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Sebastian St. Cyr #18
Who Cries for the Lost
"The dead man smelled like fish. Rotting fish. Pale, bloodless, and faceless, he lay on the stained granite slab in the center of Paul Gibson's ancient stone outbuilding, filling the small room with a foul stench. But then, bodies pulled from the Thames did have a nasty tendency to reek of fish. Fish, brine, tar, and-if it was warm and they'd been in the water long enough-decay. The outbuilding stood at the base of a newly planted garden that stretched out behind the medieval Tower Hill house where Gibson kept his surgery, and he paused now in the doorway to suck in one last breath of fresh, rose-scented air before entering the room. The morning was damp and chilly, the sky a low, menacing gray, the ache from Gibson's truncated left leg sharp enough that he winced as he limped forward. Irish by birth, he was thinner than he should have been and younger than he looked, his dark hair already heavily laced with gray, the long grooves that bracketed his mouth dug deep. Pain had a way of doing that to a man-pain and the opium he used to control it"--
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2023
About the author
C.S. Harris
23 books2,862 followersCandice Proctor, aka C.S. Harris and C.S. Graham, is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than a dozen novels including the Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery series written under the name C.S. Harris, the new C.S. Graham thriller series co-written with Steven Harris, and seven historical romances. She is also the author of a nonfiction historical study of the French Revolution. Her books are available worldwide and have been translated into over twenty different languages.
Candice graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude with a degree in Classics before going on to earn an MA and Ph.D. in history. A former academic, she has taught at the University of Idaho and Midwestern State University in Texas. She also worked as an archaeologist on a variety of sites including a Hudson's Bay Company Fort in San Juan Island, a Cherokee village in Tennessee, a prehistoric kill site in Victoria, Australia, and a Roman cemetery and medieval manor house in Winchester, England. Most recently, she spent many years as a partner in an international business consulting firm.
The daughter of a career Air Force officer and university professor, Proctor loves to travel and has spent much of her life abroad. She has lived in Spain, Greece, England, France, Jordan, and Australia. She now makes her home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband, retired Army officer Steve Harris, her two daughters, and an ever-expanding number of cats.
Candice graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude with a degree in Classics before going on to earn an MA and Ph.D. in history. A former academic, she has taught at the University of Idaho and Midwestern State University in Texas. She also worked as an archaeologist on a variety of sites including a Hudson's Bay Company Fort in San Juan Island, a Cherokee village in Tennessee, a prehistoric kill site in Victoria, Australia, and a Roman cemetery and medieval manor house in Winchester, England. Most recently, she spent many years as a partner in an international business consulting firm.
The daughter of a career Air Force officer and university professor, Proctor loves to travel and has spent much of her life abroad. She has lived in Spain, Greece, England, France, Jordan, and Australia. She now makes her home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband, retired Army officer Steve Harris, her two daughters, and an ever-expanding number of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
September 26, 2024
Eighteen books later and I'm still as enthralled with Viscount Devlin as I was when I first met him. I love crime. I love historical fiction. I especially love historical fiction when the author weaves fiction around fact.
Devlin is still limping from an injury from a previous book. Hero is heavily pregnant with their second child. Hero's stepmother is also pregnant. Cringe much?
I am less enthralled with Alexi Sauvage in this installment, although this book relies heavily on her past. I felt like the reveal and the ending moved a little fast. I want to go back and reread the first seventeen.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
Devlin is still limping from an injury from a previous book. Hero is heavily pregnant with their second child. Hero's stepmother is also pregnant. Cringe much?
I am less enthralled with Alexi Sauvage in this installment, although this book relies heavily on her past. I felt like the reveal and the ending moved a little fast. I want to go back and reread the first seventeen.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
June 28, 2023
The 18th book in the series and it is still a delight to read each one. The year is 1815 and Sebastian and Hero are back in London. All is well although Sebastian is still recovering from his injured leg.
The situation in England is tense as everyone awaits the Battle of Waterloo. In this day and age of over-information it is amusing to see that back then even the Regent had to wait a week to see who won! News travelled by horse and then by sea and it took a while to get there. In the meantime, Sebastian is busy with murder. Mutilated corpses wash up out of the Thames one after another, close friends are possibly involved and suspects are numerous.
As with the rest of the series, this book is so well written by an author who knows what she is writing about. There are many historical facts to learn and such delightful characters to enjoy. Sebastian St.Cyr and Hero are the perfect couple to centre the books around. I loved it all. More please.
