A review by janettedv
The Shadows of Men by Abir Mukherjee

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.