Into the Leopard's Den

A Bangalore Detectives Club Mystery

Harini Nagendra

Amateur detective Kaveri Murthy returns with her most complex case yet: investigating a series of murders that take her from the bungalows of Bangalore to the mist-enshrouded mountains of Coorg.

Bangalore, 1922: Pregnant and confined to the house by her protective mother-in-law, Kaveri Murthy has resolved to take a break from detection. But when an elderly woman is stabbed at night and dies clutching a photograph of Kaveri while asking for her help—how can she refuse? Missing the assistance of her husband Ramu, who is working in Coorg, Kaveri investigates her new case with her able assistants, milk boy Venu and housemaid Anandi. They find a trail of secrets that lead them to suspect the killer may be in Coorg.

Eager to be reunited with her husband, Kaveri sets off to Coorg to investigate. When she arrives, she encounters a thorny thicket of cases. Why does a ghost leopard prowl the forests at night, terrorizing the plantation workers? And who is trying to kill Colonel Boyd, the Coffee King of Coorg? She finds suspects in every coffee bush and estate—from Boyd’s surly plantation manager and security guard to the feuding brothers who own the neighboring plantation—and the many women the Coffee King has pursued and abandoned.

When two vulnerable children appeal for her help, Kaveri is drawn deeper into the case, becoming emotionally involved in finding the killer. Soon, one murder turns into two—and then a few days later into three. Now the killer has tasted blood and needs to be stopped. Racing against time, Kaveri must take on her most complex challenge so far, with the assistance of Anandi and Venu in Bangalore, and with Ramu and Inspector Ismail in Coorg. In this stunning new novel by an acclaimed master of the form, the Bangalore Detectives Club must find and expose a brutally intelligent killer before they strike again.

Harini Nagendra is a Professor of Sustainability at Azim Premji University, Bangalore, India, and the author of Nature in the City: Bengaluru in the Past, Present and Future. She received a 2013 Elinor Ostrom Senior Scholar Award and a 2007 Cozzarelli Prize with Elinor Ostrom from the Proceedings of the US National Academy of Sciences for research on sustainability. The Bangalore Detectives Club, the first book in the Detective Kaveri mysteries, is her first novel. She lives in Bangalore.

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Endorsements & Reviews

Praise for A Nest of Vipers:

“In this third volume of the Bangalore Detectives Club series, Das, the star magician at the Maximilian Circus, vanishes — for real — in the midst of his latest act. His teen son asks Kaveri Murthy to find him. As they search for Das, the intrepid Kaveri and her detectives become entangled in a web of political intrigue that threatens to turn deadly.” The Washington Post

"A winning combination of historical mystery and detective work propelled by the-clock-is-ticking danger. A courageous heroine; intriguing social history embodied in clothes, housing, and food; Indian jadoo magic; and a propulsive plot all add up to a rewarding read.” Booklist (starred)

"Nagendra masterfully melds character, plot, and period detail in her transporting third historical mystery featuring amateur detective Kaveri Murthy. Nagendra is in peak form here, expertly mining the era’s political frisson for top-shelf suspense.” Publishers Weekly (starred)

Praise for Murder Under a Red Moon:

"I'm pleased to report that Murder Under a Red Moon exceeds all my expectations. Against a roiling political backdrop—the women’s suffrage movement is growing, as is anti-British sentiment—Kaveri and Bhargavi come to a deeper understanding of each other.” Sarah Weinman, The New York Times Book Review

"Should you be on the market for a new literary detective, you’d be hard pressed to find one more charming than Kaveri Murthy, the main character of Harini Nagendra’s mystery series set in 1920s India. It’s a pleasure to enter Kaveri’s clever mind, and Nagendra wraps the story in a message of women’s empowerment." The Seattle Times

"Set in 1921 Bangalore, Nagendra’s superb sequel to 2022’s The Bangalore Detectives Club plunges amateur sleuth Kaveri Murthy into a case involving the family of her physician husband, Ramu. Assured pacing matches equally assured prose, and Nagendra brings the political tensions of India’s colonial period to life without overwhelming the crafty whodunit plot. Fans of Abir Mukherjee’s Wyndham and Banerjee novels will find much to like." Publisher's Weekly (starred)

Praise for The Bangalore Detectives Club:

"The first in an effervescent new mystery series by the ecology professor Harini Nagendra, The Bangalore Detectives Club turns the clock back a century. This is a treat for historical mystery lovers looking for a new series to savor (or devour)." Sarah Weinman, The New York Times Book Review

"Here’s an amateur detective to cheer for: Kaveri Murthy, 19 and newly married, an Indian woman living in India in the early twentieth century under the restrictive rule of the British Raj. The real feat here is that Murthy’s sleuthing is both excruciatingly exciting and entirely believable. Splendid." Booklist (starred)

"A fast-paced and engaging story. Offering this one to fans of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is a no-brainer, but cozy mystery readers will also find much to love in the adventures of the indomitable detective." Library Journal