The situation in England is tense as everyone awaits the Battle of Waterloo. In this day and age of over-information it is amusing to see that back then even the Regent had to wait a week to see who won! News travelled by horse and then by sea and it took a while to get there. In the meantime, Sebastian is busy with murder. Mutilated corpses wash up out of the Thames one after another, close friends are possibly involved and suspects are numerous.
As with the rest of the series, this book is so well written by an author who knows what she is writing about. There are many historical facts to learn and such delightful characters to enjoy. Sebastian St.Cyr and Hero are the perfect couple to centre the books around. I loved it all. More please.
June 23, 2023
the setup…
Irish surgeon Paul Gibson’s latest autopsy victim presents a challenge. The man was pulled from the Thames but his face was obliterated by the killer, his body emasculated and he was wearing only a shirt and one sock. Identification is probably hopeless…until Paul’s lover Alexi Sauvage recognizes him from his scars, one’s she had treated. The victim is Major Miles Sedgewick but when she knew him, it was as her husband Miles Sauvage, a man who deceived her into a sham marriage. Meanwhile, all of London waits as Napoleon and his enemies prepare for the final reckoning at Waterloo. Sebastian St. Cyr, Lord Devlin, who is Paul’s best friend, inserts himself in the investigation of Sedgewick’s murder, unleashing more suspects and intrigue than he was prepared to meet in the midst of this time of turmoil, especially when more mutilated bodies arise from the Thames.
the heart of the story…
I’m always prepared for a complex story in this series, never succumbing to the obvious, but this one was gnarly with so many twists and detours. There was much duplicity, even from Alexi who Sebastian has a tense relationship with anyway. Though this is a tale of fiction, the author’s use of time, place and setting is factual and authentic, serving to not only entertain but educate in a most compelling way. The people of London are extremely anxious as they wait for Napoleon’s imminent attack, heightening the tension around the investigation. I felt certain these deaths were somehow linked but there were quite a few other angles and suspects. Hero, Lady Devlin again factors into Sebastian’s case as you know her father, Lord Jarvis had to be knee deep in whatever was going on. But it was Alexi’s role and backstory that was fascinating as we finally learn more about her mysterious background.
the narration…
This is only my second time listening to a story in the series and it’s a new narrator since Davina Porter has retired. I liked her and thought she did well with most of the characters and the storytelling but I was troubled with her voice for Sebastian who sounded so different in my own head. I’ll learn to adjust.
the bottom line…
Obviously there’s a lot going on and assembling the facts, clues and host of players was quite the challenge. But, I love historical mysteries when they educate in the process and what I learned about this moment in history was illuminating. Sebastian was still recovering from injuries sustained in the last book so his mobility was hampered. Still, a lame Sebastian is quite formidable and I love how he and Hero continue to work as a team. There are also a few side stories of a personal nature that may significantly impact the lives of people important to Sebastian and Hero. This was a tangled web of lies and intrigue that kept me engaged from the start and with a surprise ending.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
Irish surgeon Paul Gibson’s latest autopsy victim presents a challenge. The man was pulled from the Thames but his face was obliterated by the killer, his body emasculated and he was wearing only a shirt and one sock. Identification is probably hopeless…until Paul’s lover Alexi Sauvage recognizes him from his scars, one’s she had treated. The victim is Major Miles Sedgewick but when she knew him, it was as her husband Miles Sauvage, a man who deceived her into a sham marriage. Meanwhile, all of London waits as Napoleon and his enemies prepare for the final reckoning at Waterloo. Sebastian St. Cyr, Lord Devlin, who is Paul’s best friend, inserts himself in the investigation of Sedgewick’s murder, unleashing more suspects and intrigue than he was prepared to meet in the midst of this time of turmoil, especially when more mutilated bodies arise from the Thames.
the heart of the story…
I’m always prepared for a complex story in this series, never succumbing to the obvious, but this one was gnarly with so many twists and detours. There was much duplicity, even from Alexi who Sebastian has a tense relationship with anyway. Though this is a tale of fiction, the author’s use of time, place and setting is factual and authentic, serving to not only entertain but educate in a most compelling way. The people of London are extremely anxious as they wait for Napoleon’s imminent attack, heightening the tension around the investigation. I felt certain these deaths were somehow linked but there were quite a few other angles and suspects. Hero, Lady Devlin again factors into Sebastian’s case as you know her father, Lord Jarvis had to be knee deep in whatever was going on. But it was Alexi’s role and backstory that was fascinating as we finally learn more about her mysterious background.
