The Strangler Vine : The Blake and Avery Mystery Series (Book 1)

For lovers of Sherlock, Shardlake and Ripper Street.A gripping and pulse-racing mystery thriller with a great detective double act. 'Splendid, enthralling, an exotic mystery that captivated me.' Bernard CornwellCalcutta 1837.Young officer William Avery is tasked by his employers-the East India Company-with tracking down disgraced poet and spy Xavier Mountstuart, lost in the jungles of central India.Accompanied by the dissolute and mysterious Jeremiah Blake, Avery is sure the mission is doomed.When their search leads them into Kali-worshipping Thug territory, the pair are soon fighting for their lives, but impelled to solve the horrifying mystery behind their mission.With death and danger on every side, is it too late for them to save themselves?Shortlisted for the John Creasey New Blood Dagger for Best Debut Crime novel of the year 2014, and the HWA Debut Crown for Best Historical Novel 2015, Longlisted for the Theakston's Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year 2015 and the Bailey's Woman's Prize for Fiction 2014