The strangler vine book

This tale of two illyoked companions involved in conspiracy and betrayal is a welcome addition to. While tracking down a missing writer who has exposed the true nature of calcutta society in 1837 india, a young soldier with few prospects, a secret political agent and a master of disguise are drawn into the mysterious thuggee cult and its even more ominous suppression. The washington post the strangler vine is a splendid novel with an enthralling story, a wonderfully drawn atmosphere, and an exotic mystery that captivated me. Set in the untamed wilds of nineteenthcentury colonial india, this dazzling historical thriller introduces blake and averyan unforgettable investigative pair. The strangler vine npr coverage of the strangler vine by m. Avery and blake are simultaneously transformed into the toast of india and given a tough lesson in political expediency. This enthralling adventure pits british agents against the thuggee in 19thcentury india. The strangler vine is more than just a picturesque quest through exotic lands. The strangler vine book midcontinent public library.

From a hanging in jubbulpore to a tiger hunt in doora and on to a mountain prison on. The strangler vine blake and avery novel by m j carter. In a new georgianera mystery by antonia hodgson, the followup to the devil in. I know that the strangler vine is classified as a thriller but for me that term connotes intense suspense and i did not find this book particularly suspenseful. This tale of two illyoked companions involved in conspiracy and betrayal is a welcome addition to the surprisingly thin body of novels about the great and at times appalling imperial adventure. While kali is a hindu goddess, it has been argued that a large number of thugs were in fact muslim. On a deeper level, however, the strangler vine is more than just a picturesque quest through exotic lands. As well as being a rattling good yarn in the traditions of g. Set in the untamed wilds of nineteenthcentury colonial india, this dazzling historical thriller introduces blake and averyan. In this mysterious environment grow the strangler vines of the title, creepers which choke the trees until killer. Carters the strangler vine is a lush and multilayered adventure novel, set in 19th century when bands of the thuggee religious sect roamed india, robbing and murdering. Bernard cornwell thoroughly researchedentertainingthis tale of two illyoked companions involved in conspiracy and betrayal is a welcome addition to the surprisingly thin body of novels about the great and at times appalling imperial adventure. All of our paper waste is recycled within the uk and turned into corrugated cardboard. The appropriation of kali by the thuggee to justify their murders is the subject of some ongoing historical debate.

The wellresearched the strangler vine entwines the cult into a ripping adventuremystery novel, and the nonfiction children of kali is an indian traveloguehistory. Carter is the author of the blake and avery novels, including the devils feast, the infidel stain, and the strangler vine a former journalist, she is also the author of two acclaimed works of nonfiction, anthony blunt. Our december cc book club selection is the strangler vine by m. The strangler vine immerses the reader in an india of jungles, bandit attacks, tiger hunts and rajahs opulent courts, but its also a meticulously researched portrait of an era. True, it has lots of fastmoving drama, but it also has a. Carters blake and avery series follows william avery, a downatheel junior officer in the east india companys army, and jeremiah blake, a brilliant but taciturn special inquiry agent, set out on a secret mission. Henty or rudyard kipling, this is also a wellinformed and enlightened modern book that has a. Carter and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The strangler vine covers a serious subject, disguised in a rollicking good yarn about the days leading up to the british raj. The strangler vine, a novel about the east india company. The strangler vine is a splendid novel with an enthralling story, a wonderfully drawn atmosphere, and an exotic mystery that captivated me.

The strangler vine was a bit of an adventure all round. Carter makes a subtle critique of how fact and fiction, myth and history intertwine. The publishers have done this book a disservice in calling it a riproaring caper. The strangler vine book king county library system. These evocative books explore the indian thuggee cult and its violently adversarial relationship with the british empire. Set in 1830s colonial india, carters novel tells the story of william avery, a young lieutenant, and jeremiah blake, an agent for the east india company, who join forces to track down a missing writer who has disappeared into the jungle.

More than that, it features india, over a 5month period, twenty years prior to indias first war of independence or the great rebellion, which ultimately led to the. The strangler vine book charlotte mecklenburg library. The strangler vine features two east india company officers avery and blake on a mission to find a prominent, missing european author, mountstuart, in india in 1837. A finalist for the edgar award for best novel a washington post notable book of 2015 longlisted for the baileys womens prize for fiction 2014 set in the untamed wilds of nineteenthcentury colonial india, a dazzling historical thriller introducing an unforgettable investigative pair. The strangler vine december cc book club selection. In the strangler vine, a nomadic tribe of indian bandits, known to history as thugs, first charm and then strangle fellow travelers in the name of the hindu goddess kali. Her most recent book is the strangler vine, written under the name m. The modern term thug is derived from the historical usage depicted in the book, of the roving indian band called the thuggee.

Strangler vine blake and avery mystery series book 1 by. In this mysterious environment grow the strangler vines of the title, creepers which choke the trees until killer and victim are so entangled they are indistinguishable. Both books are evocative of the culture and people of india and stirred in me a strong desire to learn more about the subcontinent. News corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services.

The east india company rules india or most of it and its most notorious and celebrated son, scottish author xavier mountstuart, has gone missing. Set in the untamed wilds of nineteenthcentury colonial india. More than that, it features india, over a 5month period, twenty years prior to indias first war of independence or the great rebellion. Not only for blake and avery, our two main characters, but for me too, as i am usually a present day type of reader and usually turn away from anything set in the past. Jeremiah blake is a secret political agent gone native, a genius at languages and disguises, disenchanted with the whole ethos of british rule, but who cannot resist the challenge of an unresolved mystery. Our rbdigital platform distributes the broadest array of digital content typesincluding audiobooks, video, magazines, ebooks, education, and entertainmentall in one powerful app. William avery is a young soldier with few prospects except rotting away in campaigns in india. Praise for the strangler vine totally engrossingthe sort of story that makes you forget that there are other books stacked next to your bed, waiting to be read. The strangler vine is a splendid novel with an enthralling story, a wonderfully drawn atmosphere, and an exotic mystery that captivated me bernard cornwell the strangler vine is fresh and original avery is the guileless watson of the partnership, and blake the opaque sherlock. I liked sam dastors narration, which seemed vocally accurate and conjured the feel of the period and place well. Action is intermittent until the book s later chapters, when an assassination attempt is followed by a capture, a chase, a double cross and a fight to the death.