The Body in the Billiard Room
1987
First Published
3.56
Average Rating
256
Number of Pages
Part of Series
This brief, entertaining novel, the 17th featuring Bombay’s Inspector Ghote, finds the dauntless detective summoned to the hill station of Ootacamund (”Ooty”) in South India, where he must locate a ”diabolically ingenious murderer.” A former ambassador, Surinder Mehta, calls upon Ghote to probe the death of Pichu, billiards marker at the genteel Ooty Club, gathering place for well-to-do Indians and English. Pichu had been found sprawled in the middle of the billiard table, stabbed in the heart; the murder weapon is missing, as are many of the club’s silver trophies. Aspiring ”Great Detective” Ghote puzzles over this troublesome case with Mehta, an aging crime novel buff who doggedly defends his theory that Pichu’s slaying occurred because he was blackmailing some frequenter of the club. As Ghote stalks a motley group of suspects, he despairs of solving the homicide until the culprit’s identity comes to him in a most unlikely fashion. Admirers of Keating’s light, diverting mysteries will not be disappointed. – Publisher’s Weekly
Avg Rating
3.56
Number of Ratings
73
5 STARS
19%
4 STARS
33%
3 STARS
33%
2 STARS
15%
1 STARS
0%
goodreads
Author
H.R.F. Keating
Author · 48 books
Henry 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
