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    The Infidel Stain
    The Infidel Stain
    The Infidel Stain
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Infidel Stain

    Written by M.J. Carter

    Narrated by Alex Wyndham

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Blake and Avery return in the stunning sequel to M. J. Carter's lauded fiction debut, The Strangler Vine.

    London, 1841. Returned from their adventures in India, Jeremiah Blake and William Avery have both had their difficulties adapting to life in Victorian England. Moreover, time and distance have weakened the close bond between them, forged in the jungles of India. Then a shocking series of murders in the world of London's gutter press forces them back together. The police seem mysteriously unwilling to investigate, then connections emerge between the murdered men and the growing and unpredictable movement demanding the right to vote for all. In the back streets of Drury Lane, among criminals, whores, pornographers, and missionaries, Blake and Avery must race against time to find the culprit before he kills again. But what if the murderer is being protected by some of the highest powers in the land?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHighbridge Company
    Release dateMar 29, 2016
    ISBN9781681680613
    The Infidel Stain

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    Reviews for The Infidel Stain

    4/5

    84 ratings20 reviews

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    • 1/5
      She should have stop trying to write after q first book
    • 4/5
      This is the second book in a series featuring Captain William Avery and inquiry agent Jeremiah Blake. It is not necessary to have read the first book of the series before reading this book. The events take place 3 years after the end of "The Strangler Vine," when the two protagonists become reacquainted at a pub catering to Indian sailors. The philanthropist Viscount Allington wants to hire Blake and Avery to investigate two, seemingly motiveless, grisly murders among the poor of London.The book begins with a wonderful prologue that is too perfect to spoil with a description. I love the way this author writes. I was afraid that I would miss the colorful descriptions of exotic India that were in the first book, but she made London just as vibrant and colorful (although the colors here were often black, gray and brown, like the "ubiquitous, black grime"). There is a Dickensian cast of characters (including Dickens himself in a brief cameo appearance). The book involves not only murder but indecent publications, political and economic upheaval, blackmail, bribery, well meaning toffs and ineffectual police. It was excellent historical fiction and a real pleasure to read. I hope this series continues for a long time.At the end of the book, there is a very interesting description of the real life events and people that inspired this story.I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
    • 4/5
      Really more a history book than a mystery. The portrait of poverty in London and the emerging struggles for emancipation during the 1800’s are very well done.
    • 4/5
      I must admit that I was disappointed when I started this sequel to The Strangler Vines. One of the things that drew me to the first book of the series was the location - Colonial India. The Infidel Stain opens with Captain William Avery newly returned to Victorian England where he reunites with Jeremiah Blake in London. I've read a ton of period mysteries set in this location and around this same time period. I missed the freshness of a historical fiction mystery set elsewhere. Jem Blake is now a private enquiry agent and he's been tasked to discover the person or persons responsible for a series of ghastly murders. I saw the twist and resolution coming from a mile away. I had hoped that after their experiences together in India, Avery would be a little less whiny and that perhaps Blake would be a little more open with Avery giving him less cause to mope. Alas, that was not to be. I wanted to shake them both on several occasions. Additionally, the audiobook narrator, while still good, seemed to struggle to remember his voices for the two main characters, so their dialog often ran together. Whenever the text called for them to speak in low voices, the narrator whispered and the sound level dropped significantly, making passages impossible to hear while listening in my car. Those few annoyances aside, the book was still well written and engaging. There's a lot of heavy social commentary interwoven in this novel and I felt invested in the characters and the resolution. I will certainly be reading the next in the series, although I haven't decided if I want to purchase the audiobook version.
    • 3/5
      Interesting mystery story about two associates from different classes, brought together to solve the death of multiple printers. The interplay between the characters Capt Avery, and Blake kept the story moving. There were lots of moving pieces in this book, with lots of additional folks brought in. At times hard to follow because of the large number of characters, but worth sticking out.
    • 5/5
      Read 8/16. Second in Blake & Avery series. Set in 1841 London, Blake and Avery team up to solve a string of murdered printers. Another fine detective novel from Carter. Looking forward to more.
    • 4/5
      It took me a while to listen to this audiobook after receiving it because I decided to read the first book in the series (The Strangler Vine) first. I'm very glad I made that decision. I think this book could have been read as a stand alone book. However, I feel it was enhanced by knowing the background between the main characters (Blake & Avery). I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one!This book was an Early Reviewer book from LibraryThing.
    • 4/5
