Why read Smoke and Ashes?

Book cover of Smoke and Ashes

Book description

** A THE SUNDAY TIMES BEST 100 BEST CRIME NOVELS SINCE 1945**

'Smoke and Ashes is Abir Mukherjee's best book yet; a brilliantly conceived murder mystery set amidst political and social turmoil - beautifully crafted' C.J. Sansom

India, 1921. Captain Sam Wyndham is battling a serious addiction to…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Smoke and Ashes as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Nev March

Author

This book made me laugh so many times. Hilarious!

The duo comprises a war-weary Englishman, Sam Wyndham, and Surendranath “Surrender-not” Bannerji, a small, brilliant Indian lawyer turned policeman from a very well-placed family.

Each mystery details events from the times, cryptic clues, and a wily foe. I enjoy the banter between the two, an Indian who sees the best in the Raj, and an Englishman who unflinchingly acknowledges the truth of colonialism, while fighting his own addiction.

From Nev's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Nev March

Author

Mukherjee’s first chapter is a masterclass on how to open a mystery-thriller.

“It’s not unusual to find a corpse in a funeral parlor. It’s just rare for them to walk door under their own steam. It was a riddle worth savoring, but I didn’t have the time, seeing as I was running for my life.” This got my interest right away. I was in!

Mukherjee’s protagonist is in an opium den at the wrong time. Beautifully bookended, opium forms the personal struggles of this worthy protagonist. With quirky lines “take me to your organ grinder” and “we’re here to see…

From Nev's list on The best books on India that blend history with gripping mysteries.