India Black by Carol K Carr

In the red light district of London, India Black is in the business of selling passion her clientele will never forget. But when it comes to selling secrets, India's price cannot be paid by any man...

In the winter of 1876, the beautiful young madam India Black is occupied with her usual tasks - keeping her tarts in line, avoiding the police, and tolerating the clergyman bent on converting her girls. But when Sir Archibald Latham of the War Office dies from a heart attack while visiting her brothel, India is unexpectedly thrust into a deadly game between Russian and British agents who are seeking the military secrets Latham carried.

French, the handsome British spy, discovers India disposing of Latham's body and blackmails her into recovering the missing documents. Their quest takes them from the Russian embassy to Claridge's Hotel, from London to the English coast, all the while dodging Russians intent to do them harm.

But it is their own tempestuous relationship they will have to weather as India and French attempt to resist the mutual attraction between them - an attraction that can prove as deadly as the conspiracy entangling them...

What is it about the Victorian era that gives us such smart, sassy, witty and readable women with a knack for amateur sleuthing? Move over Lady Julia Grey. Shove along Amelia Peabody and dance off towards the sunset Emily Ashton, because there is a new girl in town - India Black.

I thought from seeing the cover that this looked like a book that I might like. Right from the start of the prologue, I knew I was going to enjoy it mainly because of the voice. Here are the opening two sentences:

My name is India Black. I am a whore.

If those words made you blush, if you hand fluttered to your cheek or your harrumphed disapprovingly into your beard, then you should return this volume to the shelf, cast a cold glance at the proprietor as you leave, and hasten home feeling proper and virtuous.

The main question was whether the voice could be maintained through the novel without becoming annoying, and I am glad to say that it was.

So what is the book about? India Black is the madam at the Lotus House. As she says herself "I'm out of the game myself  these days, but can set you up with a nice girl, any night after seven". One of the clients taking advantage of this deal is the man India calls Bowser, otherwise known as Sir Archibald Latham, important figure in the Disraeli government. When he dies in her establishment, India knows that it is bad new all round. With the assistance of the very enterprising urchin Vincent, India comes up with a plan to dispose of the body, but as she is disposing of the body she is approached by the spy only known as Mr French. A quick bit of banter and blackmail later and suddenly India finds herself involved in the spy game.

It seems that Bowser had bought some important government papers with him to her house of ill repute, but now they are missing and it is a matter of vital national importance that they are recovered. The government wants them, the opposition wants them, and the enemy (in this case the Russians) definitely want them. And so India suddenly finds herself in all kinds of unlikely situations.

It would be remiss of me to go much further without mentioning Black. Strong, intelligent, handsome, relatively quiet, gets things done type of guy - be still my beating heart! I am so glad that this is the first of a series because I can't wait to find out more about Black. At this stage he is so mysterious that neither the reader or India even know his first name. We are assured that it is not a run of the mill name like John or William and not totally outlandish. Perhaps we will find out in future books.

I did notice in the back cover blurb (above) that it talks about a relationship between Black and India but I didn't really feel the mutual attraction all that much. It was definitely there, and it is a good foundation to build the tension in future reads, but I didn't think it was as strong an influence on the storyline as it could have been or that it is inferred to be in the blurb.

When a book has you laughing out loud on the train, you know that it is a good one, and it would be a perfect pick me up book! I will definitely be putting a request in for the next book as soon as I can, and the cover for the next book is gorgeous too!


I was prompted to read this book in order to participate in the blog tour being run by Premier Virtual Author Book Tours, although I got my copy of the book from the library. To visit other stops on the tour, click on the link above. Thanks for the push. I really enjoyed the book!

Why I Love The Age of Victoria by Carol Carr

I’d rather read about the past than the present.  I saw a t-shirt the other day that perfectly reflects my attitude.  “History buff,” it read, “I’d be more interested in you if you were dead.”  One of my interests is the England of Victoria, specifically the period from 1870 to the turn of the century.  It’s difficult for me to remember when I became fascinated with this era, but I can at least explain why:  we are very much like the Victorians, so much so that I feel right at home with them. 

During the Victorian period, the world enjoyed the benefits of Pax Britannica (“British Peace”).  I don’t say that with any sarcasm; I think it’s a fairly accepted view in the world of international relations that the world benefits when a strong country or group of countries cooperate to keep sea lanes open and local despots on their toes.  We’re living in the age of Pax Americana now, though how long that will last is anyone’s guess.  The Victorians certainly had more experience acting as the world’s policeman; we Americans really didn’t get into the business until the Cold War.  Countries choose to play this role, and it often leads to attacks upon their motives and methods (some of which are merited).  Great Britain ruled the waves during the Victorian era, much as the United States is the pre-eminent military power today.  The Victorians fought numerous wars to protect their interests in far-flung areas of the world, including the Middle East and Afghanistan.  Sounds familiar doesn’t it?  It’s really quite instructive to read about the issues the Victorians encountered playing this role, and those that confront America.

The Victorians were an oddly divided society, just as we are.  On the one hand, there was great faith in the notion that scientific progress and the application of reason would solve social problems.  On the other, many Victorians were deeply religious and committed to good works, including actively supporting or staffing overseas missions.  America seems to share that division of ideas, adopting a secular, social science approach to tackling issues of poverty and education, while maintaining a strong tradition of religious belief and service to the needy.  I once heard a specialist in foreign policy say that one of the least understood means of transmitting American views was the missionary work of evangelical churches overseas.   I’m not debating the merits of these views, merely pointing out how similar our society is in some ways to that of the Victorians.

Victorian Britain and America today share something else:  a belief that our societies are unique, endowed with the best forms of government, a deep respect for individual human rights, and strong civil societies and legal systems.  Both societies share a belief that the rest of the world would benefit if they adopted our practices and customs.  This isn’t an academic study of the similarities between two societies.  No doubt there are plenty of examples illustrating the differences between Victorian England and present-day America.  However, I’ve found the resemblance strong enough to provoke some thoughtful examination.  Digging into the past is a fascinating way to understand our present.

After a career as a lawyer and corporate executive, Carol K. Carr turned to writing. India Black is her firstg book. She lives in the Missouri Ozarks with her husband and two German Shepherds.

To learn more about Carol and India Black, visit Carol K. Carr.