain books pick up speed, and then you can’t just put them down. It was the case with The Blue Bar by Damyanti Biswas. I liked her first book, You Beneath my Skin, so much so that I readily accepted when she sent out feelers for all who would like to be an eARC. And am I glad I did.

In this well-researched book, the life of Mumbai comes alive with a nexus among the Bollywood, the rich corporates, the underworld, the dancing girls at bars, and last but not least, the Police- the good, the ineffective, and the corrupt et al. Even as the book rolls on in chapter one, the contrariness of Mumbai with its slums, the swelling crowd at the station, the high-rise, and the billboards of film celebrities is very well-portrayed, laying the foundation for what is to come.

Arnav Singh Rajput is the police inspector fighting his demons (like his missing girlfriend Tara Mondal and his sister Asha’s untimely death), but that probably eggs him on to solve crime cases more so if it involves women. When the police find a mutilated body of a young woman in Taneja Estate Holdings, a land under litigation, it sets the story rolling. As the story proceeds, many more mutilated bodies are discovered, and a common thread of blue sequins runs through them. Fighting the odds, he goes into the investigation, learning that some people, including a few in his own force, are against his investigation. Braving a few shocking revelations and setbacks, he continues his investigation with the help of a few informers, his journalist friend, and a few select fellow policemen. Who is that influential in stopping the investigation? Who are the dead women? How is Tara involved in all these? Would he get reconnected with Tara once again? Why did she disappear? What did she have to hide? All the above and more is all that the story is about. I like that there are plenty of women like his journalist friend, Nandini, and his lady-assistant, Naik, Tara’s friend, Zoya, and Tara herself, who show far more gumption than some of the men around.

Though the beginning is a slow burn, it quickly turns into a page-turner, and you realize it is the kindle version of unputdownable books. I found some of the Indian spellings vastly different from how it is generally pronounced, which gave me some pause in the beginning before the story took off.

I would give this book a 4 star out of 5. Thank you, Damyanti Biwas, NetGalley for the eARC.

This well -written mystery kept me reading late into the night this weekend and I loved it! I can’t remember ever reading a mystery set in India, so I really enjoyed the glimpse into a foreign land! This story contains inner-office politics, cold murder cases, mysterious disappearances, and regrets of a long lost love. It unfolds through multiple timelines and points-of-view, including the perspective of the unknown murderer. Somewhere along the way I started figuring a few things out, and that only added to my enjoyment of this mystery! I will definitely be reading book 2 when it comes out later in 2023!

Thank you: @damyantig  @amazonpublishing @letstalkbookspromo for my free digital copy. My thoughts are my own.

The first in a new mystery series set in India! It involves a cold case and an investigator determined to uncover the truth regardless of who is trying to bury the case. Not my favorite structure because it was not always clear the perspective or time the plot was happening in. But I think this series has promise!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

This was a very interesting police procedural. I think the most interesting part was that it takes place in India where the political and cultural differences to crime solving are different than most of what I have read. I liked the cultural piece, but especially the frustration in following a crime solver who is determined in a culture that seems to discourage questions when they are inconvenient for the rich. When a body is found on a construction site without head, feet, or hands and clearly buried for some time Inspector Arnav is determined to work this homicide. He recalls an earlier case with similar details and quickly is able to tie several dismembered women together. Tara had been a bar girl but when she got a bad feeling doing some extra night work she fled 13 years ago hiding their child from Arnav. But she is back in Mumbai now determined to make enough money to send her daughter to a good international school. Things get dangerous as some powerful people seem very determined to stop Arnav from stopping a serial killer.

The book did not hook me up. The plot has interesting settings but it’s not enough for a good thriller. The story is dragged on too long only to finish quickly at the end of the book. The characters are one-dimensional. The plot is very predictable.

The Blue Bar is an intense love story as much as it is an intense thriller. The characters, including Mumbai where it is set, are beautifully developed and described throughout the novel. It was a pleasure to be so immersed in this enchanting novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this great ARC.

An edgy, dark psychological thriller set in Mumbai that courses from glamorous ballrooms of socialite parties to the cramped green rooms of seedy dance bars and culminates in the swampy mangroves of Madh island.

In 2003, seventeen year old bar-dancer Tara Mondal goes missing while on an assignment for a private client. Fourteen years later, Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, Tara's ex-boyfriend, who still carries a torch for her, comes across a crime site with dismembered female bodies. Despite the lack of evidence, recognising that a serial killer is at large, Arnav and his team get busy with their investigation. Unsurprisingly, the team faces blocks and threats at every turn - from ministers to high-ranking police officers, influential businessmen and even the mafia. In the face of betrayal and death threats, Arnav bravely soldiers on, even as he dreads that the next body he may find could be Tara's.

The plot had the trappings of crime thriller/serial killer/cop procedural series that have become all the rage on Indian OTT platforms - the kind that I have been binge-watching over the last two years. Little wonder then that I devoured this book in a day and a half. The author wields her words so brilliantly that she brings alive the city of Mumbai - its sights and sounds - through the pages of The Blue Bar. The plot is fast-paced, the tension taut and the characters well-rounded. The identity of the serial killer is evident despite the author throwing around multiple red herrings; this however, doesn't take away from the overall enjoyment of the book.

Overall, mind-blowing. I have found myself one more author to add to my list of favourites. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.