Murder in the mist
Trouble has a way of finding Kaveri Murthy, even when she is pregnant. In Harini Nagendra’s latest installment of The Bangalore Detectives Club series, Into The Leopard’s Den, the beloved detective swaps the bustle of Bengaluru for the misty hills of Coorg, only to stumble upon a chilling crime amid the calm of coffee countryside. What begins as a quiet retreat soon turns into a gripping chase through plantations, power plays, and personal peril. Light-hearted yet suspenseful, this cozy mystery brews together danger, warmth, and wit in perfect measure.
When Kaveri’s minion, Venu, hears a woman crying out from her hut, clutching a newspaper clipping celebrating Kaveri’s success, Kaveri has no choice but to brave the struggles of her pregnancy and take on this case. As clues lead her to Coorg, she travels to the hill station, where, coincidentally, her doctor husband Ramu is working on setting up a clinic for the villagers. But when she arrives in the lush green valleys, she realises, multiple mysteries are hiding beneath the thick forest. And when she receives a note warning her to leave, she realises her courage may have put her and her unborn child in greater danger than ever before.
Building on the charm of the first three installments, Nagendra’s latest book maintains an enjoyable pace. Kaveri remains delightful and fearless as ever, and her evolution from a newlywed bride to a mother-to-be is handled with great warmth and nuance. The story moves briskly, providing readers with enough plot twists to keep them engaged.
Nagendra’s descriptions of the misty hill station, the coffee plantations, the coffee-processing procedure, and the delicious local food create a vivid yet cozy backdrop for the unfolding mystery. Having tackled issues like fake religious men, or dhongi babas, and violence against women in earlier books, she now explores human-animal conflict and forest depletion, particularly in the coffee production industry. Drawing on her experience and research as an ecologist, she presents such subjects with historical accuracy and nuance, using these elements to craft a clever mystery that is both enjoyable and intricate.
Set in the 1920s, the Bangalore Detectives Club series does a fabulous job of rooting its mysteries in the realities of British occupation. Despite the lightness of cozy mystery, Nagendra uses her characters to echo the sentiments of the independence movements, referencing incidents like the Chauri-Chaura massacre, the protests during the Prince of Wales’ visit to India, and more. The ripples of these events subtly filter into the lives of characters and the twists of the plot. Nagendra’s ability to balance such complex moments in history within the frame of a cozy mystery is both unexpected and commendable.
While the mystery keeps the readers hooked, the characters and their interactions are what make this story and the overall series memorable. Nagendra’s focus on community, whether Kaveri’s bond with members of her Bangalore Detectives Club or her relationship with Ramu, gives the narrative its heart. Venu, her neighbour Uma Aunty, and her mother-in-law Bhargavi add comic relief at times, and Ramu’s steady presence balances out Kaveri’s adventurous streak. It is in these domestic, platonic relationships that Nagendra grounds her mysteries, making sure they are never just about solving a crime but also about understanding the threads that hold the community together.
Nagendra brings out the best of India and serves it along with all the pleasures of the genre, a vibrant cast, an evocative setting, and a large heart. With Into the Leopard’s Den, she has delivered a mystery that is as thoughtful as it is fun, making this a series worth following.
