FICTION

The Strangler Vine

Putnam. Mar. 2015. 384p. ISBN 9780399171673. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9780698168732. F
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OrangeReviewStarFrom the thrilling prolog to the satisfying conclusion, former journalist and nonfiction author Carter's (Anthony Blunt: His Lives) first foray into fiction hooks the reader into a ripping adventure ride, full of danger, conspiracy, and trickery. Young William Avery, a soldier in the service of the British East India Company in 1837 India, receives an unexpected assignment. He is to accompany Jeremiah Blake, a secret political agent with an astonishing talent for languages and Sherlock Holmesian disguises, on a mission to find the scandalous British writer Xavier Mountstuart, who is missing. Each twist and turn of the duo's journey draws them deeper into the mystery of the sinister Thuggee cult and closer to uncovering the shocking truth at the heart of the puzzle of Mountstuart's disappearance.
VERDICT Carter's clever historical thriller is a winner. The details of life in 1830s India are enthralling, as is the history of the Thugs. Historical fiction fans who love action, adventure, and intrigue supported by incredible research will devour this novel, which was longlisted for the 2014 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. [See Prepub Alert, 9/15/14.]
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