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Strangler Vine

from Wikipedia
To take advantage of their victims, the Thugs would join travellers and gain their confidence; this would allow them to surprise and strangle the travellers with a handkerchief or noose. They would then rob and bury their victims. This led to the Thugs being called Phansigar(English: "using a noose"), a term more commonly used in southern India.[4] During the 1830s, the Thugs were targeted for eradication by Governor-General of India, William Bentinck and his chief captain, William Henry Sleeman. The Thuggee cult was apparently destroyed by this effort.[1][5]

Strangler Vine questions whether "Thugs" existed or were a creation of the English.
Avery and Blake continue to have an interesting relationship. They have found Mountstuart (sp? I'm listening on audio) because they've been captured by the same brigands who captured Mountstuart. So now they need to escape. Very enjoyable.

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