India Black and the Gentleman Thief - Carol C.Carr

India Black’s double life operating a high-class brothel and running high-stakes espionage for Her Majesty’s government can take its toll. But there’s no rest for the weary—particularly when an international conspiracy comes knocking…

India Black is one of Victorian London’s most respected madams—not a bloody postmistress. So when Colonel Francis Mayhew forwards a seemingly innocuous shipping bill to her address, she’s puzzled. And when three thugs bust down her door, steal the envelope, and rough up both her and fellow agent French…well, that’s enough to make India Black see red.

The veteran spies soon discover that Mayhew has been butchered in his own bedroom. An impromptu investigation leads them to London’s docks, where India makes a startling discovery she can’t bear to tell the rakish French—she has a history with their chief suspect, the gentleman thief who once stole her heart…

My thoughts:

The last book ended with a sort of cliffie that had me begging for more. It seems French knew about India's origin and she was not happy and wanted the truth. And this book picked up right where it ended. But will India get her answers? Ha! No such luck, because she is immediately thrown into another case.

At least everything came out in this book. I now know who India is, who her mother is and how it all connects. Rather juicy and I do wonder how that part will turn out. Because knowing India, well she is a saucy woman. She likes her life, her brothel and ruling over her tarts.

But that is another story. This story is about a letter, a dead major and the hunt for the truth. She and French gets closer, and move apart. Oh I give up all hope on those two.

Conclusion:
There is danger, a former lover turning up, secrets revealed and a brothel turned upside down. I certainly look forward their next adventure.

Cover

nice

Paperback, 304 pages
Published August 8th 2014 by Titan Books (first published February 4th 2014)
Madam of Espionage Mysteries #4
Historical fiction /mystery/spy
For review

India Black and the Shadows of Anarchy - Carol K. Carr

In Victorian London, India Black has all the attributes a high-class madam needs to run a successful brothel—wit, beauty, and an ability to lie with a smile. Luckily for Her Majesty’s Government, all these talents also make her a first-rate spy.

India Black, full-time madam and occasional secret agent, is feeling restless, when one of Disraeli’s men calls on her to meet the prime minister—alone. Even though all her previous meetings have been organized by the rakishly handsome spy French, it’s been decided this is a mission India must attempt on her own.

Revolt has spread across Europe and reached the shores of England—anarchists have begun assassinating lords and earls, one by one. Now India must infiltrate the ranks of the underground group responsible for those attacks, the sinister Dark Legion. To stop their dread plot, India will go from the murkiest slums of London to the highest levels of society, uncovering secrets that threaten her very existence…

My thoughts:

First, the end, the end. It had me shaking my fist at the ceiling. It was not an omg cliffie!! Instead it was the opening of a revelation I had long wanted, but sadly will not know now. I need book 4 so I get to find out about this revelation.

India Black, Madam to a bunch of tarts is in the heat of things again. She is called to duty and will have to infiltrate an anarchist cell. Dangerous business and she must do it without French ( I still need his secrets too btw!). People and buildings are getting blown up, but India had a good head on her shoulders and goes nowhere without her trusting gun.

We have a bunch of anarchist crying out for liberty, freedom and wanting to kill people. India trying to stay alive. A new trollop to school in (I am afraid amazon wont like the other word.) Where is French? Who is French? And the whole enigma of what was shouted out in the last book, who was India's mother really?

Conclusion:

The end comes and makes me crave more. It's a good spy book with enough suspense to keep me hooked.

Cover

Ok

Paperback, 336 pages
Published June 13th 2014 by Titan Books (first published February 5th 2013)
Madam of Espionage Mysteries #3
Historical fiction / suspense / spy
For review

India Black and the Widow of Windsor - Carol K.Carr

Black is back—Her Majesty’s favorite spy is off to Scotland in this new adventure to ensure the Queen doesn’t end up getting killed.

When Queen Victoria attends a séance, the spirit of her departed husband, Prince Albert, insists she spend Christmas at their Scottish home in Balmoral. Prime Minister Disraeli suspects the Scottish nationalists plan to assassinate the Queen—and sends the ever resourceful India and the handsome British spy, French, to the Scottish highlands.

French will take the high road, looking for a traitor among the guests-and India will take the low road, disguised as a servant in case an assassin is hiding among the household staff. India is certain that someone at Balmoral is determined to make this Her Majesty’s last Christmas…

My thoughts:

I do think I liked this one even better than book 1. It might have been the downstairs/upstairs things ;)

Right, so our favorite brothel owner has been sent to Scotland. There she will play the part of a servant. Being a former whore, India does know how to act and get information. Sure she is not the best all the time, but who would be that when put in a situation like this without any schooling. So I like her.

French is there too playing the bored aristocrat who does what he wants. And there was something almost said that the beginning that sure had me wondering. Will we never learn more about him?

