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A Necessary Evil

A Necessary Evil

WINNER 2018 WILBUR SMITH ADVENTURE WRITING PRIZE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2018 HISTORICAL AND GOLD DAGGERS
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2018 CWA STEEL DAGGER
FEATURED ON ITV'S ZOE BALL BOOK CLUB 2018

India, 1920. Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant Banerjee of Calcutta Police must investigate the dramatic assassination of a Maharaja's son...

Sam Wyndham is visiting the kingdom of Sambalpore, home to diamond mines and the beautiful Palace of the Sun.

But when the Maharaja’s eldest son is assassinated, Wyndham realises that the realm is riven with conflict. Prince Adhir was unpopular with religious groups, while his brother – now in line to the throne – appears to be a feckless playboy.

As Wyndham and Sergeant ‘Surrender-not’ Banerjee endeavour to unravel the mystery, they become entangled in a dangerous world. They must find the murderer, before the murderer finds them.

Praise for the Sam Wyndham series:

‘An exceptional historical crime novel’ C.J. Sansom

‘A thought-provoking rollercoaster’ Ian Rankin

‘Confirms Abir Mukherjee as a rising star of historical crime fiction’
The Times

‘Cracking… A journey into the dark underbelly of the British Raj’ Daily Express

If you enjoyed A Necessary Evil, the third Sam Wyndham mystery, Smoke and Ashes, is available now.

Reviews

  • Even better than his first… What is most striking about Mukherjee’s novels is his infectious enjoyment of the human oddity of the British in India… Even better is his portrayal of the mix of opulence and spirituality that characterises Sambalpore under its sybaritic but benevolent maharaja… I can’t imagine anyone failing to enjoy it

    Daily Telegraph

  • A year ago I welcomed the arrival of Captain Sam Wyndham and his faithful Sergeant… and I am delight to report that his return is every bit as engaging

    Daily Mail

  • A richly detailed period gem boasting the British Raj’s exotic setting and a gripping "whydunit" spun around an intriguing cast

    Booklist

  • An intriguing and enjoyable crime novel

    Stylist

  • He writes beautifully, bringing the colourful kingdom of Sambalpore to vivid life and taking the reader on a highly entertaining journey to unearth the dark secrets as its core, with unexpected twists on the way to a satisfying finale

    Daily Express

More in this Series

About the Author

Abir Mukherjee

Abir Mukherjee is the bestselling author of the award-winning Wyndham & Banerjee series of crime novels set in 1920s Colonial India. He is a two-time winner of the CWA Historical Dagger and has won the Wilbur Smith Award for Adventure Writing. His books have also been shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and the HWA Gold Crown. His novels, A Rising Man and Smoke and Ashes were both selected as Waterstones Thriller of the Month. Smoke and Ashes was also chosen as one of The Times' Best Crime and Thriller novels since 1945. Abir grew up in Scotland and now lives in Surrey with his wife and two sons.

Abir Mukherjee

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Features

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Features

Abir Mukherjee on the history of Calcutta

Abir Mukherjee – winner of the Telegraph Harvill Secker crime writing competition and author of A Rising Man – delves into the history of Calcutta (now known as Kolkata), exploring why the city made the perfect setting for his debut novel

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