      I received the audio version of this work for free through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program, and I was immediately drawn into the novel. I could see, hear, and smell the old town of London, courtesy of M.J. Carter's highly descriptive writing and Alex Wyndham's superb narration. When the book opens, the first two crimes have been committed, but through the process of solving the mystery we do learn much more about the victims, so that they do become characters in the reader's mind and not just opening-scene victims. There are several side plots, but they are skillfully interwoven in unforeseen ways. I admit that I became a little impatient about 3/4 through the recording, as I thought the plot was bogging down a bit, but by the end I realized that all the threads were important and nothing really stood alone. If you like complex mysteries with a strong historical setting, you will find this one to your taste.
    • 4/5
      Immediately engaging, this was a delightful novel of dectective work in Victorian London. While this was the second book in a series, it absolutely worked as a stand-alone novel. I was unfamiliar with the first book, but was able to dive into this one without feeling the loss. Dark & twisty, with contrasting protagonists investigating a series of murders the police are ignoring, The Infidel Stain easily draws the reader in, holds our attention through the very last sentence. Furthermore, the narrator of the audiobook, Alex Wyndham, was fabulous. He did an excellent job of creating different voices for each of the characters, which made a world of difference in terms of listening to the book as "theater" rather than just as if a story were being read to me.
    • 5/5
      Note: Even though this is Book 2 in the series, it works just fine as a stand alone novel.Set in Victorian England, Captain William Avery has made his way to London (leaving a pregnant wife behind in the countryside) to meet up with his former colleague Jeremiah Blake, who he befriended in India. Both are tasked by the Viscount Allington to look into the gruesome murder of a printer of questionable materials. As they dig into the matter, they discover the police reluctant to investigate and the locals are even less likely to talk to them about the incident. However, as more bodies pile up, the clues do as well.This was the book I needed that I didn’t know I needed. It’s like finding out that your tongue and tummy really do want a curry when prior to actually putting curry in your mouth, you didn’t know you wanted it. When I started this book, I was a bit intrigued, yes, but not particularly excited. Then as I dug into it, I realized that this was indeed something special.First off, I really like the chemistry between Blake and Avery. Blake has a shady past that we learn a little bit about as the story unfolds while Avery comes from a well-to-do family and has orbited all the right groups to stay respectable. Blake can definitely relate to many of the characters we meet as they investigate the murder of the printer. However, Avery has to set aside so many of his preconceived notions in order to wrap his head around the facts. Despite their social differences, there’s a deep respect between the two men and that friendship is one of the key things that keeps them alive.I was half expecting a kind of stuffy English murder mystery where we might get 1 gruesome scene and then then a lot of innuendos about the seedier side of life. Thankfully, the author gives us more than that. I really appreciated that she didn’t sanitize the 1841 London: there’s cess pits, prostitutes, corrupt police, and pornographic printed materials. This made the story more real for me.Then there’s some small references to advancements made in the time period. For example, the blue-coated ‘New Police’ are out in force. They’ve been established for at least a few years at this time, but not long enough for the locals to really appreciate them. Also, Avery is running around with one of the new fountain pens, so he doesn’t need an ink well to write down his thoughts. These little touches gave the book an educational feel to add to all the adventure and mystery.There’s several side characters that were pretty interesting. For me, Mattie was the highlight. She works selling cheap vegetables and herbs out of her basket and running odd errands for the various shopkeepers along her road. She and her brother were orphaned when their parents died, though she did learn to read and write before then. She’s working hard to keep a place for the two of them, without becoming a prostitute. However, her brother has gotten into a bit of trouble and that comes into play later in the book. Captain Avery found her fascinating, mostly because he had such warring emotions concerning her life. It was very interesting to watch how her mere existence challenged so many of Avery’s notions of poor people and what their lives are like.The mystery element was pretty entertaining as well. It looks a bit simple at first, but then gets more complicated. The various printers in the area are competitive. Then each has their private well-to-do customers who usually want some questionable reading materials. On top of that, there’s a large chunk of poor folks in London that are demanding the right to have a vote, specifically concerning certain grain taxes. Of course, our dear skeptical Blake wonders why Viscount Allington is interested in the case at all. Lots of strings for our investigating duo to pull.Over all, I found this book gripping on several fronts. I really enjoyed Blake’s ability to blend in and Avery’s discomfort at being asked to do so as well. The side characters are lively and have their own agendas. The mystery was not nearly as straight forward as it seemed. I was thoroughly entertained by this one!I received a copy of this book at no cost from the publisher (via LibraryThing) in exchange for an honest review.Narration: Alex Wyndham was a great pick for this book. He had this great voice for Blake that was a bit gravelly and usually held a note of skepticism. I also liked his polite gentleman voice for Captain Avery. His female voices were well done as well, sounding feminine. He had a variety of English accents to help us all keep the characters straight.