Amusing situations, danger, spying and one strange old lady. India sure has her hands full in this book. I also wonder if the almost flirting between her and French will lead somewhere...oh yes the questions. I guess I just need to read book 3.

Conclusion:

A Christmas gathering turned deadly. Two spies, a lusty nobleman to avoid and the question of who is trying to kill the queen. A fun book that had me guessing.

Cover

works

Paperback, 320 pages

Published April 17th 2014 by Titan Books (first published October 4th 2011)

Madam of Espionage Mysteries #2

Historical /suspense/spy/mystery

For review

Review: Banquet of Lies - Michelle Diener

LONDON, 1812: Giselle Barrington is living a double life, juggling the duties of chef with those of spy catcher. She must identify her father’s savage killer before the shadowy man finds her and uncovers the explosive political document her father entrusted to her safekeeping.

Posing as a French cook in the home of Lord Aldridge, Giselle is surrounded by unlikely allies and vicious enemies. In the streets where she once walked freely among polite society, she now hides in plain sight, learning the hard lessons of class distinction and negotiating the delicate balance between servant and master.

Lord Aldridge’s insatiable curiosity about his mysterious new chef blurs the line between civic duty and outright desire. Carefully watching Giselle’s every move, he undertakes a mission to figure out who she really is—and, in the process, plunges her straight into the heart of danger when her only hope for survival is to remain invisible.

My thoughts:

I finished the book in a day, I just read and read, and then I read some more. I almost did it in one sitting too if I had not had to go grocery shopping ;)

There is a lightness over the writing that makes the pages fly by. And then there is the suspense/mystery/drama that just makes it impossible to put it down. Here it's cos the heroine, Giselle is hiding from the man who killed her father and she has important information too. It's a cat and mouse game, and it's thrilling.

If I compare it to the other regency book she has written then yes I did love The Emperor's Secret a bit more. But that was cos of the heroine's past and the heartache it left me in. Still this book was awesome and it was not as dark when it came to certain things. It also made me want so much more, and I already know someone she totally should write about. But then that is how ES left me too. Wanting so much more, so please, write more :D

Honestly I had the best sentence in my head, it would have made the review. Alas now it's gone but that is how a good book usually leaves me unable to write a coherent review.

Giselle was great, brave and even if she said she was a mouse, then she certainly was a courageous mouse. Jonathan was in a way a sort of beta hero, dunno why I say that really. But in the best possible way. She was the heroine in the book after all.

Conclusion;

A cat and mouse game in a rich setting. Danger and romance is promised. And it makes Michelle Diener the go to woman for these sort of books. A good book makes you want more, but a great book makes you crave more. And this one was great.

Paperback, 352 pages
Published October 22nd 2013 by Gallery Books
Historical fiction / romantic fiction /suspense /spy games
For review

Review: Tainted Angel - Anne Cleeland

A deadly game of deception. A notorious beauty with a shadowy past

In the time of Napoleon, Vidia Swanson appears to live a gilded life of ease and luxury. Beneath this façade, however, she works for the Home Office as an ‘angel,’ coaxing secrets from powerful men who may or may not be traitors to the Crown. In the course of her latest assignment, matters take an alarming turn when she realizes that her spymaster suspects that she is the one who is tainted--a double agent working for the enemy.

Lucien Carstairs is a fellow agent with his own dark secrets--unless he is setting an elaborate trap to reveal her own supposed treason. Backed into a corner, she can only hope to stay one step ahead of the hangman in a race to stop the next war before it destroys them--and destroys England.

Tainted Angel offers up a compelling game of cat and mouse in which no one can be trusted--and anyone can be tainted.

My thoughts:

This was a spy/mystery/romance/historical. A nice little mix and I thought I knew, but I had no idea at all ;)

Vidia was an enigma. Her fellow spies believes she is tainted and I was unsure. She was way too comfy around her mark. So I kept wondering about her and her benefactor. In the end I wondered about everyone. You can't really trust anyone in this book and first at the end I could relax and trust people, trust them to know what they were doing.

That is the whole thriller/mystery parts. She has some explaining to do and the heat is on. In comes the hero (who I did not know what to make of either). Their relationship becomes, oh you just has to read it. It's a cat and mouse game and it kept me on my toes. Then there is the whole dead wife thing too to think about. But, nah I will not say one thing more. This was just a book were mysteries slowly were revealed. 

One thing though, at times I was, not confused just..troubled. I felt that I should be able to trust someone at least and pages seemed to flow by without me noticing it and not in a good way.

Conclusion:

An thrilling spy novel with romance to offer too.

Cover
I love the red

Historical Fiction /thriller/mystery/romance
Paperback, 368 pages
Published June 4th 2013 by Sourcebooks Landmark
For review