Abir Mukherjee: A necessary evil, 9781784704773, Vintage (Penguin Random House UK) paperback, March 15, 2018

German edition: Ein notwendiges Übel, Heyne Verlag, 9783453439207, Juli 2018, paperback
 

I have to confess, I have become a big fan of Captain Sam Wyndham and Surrender-Not Banerjee, his Indian colleague, after having read “A Rising Man” for which he won the 2017 CWA Historical Dagger Award and now “A Necessary Evil”.  Much like Donna Leon’s atmospheric Venice novels, this historical crime fiction set in the 1920’s British ruled India is so colorful and smart; within a few pages it transports you into the British Raj with its exotic settings and obnoxious social regiments.  I cannot wait to read the third book, “Smoke and Ashes” due to be published in June.  “A Necessary Evil” is even better than his first book in my opinion.

When Captain Wyndham and Surrender Not meet with the soon to be ruler of the Kingdom of Sambalpore Prince Adhir in Calcutta, they have no idea they will be sharing the last hours in the Princes life becoming witnesses to his assassination.  Wyndham is able to shot the assassin who by his facial paintings is identified as a follower of Lord Jagannath, a Hindu deity.  The old Maharaja is inconsolable and requests the assistance of Surrender Not who was a friend of his favorite son at university.  Sam Wyndam travels alongside Surrender Not to Sambalpore to serve as an adviser on orders of the Viceroy. The

investigation by a British official looking into the death of an Indian prince would hardly be considered politically correct.  When both arrive in Sambalpore they find a court that hasn’t changed much in centuries with several high court officials having problems with the modern views Prince Adhir was about  to introduce.  The list of people who would benefit from the Prince's death becomes longer and longer the deeper Sam and Surrender-Not start digging, beginning with his half-brother Punit and the third young wife of his father, the old Maharaja….. 

I will not reveal more, the ending is superb and unexpected. If you enjoy historical crime novels looking critically at the politics of their time, with a tongue in cheek humor and cleverness, this is a brilliant series to read. Enjoy!