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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Historical detective fiction. I thought I'd give it a try. Good enough for me to read another in the series. It's set in Calcutta, India in 1919. The main character, Captain Sam Wyndham, has just arrived so is not yet acclimatized to the weather or the culture. As he works to solve the murder of a British government official, he makes some critical observations of the British Raj and the treatment of the native population. With Queen Elizabeth's recent death, we are seeing negative commentary from people from colonized countries. This book is what pops into my mind. Historical detective fiction can teach as well as entertain.
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
An interesting mystery. Also a fascinating look at India while under British rule in the early 20th century. Good characters as well, I am looking forward to the other books in this series.
Note: This portrayal of the time in India's history may be uncomfortable for some to read.
An unexpected side note: it's -5f degrees where I am reading this. In the story it is uncomfortably hot and humid. My brain is hanging out somewhere in between. Mentally retreating to a warm climate is a bonus!
Note: This portrayal of the time in India's history may be uncomfortable for some to read.
An unexpected side note: it's -5f degrees where I am reading this. In the story it is uncomfortably hot and humid. My brain is hanging out somewhere in between. Mentally retreating to a warm climate is a bonus!
This was recommended to me by a friend and I’m so glad she introduced me to Mukherjee’s Calcutta-set historical crime fiction series. I loved the writing, it seems well-researched (taking me down several internet rabbit holes multiple times when I was curious about a real life character or event incorporated into the story), and the characters were well-developed. I’m particularly fond of “Surrender-not”. I always appreciate when an author is able to convey sights, sounds and other sensations to the point where, for example, you can practically feel the humidity. British Raj-era Calcutta is its own complicated character and I look forward to reading more of the books in this series.
Sam Wyndham is a man without much left. He needs a fresh start in India. He’s a detective, wounded veteran with PTSD from three years in the trenches, widower ( wife died from influenza pandemic while he was in coma), and opium addict.
He arrives in Calcutta in 1919 and immediately gets handed a big murder case. A nicely crafted plot has him negotiating the cultural transition as well as being the new guy or outsider brought in for some fresh perspective. A lot of action and there’s the simmering class and racial tension among the team working the murders.
A very nice debut. It reminds me of Flashman but without the flippancy and satire. It’s serious. Wyndham is another troubled hero but not a cad. He’s a go to guy who treats suspects and witnesses of both races with respect and dignity. Looking forward to his next adventure.
He arrives in Calcutta in 1919 and immediately gets handed a big murder case. A nicely crafted plot has him negotiating the cultural transition as well as being the new guy or outsider brought in for some fresh perspective. A lot of action and there’s the simmering class and racial tension among the team working the murders.
A very nice debut. It reminds me of Flashman but without the flippancy and satire. It’s serious. Wyndham is another troubled hero but not a cad. He’s a go to guy who treats suspects and witnesses of both races with respect and dignity. Looking forward to his next adventure.
"That's Calcuttatown" may as well be the theme of this historical mystery set in Raj Calcutta circa 1919. Corruption from the gutters to the very top of society. I'm probably being too hard on it, but I've read other mysteries set in pre-independent India (the Perveen Mistry series, Murder in Old Bombay) and this one isn't at the top of my list. Apparently there was a reason it took me 10 months to finish. If you like cookie-cutter tragic male detectives (who are somehow wildly inconsistent with their knowledge about India, and also, really, a terrible detective, and also, their supposed opium addiction disappears after being mentioned once) without a lot of descriptive flourish in the writing, this book is for you. I generally like my mysteries with a little more flair and the main character is a little hollow for me. Sergeant Banerjee, however, the Cambridge-educated sidekick, now he's a character I could stand to read more of.
Historical detective fiction. I thought I'd give it a try. Good enough for me to read another in the series. It's set in Calcutta, India in 1919. The main character, Captain Sam Wyndham, has just arrived so is not yet acclimatized to the weather or the culture. As he works to solve the murder of a British government official, he makes some critical observations of the British Raj and the treatment of the native population. With Queen Elizabeth's recent death, we are seeing negative commentary from people from colonized countries. This book is what pops into my mind. Historical detective fiction can teach as well as entertain.