Tag Archives: historical thriller

Book Review: “A Rising Man” by Abir Mukherjee

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A Rising Man

by Abir Mukherjee

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Calcutta, 1919. The rule of the British is starting to crumble. Dissenters both violent and peaceful are rallying but the Imperial Police Force and the Lieutenant-Governor are having none of it. Tighter restrictions are being placed upon the native Indians, the Bengalis are becoming “too smart for their own good” and political dissension is now fuelled with passion and education – a dangerous mix (p380). Captain Sam Wyndham, a veteran of the Great War has just arrived in the humid, febrile city, when a Burra Sahib is found with his throat cut. Believed to be the work of terrorists, Wyndham is put in charge of the investigation, but finds himself haplessly ignorant of the local customs. At the mercy of bureaucracy and corruption, Wyndham finds hypocrisy everywhere and before long, Wyndham finds himself being lead down the primrose path.

This is the first instalment of what Mukherjee hopes to be an enduring series, featuring Captain Wyndham and Sergeant “Surrender-Not” Banerjee. I received a proof of the second instalment (“A Necessary Evil”) and gave it away to a colleague before reading “A Rising Man”. I will now be hurrying said colleague to finish it so I can take it back and add it to my TBR pile! I will happily consume another of Mukherjee’s thrillers.

While I am not generally a big reader of crime/thrillers, I have recently developed a penchant for the historical variety (“Ashes of London” by Andrew Taylor). This subgenre offers much in the way of world-building and is a delicious way to swallow nuggets of history. Mukherjee’s novel succeeds on both counts. The city is vibrant, smelly and sticky. And I mean that in a good way. The political landscape is a work in progress. With this first novel of the series, Mukherjee paints with a broad brush. Outlines of buildings, systems of government and caste are successfully scattered throughout the narrative in order to provide backdrop, but little detail is gone into. I hope very much the politics of Imperial India will develop as further publications are released.

The narrative itself moves with great pace and makes for an incredibly readable book.  The characters, again, are a work in progress. But, what is clear is that there is respect for the nuances of character-building and Mukherjee does not rush the process unnecessarily. Our Captain is not without flaws, and while I occasionally cringed at his somewhat outdated phrasing with respect to women in particular, I can certainly respect the efforts made to create a man and not simply a character.

All in all, a good solid beginning to a new historical series that I will happily continue to read.

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Book Review: “Ashes of London” by Andrew Taylor

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Ashes of London

By Andrew Taylor

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It’s 1666 and the Great Fire of London is raging, but bodies are being found that have nothing to do with the flames. The burnt landscape of 17th century London is wonderfully grimy and decadent. Through the eyes of young Whitehall clerk, James Marwood and Catherine Lovett, the disgraced daughter of a once rich Regicide, we see people from all walks of life.

The charred London landscape is made richer by plenty of well researched history into the political landscape. Charles II is still dealing with the aftermath of his father’s execution and the disaster of Oliver Cromwell’s rule. There are still those who think of Charles II as a usurper; those who still await the return of the true king – King Jesus. Such believers, known as Fifth Monarchists, were supporters of Charles I’s execution, and have all but disappeared since the fall of Cromwell. Though most were pardoned by the new King, those men considered to be instrumental in his father’s death, have been charged of treason and sentenced to death.

James Marwood’s father was lucky and escaped execution. Catherine Lovett’s father is still on the run. Now, more and more of Lovett’s friends are turning up dead. And Catherine and James’ lives are getting more and more complicated. Cat and Marwood are complete strangers to one another and their individual plots run parallel throughout the novel, almost crossing many times. By keeping them divided, their apprehension (and therefore ours) keeps mystery, confusion and foreknowledge at the edge of the frame. These sensations – like the characters – chase, run and hide from each other constantly. While Taylor’s imagery isn’t the best, his plot development is first-rate. This is a novel chock-full of action and plot twists. Together with a hearty dollop of political intrigue, you are compelled to keep turning the pages.

“Dear God, I thought, my life is haunted by these religious fools.”