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The Hidden Hand
London 1770s. A time bursting with discoveries of exotic plants and growing trade with the East - when a young woman, adrift and alone, will find herself the connection between both. Carey Prior was raised in India, the daughter of a horticulturalist hired by the East India Company. He discovered seeds for tea, for roses - and for powerful herbs sold as drugs. When Carey marries the dynamic Nash Prior, London businessman, she thinks she leaves this world behind. But suddenly Nash is violently taken from her - and in his wake, she begins to uncover his secrets. Her journey of discovery takes her underground among secret clubs and societies, gaming houses and brothels, intoxicating plants and company deals - each of which will play a part in Carey's understanding of her husband, his death and her own new purpose. Dramatic, dark, full of fascinating insights into London and British Indian society, The Hidden Hand will hold you in its irresistible grip.
432 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2016
120 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 18, 2016
~I received a copy from Hachette NZ in exchange for an honest review~
I didn't love this book. I had to read more than half of it before I started to like it. I don't think it was because of bad writing, more so that I was uninterested in the topic. I thought The Revelations of Carey Ravine would tie into historical fiction, but it didn't really, although having a historical setting.
Regardless of the storyline and plot, I really liked Carey Ravine, or Mrs Nash. The book is told in first person, past tense from her perspective, enabling us to really get to know her. The timestamps of each chapter helped with seeing how much time as passed.
Oliver Nash is nothing but charming. Throughout the book, Carey's revelations give her reason to suspect his loyalty and love. Debra Daley told this part of the tale very well, playing Carey as a middle aged woman very much in love and reluctant to face the truth or accept that she is being lied to.
The second half of the book improved by so much. It's almost as if the two halves were written by different people; the foreshadowing is over and done with, leaving space for plot twists, harder truths for Carey to face, plus a shocking betrayal that slaps her in the face.
I may not have liked The Revelations of Carey Ravine on a whole, but the basic storyline is genuine and interesting. I think the ending is suitable for Carey, not a happy ever after, but maybe it could be, after hard work and effort.
I didn't love this book. I had to read more than half of it before I started to like it. I don't think it was because of bad writing, more so that I was uninterested in the topic. I thought The Revelations of Carey Ravine would tie into historical fiction, but it didn't really, although having a historical setting.
Regardless of the storyline and plot, I really liked Carey Ravine, or Mrs Nash. The book is told in first person, past tense from her perspective, enabling us to really get to know her. The timestamps of each chapter helped with seeing how much time as passed.
Oliver Nash is nothing but charming. Throughout the book, Carey's revelations give her reason to suspect his loyalty and love. Debra Daley told this part of the tale very well, playing Carey as a middle aged woman very much in love and reluctant to face the truth or accept that she is being lied to.
The second half of the book improved by so much. It's almost as if the two halves were written by different people; the foreshadowing is over and done with, leaving space for plot twists, harder truths for Carey to face, plus a shocking betrayal that slaps her in the face.
I may not have liked The Revelations of Carey Ravine on a whole, but the basic storyline is genuine and interesting. I think the ending is suitable for Carey, not a happy ever after, but maybe it could be, after hard work and effort.
November 9, 2016
i received this book in exchange for an honest review, from hachette.
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i was so excited to read this book. the summary sounded really interesting, and the author is a kiwi - which i'm trying to read more of. unfortunately, i was rather disappointed when i got around to actually reading it.
the plot itself is really bland and boring. hardly anything seems to be happening. my favourite parts where the flashbacks, especially to Carey's childhood. i found them very interesting and the pace seemed to speed up. although i didn't like the overall storyline, i can definitely see how others might. i just don't think this one was for me.
i also found the characters extremely boring. i didn't like anyone, and i couldn't connect to any of them. there were moments when i kind of liked carey, but it wasn't that much. everyone felt like they were 2d and lacked some much needed depth. i was really disappointed to find how unrelatable these characters were.
one thing i enjoyed about this book was the setting. there isn't much worldbuilding but i still felt as if i were in 18th century london. the descriptions were well done, and even the speech felt authentic (where a lot of historical fiction i've read tend to have more modern slang and mannerisms). the author has clearly done her research before writing this book, and i appreciate that.
i rate this book 2 stars because there were some things that i liked, however i have more negatives than positives. i don't think this book is bad, just that it wasn't for me.
