How nice!  An action/adventure spy book that is likely to appeal strongly to women!  India Black is a tough-as-nails madam who is the proprietor of a whorehouse that serves gentlemen of position and quality in Victorian London.  Through some misadventure India finds herself enlisted in Her Majesty's Service to help retrieve some sensitive state documents lost by one of the public officials who frequented India's er, establishment.  Intrigue, action, adventure, and humor ensue.

India's profession takes a backseat in this story, but it does provide a plausible way in which a Victorian woman would find herself mixing with male politicians, which is a significant hurdle to overcome if you want to have a story about a woman spy set in that time.  I appreciated that the author chose this profession for India, but that she did not turn this book into erotica.  This was a spy novel.

The book was fairly repetitive in places, and there were several improbable devices used in the story.  At times the language and phraseology was too modern and rang as a little out of place.  But who cares?  The story was fun, India was a heroine to root for, and you know, not once did the author resort to having India and her male co-spy fall in love, or fall into bed.  This was just a fun adventure that didn't take itself too seriously.  It read quickly, and made me eager to read the next India Black story.  Hopefully the next book will be a little tighter without sacrificing any adventure or fun.

This book totally hinges on whether or not you like India as a narrator. She's an unapologetic madam & whore, cynical about her customers, employees and the politicians she becomes entangled with. She's a hard hearted pragmatist and if you need narrators more sympathetic and nice, then look elsewhere. I liked that she was what a survivor in those circumstances usually is, like it or not the "Disney Whores" (TM someone from Dear Author) that so often populate fiction wouldn't really last long in the world. It's the ones like India who survive. So, anyway, I liked her, her narration and her cynical observances. This wasn't a mystery so much as a spy thriller, the plot isn't about who dunnit, but about trying to steal back stolen information. And if Vincent was a bit too much of a plot device and if there was a bit too much of India thinking they had the situation well in hand just before it all fell apart, it is a first book. I'm looking forward to the others in the series.

Excellent first novel.

 

I was amused and enthused from the first chapter. The book is categorised as an "historical mystery" but there really isn't much mystery involved. A lot of the story reads a bit like keystone cops play spy, but truly, I found the book entertaining and the characters interesting enough for me to care what happened to them. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

The humor ranks a strong four; the "mystery/espionage" aspect barely three. I definitely will try more of these books, when available. India is delightfully snarky. :-)

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 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.