Abir Mukherjee grew up in the west of Scotland. At the age of fifteen, his best friend made him read Gorky Parkand he's been a fan of crime fiction ever.Abir Mukherjee is the bestselling author of the Sam Wyndham series of crime novels set in Raj era India. His debut, A Rising Man, won the CWA Endeavour Dagger for best historical crime novel of 2017 and was shortlisted for the MWA Edgar for best novel.He has come to Calcutta and been recruited to join the police force and head up a new post, not the worst job in the world. It is a totally different experience stepping into Calcutta from where he has been before, and the vibrancy of this tropical city is a bit overwhelming. Sam Wyndham barely has a chance to adjust to his new and very exotic surroundings before something else pops up that he has to deal with.The former Scotland Yard Detective is still dealing with his demons and haunting memories of the past when the sudden murder of a British official occurs. Worse still, it seems very clear that this was done in order to send a message, as there is literally a note stuffed in his mouth that warns that the British should leave India or else it is implied that more acts like this will be in store, perhaps on a grander scale.With tensions in India and the humid city of Calcutta being higher than ever between the two factions of the locals and the British military there occupying, it seems like there is active work being done by one or more people to destabilize the city. Unfortunately, Calcutta is already experiencing tension and political insurgency seems almost inevitable. This murder and the note behind it is also not a good bellwether when it comes to future events and their likelihood of occurring.