--
i was so excited to read this book. the summary sounded really interesting, and the author is a kiwi - which i'm trying to read more of. unfortunately, i was rather disappointed when i got around to actually reading it.
the plot itself is really bland and boring. hardly anything seems to be happening. my favourite parts where the flashbacks, especially to Carey's childhood. i found them very interesting and the pace seemed to speed up. although i didn't like the overall storyline, i can definitely see how others might. i just don't think this one was for me.
i also found the characters extremely boring. i didn't like anyone, and i couldn't connect to any of them. there were moments when i kind of liked carey, but it wasn't that much. everyone felt like they were 2d and lacked some much needed depth. i was really disappointed to find how unrelatable these characters were.
one thing i enjoyed about this book was the setting. there isn't much worldbuilding but i still felt as if i were in 18th century london. the descriptions were well done, and even the speech felt authentic (where a lot of historical fiction i've read tend to have more modern slang and mannerisms). the author has clearly done her research before writing this book, and i appreciate that.
i rate this book 2 stars because there were some things that i liked, however i have more negatives than positives. i don't think this book is bad, just that it wasn't for me.
May 28, 2016
I very much enjoyed this historical mystery set in 18thC London where everyone and everything are not what they seem! Told in the first person, it's a tale of skulduggery and deception galore. There are some serious themes, but it's also light hearted and lively. I thought it was fast paced and well written, too. I was keen to keep reading, eagerly turning the pages, to discover the truth. The characters are well drawn and believable, my favourite being Carey, the eponymous heroine. I found her an inquisitive and brave young woman who always tries to put her best foot forward in life.
An intriguing and engrossing read which held my attention throughout. This is the second book I've read by Debra Daley, she's definitely an author to look out for.
Many thanks to Netgalleyy and the publishers.
November 27, 2017
With a strong sense of place, THE REVELATIONS OF CAREY RAVINE is an interesting combination of romance, history and crime fiction. There's a lot being attempted in one novel here, and that combination of genres, and hence stylings are both the strongest and weakest points, depending upon your preferences. It's not a novel designed for readers of historical fiction alone, nor perhaps for those that read romance, or crime fiction only for that matter.
There was a good sense of time and place in the narrative, with plenty of information about society pressures, and the unusual nature of the marriage of Ravine and Nash. Combining that in the early stages with setup to the plot and background for many of the characters does sometimes water-down the history focus, and definitely telegraphs a more romantic / suspense approach.
The partnership of Ravine and Nash is part romance, part business and part intrigue. Both of these character are nuanced and complex, with neither completely innocent, nor overtly bad or overcome by ruthless disregard.
Then there is the crime component, with elements that hark back to their backgrounds, forcing Ravine in particular to consider her own past actions, and the way that they are both trying to better themselves. There are strong connections to India here, with motivations from their shared past there pulling them back there again.
Told in the first person, Carey Ravine makes for an interesting heroine as she finds herself increasingly conflicted and challenged. Her voice is light-hearted and lively, contrasting strongly against the darker themes that the novel is tackling. Starting out as something that seems likely to be on the fluffy, lighter side, THE REVELATIONS OF CAREY RAVINE quickly changes to darker, faster paced and action packed. It makes for an unusual reading experience as the history feels right, the characters are believable and the internal conflict somehow clearer as the reader experiences the revelations alongside the narrator. It is, however, not a straightforward history, romance or crime fiction novel, but a mash-up, and one this reader found extremely engaging.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
There was a good sense of time and place in the narrative, with plenty of information about society pressures, and the unusual nature of the marriage of Ravine and Nash. Combining that in the early stages with setup to the plot and background for many of the characters does sometimes water-down the history focus, and definitely telegraphs a more romantic / suspense approach.
