Reviews

Smoke and Ashes by Abir Mukherjee

fricka's review

4.0

Audio book

naomisbookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

momobookdiary's review against another edition

adventurous informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“Smoke and Ashes” is the third book in Mukherjee’s “Wyndham & Banerjee” historical crime fiction series, and it’s every bit as captivating as the earlier books. The author’s intimate knowledge of the city and its complex history is evident throughout, making the narrative both dynamic and authentic.

Mukherjee skillfully blends historical accuracy with a fast-paced, engaging plot that keeps the reader hooked from start to finish. The story offers a balanced portrayal of India under British rule, impartially highlighting both the strengths and flaws of the era. What makes this installment particularly intriguing is its foundation in real historical events. This fusion of truth and fiction is both unsettling and fascinating, adding depth to the mystery and ensuring the reader’s interest never wanes.

As someone who typically isn’t drawn to history, I’ve been captivated by learning about Anglo-Indian history through this series. It has sparked a new interest in me, and I’ve already begun exploring additional reading on the subject.

zoer03's review against another edition

3.0

Not sure about this one.... a bit too gung ho and a bit over dramatic. It did get a tad wearying when two different police forces don’t get on it just felt too much.

sarec's review

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

marmot28's review

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

sandrinepal's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 Oh, Sam Wyndham series, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I read this one out of the series order, and it did not detract *AT ALL* from my enjoyment. The tiny caveat would be that there is a marked evolution in the character of Surendranath between this book and book 4, but it's been in the works since the beginning, really, plus historical hindsight being 20/20, it was hard not to see it coming. Only very mildly amused by the Annie Grant plot, at this point, but she does not feature prominently in this book, so that was not a huge deal. On the plus side, Congress Party leaders, opium addiction, British intelligence shenanigans, biological weapons, what's not to love? (Note: one of these things is not like the others.) Bottom line: can't wait for my library to hurry up and get a new copy of The Shadows of Men already! 

aindrila's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A

3.0

will_foster's review

adventurous dark emotional funny informative mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

An excellent addition to the Wyndham series. Not quite as great as A Rising Man but still has those great evocations of Calcutta that I really enjoy. The mystery was great and weaved nicely with all the fascinating historical events happening simultaneously. 

The only aspect I didn't like was how quickly the ending came about, at least for me. It's well plotted and ensures you're a great one step behind the main characters but I would have enjoyed more time with the main antagonist since we learn a lot about him but not as much time as I would have liked. Still, that doesn't take away from the fact I'm looking forward to the next in series, promising an exploration of new location in India, something the author does masterfully. 

_saptarshi_08's review

adventurous dark informative inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5