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Inspector Ghote #16
The Body in the Billiard Room
Inspector Ghote travels to Ootacamund, a still quite British outpost in modern South India, to solve the case of a murdered servant in the highbrow "Ooty" Club
247 pages, Hardcover
First published January 15, 1987
2 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
H.R.F. Keating
157 books54 followersHenry Reymond Fitzwalter Keating was an English writer of crime fiction most notable for his series of novels featuring Inspector Ghote of the Bombay CID.
H. R. F. KEATING was well versed in the worlds of crime, fiction and nonfiction. He was the crime books reviewer for The Times for fifteen years, as well as serving as the chairman of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He won the CWA Gold Dagger Award twice, and in 1996 was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding service to crime fiction.
Series:
. Inspector Ghote
. Harriet Martens
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Perfectly Criminal
H. R. F. KEATING was well versed in the worlds of crime, fiction and nonfiction. He was the crime books reviewer for The Times for fifteen years, as well as serving as the chairman of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He won the CWA Gold Dagger Award twice, and in 1996 was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding service to crime fiction.
Series:
. Inspector Ghote
. Harriet Martens
Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Perfectly Criminal
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 13, 2020
As a mystery fan, I have my handful of favourite sleuths. Some I fell in love with instantly, but most I've grown my fondness for over a handful of stories. I can see how Ghote might be like that for fans of his mysteries, but it wasn't love at first sight for me.
The Body in the Billiard Room has a definite old-fashioned charm to it, and the characters are the comfortable sort of caricature that abounds in English mystery. I wasn't unhappy with my experience of the story, and I have no major complaints. I just wasn't terribly caught up in it, either. There was a small sense of tone-deafness in the racial presentation, but it didn't feel malicious or intentional. If anything, Keating was more direct in his mocking of his colonial British countrymen and their stereotypes. And while there was a definite call out on corruption present, this was by no means meant to be a heavy commentary piece of literature.
I am mostly indifferent, in the long run. This is the sort of series that I might grab at fundraisers and garage sales because I recognize the author's name, but would sit on my pallet-cleanser shelf to use as filler between books I am excited about.
The highlight for me in The Body in the Billiard Room was the heavy and direct reference to the mystery genre and its standout authors. To Ghote's chagrin, he is constantly being called “India's own Sherlock Holmes”, and his own self-proclaimed Watson in this story hoists tons of comparisons to other popular detectives and authors onto Ghote. It's delightful right up to the point that it becomes tiresome, and even then, still made me smile.
The Body in the Billiard Room has a definite old-fashioned charm to it, and the characters are the comfortable sort of caricature that abounds in English mystery. I wasn't unhappy with my experience of the story, and I have no major complaints. I just wasn't terribly caught up in it, either. There was a small sense of tone-deafness in the racial presentation, but it didn't feel malicious or intentional. If anything, Keating was more direct in his mocking of his colonial British countrymen and their stereotypes. And while there was a definite call out on corruption present, this was by no means meant to be a heavy commentary piece of literature.
I am mostly indifferent, in the long run. This is the sort of series that I might grab at fundraisers and garage sales because I recognize the author's name, but would sit on my pallet-cleanser shelf to use as filler between books I am excited about.
The highlight for me in The Body in the Billiard Room was the heavy and direct reference to the mystery genre and its standout authors. To Ghote's chagrin, he is constantly being called “India's own Sherlock Holmes”, and his own self-proclaimed Watson in this story hoists tons of comparisons to other popular detectives and authors onto Ghote. It's delightful right up to the point that it becomes tiresome, and even then, still made me smile.
June 8, 2025
A nice light mystery with humorous elements and a pleasant detective. I will read other installments in the series if I come across them, but probably won't work hard to seek them out.
July 7, 2018
A 1984 book that might have been written in 1954, and even then, it might have been considered old fashioned. Inspector Ghote is a little bumbling, always uncertain of himself, and always feeling he is in hot water with his bosses. So, when he discovers he is ordered to solve a murder up at a snooty private club, he’s already uncertain. When he discovers he is supposed to be India’s answer to Hercule Poirot, and solve this case in the classic Agatha Christie fashion, he is apoplectic.
Nonetheless, he does his work, makes some fun deductions along the way, and happily flees the scene when done. In the meantime, the author uses his plot to make gentle fun of the whole great detective genre. Nothing earthshaking in this one, but this is a subtle little potboiler.
Setting is India, particularly a mountain town full of aging Brits. The detective feels a touch stereotyped, and not everyone may react well to the English author’s imagining of Indian dialects.
