Review by Sarah Erwin
Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.
Into the Leopard’s Den is book four in Harini Nagendra’s Bangalore Detectives Club historical mystery series. While this title can easily be read as a standalone, I highly recommend the previous books in the series for those who enjoy strong female detectives.
It’s 1922 in Bangalore, and Kaveri Murthy is pregnant and missing her husband Ramu, who is working in Coorg. She feels confined to the house and restless. And then an elderly woman is murdered one night and dies clutching a photograph of Kaveri. Despite her mother-in-law’s protests, Kaveri cannot turn this case down, and enlists the help of the fellow members of her Detectives Club – milk boy Venu and housemaid Anandi.
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| Image Source Pegasus Crime |
This is such a transportive series, and book four is once again a true adventure story that is full of twists and turns. I was anxious for Kaveri’s safety as she investigated – there is one scene in particular with a snake (no spoilers) that had my heart pounding! I thought it was such a unique twist to have Kaveri travel for a case that spans two places. This was such a layered mystery, I honestly wondered if and how Kaveri would uncover the truth.
The characters are wonderful in this story, and I especially enjoyed Kaveri’s relationship with Ramu, and it was hard to see them apart at the start of the story. Venu and Anandi are some of the best detectives-in-training. Each lovable in their own way. And they aren’t afraid to speak their minds to Kaveri.
While the mystery is outstanding, the descriptions of the setting is one of my favorite things about this series, and I was not disappointed in this latest entry. Harini’s writing is vivid, capturing the sights, sounds and tastes of the place Kaveri lives and travels. It’s wonderful to get to read a story that truly pulls you in as a reader.
Readers should also take note of the helpful and fascinating vocabulary list and historical notes in the back of the book, as well as some recipes!
To enter to win a copy of Into the Leopard's Den, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "leopard's den,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 16, 2025. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors!
You can click here to purchase this book.
Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.
Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.
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