In the days of the Raj, a newly arrived Scotland Yard detective is confronted with the murder of a British official–in his mouth a note warning the British to leave India, or else . . . Calcutta, 1919. Captain Sam Wyndham, former Scotland Yard detective, is a new arrival to Calcutta. Desperately seeking a fresh start after his experiences during the Great War, Wyndham has been recruited to head … recruited to head up a new post in the police force. He is immediately overwhelmed by the heady vibrancy of the tropical city, but with barely a moment to acclimatize or to deal with the ghosts that still haunt him, Wyndham is caught up in a murder investigation that threatens to destabilize a city already teetering on the brink of political insurgency.
The body of a senior official has been found in a filthy sewer, and a note left in his mouth warns the British to quit India, or else. Under tremendous pressure to solve the case before it erupts into increased violence on the streets, Wyndham and his two new colleagues–arrogant Inspector Digby and Sergeant Banerjee, one of the few Indians to be recruited into the new CID–embark on an investigation that will take them from the opulent mansions of wealthy British traders to the seedy opium dens of the city.
Masterfully evincing the sights, sounds, and smells of colonial Calcutta, A Rising Man is the start of an enticing new historical crime series.
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Historical fiction set in 1919 Calcutta with a former Scotland Yard officer in a new and uncomfortable position. I enjoyed the characters and the story, and am on my way to book two in the series.
Captain Sam Wyndham survived the Great War only to come home to London and find his wife recently dead from influenza. Greif-stricken, his world shattered he moves to India, to join the police force in Calcutta and try to start his life once again. Only he’s thrown in the deep end of a perplexing murder case made even more complicated by not knowing the local scene or understanding who is trustworthy and who most certainly is not.
I found this to be a thoroughly amazing book that I picked up on a whim and which I eagerly devoured. Before I reached the half-way point I had already ordered the second book in the series and I fully expect to order the next two after this as well. The author manages to infuse every page with what I found to be a realistic representation of Calcutta in the years following on from the Great War. Set in 1919 I loved the historical time period – one which didn’t shy away from the culture, language or society of the times. While never used in a titillating manner, arrogant British ex-pats called the native locals “wog” or “coolie” and people were treated both by perceived class and race. Considering the time and historical data I found the book to be accurate but with a decent flair for the fictional story as well. I thought the author did an amazing job with this – realistic enough for me to find it thoroughly believable but not rubbing the reader’s face in the less-than-romantic aspects of how humans treated each other a hundred years ago.
Readers looking for a vibrant historical mystery they can really sink into should find this suits their needs admirably. Indeed the mystery plot itself – which I found both interesting and complex – was not so dense or difficult that it over-took the historical setting, nor the fact this story was fully told in the Raj’s Calcutta. I loved the world-building and air the author gave this story. Despite my modern surroundings I frequently fell into the story and could hear the sounds and smell the scents described – I found the whole book thoroughly addictive and am eager for the next installment.
I found the main characters all well layered and interesting. While a number of the central characters felt somewhat cookie-cutter in their stereotypes this didn’t detract from my enjoyment mainly because I feel this adds to some of the genuineness of the time and place the story is held. I also really appreciated how Captain Wyndham – while more enlightened and open-minded than many of his contemporaries – was not some perfect hero on a pedestal. He had emotional and mental wounds from the First World War, not to mention a slight addiction to opiates left over from his recovery from both the War and the devastating death of his wife. Additionally, I found it quite refreshing that Captain Wyndham – fresh off the boat from London – didn’t have a network of spies or helpers when it came to his work as a policeman. Indeed I was impressed the author had Wyndham floundering somewhat for much of the story trying to piece together the political and policing landscape of the new country and culture he found himself in. This is not some mythical grand detective, but a man with flaws as well as a great character and open mind.
This is an interesting and slow-burn mystery novel set in Calcutta in 1919 and I adored every moment. I will be re-reading it again while I wait for the second book in the series to arrive and plan to promptly order the rest of the series. Readers looking for a strongly atmospheric, historical, straight mystery story should not be disappointed in this book. I highly recommend it to all readers.
What a surprise! I really enjoyed this book. Looking forward to reading the next in the series. British Raj India. History and politics are in the mix. Mystery right up to the end. I did feel a few times in the middle and toward the end the characters became a little too political for me, but the history of the British in India was very pertinent to today’s race problems in America. 1920’s India vs 2020 USA. Amazing they are nearly the same, a century and a country later. Good debut book!
Distracting editing errors. A little one dimensional. Missed the mystery of India and the east. Certainly not worth what I paid for it. It doesn’t help that I was in support of the Indians and tired of British colonialism.
I’ve just finished the second in this series – I hope there will be lots more of the same quality. Sharply observed characters in a very well-drawn setting, Calcutta in the 1920s. We have flawed but engaging detectives, uneasy political machinations, and an exciting plot satisfactorily concluded – an excellent read.
I really enjoyed this book. I love British murder mysteries, and while the main character is British, the author adds a twist by placing the story in India. This would make a wonderful Masterpiece Theater on PBS.
I really love this series by Abir Mukherjee, set in India right after World War I. Terrific characters, including an opium-addicted ex-Scotland Yard detective and his Indian sergeant.
Captain Sam Wyndham no longer works for Scotland Yard. His former commander in what is now known as World War I has offered him a position with the police in Calcutta.
First-time author Abir Mukherjee takes us to a land halfway around the world, at a time 100 years ago. Colonial powers still control a majority of the countries of the world, while local citizens have limited to no power. Some locals dislike that system enough to want to do something to change it – by talk, or by force. Case in point – a senior consulate official has been found murdered, with a note warning about the status of England’s colony stuffed into his mouth.
Mr. Mukherjee shows a talent for painting a scene with his words, so that the reader will feel like they are IN the environment rather than simply reading about it. The same is true for his characters – we are not dealing with people who are entirely saintly nor unredeemably wicked. The “good guys” have their faults, while the antagonists show some redeeming social qualities.
I’ve caught onto this series late enough that the second book in the series has already been released, as has a standalone novel by the author; I plan to acquire and read them sooner rather than later.
RATING: Four and 1/2 Stars, rounded up to Five Stars where 1/2 stars are not permitted.
Mukerjee has crafted a Kiplingesque mystery with an intriguing plot with lots of twists, sympathetic characters and convincing intrigue; not bad for a debut novel.
Quite how this can be Abir Mukherjee’s first novel is difficult to understand, because it swarms off the page into your mind with the insistence of years of practice by a master of their art. India after the First World War is brought into full visceral life, the bodies, the smells and sights, the corruption and the moments of deep humanity all contribute to a backdrop that is real, while the plot unfolds with great skill. Sam Wyndham is a fully developed, complex character, but I have to admit my favourite is Surrender-not Banerjee, who is likely a too-clever sidekick for a man recovering from the horrors of the War and loss of his wife.
This book has everything I look for in a Mystery novel. Already downloaded the second in the series and plan to do the same for the third.