A review by jkdehaven
Smoke and Ashes by Abir Mukherjee

4.0

Smoke and Ashes is the third book about Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant Bannerjee. I greatly enjoyed the first two books, and I looked forward to reading the third book. I was not disappointed. This series of mysteries is unique because of its placement in Calcutta during the later days of the British Raj in India. While the mysteries are in and of themselves excellent and well-written, I also appreciate that it is grappling with the issues of British imperialism in India. This third book in the series goes even deeper, as the characters interact with significant leaders in the India non-violence movement such as Das, who was a real figure who worked with Gandhi during this time period to end British rule. It could be incorporated into world history classes on the British Raj through book clubs. I would also recommend that students who enjoy mysteries and historical fiction to read this book.