A Rising Man

By: Abir Mukherjee

Narrated by: Simon Bubb

Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

The winner of the Harvill Secker/Daily Telegraph crime writing competition.

Captain Sam Wyndham, former Scotland Yard detective, is a new arrival to Calcutta. Desperately seeking a fresh start after his experiences during the Great War, Wyndham has been recruited to head up a new post in the police force. But with barely a moment to acclimatise to his new life or to deal with the ghosts which still haunt him, Wyndham is caught up in a murder investigation that will take him into the dark underbelly of the British Raj.

A senior official has been murdered, and a note left in his mouth warns the British to quit India - or else. With rising political dissent and the stability of the Raj under threat, Wyndham and his two new colleagues - arrogant Inspector Digby and British-educated but Indian-born Sergeant Banerjee, one of the few Indians to be recruited into the new CID - embark on an investigation that will take them from the luxurious parlours of wealthy British traders to the seedy opium dens of the city. The start of an atmospheric and enticing new historical crime series.

©2016 Abir Mukherjee (P)2016 Random House Audiobooks

Good solid who dunnit and empire

A well written tale that keeps one guessing till the end. Its not magnificently original but its solid and a lot of fun.
The main characters are nicely drawn and engaging. The pomposity of empire is adds a lightness with an undertone of skulduggery and class warfare.
I will certainly be reading the next adventure of Sam and Surrender Not

Murder and the British Raj

Sam Wyndham, veteran of WWI and former inspector with Scotland Yard, has been persuaded to move to Calcutta and work with the police there.  He is still trying to find is footing in this strange new country when a white high-placed government employee is found murdered outside an Indian whorehouse.

This would have been an excellent mystery anyway, but I believe it is even more so because the author is a Brit from an Indian heritage who is able to give the reader insight into thinking and attitudes of both the British Raj and the Indians. 

Simon Bubb is now of of my favorite readers, able to both distinguish the characters, and accurately handle multiple accents.

excellent read

Loved the setting, both time and place. The characters were so believable and the tale intriguing.

A terribly excellent thriller, wot?

Would you listen to A Rising Man again? Why?

I might. There are a lot of characters, and I did not manage to keep them all straight. Plus, the narration is great to listen to, and if you wait a year or two, you forget a lot about the book. The book is not just a good story, but it is also a terrific vista on Calcutta and the entire sub-continent. The government of the Brits, a tiny minority of people, over the gigantic population of India, is a fascinating story of Empire. How they managed to keep the Indians truly subordinate to their control is a fascinating thing. It is also no surprise that the great empire came crashing down, eventually, as the fact of it defies human nature in the extreme.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sam Wyndham is the protagonist, and he is a finely drawn character. He investigates the murder of a white man, knowing that an Indian has been framed for the crime. He is a man dedicated to the truth, even though that turns out to be quite inconvenient for the British elite. A young woman, a "half-caste" named Annie, is also an interesting character, and there is a fine twist at the very end of the book concerning her. I will not spoil that for you. I liked them both, as well as the Indian Surindernot Banerjee (spelling?), who is entertaining and a complicated man who is right in the middle of the nexus between the Raj and the natives.

What does Simon Bubb bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I enjoyed him quite a bit. Some British accents are hard on my ears (two countries divided by a common language, and all that), but Mr. Bubb gets it right, at least for me. He is pleasing to hear, and contributes a great deal to the whole. The book is a work of art, and should be enjoyed by readers of thrillers in addition to people who are interested in the very complex history of India. This is the way in which history should be taught in our schools, rather than the rote memorization of wars and all that. You can learn a great deal from a good story, even if you had no particular desire to study the topic at hand.

If you could rename A Rising Man, what would you call it?

I can't play that game. I'm not good at capturing all the ideas in a novel with three or four words. The author does a great job himself.

Any additional comments?

I recommend this book to any reader who enjoys thrillers, as well as people who want to learn about the history of India in a most pleasant way. Now I must bugger off. Cheerio!

Raj Revisited in fast-paced police procedural

Fantastic characters, meticulous research, and a wealth of characters make this a terrific listen. I cannot wait for the next one! Abir Mukherjee also weaves in a great sense of humor to keep one smiling while the suspense builds. One of my best audiobook purchases ever.

A wonderful new author and series

What did you love best about A Rising Man?

The depth of characters and history.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Many twists and turns. So very well written.

Any additional comments?

I can't wait for the next book to be written.

Rattling good tale

A great first book. I'm going to get the next in the series. The story has pace and indroduced me to aspects of Imperial India I was unaware of. I quickly connected with the characters, they were perfectly believable. The narration was first class. Only 4 stars for the story as I worked out the plot in advance. This didn't detract from my enjoyment though.

great story well read

Loved the story but wished the ending wasn't so bittersweet. Just wanted it to work out.

Compelling mystery in a rich setting

Set in colonial Calcutta just after WWI, this is a very fertile setting for a creditably woven mystery. I found the detective character a little conveniently stupid for plotting purposes, but engaging nonetheless. I wouldn't say the actual mystery itself is all that surprising, but the setting and characters - especially the secondary characters - make up for it. If you like detective fiction in interesting and fresh historical settings, you'll really enjoy this.

Thoroughly enjoyed this hysterical detective novel

Excellent storytelling and character building. Portrays the city of Kolkata during the time of British Raj and revolutionary movements. Narration is good, would listen to next audio books in the series. Apart from being a detective story it also provides good perspective on British Raj during that time in India.