Inspector Ghote Books In Order

Publication Order of Inspector Ghote Books

Inspector Ghote series by HRF Keating
Author HRF Keating pens the “Inspector Ghote” series of mystery novels. The first novel was published in the year 1964 and was called “The Perfect Murder”.

Keating actually wrote the first novel, without ever having been to India. It was not until ten years after he began writing about the country of India that he actually visited.

Inspector Ghote (which is pronounced “Go-tay”) is an inspector who works with the Bombay Police Department.

He is married to Protima, who is an argumentative, beautiful, spirited, and loving woman. Together, they have a son named Ved, who is invariably called “little Ved” in the earlier books. His dad makes an appearance in “The Murder of the Maharajah”.

Ghote finds he must spend almost as much of his time battling with the Indian criminal justice system bureaucracy as he does actually fighting criminals. He also does not get much respect from the often powerful and rich people he has to investigate in his work. In the end, however, he usually wins due to pure doggedness. Because of these characteristics, he gets compared to the American detective Lt. Columbo.

Originally, Keating’s plan was to wrap the series up in “Breaking and Entering”, which was released in the year 2000 and is the twenty-forth book. In the novel, he gets reunited with Axel Svensson while he investigates a series of cat burglaries that was occupying his other colleagues. However, Ghote made two more appearances, with the series finally wrapping up in “A Small Case For Inspector Ghote?”, which is the twenty-sixth and final book in the series. The book was released in the year 2008.

In the year 1989, “Inspector Ghote, His Life and Crimes” was released and is a collection of short stories starring the detective.

“The Perfect Murder” and “The Murder of Maharajah” both won a CWA Gold Dagger Award.

“The Perfect Murder” was also adapted into a movie by Merchant Ivory in the year 1988. The series has been adapted in a BBC adaptation called “Inspector Ghote Hunts the Peacock”, and this same novel was adapted into a radio drama by the BBC.

“The Perfect Murder” is the first novel in the “Inspector Ghote” series, which was released in the year 1964. As luck would have it Inspector Ghote lands the case of the Perfect Murder right at the beginning of his career at the Bombay Police. For this highly baffling of crimes there is Lala Varde, a clever and important tycoon, he has to contend with.

If this were not enough to handle, Ghote has to investigate the puzzling theft of a rupee from another Very Important Person’s desk, this time it’s the Minister of Police Affairs and the Arts. He sighs, wishing people would behave in a logical, simple, and reasonable way. All while he struggles through all the quagmires of corruption and incompetence to solve all of these curious crimes.

“Inspector Ghote’s Good Crusade” is the second novel in the “Inspector Ghote” series, which was released in the year 1966. This was not any ordinary murder, as the victim was a millionaire and philanthropist named Frank Masters. The case was sure to gather a lot of public attention. Inspector Ghote finds his demands for evidence are met with absolutely nothing but evasions and lies.

“Inspector Ghote Caught in Meshes” is the third novel in the “Inspector Ghote” series, which was released in the year 1967. An American tourist to India, meets death while on the road from Bombay to Poona.

“Inspector Ghote Hunts the Peacock” is the fourth novel in the “Inspector Ghote” series, which was released in the year 1968. The Indian police inspector gets sent to an international conference on drug smuggling. In drizzling and frigid London, he is faced with his first case outside of India.

It proves to be a very strange case. Ranee, the girl, is a niece of Ghote’s relatives who live in London, has disappeared. The family alleges she has been seduced, abducted, and then murdered by Johnny Bull, the notorious pop singer. Ghote gets hounded by the relative to spend what little leisure hours he has away from the conference attempting to locate Ranee, who is known for her brilliance as The Peacock.

“Inspector Ghote Plays a Joker” is the fifth novel in the “Inspector Ghote” series, which was released in the year 1968. Ghote goes on one of his oddest cases to date when he is called to prevent a killing, the murder of a precious flamingo in the Bombay zoo. Then there is the racehorse that is being fancied to win the local Derby, which is later replaced by a donkey.

Ghote sees things going horribly wrong while piece by piece he discovers the traces of one monster of a practical joker. Then the fun ends, and Ghote has a much more serious murder on his hands.

“Inspector Ghote Breaks an Egg” is the sixth novel in the “Inspector Ghote” series, which was released in the year 1970. Ghote investigates a murder in a provincial, tiny town. His orders are to investigate a death that occurred fifteen years ago, but he is not simply there to catch a murderer. Ghote has been instructed to pin the crime right on the town boss, a figure who has almost despotic amounts of power.

Nor is that even all. The town holy man has gone on a fast-to-death against any and all investigations. While this Swami sinks closer to his inevitable end, Ghote, who sees obstructions of all kinds, tries to quickly find his answer.

“Inspector Ghote Goes By Train” is the seventh novel in the “Inspector Ghote” series, which was released in the year 1971. Ghote is sent off to Calcutta in order escort a master criminal on back to Bombay. He goes by train, with the hope that he can make the trip a small vacation. Fate conspires against him, though, and a strange assortment of travelers transform the trip into something that is unexpected. All while the anxious Ghote diligently finds out the truth.

One Response to “Inspector Ghote”

1. Jim Corley: 3 years ago

   In which Inspector Ghote novel did the character “Henry Reymond” appear?

   Reply