Abir Mukherjee is a British novelist of Indian descent, best known for his historical crime fiction set in colonial India. Born and raised in the UK, he has a background in finance and is an alumnus of the London School of Economics. Mukherjee gained prominence with his debut novel, "A Rising Man" (2016), which introduced Captain Sam Wyndham and Sergeant “Surrender-Not” Banerjee as the central characters navigating the complex socio-political environment of Calcutta (now Kolkata) in the early 20th century. His work is recognized for its rich historical details, compelling mystery plots, and insightful exploration of the British Raj from a nuanced perspective. Mukherjee's novels have been praised for their evocative portrayal of India's political and cultural landscape during the tumultuous period of the 1920s, as well as for their strong character development. In addition to winning the CWA Historical Dagger Award, Mukherjee has been shortlisted for many other literary prizes, contributing to his growing reputation as a leading voice in historical crime fiction.