A Necessary Evil: A Novel

by Abir Mukherjee

Overview

India, 1920. Captain Wyndham and Sergeant Banerjee of the Calcutta Police Force investigate the dramatic assassination of a Maharajah's son, in the sequel to A Rising Man.

The fabulously wealthy kingdom of Sambalpore is home to tigers, elephants, diamond mines, and the beautiful Palace of the Sun. But when the heir to the throne is assassinated in the presence of Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant 'Surrender-Not' Banerjee, they discover a kingdom riven with suppressed conflict. Prince Adhir was a modernizer whose attitudes—and romantic relationships—may have upset the more religious elements of his country, while his brother—now in line to the throne—appears to be a feckless playboy.

As Wyndham and Banerjee desperately try to unravel the mystery behind the assassination, they become entangled in a dangerous world where those in power live by their own rules—and those who cross their paths pay with their lives. They must find a murderer, before the murderer finds them . . .

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681777283
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	04/03/2018
Series:	Wyndham & Banerjee Mysteries , #2
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	115,776
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Abir Mukherjee is the Edgar Allan Poe Award-nominated author of A Rising Man, which was the first in his Captain Sam Wyndham mystery series, which followed with A Necessary Evil and Smoke and Ashes, also available from Pegasus.

Editorial Reviews

★ 02/01/2018
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

Library Journal

"Brilliant. Wyndam is an intriguing protagonist, offering crisp narration that’s sometimes slightly arrogant, sometimes amusingly self-effacing. Add in clever dialogue that’s laden with double entendre, and what more can a hardcore whodunit fan ask for?"

Bookpage (Top 10 Mystery of the Year)

"Capitalizes on all the best traits that made his debut, A Rising Man, such a success: relatable characters, rich period detail, accomplished prose, and a fascinating central crime. With A Necessary Evil, Mukherjee has secured his ranking as one of today’s best writers of historical crime fiction."

BOLO Books

"The novel has a great sense of time and place (be prepared to mop sweat off your brow from the heat!), a fascinating mystery, and an intriguing ending. Definitely recommended!"

Historical Novels Review (Editor's Choice)

"Mukherjee is adept at multifaceted, slow-burn plot manipulations. Packed with incident and intrigue, yet never in a way that sacrifices historical verisimilitude or character development for the sake of a thrill. At its heart, the novel and its prequel, A Rising Man, take the buddy-cop formula and turn it on its head in endless rotations. From the cars to the flowers to the moth-eaten flags, Wyndham sees empire for the lie that it is. This makes him an intriguing embodiment of the intricacies and hypocrisies of the period—especially in Mukherjee’s hands."

Los Angeles Review of Books

"A Necessary Evil contains much local color, information about the Raj, good detection and a tiger hunt on elephant back. There are several unexpected plot twists, satisfying to the mystery buff."

Popular Culture Association

Capitalizes on all the best traits that made his debut, A Rising Man, such a success: relatable characters, rich period detail, accomplished prose, and a fascinating central crime. With A Necessary Evil, Mukherjee has secured his ranking as one of today’s best writers of historical crime fiction.

Bolo Books

A Necessary Evil contains much local color, information about the Raj, good detection and a tiger hunt on elephant back. There are several unexpected plot twists, satisfying to the mystery buff.

Pop Culture Association