Author: Carol K. Carr
Series: Madam of Espionage Mysteries series Book 1
Publication: Berkley (January 4, 2011)
Description: When Sir Archibald Latham of the War Office dies from a heart attack while visiting her brothel, Madam India Black is unexpectedly thrust into a deadly game between Russian and British agents who are seeking the military secrets Latham carried.
Blackmailed into recovering the missing documents by the British spy known as French, India finds herself dodging Russian agents-and the attraction she starts to feel for the handsome conspirator.
My Thoughts: INDIA BLACK was an entertaining historical mystery/espionage novel. India is the madam of Lotus House. Her problems begins when one of her clients dies in her house. The gentleman is a regular Sunday afternoon client. India's first plan is to move his body so that she and her house don't attract the attention of the law. She enlists a street urchin named Vincent and plans are going well until French interferes.
French is an agent for the Prime Minister and agrees to help move the body and arrange for it to be discovered if India will turn over to him the briefcase of government papers he had with him when he arrived at the house. This sound like a wonderful deal to India who just wants all of this to go away so that she can get back to her business.
Unfortunately, the briefcase and the girl who was with the client have both disappeared. The adventures of India and French as they try to recover the missing briefcase are all told by India in an irreverent and cheeky style and takes them to the Russian Embassy and on a break-neck trip across England in a blizzard.
The action is non-stop and laced with humor. A madam's take on the politics of the day make this an informative story as well especially when filtered through India's point of view. I liked the relationship between French and India. I liked that they both had secrets. I was especially curious about India's since she seems to have more education than the usual woman who grows up on the streets in a poor part of London.
I am eager to continue this series to find out more about India and French.
Favorite Quote:
That probably explains why, as soon as I'd relinquished my foothold on the ledge, I slid down the drainpipe at speed, plummeting to earth like a meteor. It was a lucky thing for me, but a bit unfortunate for French, who had decided to play the gentleman. For he was waiting for me at the bottom of the downspout, about to offer a chivalrous arm I suppose, when I barreled into him like a Swiss avalanche, sending him sprawling into the darkness of the snowy garden with a muffled oath.I bought this one March 14, 2011. You can buy your copy here.
I found him a few feet away, laid out like an effigy on a tomb, too stunned, I presume, to move.
This one sounds highly entertaining! I was attracted to the cover and the book description, but your review makes me want to read it, especially because it sounds so witty.
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