HOT STAGE - BOOK 3 OF THE BOREI GOWDA SERIES BY ANITA NAIR

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BOOK NAME: HOT STAGE - BOOK 3 OF THE BOREI GOWDA SERIES

AUTHOR NAME: ANITA NAIR

GENRE: MURDER MYSTERY - POLICE PROCEDURAL

PUBLISHER: HARPERCOLLINS INDIA 

BOOK BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.in/Hot-Stage-Anita-Nair/dp/9356995907


BLURB

When elderly Professor Mudgood, a well-known rationalist and fervent critic of right-wing forces in India, is found dead in his home in Bangalore by his daughter, ACP Borei Gowda is quite certain that it is a homicide.

Although all evidence points to the murder being politically motivated, the more Gowda delves into the case, the more convinced he is that it isn’t an assassination. As he and his team launch a parallel investigation, they stumble upon a secret and murky world where there are no rules or mercy. When Gowda’s hand is forced, he takes a calculated risk and infiltrates the sinister domain to bring the truth out into the open … Will he succeed? And at what price?


BOOK COVER IMAGE




BOOK REVIEW

Elderly professor Mugdood is dead under circumstances that look like a natural occurrence. But Borei Gowda doesn't seem to find it convincing. He sees the loopholes, learns about the mysteries hidden under Prof. Mugdood's death, and decides to get to its roots. His motto of not letting one innocent get punished stays affirmed rather than punishing all those who are guilty. He stands by his motto till the very end until he gets to the professor's killer. 


Unlike other crime thrillers, this book focuses on the police investigation revolving around a case and their personal lives. This book starts with a firm intent and characters layered with emotions. Gowda isn't a perfect cop. He is flawed and actually unlikeable when viewed from a common person's perspective. But the story is not about an ideal hero catching the villain by his collar. It's about an imperfect man who is devoted to his job even when his life is messed up. I liked the themes included in the book, which explore politics, religion, righteousness, feminism, and more.


But the book is not for those who want a gasp on every page they read. It's slow and moves very gradually and structurally till the end. Sometimes, my patience was even tested, but it was all good in the end. The entry and exit of way too many characters could have been curbed, and the length of the book could have stayed short and sharp. But whatever main characters appeared, they were strong, unique and relatable. Being the third book in this series, this book doesn't make any difference when read alone, and it strongly favours the author's writing capacity. The writing is flawless, and the backdrop of Bangalore is nostalgic and lively. This book is definitely for those readers who love detailed police procedurals and extremely flawed protagonists.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Anita Nair is one of India’s most acclaimed authors whose oeuvre ranges from literary fiction to noir to poetry to children’s literature to translation. Her books have been translated into thirty-two languages around the world and have been adapted for audio, the stage and the screen. She is the recipient of several prizes and honours including the Central Sahitya Akademi award, the Crossword Prize and the National Film Award. Founder of the creative writing mentorship programme Anita’s Attic which has mentored over 125 writers, Anita Nair is also a High-Profile Supporter of the UNHCR. Anita Nair’s new novel is Hot Stage, third in the Borei Gowda noir series.



MY REVIEW: 3/5

This post is a part of Blogchatter’s #BookReviewProgram and #TBRchallenge

#penbooksandscalpel


 

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