The Shadows of Men (Wyndham & Banerjee Mysteries)
1920s Calcutta can be a perilous place. Muslim and Hindu tensions are running high, and the city is a tinderbox awaiting a match. When a popular Hindu theologian is found murdered in his own home, Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant Surendranath (aka “Surrender-not”) Banerjee of the police become inextricably involved in the case. Not only must they ensure that Calcutta remains peaceful and that justice is served, but Surendranath has already been arrested for the crime! Higher-ups ensure that Sam and Surendranath are given a brief amount of time to clear Surendranath and solve the case. But with murder overlapping religious intolerance and a mobster also demanding that Sam provide his son’s murderer within the same time limit, it seems almost impossible for our heroes to succeed.
Naturally both cases are wrapped up—successfully from the point of view of their superiors—and Sam is happy with the results. But his partner has learned more during the desperate search for the truth than he really wanted to know and is less sanguine than his friend and superior. Surendranath finds himself facing a different future than he expected before the start of this case.
Alternating points of view between Surendranath and Sam provide a fascinating double look at the case. This fast-paced story provides both a lot of suspense and a bit of sociology to season it. The Shadows of Men is a fine addition to this addictive series, and I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment.