    • 3/5
      I read the first in the Avery and Blake series last year so it was very fortuitous that I won the audiobook of the second installment. Rather than taking place in India like the first one, this one is set in the grimiest parts of London. Jeremiah Blake and Captain Avery haven't seen each other in three years, but their daring exploits in India made them very popular and a wealthy aristocrat wants to hire their services. Two printers have been murdered in rather gruesome ways and the police are doing nothing about it. He wants Blake and Avery to look into the matter and find the killer. Things quickly go awry and the plot thickens as deep as the smog. An enjoyable romp through the underbelly of nineteenth century London and full of unforgettable characters. The narrator does a great job with voice accents and it is definitely worth a listen. I received this book for free from Librarything.
    • 4/5
      I received this book in audio form as party of LibraryThing Early Reviewers. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this mystery set in Victorian London. Blake and Avery are hired to solve the crime of two murdered printers when the police have lost interest. Kept me guessing to almost the very end as to who did it. Read very well by Alex Wyndham except some characters in the same scene would speak at different pitches and I had to keep adjusting the volume. Will go back and read the first book in this series and any that come after it.
    • 5/5
      Blake and Captain Avery, two veterans from the British campaign in India are hired to solve a sordid murder of a smut publisher in Victorian London. Political motivation on the part of the Chartists is suspected but the police appear to be indifferent to solving the crime. As the two try to put the pieces together you are confronted with the seamy bits of London and the haughty upper class. More murders occur amongst the smut publishers. Blake seems to get the short end from various protagonists while Captain Blake ends up on his feet. In a surprise conclusion, the murderer is confronted and caught. This was an 11.5 hour unabridged recorded book read by Alex Wyndham. The narration was clear, the characters’ voice were admirably spoken. I was given a recorded book in return for an honest review.
    • 3/5
      I was sent this book/cd set in return for an honest review. I struggled with parts of this one and yet other parts had me drawn in with the intrigue and mystery. I realize that writing conversations is a difficult part for some authors and this book reflects that in some parts as the conversations are either too verbose or just down right boring. The story line vacillated between interesting and dull as well as often times I felt that it was the reader as his reading of certain characters was just down right annoying! I have to say I was extremely surprised at who the villain ended up being at the end, which is a rarity for me.
    • 4/5
      I wasn't exactly sure what to expect here, but I did find the book very engaging and full of interesting British history. There were elements of the Sherlock and Watson between the two main characters, Blake & Avery. Blake being the stand in for Sherlock and Avery a more willing fisticuffs engager than the esteemed Watson. The duo is hired by a well respected gentleman to look into the deaths of 2 local printers of less than reputable material. No one seems to want them to succeed, and it appears that someone has been trying to hush up the investigation. Sweep it under the rug so to speak. Someone with influence. There is quite a difference between Blake and his friend Avery. Avery is a modestly well of gentleman and Blake is a man with a much rougher and more humble beginnings. This gives them very different views on life and on the class system and the politics of the day.Overall I really enjoyed listening to this book. The mystery was actually a very good one, and while I had my suspicions reasonably early it was still a great revelation and a wonderfully wrote story getting to the conclusion. Now I have to go back and read the first book in the series!
    • 3/5
      The Strangler Vine by M. J. Carter was one of the most enjoyable adventure/mysteries I read in 2015 so I was anxious to read the sequel The Infidel Stain. It is three years later and the circumstances of the heroes of the first novel have significantly changed. The narrator, former East India captain William Avery has just returned from Afghanistan with his heavily pregnant wife to settle in Devon. He receives a summons to come to London from his friend and mentor, the enigmatic Jeremiah Blake. It seems that their reputations for solving complicated mysteries have reached the ear of an evangelical crusading peer, the Viscount Allington, who wishes to hire them to find the vicious murderer of two printers. Both victims were barely making enough money to sustain themselves and their families. The police were uninterested in pursuing the cases since it seemed a matter of the poor preying in each other. Viscount Allington, for all of his noble intentions that justice be served for the least of men, has an ulterior motive. In the 1830’s the working poor were being seduced by the Chartist Movement, whose members were agitating for the right to vote and for better pay and working conditions. Allington feared that a political revolution could result if the aristocracy and the wealthy did nothing to reduce the misery of the poor and working classes. If he could help to bring the murderer of the unfortunate men to justice it could illustrate that he, and others of position who thought like him, had the right intentions to institute social change without upsetting the political state of the country.As in The Strangler Vine, Carter brings his locations to life. The strongest parts of the book are the descriptions of the London underworld, the slums, the jails, the docks, the little businesses contrasted with the comfort of the middle class and the privileged extravagance of the wealthy. His characters jump off the