First published 2017
Captain Sam Wyndham steps off the boat in Calcutta seeking a new life after the war. The sweltering heat hits him as he takes his position with the colonial police force. Within days, he stands over a corpse that will change everything. A senior British official lies dead with a threatening message stuffed in his mouth. The note delivers a stark ultimatum: the British must leave India or face more bloodshed. Wyndham partners with Sergeant Banerjee, nicknamed "Surrender-not" for his fierce independence. Together they navigate the volatile streets of a city on the brink of revolution. Political tensions simmer as the Empire's grip weakens. Someone wants to stop their investigation at any cost. Wyndham discovers that solving this murder means confronting not just a killer, but the crumbling foundations of colonial rule itself.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, detective, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, odd-couple
Setting: Calcutta
Period: 20th-Century
400 pages · Paperback · Vintage Books