THE PINNACLE by Abir Mukherjee is the first book to be placed in my "2026-favourites" folder. I believe it's Mukherjee's best thus far, and I have given several of his books a 5 star rating. I give this one a 5+ star rating.

To reach this pinnacle for me (pun intended), a novel must have:
1) Excellent writing;
2) Well-rounded characters; and
3) Social relevance.

THE PINNACLE has, in addition, lots of humour, which adds to its enjoyment. I laughed many times while reading the first chapter and continued laughing throughout the book, even though there were also numerous serious scenes. It is this conjunction of humour and deep issues that gives the whole its strength. (Like the combination of strengths and flaws that create the well-rounded characters.)

Brief Synopsis

George Abercrombie was once a top-rated Hollywood action star, but he's aging, plus he pissed off the newly elected US president. Consequently, George is now reduced to promoting whisky (and other products) in commercials being filmed in India. Why India? Because George married his beautiful (and much younger) co-star, Sweety, while making his last movie. Sweety was, and is, a Bollywood star, who gets plenty of work in India. So, because of George's problems at home in America, they have moved to India, where they bought an apartment in the Pinnacle, a 70-story marble tower that is home to the very best of Mumbai.

Their marriage isn't perfect. Still George loves Sweety, and consequently when he finds her dead—murdered—the morning after he spent the night sleeping off a bender on the sofa, he is reasonably sure he didn't kill her in a drunken rage, even though they had quarrelled before he went out drinking with his pals. Who killed her? Possibly his PA, Amit, who had brought him home the night before and was now missing.

The story is told from the perspectives of George, Amit, and Glenda (Sweety's PA). The question is who killed Sweety, and why.

Mystery, Thriller, or Social Commentary

Although structured as a mystery, I was quite sure I knew who was behind Sweety's murder by the 15% point in the story, and I think that many readers will identify the most likely villain from clues presented in early chapters. This is not a mystery; it's a thriller, following the travails of the main characters as they seek to discover the truth. It was their actions and the repercussions of these actions and that kept me quickly turning pages, engrossed until the end, during this long, complex book.

I think that it works superbly as a thriller mainly because of the intersection of humour and social commentary throughout the narrative.

Plus, Mukherjee is a great writer. He uses imagery skillfully. Not only visual imagery; he also constantly evoked smell and sound images that greatly increased my enjoyment of THE PINNACLE.

Highly recommended!!

Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.

This was perfectly written for a mystery novel, I enjoyed the idea of an American actor accused of murdering their wife. It was engaging and worked in the plot of the story and invested in what was going on and figuring out what was happening. Abir Mukherjee wrote this so well and was hooked from the first page and so glad I was able to read this. The characters were interesting and glad I was able to read their storyline and going on this journey.

Strap in! This is the kind of thriller that simply takes off.

The Pinnacle unfolds inside a luxury high-rise in Mumbai, a building that is meant to signal wealth, safety, and insulation from the chaos below. Mukherjee uses that verticality with intention. Every floor represents a different form of power, and the novel sets up the the building itself as a social system.

The inciting event is sharp, George Abercrombie, a well known American actor, wakes to find his wife murdered. She is not just his wife but a major Bollywood star with her own orbit of assistants, secrets, and hordes of fans. From the opening chapters, the narrative moves between multiple characters who all have reasons to hide parts of themselves. The book is pointed about Western entitlement, celebrity culture, and the illusion that wealth can erase accountability. George’s contempt for India is not subtle, and it is not meant to be.

The comparisons to The White Lotus and Age of Vice are earned, but The Pinnacle feels more contained and more controlled. The high-rise setting forces the story inward, creating a claustrophobic sense that there is nowhere to go, even when characters are surrounded by luxury.


This is a smart, immersive thriller. I will seek out Mukherjee for his other works. Highly recommended for readers who like their suspense layered with social insight and who appreciate a setting that actively shapes the story being told.

#ThePinnacle #AbirMukherjee #LittleBrown