Smoke and Ashes

Abir Mukherjee’s third mystery featuring Captain Sam Wyndham, an ex-Scotland Yard detective policeman in 1920s colonial Calcutta, sees him caught in the crossfire of the campaign for Indian independence from the British. Wyndham’s addiction reaches a critical stage, but it is a visit to an opium den that sets him on his next crime case, as he struggles through his cravings. He and his bright sidekick, Sergeant Surrender-Not Bannerjee are soon investigating murders, while the brutal military intelligence Section H has his cards marked. Before long Wyndham discovers a sinister link between the murders at the heart of the British rule. Mukherjee tells the compelling story of this neglected and fascinating period of Anglo-Indian history in a cracking rollercoaster style with wit and credibility. Read the full review here.