The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (Pink Carnation) [Hardcover]

Lauren Willig (Author)

Book Description

Series: Pink Carnation | Publication Date: January 12, 2010

The heroines of Lauren Willig's bestselling Pink Carnation series have engaged in espionage all over nineteenth-century Europe. In the sixth stand-alone volume, our fair English heroine travels to India, where she finds freedom—and risk—more exciting than she ever imagined.

Everyone warned Miss Penelope Deveraux that her unruly behavior would land her in disgrace someday. She never imagined she's be whisked off to India to give the scandal of her hasty marriage time to die down. As Lady Frederick Staines waits, Penelope plunges into the treacherous waters of the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad, where no one is quite what they seem—even her husband. In a strange country, where elaborate court dress masks even more elaborate intrigues and a dangerous spy called the Marigold leaves venomous cobras as his calling card, there is only one person Penelope can trust...

Captain Alex Reid has better things to do than play nursemaid to a pair of aristocrats. Or so he thinks—until Lady Frederick Staines out-shoots, out-rides, and out-swims every man in the camp. She also has an uncanny ability to draw out the deadly plans of the Marigold and put herself in harm's way. With danger looming from local warlords, treacherous court officials, and French spies, Alex realizes that an alliance with Lady Staines just might be the only thing standing in the way of a plot designed to rock the very foundations of the British Empire...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The latest sure-to-please installment to the popular Pink Carnation series transports the action to colonial India. Lady Frederick Staines, née Penelope Deveraux, averts a scandal in early 19th-century London with a hasty marriage and a posting for her louche husband as special envoy to the court of Hyderabad. In India, Penelope discovers dangerous intrigue having to do with the overthrow of British rule and a spy called the Marigold. After demonstrating considerable bravery uncharacteristic to ladies of her rank, she finds an ally in the honorable Capt. Alex Reid. Together they chase traitors, travel the countryside on horseback, dodge assassination attempts, challenge each other to duels, wrestle with long skirts and numerous buttonholes (crucial in the love scenes), battle cobras and unravel the mystery of Marigold. As in other books in the series, the story is presented by a contemporary narrator, another strong-willed woman involved with an English aristocrat. Willig hasn't lost her touch; this outing has all the charm of the previous books in the series. (Jan.)
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From Booklist

Willig switches the setting of her Pink Carnation series from eighteenth-century England to colonial India in the sixth installment, which finds wild Penelope Deveraux married off to Lord Frederick Staines after the two are caught in a compromising position. Though they connect physically, the spirited, witty Penelope and the pompous, hedonistic Freddy have little in common. Freddy’s new position as special envoy to an English ambassador has brought them both to India, where rumors of intrigue involving a French spy known as the Marigold are afoot. Already floundering in her loveless marriage, Penelope sets out to unmask the spy, suspecting that their serious escort, Captain Alex Reid, might be the culprit. But as Penelope grows closer to Alex, her suspicions give way to a deep mutual attraction. Willig brings colonial India to vibrant life through Penelope’s eyes, and the sparks flying between Penelope and Alex generate plenty of heat. By taking the story to India, Willig injects a new energy in her already thriving, thrilling series, and presents the best entry to date. --Kristine Huntley

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; First Edition edition (January 12, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525951504
• ISBN-13: 978-0525951506
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #657,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lauren Willig is the author of nine Pink Carnation novels. A graduate of Yale University, she has a graduate degree in English history from Harvard and a J.D. from Harvard Law School, though she now writes full time. Willig lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful mix of romance, rich historical detail, and spy intrigue, January 18, 2010

By 

D. Merrimon Crawford (Colorado) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (Pink Carnation) (Hardcover)

When Penelope Deveraux's hasty marriage to Lord Frederick Staines becomes the talk of the town, she finds herself in new territory. Whisked away to Hyderabad, Penelope finds her husband's attention lies elsewhere. In this world, Penelope finds herself at odds and emotionally isolated until Captain Alex Reid appears on the scene, charming her. In the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad, appearances mask true intent. Captain Reid seems to be the one person Penelope can trust, especially as rumors of a dangerous spy called the Marigold surface as members of Penelope's social circle become threatened. Captain Reid thinks he has better things to do with his time than watch the aristocracy until he meets Penelope, a woman who doesn't exactly follow social conventions and who can outdo him on several fronts. Captain Reid can't help but notice the inexplicable connection between the Marigold's deadly acts and their connection to Penelope. By allying himself to her, perhaps he can uncover the clues to unravel a plot that threatens the British Empire itself.

Sixth in the Pink Carnation series, Lauren Willig's THE BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY is a fantastic, exciting addition to the series. Lauren Willig takes all the elements fans have grown to love to a new setting in Hyderabad, India. As the French presence in India inspires a desire for consolidation of British control, the history of Maratha War forms a backdrop for the action of the story. Set within the context of a present day (2004) graduate student's search for clues about spies during the Napoleonic Wars, THE BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY brings together the beauty for readers of the magic of historical romance: the discovery of history and passion in the lives and hearts of men and women living in a distant age. Like the novel's researcher, the reader feels the moment of discovery. The embedded story within a story gives a richness to the unfolding of the narrator's relationship to Colin and Penelope's relationship to her husband and Captain Reid. Each separate story fascinates on its own but together each story gives richer depth to the other. If you are new to the series, THE BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY can be read as a stand alone but take this warning: this book leaves a reader craving more of the wonderful mix of romance, rich historical detail, and all the intrigue and mystery of spies lurking actively beneath the surface. Whether you start the series here with the sixth book or the first, this is a series not to be missed.

