India Black and the Widow of Windsor by Carol K. Carr
Review by Jerelyn (I-F-Letty)
I ask you what’s not to love. I love finding new authors; such is the case with Carol K. Carr, creator of the India Black series. I already loved the smart, savvy, sexy India Black from Ms. Carr’s first book, India Black. I also love her characters, the handsome, hunky French and Vincent the odiferous street urchin.
I was looking forward to the second book in the series. Carol Carr writes the kind of books that I like to read. If you can make me laugh aloud or cry then I am pretty much going to read what you write; having said that now on to India and her next adventure.
India Black and the Widow of Windsor
India and French are fencing, literally at the beginning of the book. French is beginning to teach India the art of self defense; an exercise that India is not appreciative of. She has her Webley .442 Bull Dog revolver in her handbag after all. She and French are summoned to see ex-prime minister Disraeli. India’s view on Disraeli…He wore a silk dressing gown of crimson, soft slippers of scarlet leather tooled with his crest, and a scarlet Fez with a black silk tassel dangling over his ear. A single ringlet corkscrewed out of the Fez over his forehead. Lord if the man didn’t have style at least he had courage. A spiritualist has told the Queen that her dearly departed husband Bertie wants her to spend Christmas at Balmoral, the house that Prince Albert built and the royal family has loved ever since. Disraeli needs French to assess if there is a credible threat on the Queen’s life and discover who is at the bottom of it. French volunteers India to help discover who is out to kill the Queen..
India out of London in the Scottish highlands is just what you expect; India’s irreverence for the upper classes makes for some seriously funny snark. India has gone undercover as a lady’s maid.
India on the Marchioness: “It was tempting to blame French for saddling me with this snuff dipping, narcoleptic, bibliophile.”
India Black on Bagpipes: “Sane people do not make musical instruments out of a sheep bladders and a bundle of reeds. What prompts a bloke to pick up an internal organ from an ovis aries and squeeze it in the first place? The mind boggles.”
I love India’s saltiness, but one of the minor characters really stole the show. The Marchioness is a hoot. The Marchioness takes over as sparring partner for India. I had a pretty good idea by about half way through that they were chasing red herrings; and kind of thought I knew who they were looking for. But, the mystery is secondary in these books; the fun is in the hunt.
India is being groomed to be a valuable asset to the crown, whether she knows it or not. Vincent isn’t left behind he goes along as French’s groom. Really if you want a light read after a heavy book this is your book. You don’t even have to have read the first book, but you should. India explains how she and French met and about their previous adventure very well and very quickly; and mercifully only once. My only Beef with this books is there is not enough of French in this one. Hints are dropped about French’s personal life, which only makes you want to know more.
Ms. Carr understands the political climate of the period and imparts the info without sounding like a text book. This book is what it is, a lighthearted, tongue in cheek, laugh out loud, fun read.
I e-chatted with Carol Carr for the PBS blog after writing this review I thought I would share with you a few things. There will be a third book, slated for release in February 2012. The title, for now at least is India Black and the Dark Legion”. “India and French penetrate a cell of foreign anarchists, India learns more about her mother and discovers a bit more about French, and has a run-in with another madam.
I can hardly wait! Carol Carr will be in Houston to do a book signing at Murder by the Book on October 8, 2012.
On one of Ms. Carr’s blog post she talks about Nancy Wake. I am fascinated by the women who served in the OSS (the forerunner of the CIA) and the British Special Operations Executive in World War II. Nancy Wake was the “most redoubtable” of SOE agents who operated in France, and she died this summer at 98.
Ms Carr shared with me that. Once I finish #3 and then plan to work on my OSS espionage novel.
Thanks to Ms. Carr for the mini interview.
Great review — now I want to check out sassy India Black, and see what all the fun is about!
I love it when authors respond and interact with their readers! Carol Carr sounds great.