Reading order · 5 books · 2016 to 2021 · Set in Kolkata
Wyndham and Banerjee Books in Order
In Calcutta after the First World War, Captain Sam Wyndham, a former Scotland Yard detective scarred by the war, and his Indian sergeant, Surendranath Banerjee, investigate crimes as the movement for Indian independence grows. Sam calls his sergeant Surrender-not because he cannot pronounce his name.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Series facts
- Books
- 5
- Published
- 2016 to 2021
- First book
- A Rising Man
- Latest
- The Shadows of Men (2021)
- Setting
- Set in Kolkata
The reading order
Every Wyndham and Banerjee book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
5 books · Set in Kolkata
- 1A Rising Man2016With Sam WyndhamIn 1919, Captain Sam Wyndham arrives in Calcutta to join the Imperial Police, and is handed the murder of a senior British official, found in a drain with a note warning the British to leave India.Buy on Amazon
- 2A Necessary Evil2017With Sam WyndhamIn 1920, the heir to a rich Indian kingdom is shot dead in the streets of Calcutta, and Wyndham and Banerjee travel to the kingdom to find out why.Buy on Amazon
- 3Smoke and Ashes2018With Sam WyndhamIn 1921, Sam Wyndham, secretly addicted to opium, flees a police raid on an opium den and stumbles on a body, as the Prince of Wales prepares to visit Calcutta.Buy on Amazon
- 4Death in the East2019With Sam WyndhamIn 1922, Sam goes to an ashram in Assam to break his addiction, and sees a man from his past in London, from a case that has haunted him since 1905.Buy on Amazon
- 5The Shadows of Men2021With Sam Wyndham and Surendranath BanerjeeIn 1923, Banerjee is accused of murdering a Hindu theologian, and Sam must clear his name as religious violence threatens the city.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with A Rising Man.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Sam Wyndham | Surendranath Banerjee | Lord Taggart | Annie Grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 A Rising Man | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor |
| 2 A Necessary Evil | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 3 Smoke and Ashes | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | ·Minor |
| 4 Death in the East | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 5 The Shadows of Men | LLead | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor |
Characters in the Wyndham and Banerjee books
4 characters from Abir Mukherjee’s chart, with the number of Wyndham and Banerjee books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Sam WyndhamCaptain in the Calcutta police, a war veteran | 5 | A Rising Man 2016 |
| Surendranath BanerjeeCambridge-educated sergeant | 5 | A Rising Man 2016 |
| Lord TaggartCommissioner of police | 5 | A Rising Man 2016 |
| Annie GrantAnglo-Indian secretary and Sam's love interest | 4 | A Rising Man 2016 |