Lauren Willig's THE BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY is the perfect choice for romance readers who crave more history in their romance --- and for historical fiction readers who want more romance and intrigue in their historical fiction. Penelope is a wonderful heroine. While circumstances leave her alone, she is not a woman to sit meekly in the corner. Daring in the face of rigid social regulations, she is active athletically and intellectually. While true to the period, she is also a woman a modern reader can admire. Captain Alex Reid's complex background makes him a wonderful hero. Separate from the aristocracy, he is a man who earns his way in the world rather than being given it as part of his social position. Through Alex's family, one sees the racial tensions and discrimination underlying the British India society of the time. In one sense, both Penelope and Alex are outsiders, caught between two worlds. In THE BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY, Lauren Willig creates wonderfully rich characters giving a satisfying depth to the romance. In a word, THE BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY is a keeper. THE BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY is excellent in the first reading but it also a book rich enough to encourage re-reading or excellent book club discussions. Superb in each and every way!

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo! Willig's witty dialogue sparkles resplendently with humor and delight!, February 14, 2010

By 

Laurel Ann "Austenprose" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (Pink Carnation) (Hardcover)

A nineteenth-century exotic locale, a handsome officer and a feisty heroine make for archetypical romantic fare, but Lauren Willig's new novel THE BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY is anything BUT a conventional bodice ripper embellished with historical detail. In her sixth novel in her "PINK CARNATION" series, Willig exhibits once again that she is an accomplished raconteur as she weaves an intricate and lively tale involving spies, espionage and romance during the Napoleonic Wars between Britain and France. Whereas the previous novels have taken place in England and France involving a set of interrelated characters, Willig has taken a bold leap in introducing a new ensemble cast and intriguingly transported the narrative to exotic India.

Our heroine Penelope Deveraux, who we met briefly in the previous novel THE TEMPTATION OF THE NIGHT JASMINE, is as bold as brass. Her unpropitious behavior had always set more than a few fans fluttering and tongue's wagging in London society, but she never thought a little kanoodling would force her into a hasty marriage with the dissipated Lord Frederick Staines. To avert scandal, the couple is quickly packed off to India where Freddy has accepted the position as Governor General Wellesley's Special Envoy to the Court of Hyderabad. Married life is more than a bit disappointing as Freddy's diversions tend toward gambling away her dowry and dalliances with the local bibi, the Indian equivalent of a mistress. One would think that Lady Penelope would be at odds in this strange new world far and away from the tempered drawing rooms of England, but she can ride and shoot and talk politics with the best of the big boys. This is more than a bit disconcerting to Captain Alex Reid who is escorting Lord Staines and his adventurous young wife to Hyderabad. She is a willful, flipant and an opinionated aristocrat. He is a disciplined, by-the-book, level headed solider and more than alarmed by her unconventional behavior. Their sharp banter is reminiscent of Scarlet O'Hara and Rhett Butler on a bad day. Unfortunately, he frankly does give a damn. Pen is a married woman and her overt flirtation and unguarded behavior is sorely testing his honor. The political situation in India is just as tumultuous as the British and French jockey for control after the end of the Maratha War. In the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad, power and deceit go hand-in-hand fueling rumors of a French flower spy the Marigold. Gold and guns are missing which could turn the axis of power back into French hands. Somehow Penelope is connected to the Marigold and Captain Reid reluctantly accepts her help to uncover a dangerous spy, save British interest in India and thwart Bonaparte. Oh, and along the way, a few buttons get popped.

As with all of the previous novels in this series, the parallel plot with contemporary scholar Eloise Kelly prompts the historical story as she conducts her own research into the enigmatic British flower spies during the Napoleonic wars. Her investigation into the Selwick family papers has uncovered more than just primary source material for her doctoral thesis. After a tentative beginning Eloise and Colin, the Selwick family scion and possible modern spy, are a steady item. Since Eloise's love life is on track she decides to match make for Colin's younger sister Serena. Like Jane Austen's famous misapplying heroine Emma Woodhouse, she is clueless about what attracts people to one another and why her choices are so wrong. Eloise's social insecurities and endearingly flawed personality is what makes her both vulnerable and attractive to us, and Colin. Like the brash over confident Lady Penelope Staines, she does not realize yet that her weaknesses are her greatest strengths. Throughout the novel, Willig proves again and again that she is a nonpareil in the delicate art of characterization supplying an array of personalities whose foibles and strengths rival those penned in classic literature. Queen of the poignant adjective, Willig's witty dialogue sparkles resplendently with humor and delight. I couldn't have been more content being back in her world.

A superior addition to the "PINK CARNATION" series, readers of THE BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY will be as crestfallen as I when they finish the last page and realize that they must wait a whole year for the next book.

Laurel Ann, Austenprose

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning Research, January 14, 2010

By 

Miss Chapin (London, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (Pink Carnation) (Hardcover)

Lauren Willig's best work yet. Her attention to historical detail is truly stunning, and her weaving of time periods lives up to her already high expectations. I already can't wait for her next one.