page and demand attention. There is the poor herb vendor trying to keep herself clean and fed while failing to keep her 12 year old brother out of trouble. A yellow press tabloid writer and a madam whose premises specialize in discipline are vividly described, as are the families of the victims trying to maintain some dignity. The do-good social workers who offer food, at the price of devotion, are a study of both saintliness and hypocrisy. Carter creates a world well worth visiting.My criticism of the book is that the world is so fascinating that the murder plot gets lost in the details and that at times it gets swallowed by the “Red Herring”. Carter seems more interested in the subplot and the revealation and motivation of the murderer feels tacked on and unfinished.Still, this is a wonderful look at mid-Victorian London and with the introduction of so many fascinating characters and loose threads, I am sure that we will be seeing more of Avery and Blake. If The Strangler Vine is a prequel, then The Infidel Strain is a prologue to a new series.I was sent the audio book by the publisher and Alex Wyndham did a superb job with the many characters and detailed text.
    • 5/5
      Good who done it. Kept me guessing right to the end.
    • 4/5
      I received this book as an audiobook free from the author through LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review. Due to the accents of the characters I found the reader at times a little difficult to understand. The story takes place in London during the 1840s. There seems to be a Dickensian theme to the story. The author exposes the reader to the extremely poor and the dark and seedy underbelly of London where life is a bare existence. Printers who eke out a living by publishing lewd material are being brutally and gruesomely murdered and left displayed across their printing presses. There is a strange odor at each scene and at one there seems to be a flammable residue resulting in a fire. The printers all have a history of past association. The police are ignoring the murders and two investigators are called in. The author shows us a definite contrast in their characters that makes for many interesting interactions. They also have to deal with the political factions of the era and the use of a new and unknown chemical/drug. Although I found this book to drag a little at times this is an enjoyable and typical English historical mystery with a surprise ending.
    • 4/5
      A nicely detailed period novel set in London of the late 1840’s. If you’ve run out of Sherlock Holmes stories and want a good substitute, this will certainly fill the bill. Capt. William Avery has recently returned from the fighting in Afghanistan. His wife, who had endured the extremes of the frontier throughout his tour of duty, is now expecting a child. Avery has been summoned to London to help his old mate, Jeremiah Blake, with whom he served while stationed in India. Avery is looking forward to once again working with his old friend, not to mention being out of the house at this trying time of his wife’s pregnancy. Upon their reunion, Avery has occasion to remember some of Blake’s many peculiar qualities. Blake a master of disguises, shows up dressed as a ragtag ruffian and leads Avery to a rundown eating house for foreign Lascars, who are now stuck in London after being discharged from working on ships from India bound to London. Here Blake once again shows Avery his mastery of one of many exotic languages as he sets up a meeting with their new client. A famous British Lord wants to hire Blake and Avery to solve a series of murders that are apparently being ignored by the newly formed London Police. Book printers in a seedy part of London, who seem to specialize in rather lewd books and pamphlets, are being murdered in a rather horrific manner. Blake and Avery must work undercover to try and find not only the murderer, but also the reason why the Police are dragging their heals. The answers could lead to some highly placed individuals as well as having some political consequences not welcomed by government officials. This is a well paced story with plenty of mystery and action in a well researched tale of old London. Book provided for review by Amazon Vine.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed Carter's first Blake and Avery mystery, The Strangler Vine, with its exotic Indian setting, but I wondered how I would like this second book with both men back in London. I need not have worried. Carter is positively Dickensian in her description of the poor sections of the city; they came to life before my eyes. There was even a tiny scene in which Dickens appeared that made me smile. Those few words brought the man to life in a way that biographies never have.In The Infidel Stain, we learn more of the background of the mysterious Jeremiah Blake, and once again it's proven how dissimilar the two men are. One way Carter does this is with my favorite character in the book (outside of the two heroes), young Matty Horner. Ever since her parents died, it's been the worst sort of fight for survival for Matty and her little brother. As her history unfolds, we see Avery's more conventional reaction to her, and then we see Blake's, who tells Matty at one point, "You kept your head above water when the world left you to drown." Carter does an excellent job of placing her book right within the social and political events of the day, and as I read, I was reminded that London in 1841 is eerily similar to what's going on today. (The more things change, the more they remain the same.) She also provides glints of humor amidst all the seriousness, as when Blake's assertion that "No reading is ever wasted" is proven beyond doubt.As good as the story is in this book, I found it to have the same problem as her first book: pacing that sometimes slows to a crawl before it picks up again. Perhaps some of the wonderful period detail could be edited in order to tighten the narrative? Be that as it may, I enjoy immersing myself in M.J. Carter's Blake and Avery books, and I look forward to the third.