the narration…
This is only my second time listening to a story in the series and it’s a new narrator since Davina Porter has retired. I liked her and thought she did well with most of the characters and the storytelling but I was troubled with her voice for Sebastian who sounded so different in my own head. I’ll learn to adjust.
the bottom line…
Obviously there’s a lot going on and assembling the facts, clues and host of players was quite the challenge. But, I love historical mysteries when they educate in the process and what I learned about this moment in history was illuminating. Sebastian was still recovering from injuries sustained in the last book so his mobility was hampered. Still, a lame Sebastian is quite formidable and I love how he and Hero continue to work as a team. There are also a few side stories of a personal nature that may significantly impact the lives of people important to Sebastian and Hero. This was a tangled web of lies and intrigue that kept me engaged from the start and with a surprise ending.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
April 27, 2023
The main characters are back in London and Napoleon is going to his final battle. The story gives the background of Alexi Sauvage. Gibson and Alexi play a big part in the story that includes his worsening drug use. I was very engaged in the mystery and enjoyed reading about Sebastians journey in solving it. I enjoyed this book more than some of the recent ones in the series due to the side characters playing more of a part. For me.....I want to have the side mystery of Jarvas and Sebastain's mother advanced....so this maybe more of a personal preference.
June 12, 2023
In C.S Harris’ 18th Sebastian St Cyr novel, Sebastian and his wife Hero have escaped from Paris where Sebastian was shot in the leg and returned to London. It’s June 1815 and the country is on edge as Napoleon and his army are making their way north through France towards Waterloo where that decisive battle will be fought. Sebastian is frustrated that he cannot go to join Wellington’s army because of his wounded leg but Hero is content to have him remain in London, especially as she is now pregnant again.
When the mutilated corpse of Major Miles Sedgewick, younger brother of the Marquis of Stamford, is pulled out the Thames, followed later by more bodies, Sebastian soon finds himself once again investigating several murders. This time his friend, surgeon Paul Gibson and his lover Alexi Sauvage are under suspicion of killing Sedgewick, who has a history of duplicity with Alexi.
As always this is a clever and gripping mystery with the time period and history superbly researched. There are several false turns as Sebastian discovers a number of suspects and unearths some dark secrets about past events and then tries to fit the pieces of this complex puzzle together. Sebastian‘s father-in-law Lord Jarvis, the Regent’s cousin and advisor, with his spidery network of spies and assassins also has his role to play and Sebastian’s step-sister Kat Boleyn is also in danger due to previous dealings with the French. This is such a great series, combining intriguing characters and a twisty mystery with a background of social and political commentary and accurate historical events. I am already waiting impatiently for the next excellent addition to this series and they are always worth the wait!
When the mutilated corpse of Major Miles Sedgewick, younger brother of the Marquis of Stamford, is pulled out the Thames, followed later by more bodies, Sebastian soon finds himself once again investigating several murders. This time his friend, surgeon Paul Gibson and his lover Alexi Sauvage are under suspicion of killing Sedgewick, who has a history of duplicity with Alexi.
As always this is a clever and gripping mystery with the time period and history superbly researched. There are several false turns as Sebastian discovers a number of suspects and unearths some dark secrets about past events and then tries to fit the pieces of this complex puzzle together. Sebastian‘s father-in-law Lord Jarvis, the Regent’s cousin and advisor, with his spidery network of spies and assassins also has his role to play and Sebastian’s step-sister Kat Boleyn is also in danger due to previous dealings with the French. This is such a great series, combining intriguing characters and a twisty mystery with a background of social and political commentary and accurate historical events. I am already waiting impatiently for the next excellent addition to this series and they are always worth the wait!
May 19, 2023
LOVE this series.
May 26, 2023
I've given this an A- at AAR, so 4.5 stars rounded up.
Who Cries for the Lost, the eighteenth book in C.S. Harris’ series of historical mysteries featuring aristocratic sleuth Sebastian St. Cyr, opens as the people of London – and all of England – are holding a collective breath waiting for news of Napoléon’s progress following his escape from Elba.
Sebastian had been planning on returning to his regiment for what he, and many others, hoped would be a final stand that would see Bonaparte defeated once and for all, but after sustaining an injury to his leg at the end of the previous book, he is not fit enough, and is frustrated at being forced to wait on the sidelines.