Nonetheless, he does his work, makes some fun deductions along the way, and happily flees the scene when done. In the meantime, the author uses his plot to make gentle fun of the whole great detective genre. Nothing earthshaking in this one, but this is a subtle little potboiler.
Setting is India, particularly a mountain town full of aging Brits. The detective feels a touch stereotyped, and not everyone may react well to the English author’s imagining of Indian dialects.
June 15, 2017
For my full review click on the link below:
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August 28, 2020
Vivid writing, brilliant cultural commentary
August 3, 2024
I had never heard of this series before, it was just chance that I have found out there were so many books before this one. Luckily it looks as if series order does not matter, and, if you want to try these, you can read this as a stand-alone.
I definitely want to find and read all the others.
First, this book is not for you if you want to solve mysteries, look for plot twists, or want to be serious.
This book is for my friends who just want humour, escapist light fiction, ridiculous fun, and a totally lovable main character, sometimes with an amazing brain, sometimes tripping over himself.
The most fun part of the book for me was his golf game with the maharajah.
We are lucky that these fun books have been written and were published.
I unfortunately think that in the very politically correct world of today many publishers would absolutely refuse to publish these because they might face a backlash owing to pathetic invented concepts such as cultural appropriation. There is no way these books are racist or that there is anything wrong with them, but, because it is a British author writing about India and Indian characters, I know it will upset some humourless people on the bored fringes of society who have nothing better to do with their time or research writing except to find issues and grievances where no harm is even visible, but they will create a controversy to draw attention and publicity to themselves.
So if you love fun, humour and a detective who can often be clueless or a genius, have fun reading this.
I definitely want to find and read all the others.
First, this book is not for you if you want to solve mysteries, look for plot twists, or want to be serious.
This book is for my friends who just want humour, escapist light fiction, ridiculous fun, and a totally lovable main character, sometimes with an amazing brain, sometimes tripping over himself.
The most fun part of the book for me was his golf game with the maharajah.
We are lucky that these fun books have been written and were published.
I unfortunately think that in the very politically correct world of today many publishers would absolutely refuse to publish these because they might face a backlash owing to pathetic invented concepts such as cultural appropriation. There is no way these books are racist or that there is anything wrong with them, but, because it is a British author writing about India and Indian characters, I know it will upset some humourless people on the bored fringes of society who have nothing better to do with their time or research writing except to find issues and grievances where no harm is even visible, but they will create a controversy to draw attention and publicity to themselves.
So if you love fun, humour and a detective who can often be clueless or a genius, have fun reading this.
April 23, 2009
Inspector Ghote of the Bombay CID has been sent, ordered really, to a quiet resort town in the mountains to investigate a murder. When he arrives, he find that a former British ambassador named Mehta is convinced that Ghote will wrap this all up in no time, just like in his favorite detective stories. Ghote soon tires of being compared to Sri Poirot and Sri Holmes. He does not feel himself to be a 'great detective' and he knows that real life is not like in books.
Just as indicated by the title, a body has been discovered on the billiard room of a private club. This is not the sort of place where people are used to this thing happening. Mehta has come up with a list of suspects, including a professor who is an expert on crime novels, a Maharajah and his Maharanee. Ghote feels quite out of his element here.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked Inspector Ghote and thought the other characters were well done. The narrator had a tough job getting all the accents and names right, but he did such a great job that I checked the package more than once to make sure that there really was only one reader. The book was very funny in places too.
Just as indicated by the title, a body has been discovered on the billiard room of a private club. This is not the sort of place where people are used to this thing happening. Mehta has come up with a list of suspects, including a professor who is an expert on crime novels, a Maharajah and his Maharanee. Ghote feels quite out of his element here.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked Inspector Ghote and thought the other characters were well done. The narrator had a tough job getting all the accents and names right, but he did such a great job that I checked the package more than once to make sure that there really was only one reader. The book was very funny in places too.
May 9, 2009
These are wonderful books which are enjoyable and humorous. Highly recommended.
November 18, 2016
Cute story. Quick read.
June 9, 2019
Below par in my opinion. There are much better Ghote novels, this one seemed somewhat forced, as if the author was under pressure to produce.
March 30, 2019
It is one of the best Keating books, I think. there is something sad about this book. especially the ending is very striking. one cannot help feeling melancholic for the bygone empire. I found Surinder Mehta and Major B. were very touching-and the dog of course! The way Major B. kept paying and paying until he had to live on bananas was very Victorian. There was also a good amount of parody with the genre. and the Raj-style hill-town of Ooty is a great setting for the murder. I think the club did really exist and still stands as a some sort of guest house.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews