So begins the new book by Abir Mukherjee, and it reunites us with Detective Sam Wyndham and Surendranath Banerjee, who are brought back together trying to solve the murder of a rich Indian philanthropist – the dead body in the Burning Grounds – and the disappearance of a family friend of Suren’s.
Their investigations bring them back together and into the glamorous world of Indian Cinema. The murdered man, J P Mullick, was financing a film and this is where Sam meets the beautiful Estelle Morgan – she has a way of charming him that leads him a little off balance – and it transpires that JP was also acquainted with Suren’s friend Dolly, a famous photographer who has gone missing and her family have asked him to find her.
Sam is out of favour with the Imperial Police Force and Suren has just returned home after three years in Europe – their relationship is somewhat strained but they find that they will need to work together to solve both the murder and disappearance. The plot unfolds with more murder, glamorous parties and lots of whiskey drinking, and it was an absolute pleasure to read.
Abir Mukherjee is such a skilful writer, you can feel the heat and stifling atmosphere of Calcutta, the political and cultural tensions and the wonderful narrative descriptions of the places are superb. This is an excellent addition to this historical fiction series and it is a pleasure to be able to recommend this book.