Of course, being Sebastian St. Cyr, life is never quiet for very long. When the book begins, his friend, former army surgeon Dr. Paul Gibson, is performing a post mortem on the body of a man pulled out of the Thames just that morning. The body is that of a healthy man in his thirties, but his face has been destroyed, possibly, Gibson suspects, to prevent his being identified. But whoever he was, he appears to have been a gentleman, judging from the fact that the shirt in which he’s clad is of excellent quality, and his hands betray signs only of someone used to riding or fencing. Lifting the shirt, Gibson is shocked to discover that it isn’t only the dead man’s face that has been butchered; his genitals have been hacked off, which means his death can’t have been the result of some random attack. Continued examination also some distinctive scarring to the torso – scarring that Alexi Sauvage, Gibson’s lover, recognises as belonging to the man she’d known years earlier as Miles Sauvage. The man she’d married.
When Sebastian arrives at Gibson’s Tower Hill surgery, his friend explains that ‘Miles Sauvage’ was, in fact, Major the Honourable Miles Sedgewick, younger brother to the Marquis of Stamford and formerly an Exploring Officer in Wellington’s army. Sebastian had known him them, and known him to him to be a treacherous, untrustworthy bastard who would do anything to get what he wanted beneath the veneer of good-natured charm he presented to the world. Learning of Alexi’s connection to Sedgewick surprises Sebastian; he and Alexi have never had a particularly warm relationship and he has only begrudgingly accepted her place in Gibson’s life for his friend’s sake. Her cageyness about her past has made him suspicious of her, but now she tells him that Sedgewick had been badly injured while on a mission in the mountains of Portugal, that Alexi had saved his life, and that he had later married her so that she would be taken care of by his family should anything happen to him. In London sometime later, Alexi was told that Sedgewick had died while on a mission in Switzerland – only to see him some weeks later with the woman she realised was his wife… and their two young children. Sebastian knows only too well that this information will likely be seized upon as motive for murder and that it’s a matter of time before Alexi is taken up for the crime and that, as her lover, Gibson may well be in danger, too.
C.S. Harris weaves a clever, complex mystery full of unexpected twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very last minute. Red herrings abound as Sebastian is confronted with pieces of a puzzle that just don’t seem to fit together, and he even begins to wonder if he’ll ever be able to find out the truth. When another body, this one missing its head, then another, missing both head and feet, are pulled from the river just days later, Sebastian begins to think that perhaps there are two killers at work, and that those later deaths and Sedgewick’s might not be connected at all. The discovery that Sedgewick had recently returned from Vienna and was possibly in possession of a list of names of people in London who used to pass information to Bonaparte (one of whom is actress Kat Boleyn, Sebastian’s former lover) puts a very different spin on things – was he killed in order to obtain it? Could Sebastian’s powerful father-in-law Lord Jarvis have been involved? Is there a deeper political motive? The number of people with reason to want Sedgewick dead grows steadily – perhaps his not-so-grieving widow and her would-be lover had a hand in it, or maybe the angry husband of his latest mistress killed and mutilated him in revenge. And then there are the Weird Sisters (who aren’t really sisters at all), who cast horoscopes, tell fortunes and sell potions from their shop in Seven Dials, and with whom Sedgewick was known to have associated as a result of his fascination with folklore and the occult.
There are a lot of moving parts here, and you’ll have to be really on the ball to keep up! As usual, the author’s detailed knowledge of the period and research into the various aspects of the story shine through, and I especially enjoyed the way she incorporates the early nineteenth century’s renewed scholarly interest in folk tales and legends into the novel. The Brothers Grimm published their first compendium of fairy tales in 1812, reflecting the recognition that many old tales, songs and myths were dying out and the subsequent scramble to record them before they became lost forever. Not so enjoyable, but every bit as accurate, is the description of the plight of the poor, ruined governess, thrown out because she was pregnant and forced onto the streets, and at what punishment was meted out to poor women whose babies died because they were unable to feed or shelter them.
Also very well done is the pervasive atmosphere of what I can only describe as waiting – the sense that everyone is more or less just going through the motions as they wait for decisive news from the continent. Sebastian’s frustration at not being able to fight is palpable, and I was glad, once again, that Hero had a significant role to play in the investigation; their love for one another, the way they support and stand up for one another is always a delight to read.
