India Black

Excuse me if I am extremely a little fangirly right now. I just finished this whirlwind novel of adventure, humor and mystery just minutes ago, and friends, I am impressed. And in dire need of a reread, just for fun. And, now, I am a stalwart fan of both India Black and the author behind this highly creative and immensely fun novel, Carol K. Carr. Reading this was easy, entertaining, and so very fun; this is one of those novels that grabs you from the very first page and never really lets go. Another of my done-in-one-sitting reads, India Black has set a high standard for the rest of the novels that will follow in this promising series from a talented author. I admit that I am not one for historical mysteries all that often - I usually show more stay more on the straight historical fiction side of the genre - but I will willingly make exceptions for any and all further India Black novels to come.

In such a fast-paced novel, with adventures and turnabouts and surprise revelations and secret pasts every other chapter, it is main character India that really makes the novel something really quite special. I truly enjoyed the fleshed-out secondary characters (French and Vincent are both, quite disparately charming fellows) and antagonists, but India is what makes this one of my best-of-2012 novels easily. India is a madam, among many, many other attributes (and vices). Skilled in multiple fields (I do enjoy a girl who can shoot a gun/defend herself/use her wits) and India does each and every one of those multiple times. She is the equal of her unofficial government counterpart, and her charm and humor had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions. Smart, cunning and opportunistic, India is a fully-formed, distinct character, and one I related to quite easily - despite our very different backgrounds and attitudes. She bursts forth from the page with her witty comebacks and her handy way around a weapon. She is resourceful and wonderfully three-dimensional with her frank honesty, forthright attitudes - a heroine to remember in a sea of forgettable leads.

India is nicely complemented by her comrades-in-arms, the mysterious and charming French and the street urchin of questionable but useful talents, Vincent. The verbal and occasional real sparring between India and French is another highlight to this well-rounded novel. So often during my experience, I was tempted to update my status on GoodReads with a bon mot or a choice comment from either droll character. Their chemistry is palpable, their interactions full of authenticity, and though this is far from a romance novel, the attraction between the opposites works really well to add an extra layer of tension to a novel already brimming with it. French is a charismatic character, and one that kept me intrigued and very attentive through this all-too-short read of just under 300 pages. Not as open as India about his life, or even his name! - which is to be expected as she narrates the novel, often breaking the fourth wall to address her readers - but is still one that manages to hold his own against the formidable and crafty madam. Vincent adds a certain charm, if his role as a street smart urchin in a Victorian novel is somewhat formulaic, he does add to the novel another easily likeable and distinct character.

This is a mystery, but midway through the novel, that premise is readily concluded and then it's a madcap race of adventure through England and various hostage situations in a race against the agents of the tsar of Russia. India Black is by turns amusing, exciting, hilarious, and always full of constant surprises and upheavals. It's light and fun read and I can't stress enough how good of a time I had with this novel, from start to end. India Black is well worth a try if a feisty protagonist with a brain is high and a unique way around a retort are on your list of favorites. All the rest is an added bonus to a convoluted plot, populated with such vibrant characters. show less

India Black is the first full-length book in Carol K. Carr’s Madam of Espionage mystery series. It stars India Black, the beautiful young madam of the Lotus House brothel in London, which caters to an elite clientele. One day, Sir Archibald Latham, a regular client and employee of the War Office, has the audacity to drop dead in her establishment, something that could be very bad for business if word got out. Therefore, India contrives to dispose of his body discretely after dark. However, she’s caught in the act by a handsome British spy, going simply by the name of French, who works for the Prime Minister. Soon India finds herself kidnapped and taken to have an audience with the Prime Minister himself, who explains that when show more Latham went to Lotus House, he was in possession of a briefcase containing sensitive political information, which if it got out, could mean the difference between Great Britain being forced to wage war against Turkey (something they don’t want) or not. Unfortunately the case went missing from the brothel, but they’ve tracked it to the Russian embassy and believe that India, using her skills as a lady of the night, could help them get it back. India isn’t exactly eager to do so, but after French applies a little blackmail, she’s persuaded to do as they’ve asked. The mission proves to be anything but easy, though, with India and French ending up on a madcap adventure all over England and beyond in an effort to recover the information before the Russians can get it out of the country and back to St. Petersburg.

The entire book is told from India’s first-person perspective. We aren’t given her exact age, but she’s described as still young and beautiful. She’s much more than just a pretty face, though, also being quite the good businesswoman, knowing exactly how to keep her girls in line and run a tight establishment. A practical, no-nonsense kind of woman, she oozes confidence and assertiveness, and doesn’t suffer fools lightly. India proves to have an adventurous side as well. Although French twists her arm a little to gain her initial cooperation, once embroiled in the caper, she’s all in, taking it very seriously and not giving up. I was amused by her keeping a gun in her purse that she knows how to use and impressed with her ability to take care of herself with self-defense moves that keep the bad guys on their toes. All in all, she was an admirable heroine who isn’t half-bad at the espionage game despite that not being her area of expertise.

India’s primary cohorts are French and Vincent. French—just French—as he chooses not to reveal any more about himself, works for the government in some sort of spy or “fixer” capacity and reports directly to the Prime Minister with his main loyalty being to that office no matter who holds it, not unlike U. S. Secret Service. He’s brave and resourceful, a great partner for India in their mission. Vincent is a street kid who India goes to on occasion for help with covert things. It’s him that she calls upon to help her remove Latham’s body, which of course, doesn’t go as planned. Vincent is loyal to India, though, and proves far better at the espionage game than some of the actual spies in Her Majesty’s employ. Of course, there are the main Russian baddies, Ivanov and Oksana, who lead India and French on a merry chase across England and keep jockeying with them for the upper hand.

