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:	9781681776712
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	04/03/2018
Series:	Wyndham & Banerjee Mysteries , #2
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	1,000,480
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Abir Mukherjee is the author of the award-winning Wyndham & Banerjee series of crime novels set in Raj-era India. He has won the CWA Historical Dagger and the Wilbur Smith Award for Adventure Writing, and has been shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger, the HWA Gold Crown, and the Edgar Allan Poe Award. His novels include A Rising Man, A Necessary Evil, Smoke and Ashes, and Death in the East. Abir grew up in Scotland and now lives in Surrey, England.

Editorial Reviews

★ 01/22/2018
Set in 1920, Mukherjee’s impressive sequel to 2017’s A Rising Man finds Capt. Sam Wyndham, a former Scotland Yard officer, and his astute sidekick, Sgt. “Surrender-Not” Banerjee of the Bengal Police, transporting Crown Prince Adhir Singh Sai, of the small kingdom of Sambalpore, back to the prince’s Calcutta hotel after a conference. The royal, who attended boarding school with Surrender-Not, wants his advice about notes that were left for him in his rooms. But before he can discuss their contents, a religious procession forces their car to take a detour, placing them in the path of an assassin who fatally shoots the prince. Sam and Surrender-Not’s failure to apprehend the killer only makes things worse, and, though they eventually track the man down, he takes his own life, leaving the investigators still in the dark about his motives. The road to the truth takes them to Sambalpore, a hive of intrigue and suspects. This successful evocation of the Raj in the service of a brilliant whodunit demonstrates that Mukherjee’s debut was no fluke. Agent: Sam Copeland, Rogers, Coleridge & White (U.K.). (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"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

"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

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

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 Pick in Mystery)

An exceptionally good, and original, historical crime novel.

C.J. Sansom [Praise for A Rising Man]

A lip-smacking and highly entertaining mystery, set in a Calcutta so convincingly evoked that readers will find sweat bursting from their foreheads.

The Daily Telegraph [Praise for A Rising Man]

A splendid debut. Captain Sam Wyndham, is a winning creation.

The Times (London) [Praise for A Rising Man]

A thought-provoking rollercoaster.

Ian Rankin

An enthralling debut novel.

Marilyn Stasio

An enthralling debut novel.

arilyn Stasio

★ 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

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