Because the series’ overarching plotline – Sebastian’s search for the truth about his parentage – has now been brought to a close, it’s possible to read Who Cries for the Lost as a standalone, although I’d still advise backtracking so as to better understand the dynamics of the principal relationships in Sebastian’s life – with Hero, with his acknowledged father, the Earl of Hendon, with Jarvis, with Gibson and, in this story, with Kat. Eighteen books in, and the series shows no sign of running out of steam, which is quite an achievement. Superbly written, full of interesting, well-developed characters and with a marvellously realised and well-researched setting, Who Cries for the Lost is an engrossing and exciting addition to the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries, and a must read for fans of historical mysteries.
Who Cries for the Lost, the eighteenth book in C.S. Harris’ series of historical mysteries featuring aristocratic sleuth Sebastian St. Cyr, opens as the people of London – and all of England – are holding a collective breath waiting for news of Napoléon’s progress following his escape from Elba.
Sebastian had been planning on returning to his regiment for what he, and many others, hoped would be a final stand that would see Bonaparte defeated once and for all, but after sustaining an injury to his leg at the end of the previous book, he is not fit enough, and is frustrated at being forced to wait on the sidelines.
Of course, being Sebastian St. Cyr, life is never quiet for very long. When the book begins, his friend, former army surgeon Dr. Paul Gibson, is performing a post mortem on the body of a man pulled out of the Thames just that morning. The body is that of a healthy man in his thirties, but his face has been destroyed, possibly, Gibson suspects, to prevent his being identified. But whoever he was, he appears to have been a gentleman, judging from the fact that the shirt in which he’s clad is of excellent quality, and his hands betray signs only of someone used to riding or fencing. Lifting the shirt, Gibson is shocked to discover that it isn’t only the dead man’s face that has been butchered; his genitals have been hacked off, which means his death can’t have been the result of some random attack. Continued examination also some distinctive scarring to the torso – scarring that Alexi Sauvage, Gibson’s lover, recognises as belonging to the man she’d known years earlier as Miles Sauvage. The man she’d married.
When Sebastian arrives at Gibson’s Tower Hill surgery, his friend explains that ‘Miles Sauvage’ was, in fact, Major the Honourable Miles Sedgewick, younger brother to the Marquis of Stamford and formerly an Exploring Officer in Wellington’s army. Sebastian had known him them, and known him to him to be a treacherous, untrustworthy bastard who would do anything to get what he wanted beneath the veneer of good-natured charm he presented to the world. Learning of Alexi’s connection to Sedgewick surprises Sebastian; he and Alexi have never had a particularly warm relationship and he has only begrudgingly accepted her place in Gibson’s life for his friend’s sake. Her cageyness about her past has made him suspicious of her, but now she tells him that Sedgewick had been badly injured while on a mission in the mountains of Portugal, that Alexi had saved his life, and that he had later married her so that she would be taken care of by his family should anything happen to him. In London sometime later, Alexi was told that Sedgewick had died while on a mission in Switzerland – only to see him some weeks later with the woman she realised was his wife… and their two young children. Sebastian knows only too well that this information will likely be seized upon as motive for murder and that it’s a matter of time before Alexi is taken up for the crime and that, as her lover, Gibson may well be in danger, too.
C.S. Harris weaves a clever, complex mystery full of unexpected twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very last minute. Red herrings abound as Sebastian is confronted with pieces of a puzzle that just don’t seem to fit together, and he even begins to wonder if he’ll ever be able to find out the truth. When another body, this one missing its head, then another, missing both head and feet, are pulled from the river just days later, Sebastian begins to think that perhaps there are two killers at work, and that those later deaths and Sedgewick’s might not be connected at all. The discovery that Sedgewick had recently returned from Vienna and was possibly in possession of a list of names of people in London who used to pass information to Bonaparte (one of whom is actress Kat Boleyn, Sebastian’s former lover) puts a very different spin on things – was he killed in order to obtain it? Could Sebastian’s powerful father-in-law Lord Jarvis have been involved? Is there a deeper political motive? The number of people with reason to want Sedgewick dead grows steadily – perhaps his not-so-grieving widow and her would-be lover had a hand in it, or maybe the angry husband of his latest mistress killed and mutilated him in revenge. And then there are the Weird Sisters (who aren’t really sisters at all), who cast horoscopes, tell fortunes and sell potions from their shop in Seven Dials, and with whom Sedgewick was known to have associated as a result of his fascination with folklore and the occult.
