My Review (4 stars out of 5)
In 1920s India, Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant Banerjee of Calcutta Police embark on a murder investigation after witnessing the assassination of a maharaja’s son. Journeying to the kingdom of Sambalpore, they find that, aside from its diamond mines and beautiful palaces, the region is torn by conflict. The new heir to the throne isn’t popular and seems more interested in shooting tigers than mourning his murdered brother.
This is the second book in Abir Mukherjee’s Wyndham and Banerjee series. This time around, the heroes are thrown into a politically dangerous arena as they dig into the affairs of an assassinated prince, not knowing who they can trust or who to believe. The writing is rich with historical and cultural detail that really brings the story alive and gives it an extra layer of interest for those keen on this period in history. Having said that, the author’s tendency to pepper the text with the words ‘asked’ and ‘replied’, spoiled the book a little and left me feeling it wasn’t quite as entertaining as the first one in the series.
An exciting tale of murder and intrigue.
Colin Garrow 