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Product Description
Inspector Ghote's first cases for the Bombay Police Department include a seemingly unsolvable murder and the theft of one rupee from the desk of the Minister of Police Affairs and the Arts.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The first in a series of approx 26 detective stories featuring the Bombay policeman Inspector Ghote. Ghote is a small, simple family man who is besotted by his work and neglects his much-loved wife and small boy. He is rational , logical and, above all, a perfectionist.
His main detection tool is 'Gross's Criminal Investigations'. By using this reference tome he feels capable of solving all his cases provided, 'people would only behave in a simple, reasonable logical way'. But, people dont and this provides a lovely wry, witty undercurrent as Ghote wrestles with not one but two 'Number One Priority' cases.
The eponymous case features the deliciously devious and well-connected Varde family whose rotund patriarch blusters 'Questioning, pestioning' in the face of Ghote's investigation. He is also a nailed on, Indian Brian Blessed!
Mr Keating is well known as a crime writing afficianado and critic. He cannot resist some in-jokes. The indolent, eldest Varde son reads mystery books all day and the other 'priority' case of the missing rupee is pure 'locked room mystery'.
There are a couple of delightful twists and the whole novel reads breezily. The reluctant conclusion by Ghote that people cause 'muddle' to obfuscate his logic is gently told. I was going to stick at three stars as Ghote is finding his feet and his meekness was slightly frustrating. There isn't a three and half star option.
His main detection tool is 'Gross's Criminal Investigations'. By using this reference tome he feels capable of solving all his cases provided, 'people would only behave in a simple, reasonable logical way'. But, people dont and this provides a lovely wry, witty undercurrent as Ghote wrestles with not one but two 'Number One Priority' cases.
The eponymous case features the deliciously devious and well-connected Varde family whose rotund patriarch blusters 'Questioning, pestioning' in the face of Ghote's investigation. He is also a nailed on, Indian Brian Blessed!
Mr Keating is well known as a crime writing afficianado and critic. He cannot resist some in-jokes. The indolent, eldest Varde son reads mystery books all day and the other 'priority' case of the missing rupee is pure 'locked room mystery'.
There are a couple of delightful twists and the whole novel reads breezily. The reluctant conclusion by Ghote that people cause 'muddle' to obfuscate his logic is gently told. I was going to stick at three stars as Ghote is finding his feet and his meekness was slightly frustrating. There isn't a three and half star option.
Format:Paperback
A very charming and enjoyable detective story.
This was originally published in 1964 and it was interesting reading that India's population at the time of 400 million was considered to be too many.
It is generally quite a light hearted story and the theme of Ghote dealing with bureaucratic indifference and with the fabulously wealthy who think that they can get away with anything is a universal one.
Occasionally it does seem a trifle silly and maybe some people might see it as a little patronising but generally I found it to be very warm hearted in its description of India. I was impressed that the author hadn't actually visited the country at the time.
It is often quite amusing and clever and the writing style throughout the book is very easy and enjoyable.
This was originally published in 1964 and it was interesting reading that India's population at the time of 400 million was considered to be too many.
It is generally quite a light hearted story and the theme of Ghote dealing with bureaucratic indifference and with the fabulously wealthy who think that they can get away with anything is a universal one.
Occasionally it does seem a trifle silly and maybe some people might see it as a little patronising but generally I found it to be very warm hearted in its description of India. I was impressed that the author hadn't actually visited the country at the time.
It is often quite amusing and clever and the writing style throughout the book is very easy and enjoyable.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Warm hearted classic detective novel
1 April 2012
Format:Paperback
A very charming and enjoyable detective story. There is an interesting foreword from Alexander McCall Smith and there are certainly strong similarities between his novels and those of HRF Keating's Inspector Ghote's series.
This was originally published in 1964 and it was interesting reading that India's population at the time of 400 million was considered to be too many.
It is generally quite a light hearted story and the theme of Ghote dealing with bureaucratic indifference and with the fabulously wealthy who think that they can get away with anything is a universal one.
Occasionally it does seem a trifle silly and maybe some people might see it as a little patronising but generally I found it to be very warm hearted in its description of India. I was impressed that the author hadn't actually visited the country at the time.
It is often quite amusing and clever and the writing style throughout the book is very easy and enjoyable.
This was originally published in 1964 and it was interesting reading that India's population at the time of 400 million was considered to be too many.
It is generally quite a light hearted story and the theme of Ghote dealing with bureaucratic indifference and with the fabulously wealthy who think that they can get away with anything is a universal one.
Occasionally it does seem a trifle silly and maybe some people might see it as a little patronising but generally I found it to be very warm hearted in its description of India. I was impressed that the author hadn't actually visited the country at the time.
It is often quite amusing and clever and the writing style throughout the book is very easy and enjoyable.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Meeting Ghote
21 Oct 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I had read of H.R.F.Keating and anyone whose father had named him with the hope that he become an author was, at least, of interest. The Perfect Murder is an introduction to the police of India. While reading it you keep saying to yourself, yes; this rings true; I can imagine this kind of difficulty with this kind of person; I can see myself walking down this street sipping this sweet drink.
The difficulty with the book is probably my difficulty. I am moderately interested in someone who has conquered his own environment, especially if I'm familiar with it. When I'm not and I'm faced with a man who has shaped himself to live in strange surroundings in a strange way, the difficulties are large. I have to be sympathetic to the man, in this case Inspector Ghote, and although his work is police procedure and his young son and somewhat stereotypically shrewish (yet beautiful) wife have all his love, they didn't manage to capture all of mine -- even though I love police procedurals and 'complicated' women.
Neither did his foreign attachment, a brash, loud Scandinavian man from other police forces ostensibly learning India's ways and ultimately playing an integral part in the story.
The story itself revolves around a wealthy Indian entrepreneur and his secretary. How Ghote deals with them, and they with him, is the crux of the plot. It is well presented as are all elements of the book, but the elements don't seem to fuse well. There I was in India, walking the streets, talking the talk, but not living the life. How can I make it clearer? I still read everything from English detective fiction to American fantasy, to Booker prize winners to nineteenth century novels of manners -- or not -- all with great joy. Inspector Ghote doesn't fit me, I'm afraid.
Who does? Let me just throw out Connie Willis and Jane Austen. Worlds apart, but oh, those worlds.
The difficulty with the book is probably my difficulty. I am moderately interested in someone who has conquered his own environment, especially if I'm familiar with it. When I'm not and I'm faced with a man who has shaped himself to live in strange surroundings in a strange way, the difficulties are large. I have to be sympathetic to the man, in this case Inspector Ghote, and although his work is police procedure and his young son and somewhat stereotypically shrewish (yet beautiful) wife have all his love, they didn't manage to capture all of mine -- even though I love police procedurals and 'complicated' women.
Neither did his foreign attachment, a brash, loud Scandinavian man from other police forces ostensibly learning India's ways and ultimately playing an integral part in the story.
The story itself revolves around a wealthy Indian entrepreneur and his secretary. How Ghote deals with them, and they with him, is the crux of the plot. It is well presented as are all elements of the book, but the elements don't seem to fuse well. There I was in India, walking the streets, talking the talk, but not living the life. How can I make it clearer? I still read everything from English detective fiction to American fantasy, to Booker prize winners to nineteenth century novels of manners -- or not -- all with great joy. Inspector Ghote doesn't fit me, I'm afraid.
Who does? Let me just throw out Connie Willis and Jane Austen. Worlds apart, but oh, those worlds.
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