The Communist Cookbook: Intrigue and Betrayal in British India by Sharmishtha Roy Chowdbury

by Sharmishtha Roy Chowdhury

As the Second World War draws to a close, George Clark finds himself beginning his regimental life with the British Army in the remote outpost of Bajapur. Battle-worn and broken-hearted, he is soon caught in a perilous tangle. Intelligence officer James Ruffington wants George to spy on local nationalist activists in order to please the paranoid and communistobsessed Captain Dennis Porter. For this, George must not only betray his close friend Deborah Sunderland but also use Anna Benson, his new love, to infiltrate the local Congress networks.Set amidst the political unrest of 1940s' India, The Communist Cookbook is an enthralling story of espionage and divided loyalties.

Genres: Historical Fiction, India

Paperback

First published December 1, 2011

About the author

Sharmishtha Roy Chowdhury teaches History at Emerson College, Boston. She lives in Connecticut. The Communist Cookbook is her first novel.

Reviews

[Devika Das · Rating 5 out of 5]

How much do we know about the life of a spy or secret agent? What happens when a spy faces a dilemma due to self-conflict and is at crossroads? Which path will George Clark choose? A gripping tale and the character has been portrayed well.

[Vikas Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent.... a brilliant evocation of how the tensions were growing in India at the end of WWII and the last gasps of the Raj. With a cast of wonderfully engaging characters and various plots that converge seamlessly into an uproarious ending, it is hard to believe this is the author's first literary offering. Would a crying shame if this millieu goes to oblivion... this book demands a sequel or rather an entire series. A truly smashing good read.