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roshk99's review against another edition
4.0
Mukherjee seems to be getting better as this series goes on and this book is no exception. Flipping between Suren and Sam every chapter, this book tackles Hindu/Muslim tensions and involves an impromptu travel out of Calcutta. Lots of twists and turns, a great read.
saraheholtom's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
usbsticky's review against another edition
4.0
Spoilers ahead. I have enjoyed all the books in this series.
The setting is early last century during the waning days of the Raj, between the great wars. Wyndham is a detective Captain and Banerjee is his native/local sergeant. The writing is very natural and easy to read. I got into the story right away despite reading the last book a year ago.
The POV alternates between the two. I like the book because the author does a good job of making the 2 protagonists feel real as well as the supporting characters.
The plot centers around the Indians wanting/agitating for independence from the British, yet the Muslims and Hindus dislike each other as much as the British and seemingly just waiting for the British to leave before going for each other's throats.
A notable Hindu academic is murdered in a Muslim area. Sergeant Banerjee is found unconscious nearby and arrested for his murder. He swears that the Police Commissioner Taggart gave him a secret mission to follow the academic. But Taggart is gravely wounded in a bomb attack and cannot vouch for him. As the authorities prepare to charge him with murder, Banerjee escapes to Mumbai together with Wyndham to follow a suspect. The only way for Banerjee to avoid arrest and the gallows is to catch the real murderer.
As far as I can recall, this latest book focuses quite a bit in Indian independence whereas the other books more on crime. To be honest I'd rather the author write more about crime and the two main characters rather than on history.
The setting is early last century during the waning days of the Raj, between the great wars. Wyndham is a detective Captain and Banerjee is his native/local sergeant. The writing is very natural and easy to read. I got into the story right away despite reading the last book a year ago.
The POV alternates between the two. I like the book because the author does a good job of making the 2 protagonists feel real as well as the supporting characters.
The plot centers around the Indians wanting/agitating for independence from the British, yet the Muslims and Hindus dislike each other as much as the British and seemingly just waiting for the British to leave before going for each other's throats.
A notable Hindu academic is murdered in a Muslim area. Sergeant Banerjee is found unconscious nearby and arrested for his murder. He swears that the Police Commissioner Taggart gave him a secret mission to follow the academic. But Taggart is gravely wounded in a bomb attack and cannot vouch for him. As the authorities prepare to charge him with murder, Banerjee escapes to Mumbai together with Wyndham to follow a suspect. The only way for Banerjee to avoid arrest and the gallows is to catch the real murderer.
As far as I can recall, this latest book focuses quite a bit in Indian independence whereas the other books more on crime. To be honest I'd rather the author write more about crime and the two main characters rather than on history.
debrup_bhattacharya's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
booktwitcher23's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
I discovered this series last year and fell in love with it as it's brilliant, a crash course what was India in the 20s, how people lived, and the political tension of that age.
The mix of historical facts and characters with the fictional parts always works creating one of the best historical mystery series.
Sam and Suren are two great characters, I like how they interact, how Sam came to accept Suren as a peer and how Suren grew as a character.
The mystery is complex, there's plenty of twists and we visit different places and type of people. The solution surprised me and I found it satisfying.
The author is a talented storyteller and this gripping and riveting book kept me on the edge till the end.
Even if it can be read as a standalone it's better to read the rest of the series to better understand the character's evolution.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
The mix of historical facts and characters with the fictional parts always works creating one of the best historical mystery series.
Sam and Suren are two great characters, I like how they interact, how Sam came to accept Suren as a peer and how Suren grew as a character.
The mystery is complex, there's plenty of twists and we visit different places and type of people. The solution surprised me and I found it satisfying.
The author is a talented storyteller and this gripping and riveting book kept me on the edge till the end.
Even if it can be read as a standalone it's better to read the rest of the series to better understand the character's evolution.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
wendoxford's review against another edition
4.0
Another chapter for this fabulous Anglo-Indian pairing. Another narrative style used. This book alternates between the viewpoints of Wyndham and Banerjee in a parallel time frame. Whilst I can understand this for access to different parts of the plotting, the transitions move so quickly that it took a while for me to settle in.
The story is now overwhelmingly political and I felt completely immersed in the realities of Empire and the layers of societal injustice. There are bad eggs in every camp and it falls to our double act to crack open and evidence the truths after a murder acts as a catalyst for Hindu/Muslim rioting and Banerjee is framed.
I am loving this series which exposes so much about the shame of our imperial legacy through characters who positively leap from the page.
The story is now overwhelmingly political and I felt completely immersed in the realities of Empire and the layers of societal injustice. There are bad eggs in every camp and it falls to our double act to crack open and evidence the truths after a murder acts as a catalyst for Hindu/Muslim rioting and Banerjee is framed.
I am loving this series which exposes so much about the shame of our imperial legacy through characters who positively leap from the page.
janettedv's review against another edition
5.0
This is the fifth book in the series featuring Captain Wyndham and Sergeant Banerjee in colonial India in the late 1920’s and I think it’s the best one yet. Tensions are rising as India begins to move towards independence. Sam and Suren are in Calcutta when Suren is given a top secret task to perform. As a result of this, he becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. To prove his innocence, he and Sam have to ask their old friend Annie Grant for help. The case is complicated and directly linked to the political turmoil in the country and for a long while neither they or the reader can see where things are leading.
The book is full of historical detail which is essential to the plot and never feels like a history lesson but makes the story seem very real. There are plenty of twists and turns in the plot and Suren becomes a master of disguise as he tries to keep one step ahead of those seeking him as well as trying to prove his innocence. I love the way that the chapters alternate between the viewpoints of Sam and Suren. This gives us a much stronger insight into Suren’s feelings than in previous books in the series and is a definite improvement. I loved the ending which I felt was a great resolution to this story.
This was a brilliant book and I am grateful to Net Galley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book is full of historical detail which is essential to the plot and never feels like a history lesson but makes the story seem very real. There are plenty of twists and turns in the plot and Suren becomes a master of disguise as he tries to keep one step ahead of those seeking him as well as trying to prove his innocence. I love the way that the chapters alternate between the viewpoints of Sam and Suren. This gives us a much stronger insight into Suren’s feelings than in previous books in the series and is a definite improvement. I loved the ending which I felt was a great resolution to this story.
This was a brilliant book and I am grateful to Net Galley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.