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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Sam Wyndham number three. The narratives and plots are getting better as the series goes on. At times it felt like a Raymond Chandler story - the wit, the commentary about the other actors in the tale set within Wyndham’s thoughts. I learn a lot about Indian history brought through this series - set in 1921 context - with Gandhi’s call for strikes and the exodus of some of the British and its associated growing anti-English sentiment amongst the indigenous population. The burgeoning independence movement still has several more decades to achieve its aims. In the meantime criminals need to be brought to justice regardless of the ethnic origin of their victims. The complementary pairing of English educated Surender-not Bengali national - the Sergeant and Captain Sam Wyndham jaded from WW1 - white Scotsman is a formidable offering and Smoke and Ashes sees the twosome becoming more and more respectful of each other and their respective talents in the Imperial Police Force.
Highly recommended as is the Red Hot Chilli Peppers podcast of which Abir Mukharjee the author is the co-host.
Highly recommended as is the Red Hot Chilli Peppers podcast of which Abir Mukharjee the author is the co-host.
The adventures of Sam Wyndham and Surrender-Not continue in this third installment of the series by Abir Mukherjee. I haven’t read the other two but I had no trouble jumping right into the adventure in 1920s Calcutta.
Set in the uneasy era between Queen Victoria’s stabling reign and the uprising of anti-colonial leaders, Sam Wyndham has the unenviable job of keeping the peace among rising tensions. His partner, Surrender-Not Banerjee is a native and must walk the thin line of being an Indian and working for the colonizers.
Read my full review at: https://mwgerard.com/smoke-and-ashes-by-abir-mukherjee/
Set in the uneasy era between Queen Victoria’s stabling reign and the uprising of anti-colonial leaders, Sam Wyndham has the unenviable job of keeping the peace among rising tensions. His partner, Surrender-Not Banerjee is a native and must walk the thin line of being an Indian and working for the colonizers.
Read my full review at: https://mwgerard.com/smoke-and-ashes-by-abir-mukherjee/
Wyndham’s opium habit almost ends his career as he narrowly escapes a raid, a raid that was a surprise to him because the police were not behind it. Naturally it’s military intelligence, the secretive rivals who do whatever is necessary, who were behind the raid. While fleeing the raid he comes across a murder victim with his eyes gouged out. Days later there are no reports of the victim and he is assigned to a homicide out of the city near a military installation. The victim is a French-Indian woman from Goa who worked at the base hospital as a nurse. Her eyes are also gouged out. While this is playing out there is much civil unrest and disobedience occurring. To complicate matters HRH the Prince of Wales is arriving for a visit. Mukherjee links the two plot lines brilliantly and keeps the reader in a state of suspense until the last page.
challenging
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:
Yes
Maybe this book deserves a 4 star? I’m not even sure. I started it what might have been 6 months ago, but I didn’t get to finish it, and kept stopping and starting. Not sure if it was the book or me.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
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:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix