Fri 29 Mar 2013
A Review by Gloria Maxwell: H. R. F. KEATING – The Perfect Murder.
Posted by Steve under Reviews[7] Comments
H. R. F. KEATING – The Perfect Murder. Collins, UK, hardcover, 1964. Dutton, US, hardcover, 1965. Film: Merchant Ivory Productions, 1988 (Naseeruddin Shah as Inspector Ghote; Keating makes a cameo appearance about eight minutes into the movie). Softcover reprint: Academy Chicago, US, 1983.
This is the first in H. R. F. Keating’s series featuring Inspector Ghote of the Bombay Police Force. The Perfect Murder received the Mystery Writers of America’s Special Edgar Award and the Crime Writer’s Association’s Golden Dagger.
How interesting that The Perfect Murder refers to an attack on Mr. Perfect. But, will he survive, or succumb to his injuries? Inspector Ghote not only must try to solve this crime with little help from Lala Verde (Perfect’s employer — who talks annoyingly in rhymes) but must also try to solve a theft.
The mysterious disappearance of one rupee from the desk of a Very Important Person, the Minister of Police Affairs and the Arts, is equally crucial where Ghote’s boss is concerned. Struggling amidst bureaucratic red tape and incompetence, and a wife who is less than understanding about his working overtime, Ghote nevertheless forges ahead with both investigations.
A definitely different and amusing murder mystery.
March 29th, 2013 at 10:01 am
I gave Keating’s Inspector Ghote just one shot, and stopped mid-book. It wasn’t for me .
The Doc
March 29th, 2013 at 10:21 am
The only one in the series that I’ve read isn’t really in the series, I think you’d have to say. Ghote’s father appears in The Murder of the Maharajah (1980), which I enjoyed very much, even though I no longer remember very much of the story line. As I recall, though, it was very much an homage to the Golden Age of Detection. I probably should try one in Ghote himself appears, but with the large supply of books on hand that I’ve also not read, the chances are getting slimmer by the day.
March 29th, 2013 at 4:44 pm
Keating is one of those rare mystery writer who was better when he wasn’t writing mysteries, but telling the story of the underdog.
The underdog in his case is the downtrodden inspector Ghote, whose best cases is when he has to outwit a powerful or clever opponent.
My favorites are Inspector Ghote Goes by Train, in which Ghote has to escort an infamous conman during a train journey (often criticized as a book in which nothing happens, but that’s just because it lacks a proper crime) and Inspector Ghote Draws a Line that pits the Ghote against an ex-judge that he has to protect.
These are much more satisfying books than most of his whodunits, like Inspector Ghote’s Good Crucade and Filmi, Filmi, Inspector Ghote, except for The Body in the Billiard Room – which was a well done pastiche of the GAD novel.
On a side note: The Murder of the Maharajah is nearing the top of Mt. To-be-Read.
March 29th, 2013 at 5:25 pm
Thanks, TomCat. The odds of my reading one of the Ghote books has gone back up again!
March 30th, 2013 at 8:47 am
The only one I’ve read – too long ago to remember it – was Inspector Ghote Breaks an Egg. I have read a couple of his short story collections, however, one published by Crippen & Landru.
March 30th, 2013 at 10:39 am
Steve,
If there’s one book from the series that you should have read, it should be Inspector Ghote Draws a Line. I have not read every book in the series, but this one towers above every other Keating novel I’ve read.
I have an horendously overwritten review of the book, from my early blogging days, up on the blog.
March 30th, 2013 at 2:48 pm
A fine review, TomCat. Thanks for the link!