An Ambush of Tigers
As the French and British fight for control of the lucrative spoils of Carnatic India in the mid-18th century, Lachlan McKenzie is in a quandary. He has no desire to return to the battlefield where he made a heroic mark, becoming known as the Tiger of Karimkot. His wife, Catia, fears for the future and longs to return to her home in Africa. Although there is a brief truce, the Mughal Empire is foundering; princes and nawabs are settling their own scores while watching to see which European power will be victorious. Lachlan must make a decision, and it is only a personal tragedy that forces his hand. Ahead of him lies the deadly experience in what was later to be known as the Black Hole of Calcutta and the history-changing Battle of Plassey.
This vividly described and rip-roaring adventure stands well enough on its own, but readers acquainted with Lachlan’s history via the prequel Fever Coast will have the benefit of greater insight into his motivations and reasons for being in India in the first place and will also recognize many of the individuals with whom he is involved. There are plenty of exciting double-crosses and underhanded dealings, especially when a new unscrupulous figure takes the stage in the person of mercenary and arms dealer, Gerard Kilcannon, who joins forces with the sinister Adelaide Gagnon in her ambitions.
Characterisation often comes second to adventure in such novels, but there are stand-outs, including the tempestuous and irascible real-life Robert Clive, and Adelaide, the ethereal psychopath. The robust dialogue between Lachlan and his adjutant Tommy is also highly entertaining. For anyone unfamiliar with the background to Britain’s triumph over the French in India, this novel is an excellent introduction.