The partnership of Ravine and Nash is part romance, part business and part intrigue. Both of these character are nuanced and complex, with neither completely innocent, nor overtly bad or overcome by ruthless disregard.
Then there is the crime component, with elements that hark back to their backgrounds, forcing Ravine in particular to consider her own past actions, and the way that they are both trying to better themselves. There are strong connections to India here, with motivations from their shared past there pulling them back there again.
Told in the first person, Carey Ravine makes for an interesting heroine as she finds herself increasingly conflicted and challenged. Her voice is light-hearted and lively, contrasting strongly against the darker themes that the novel is tackling. Starting out as something that seems likely to be on the fluffy, lighter side, THE REVELATIONS OF CAREY RAVINE quickly changes to darker, faster paced and action packed. It makes for an unusual reading experience as the history feels right, the characters are believable and the internal conflict somehow clearer as the reader experiences the revelations alongside the narrator. It is, however, not a straightforward history, romance or crime fiction novel, but a mash-up, and one this reader found extremely engaging.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
June 2, 2016
London 1776: Carey Nash is happily married and living the high life on credit. Her husband is a chancer who falls into the orbit of a group of powerful men who employ him to write a political commentary to further their own ends. Carey is intrigued by a document that she finds in her husband's possession, it hints at a mystery involving plants growing in Bengal, place that Carey father emigrated to many years ago never to be heard of again. As Carey digs deeper she discovers the sort of men her husband is involved with, more about her husband and more importantly, more about herself.
This is a rather intriguing book and I found myself becoming hooked into the story. Carey is an interesting heroine, not completely innocent but discovering her moral compass. The plot is complex but entirely understandable given the machinations of eighteenth century politics. The links to India are glamorous, integral to the plot and, when finally the story goes there, beautifully represented. All in all a surprisingly good book.
This is a rather intriguing book and I found myself becoming hooked into the story. Carey is an interesting heroine, not completely innocent but discovering her moral compass. The plot is complex but entirely understandable given the machinations of eighteenth century politics. The links to India are glamorous, integral to the plot and, when finally the story goes there, beautifully represented. All in all a surprisingly good book.
July 12, 2016
Starts off benign and all frills but quickly comes to the exciting and non-stop action that makes a great historical fiction novel memorable and unique
June 28, 2016
Absolutely loved this. So well written, fantastic prose and with several plot turns that kept my interest piqued.
March 8, 2021
My rating is low because the first 200 pages were a real disappointment . The story was rather like a tortoise whose head kept popping out - suggesting that the book was about to blossom - then went back into its shell again. Set in 18th Century London , but with overtones of India throughout , the book was really about how easily women can be deceived by men they trust . In the final 100 pages the story was much more enjoyable and would have merited 4 stars if it had been consistent throughout .
June 1, 2023
Takes a while to get into the mystery of it all, but a very satisfying ending!
October 24, 2016
A great story, it kept my attention all the way through.
June 10, 2016
I wasn't sure about this one when I read the blurb and started to read it.
I did however really enjoy it. It took me 2 days to read as I just didn't want to put it down.
Based in the 1700's it does give you a glimpse of life back then. Attitudes towards sex and sexuality are somewhat interesting. As is the ability to survive with almost nothing but to appear that you have everything!
If you like a historical novel you will most likely enjoy this one
I did however really enjoy it. It took me 2 days to read as I just didn't want to put it down.
Based in the 1700's it does give you a glimpse of life back then. Attitudes towards sex and sexuality are somewhat interesting. As is the ability to survive with almost nothing but to appear that you have everything!
If you like a historical novel you will most likely enjoy this one
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews