A Necessary Evil

Starred review from January 22, 2018
Set in 1920, Mukherjee’s impressive sequel to 2017’s A Rising Man finds Capt. Sam Wyndham, a former Scotland Yard officer, and his astute sidekick, Sgt. “Surrender-Not” Banerjee of the Bengal Police, transporting Crown Prince Adhir Singh Sai, of the small kingdom of Sambalpore, back to the prince’s Calcutta hotel after a conference. The royal, who attended boarding school with Surrender-Not, wants his advice about notes that were left for him in his rooms. But before he can discuss their contents, a religious procession forces their car to take a detour, placing them in the path of an assassin who fatally shoots the prince. Sam and Surrender-Not’s failure to apprehend the killer only makes things worse, and, though they eventually track the man down, he takes his own life, leaving the investigators still in the dark about his motives. The road to the truth takes them to Sambalpore, a hive of intrigue and suspects. This successful evocation of the Raj in the service of a brilliant whodunit demonstrates that Mukherjee’s debut was no fluke. Agent: Sam Copeland, Rogers, Coleridge & White (U.K.).

February 1, 2018

Because Sgt."Surrender-Not" Banerjee went to Harrow with the Crown Prince of Sambalpur, he and Capt. Sam Wyndham are asked to meet with him after a brief ceremony in 1920s Calcutta. But the prince is assassinated, with the two police officers as witnesses. Although they track down the killer, who was dressed as a Hindu priest, the man commits suicide. The case may be officially closed, but Sam is not satisfied. He wants justice for the fallen prince. Under the pretense of attending the royal funeral, the duo travel to the diamond-rich state of Sambalpore to confront powerful political forces. This atmospheric sequel to A Rising Man establishes a strong sense of place by showcasing in rich detail the life of a wealthy maharaja with his wives, concubines, and hundreds of children. Mukherjee further develops his brooding, introspective, and flawed lead protagonist, who relies on his partner's in-depth knowledge of Indian culture and traditions. VERDICT Fans of the author's acclaimed debut, Sujata Massey's The Widows of Malabar Hill, and mysteries dependent on international locations and history will appreciate this crime novel.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN

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