On the dark streets of Mumbai, the paths of a missing dancer, a serial killer, and an inspector with a haunted past converge in an evocative thriller about lost love and murderous obsession.

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?

Listening Length

12 hours and 18 minutes
Author

Damyanti Biswas
Narrator

Sneha Mathan
Audible release date

Jan. 1 2023
Language

English
Publisher

Brilliance Audio
ASIN

B09S6V2F47
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	12 hours and 18 minutes
Author	Damyanti Biswas
Narrator	Sneha Mathan
Audible.ca Release Date	January 01 2023
Publisher	Brilliance Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B09S6V2F47
Best Sellers Rank	#72,998 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #1,488 in Crime Thrillers (Audible Books & Originals) #1,529 in Police Procedural Mysteries #4,770 in Suspense (Audible Books & Originals)

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5

3,551 global ratings

5 star		31%
4 star		38%
3 star		22%
2 star		6%
1 star		3%

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Top reviews from Canada

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Audrey Driscoll

A Tense Psychological Thriller

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on February 16, 2023

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From the gorgeous cover to the last page, this book is definitely a gripper. All the necessary elements for a psychological thriller are here: vulnerable, desperate women, an overworked police force with hints of corruption in high places, the glamour of the movie business, at least two crime bosses, and a seriously troubled killer. Add to that the intriguing setting of Mumbai, India. The book does not shy away from the dirt and poverty of the city, in contrast to the luxuries enjoyed by the wealthy.
As the bodies of murdered women are uncovered, the reader is given harrowing peeks into the mind of the murderer. Interwoven with these are the personal stories of bar dancer Tara and police inspector Arnav. Action scenes are humanized by elements of guilt, shame, regret, and broken trust. I was keen to find out what happened next and read the book quickly. At times it was a bit of a blur, as the characters raced from one place to another, almost always using cell phones to communicate and gather evidence.
The primary characters are well-developed and sympathetic. Enough is revealed about the secondary characters that they are distinct and memorable. I was particularly impressed by journalist (and Arnav's sometime girlfriend) Nandini, and his police colleague Tukaram. A character named Bilal is also intriguing and surprisingly sympathetic, given his relationship to the murderer.
Clues are scattered throughout the book, prompting me to formulate theories as I read about the identity of the killer. The ending includes a few shocking revelations and is both heart-wrenching and satisfying.

Helpful

Yashvi Shah

A Fabulous Indian Murder Mystery!

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on January 5, 2023

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!

Helpful

Whitney

An atmospheric riveting ride!

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on December 10, 2022

This book is an atmospheric and wild ride. I loved the dual perspective and seeing the story from multiple viewpoints, including the serial killer themselves. I loved that it highlighted the corruption in the city, from officers on the police force, celebrities, and political figures. I loved the thread of romance throughout. And most of all I loved the setting in Mumbai. I felt like I was there in the streets, the homes, eating the food. Definitively check this one out!
Thank you to the author for an ARC copy.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Carter P.

I feel richer and a little more mature for having read it.

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on January 9, 2023

This book is an in-depth and complex work of art. That's not to say it's a difficult read; it certainly isn't. But there are so many layers of it, all of which I love and have studied - or wished to study - in various 'lives' I've led.
It is first and foremost a captivating noir mystery. It is also a provocative love story, between man and woman, between close friends, between mother and daughter. There are parallels and there are paradoxes. There are smoothly woven, subtle comparisons and then eye-blinking contrasts. It has hints of the exotic and then slaps of the downright shocking - the first in worlds some may wish to travel, and the latter in worlds most may never wish to see, but should have to. And Damyanti Biswas makes us. Because we shouldn't go through a life anywhere on this planet sticking our heads in the sand.
The ending in particular had such symbolic ironies that I found myself catching my breath. This piece of literature could be studied in any high school or university classroom, anywhere around the globe, in any language.
The Blue Bar is entertaining, educational and engrossing. I feel richer and a little more mature for having read it.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Sitharaam Jayakumar

A Fictional Crime Drama Written In The Vein Of A True Crime

Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on January 26, 2023

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What struck me after I read through the entire book was that the author has written a fictional crime drama about serial killings just the way such crimes would unfold in real life. I think the author has done a lot of research about how serial killings occur in real life and how the police force investigates them usually. The narration is racy and fast paced. Both the male and female protagonists as well as the other characters are very real. Another thing is the story is based in Mumbai and the author has a very accurate idea of the layout of the city. The only problem is in certain places the narrative becomes confusing and difficult to follow. The reader has to be alert and make sure not to lose sight of several parallel threads running through the story. Nevertheless it is a very entertaining read and I enjoyed reading the book thoroughly.

garry johnson

Could Have Got four Stars.

Reviewed in Australia 🇦🇺 on January 8, 2023

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The setting was great. First time to read a book set in Mumbai ( Bombay ). Enjoyed Googling the locations and places the book went into. The writing was good, the story had a lot going for it. Was two stories in one, the murders and Arnav and Tara's affair. Read up to around 50% where the story started to bog down then fast forward to the last few chapters. Could not take Arnav, another Harry Bosch or Jo Nesbo knock off. Problems in his past, contempt for authority, smarter than his colleagues, a vendetta against the police commissioner. All been done before. Why not a regular cop who just gets on with his job. For me, at least, the story would have read better. If you can handle the super cop then this is not a bad book. The characters, the story , the great location make it different and worth taking a look at.

SumBangalore

Unputdownable !

Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on January 15, 2023

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A crime story set in Mumbai is not something unusual by itself. But this book is more than a crime book, with its tightly woven in narratives of dancebars, workings of the Mumbai police, the underworld and the fascinating mangroves of Mumbai. At 385 pages, I was a little sceptical about the pace; I ended up finishing in just 3 sittings.
The plot is so well built up which only got thicker towards the end, and there is a huge surprise in the climax. Each of the character is strongly built especially that of Tara, which is also very endearing. If I were to pick out one unique thing about the book, it's the fact that the author introduces the criminal right in the early pages of the book but manages to keep the suspense going till the end. Now looking forward to the sequel.

sweety shinde

racy and gripping

Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on March 5, 2023

Verified Purchase

Blue sequins. fetishes. ar girls with a golden heart. cops with conscience. All clash in a racy thriller. Narrative is tight and fluent. The book flips back and forth between 1st person narratives from differing povs, which is always a tightrope toughie for any author. Damyanti does well.
Female protagonist is a well rounded persona as she ages well and matures across the pages. Male cop is a tad too Bollywood stereotype to be fully believable or relatable.
That aside, it's a well written, well paced, well plotted crime thriller. Go for it.

Shweta

What a thriller!

Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on February 2, 2023

Verified Purchase

I had never imagined reading such a racy crime thriller from an Indian writer, in Indian settings. Thanks for writing this Damyanti.

As I was halfway through the book, I felt it could have taken 50 odd pages less to reach the meat of the story. But by the time I reached the end, everything felt justified.

The character of Arnav - anagram of Ravan - was the best one. Humane, emotional, broken and above everything, honest. I hope he will be there in the subsequent books too.

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The Blue Bar: Blue Mumbai Thriller, Book 1 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

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