The blue monsoon

A grisly murder rocks the bustling metropolis of Mumbai. Senior Inspector Arnav Singh Rajput races through the crowded streets of Mumbai on a rainy night to an unsettling crime scene. Both the eyes and the genitals have been removed from the male corpse found at a Hindu temple. The macabre crime means that Arnav may upset his wife, Tara, by missing his teenage daughter Pia's highly anticipated dance performance and the subsequent party. This is a serious complication, for Biswas' novel focuses as much on Arnav's relationships with his family and colleagues as on his pursuit of the violent killer. Tara is struggling with a difficult pregnancy, Pia harbors dangerous secrets, and rumors of bribery cast a shadow over Arnav's inspectors Sita and Desai. The case takes one bizarre turn after another, involving a stolen video, a fading Bollywood actress, some missing necklaces, and more victims. Whether Biswas is describing a bloody crime scene or a personal conversation, she writes with economy and a precision bordering on formality. Much of her story's impact comes from its unusual structure. Super-short chapters from multiple perspectives build a complex tapestry in small, suspenseful pieces. The psychotic serial killer periodically interrupts the narrative in short, italicized riffs. A revelation of animus toward Arnav and his family gives the second half of the complex plot an additional charge. Overstuffed and lurid, Biswas' second Blue Mumbai thriller captures both the diversity and tumult of its unique setting. A compelling procedural awash in crosscurrents. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.