Reviews

Death in the East by Abir Mukherjee

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nicjohnston's review against another edition

4.0

Hugely enjoyed this 4th outing for Wyndham and Banerjee. A step away from the previous novels; split over time and location and (perhaps disappointingly) less interplay between the two police protagonists. Abir Mukherjee has certainly delivered, as each book in the series is better than the one before. Would thoroughly recommend but suggest reading them in order.

ammbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

I enjoyed learning about Sam's early day's as a Constable in London. Happy that he is at the Ashram detoxing....hopefully he will gain a firm upperhand over his addiction. I enjoyed the twist in the case.

prestonj662's review against another edition

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5.0

This is definitely the best of the Sam Wyndham series so far. I was at first apprehensive about the dual timeline and how ambitious this was to tackle but that feeling soon abated when the timelines coalesced ultimately in an Agatha Christie style locked room mystery (though there are in fact two of these in the story). So, yes, ambitious but Abir Mukherjee really pulls it off.

Moving between 1922 and back to 1905 we are treated to Sam Wyndham’s battle with opium addiction and it’s supported withdrawal at an ashram retreat miles from his Calcutta day job. We gain understanding of the ‘othering’ in turn of the twenty century British society. Particular targets highlighted are those of the Jewish faith often fleeing intolerance in their own countries to face public suspicion in our own.

Not forgetting that this is ultimately a crime novel we see Sam battle his superiors in 1905 as a mere constable in order to achieve justice for a woman he still has feelings for who is violently attacked and left for dead in the first of the two locked room
scenarios.

I would highly recommend the series and this fourth outing particularly.

juliebcooper's review against another edition

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4.0

I really do love this series - from the real, political and cultural issues of the time to the setting to the evolving friendship between Surendranath and Sam. This was quite different from the previous books in the series but no less entertaining.

sandra_buckwell's review against another edition

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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? No

4.0

liberrydude's review

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3.0

For 2/3 of the book we have a dual track narrative of two alternating time lines, past and present. It’s quite annoying because the period for each is too short. Jerking back and forth was like whiplash.

The present has Sam Wyndham confronting his demon, opium, at a rural ashram in Assam in 1922. Rehab on the down low. On the way to the ashram he sees a man from his past.

The past set in 1905 has Wyndham as a young police officer in the East End of London. He makes some poor decisions in a murder case involving powerfully connected criminals that leads ultimately to the conviction of an innocent man. Yet another demon on Wyndham’s back.

So the two tracks unite into one in the final 1/3 of the book. Also Sam’s able assistant, Sergeant Bannerjee, joins him in Jatinga- site of the ashram and where birds commit suicide. A nice righteous resolution in Dirty Harry fashion.