I’ve noticed that India Black doesn’t really have spectacular ratings, but not having read any reviews yet, I’m not entirely sure why. If the story had any weakness, I’d say it would be in the characterizations. I would have been interested in learning more of India’s background and how she came to be in her current position, and while having French be a little mysterious was rather fun, I wouldn’t have minded knowing more about him as well. Otherwise, though, I personally quite enjoyed it. Perhaps that was due in part to Carol K. Carr’s writing style reminding me a lot of Diana Gabaldon’s. In fact, if I didn’t know their books were authored by different people, I might think them one and the same. India in a lot of ways reminded me of Claire Fraser from Outlander, too. If these two women were real, I think they might actually be great friends. The one big difference, though, is that this book has no romance of any sort despite the cover blurb hinting at some. Although one character ruminates that he thinks India is attracted to French, she vehemently denies it, instead insisting that he annoys her. Whether that might change in future books of the series, I have no idea, but I’m not holding my breath for it to happen. The story is called a mystery, but there’s very little actual mystery to solve, as the government officials know what became of the case. Therefore, it’s more of a suspense story, full of action and adventure as India and French try their level best to get the case back with things often not going their way. Overall, I found India Black to be a fun, madcap escapade that kept me entertained, and I look forward to continuing the series. show less

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 show more 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. show less

Ok, so I feel as though this book maybe takes itself a little too seriously for a patently ridiculous Victorian crime caper. However, I know that with mysteries frequently you just have to go with it, this one is a pretty entertaining story, with a refreshing bluntness on the subject of London brothels. I am also pretty highly amused with the plucky and strong-willed India Black.

Did... I fall in love with India Black after the first page?: YES. The first ten sentences had me hooked.

Did... I develop a bit of a crush on the heroine and the hero?: YES. This isn't a romance in the slightest but both leads killed me with their hot.

Am... I going to die waiting for the second book?: YES. This one is coming out Jan 4th, FYI.

Review: There's nothing like being hooked by a book on the first page. It's kind of exhilarating, really. All you need do is settle back and greedily read on; and in this case, I guzzled this book like it was orange soda and I was five.

Despite the heroine being a madam, this isn't a risque book. Carr opens the novel with India Black shooing away anyone who wants to read "a young woman's schooling in show more the arts of love" as well as the overly pious and easily shocked. It was then I realized India and I would get along just smashingly.

I love action films and spy thrillers for lots of reasons, but a biggie is that there's usually a strong woman as a companion -- or better, colleague. Smart, gorgeous, calculating, tough, the woman is as interesting as the spy hero but gets less back story and screentime. Those women always intrigue me: how did they end up where they did? What's their deal?

Reading India Black is a bit like having a Victorian Bond Girl be the star of our film. She's used as bait and saves the day, is wined and dined and kidnapped and locked up; she kicks butt and gets abused in equal part. There's a company man, French, who is enigmatic and dreamy. A ruffian sidekick. Intrigue iced with witty comebacks and droll retorts. There are even chase scenes and fight scenes and a hint of naughtiness just to keep things fresh -- and addictive-ly readable. I am so looking forward to the next India Black book; I anticipate being a vocal Carol K. Carr fangirl. show less

Right. This is what my love of spy novels does to me. :)

India Black could have been a fantastic book. I loved the wry humour and typical British arrogance of it, I chuckled at Madam Black's observations and at her amusing associates, the descriptions were so vivid I could easily see what was happening.

However, the plot was silly. After reading Joanna Bourne's spy novels and admiring the brilliant minds of British spymasters, sadly I found French, the actual spy in this book, lacking. He doesn't think things through, he is clumsy and he continues to make silly mistakes. This is what his department reduced to? A brooding gentleman with a cane, a whore and and a dirty street urchin?

At some point the whole involvement of India in this show more affair became ridiculous. In the beginning she is blackmailed in helping Ministry of Foreign Affairs to extract some documents from the Russian Embassy in London. When the plan fails, the blackmail is lifted and she is free to go. Why would any normal woman want to chase some Russian spies just for the thrill of it?! Is she an adrenaline junkie? Does she value her life so little?

Frankly, I don't know what was more surprising, - her insisting on being involved or Disraeli and French caving into her demands.

My last pet-peeve is the amount f info dumps. Yes, Russians want to fight Turkey to protect Serbs and to gain a foot hole in the region. Yes, England needs to prevent them from doing it to protect their own interests. Do we need the detailed descriptions and bloody maps? No. Does India needs it? Hell, no. However, Disraeli and other two gentlemen patiently explain everything to her in the age when women were considered too feeble minded to understand politics.

Sorry for my long rant, peeps. The book is entertaining at least, and if you're able to put the aforementioned issues behind you, you'll enjoy it much more than me. show less

India Black, the owner and manager of the high-class brothel called the Lotus House, seems an unlikely candidate for being called upon to aid Queen Victoria's government in international espionage. However, when a VIP carrying even more important papers dies in her establishment, she finds herself embroiled in a plot to keep said papers from reaching the Russians. Teaming up with secret agent French and street urchin/mastermind/tornado Vincent, will India save her country and manage to stay alive in the process?

Despite her line of work, you can't help but like India Black. She is truly a woman of mystery, and she makes no apologies for her profession. We learn very little about her past. How did she end up being a prostitute and, show more ultimately, a madame? French tries to draw her out, but she doesn't take the bait, and you can never be quite certain about anything she does say about her past. I'm hoping that more is revealed in future volumes. show less