Smoke and Ashes is Abir Mukherjee's best book yet; a brilliantly conceived murder mystery set amidst political and social turmoil – beautifully crafted.

[I]t is the flamboyant evocation of Calcutta that makes this such a mesmerising read

Well-researched and vivid in detail… [Smoke and Ashes] delights from the first page until the last. Simply superb

[W]onderfully rich and entertaining period crime series

Mukherjee weaves crime and history together with great skill

[A] fine series of crime novels… tightly plotted portraits of British rule in India, exposing the prejudices shared even by decent employees of the Raj

[Mukherjee’s] skills have been delightfully honed with each novel in this gripping and thoroughly entertaining series

Mukherjee, who only gets better and better with each book, has established himself as a leading historical mystery writer

Subtle and evocative tale of the last days of the British Raj

Abir Mukherjee had already proved himself a wonderful historical crime writer with his excellent first two novels. Smoke and Ashes is just as good, perhaps even better – and that’s saying something – a writer at the top of his game, as talented as the very best in the genre. The cauldron of 1920s Calcutta is described so superbly that every twist and turn wrenches your guts. Laid on top of this fabulously atmospheric background is a page-turning thriller which pits emerging South Asian nationalism against the ailing Raj. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

A thrilling mystery and a captivating journey

A satisfying read that grips attention from the outset

Truly remarkable . . . Grips your heart from the first pages and simply never lets go

Beautifully written, with just the right balance of teasing the reader with clues and hitting them with revelations

Don't be surprised if you devour it in one sitting

Full of intrigue and incident and keeps us guessing until the very last page

It's that most powerful thing, a beautifully written mystery driven by its exploration of the characters' innermost hearts

Genuinely surprising

Unputdownable, leading to a stunning conclusion you won't see coming

This tense, unpredictable novel blends a thriller with an intimate family story to produce a most compelling read

Cleverly written. A tense domestic thriller that is full of surprises

One of the most richly satisfying psychological thrillers of 2016, a book that hooks the reader from the first page

If Alexander McCall Smith's and Maeve Binchy's novels had a love
child, the result would be the work of Swedish writer Fredrik Backman /
.../ Backman's novels have wide appeal, and for good reason. Us Against
You takes a lyrical look at how a community heals, how families recoverand how individuals grow.

Deftly explores recovery and rebirth.

Backman (A Man Called Ove) returns to the hockey-obsessed village of
his previous novel Beartown to chronicle the passion, violence,
resilience, and humanity of the people who live there in this engrossing
tale of small-town Swedish life /.../ Backman's excellent novel has an
atmosphere of both Scandinavian folktale and Greek tragedy. Darkness
and grit exist alongside tenderness and levity, creating a blunt realismthat brings the setting's small-town atmosphere to vivid life.

There is even more potential for book group discussion here as
Backman explores violence, political maneuvering, communities,
feminism, sexuality, criminality, the role of sports in society, and whatmakes us all tick.

Readers, take a break from the heat this summer to visit the icy streets
of Beartown. Immerse yourself in Us Against You, for once you open this
book, you won't be able to resist falling into the hockey town out in the
woods. Live among the residents for a few days. I guarantee that it will
be tough to say goodbye when you turn the last page. Fredrik Backman
has a rare talent for reaching inside his readers and coaxing out their
deepest emotions while weaving a riveting tale that stays with you for along time. Don't miss out on this phenomenal novel.

Through Backman's astute examination of humanity, Us Against You will elicit snickers and full-blown belly laughs. It will rip out hearts, then
replace them stronger than before. Most of all, it is sure to prompt
readers to examine their lives in order to be better people, if only inmicroscopic ways.

Dark and gritty, but peppered with moments of breath-catching hope.

The sequel to Beartown is finally here, and it does not disappoint.

This is a tale of the pitfalls of group mentality as well as the loss of an
innocence we all take for granted - and it will grip you from start to finish.

Just as the cult TV hit Friday Night Lights wasn't just about high-school
football, this sequel to Beartown is about more than small-town hockey.
Us Against You is a story of hopes, dreams, loyalty, friendship, and - after
someone is left for dead - the lengths people will go to for the love of the game.

We have a rare book for you. [Us Against You] is not only about hockeyand sports. It's about everything that makes a man a man.

Backman uses an abundance of thrilling hints about upcoming events,
and it works. You simply have to continue reading. The story is
wonderful, deeply touching and very thought-provoking, and hats off
again to the author's ability to portray people and trends in society. The
novel plays on your entire register of emotions, and you live and breathe
alongside the many different characters, all of which are precisely and empathetically depicted.

A beautiful and brutal drama.

"Fredrik Backman is one of Sweden's best authors. He's mastered how
to depict a village and its citizens so that you both love and hate them.
/.../ Backman writes with emotion, and it goes straight to your heart. /.../
As always with Backman, there's still hope for humanity, because wherethere is violence and hatred, there is also forgiveness and love."

Us Against You is an excellent novel that's easy to read and skillfully
handles great themes. /.../ The world created by Backman lives andbreathes and the characters are both human and complex.

Backman keeps you hooked from the first to the last page. For allBeartown fans, Us Against You feels like coming home.

Fredrik Backman writes wonderfully about men, with a love and
understanding for the ones who would rather solve conflicts with theirfists. It's hard not to love it.

Backman knows how to construct a thrilling plot, and what he writes
engages. /.../ And when he hits his stride among the emotions, the
sentimental turns into an asset - like a hockey puck straight to the heart.

The perfect book for the beach.

The most authentic, gripping presidential thriller ever.

The perfect book for the beach: a big, fast-paced, twisty engrossing thriller packed with spectacular detail of what it is really like to be President of the United States.

Fast-paced is too inadequate a description for this dark, suspense-filled tale.

Both a first-rate thriller and fascinating insight into the goings on within the White House.

A page-turner from start to finish

Insightful and gripping

A top-notch thriller.