There are a lot of moving parts here, and you’ll have to be really on the ball to keep up! As usual, the author’s detailed knowledge of the period and research into the various aspects of the story shine through, and I especially enjoyed the way she incorporates the early nineteenth century’s renewed scholarly interest in folk tales and legends into the novel. The Brothers Grimm published their first compendium of fairy tales in 1812, reflecting the recognition that many old tales, songs and myths were dying out and the subsequent scramble to record them before they became lost forever. Not so enjoyable, but every bit as accurate, is the description of the plight of the poor, ruined governess, thrown out because she was pregnant and forced onto the streets, and at what punishment was meted out to poor women whose babies died because they were unable to feed or shelter them.
Also very well done is the pervasive atmosphere of what I can only describe as waiting – the sense that everyone is more or less just going through the motions as they wait for decisive news from the continent. Sebastian’s frustration at not being able to fight is palpable, and I was glad, once again, that Hero had a significant role to play in the investigation; their love for one another, the way they support and stand up for one another is always a delight to read.
Because the series’ overarching plotline – Sebastian’s search for the truth about his parentage – has now been brought to a close, it’s possible to read Who Cries for the Lost as a standalone, although I’d still advise backtracking so as to better understand the dynamics of the principal relationships in Sebastian’s life – with Hero, with his acknowledged father, the Earl of Hendon, with Jarvis, with Gibson and, in this story, with Kat. Eighteen books in, and the series shows no sign of running out of steam, which is quite an achievement. Superbly written, full of interesting, well-developed characters and with a marvellously realised and well-researched setting, Who Cries for the Lost is an engrossing and exciting addition to the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries, and a must read for fans of historical mysteries.
May 14, 2023
The whole gang is back. We have Sebastian and Hero being awesome, Paul and Alexi making progress on many fronts, Kat possibly making some big life decisions…even Jarvis got some good news (though I really need him to fall on his face at some point).
A French assassin is at work in London, but there’s a strange occult connection that is impeding Sebastian’s pursuit of the villain. All this is happening as he gets news that Napoleon is moving towards Belgium. Sebastian is still injured from his time in French and is frustrated that he won’t be with Wellington’s troops.
As usual, we get the cute moments with the kids (and cat) in between Sebastian and Hero investigating.
A French assassin is at work in London, but there’s a strange occult connection that is impeding Sebastian’s pursuit of the villain. All this is happening as he gets news that Napoleon is moving towards Belgium. Sebastian is still injured from his time in French and is frustrated that he won’t be with Wellington’s troops.
As usual, we get the cute moments with the kids (and cat) in between Sebastian and Hero investigating.
May 8, 2023
The #18 in a great complicated series I love. There are some series one can skip around in and get the jest of it along the way but this is a series I feel is best started with #1 and enjoying the ride. It does get better and better though at this point or at least in this book the lives of the characters got overlooked in the mystery and heavy historical fiction aspects. Harris seems to be trying to out do herself with the number of victims and possible suspects with so many red herrings that I found myself getting a little confused. All of that against the background of Napoleon and the battle of Waterloo. Another great edition to this series but not quite 5 stars for me. I wanted more of Hero and Sebastian and fewer dead bodies. Highly recommend the series if you love a good story and characters in the mix of early 1800's England.
November 14, 2022
Another great entry in this series. I’d like to start seeing more on-page time from Gibson and Kat Boleyn. They’re both interesting, and seeing snippets of their characters is frustrating at times. It’s hard to give as much time to all the characters as I would like without straying too far from the action. Always well-researched, I learn a lot of interesting details, and they’re not of the mannerly variety. I’m ok with that, but this series focuses on the darker aspects of Regency England, and it’s a real treat.
April 20, 2023
4.5 stars - Historical Mystery
This latest St. Cyr installment is another compelling, complex mystery, and having Sebastian struggle physically with a healing injury while tracking down the murderer added an interesting component to the story. I was hoping for more page time for Paul Gibson and Alexi, and I also felt that the ending was somewhat abrupt.
After 18 books, I'm really anxious for revelations to some of the lingering questions that have gone unanswered for too long.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Jenny Sterlin, does a pretty good job. But I really miss Davina Porter's phenomenal narration of the series.
This latest St. Cyr installment is another compelling, complex mystery, and having Sebastian struggle physically with a healing injury while tracking down the murderer added an interesting component to the story. I was hoping for more page time for Paul Gibson and Alexi, and I also felt that the ending was somewhat abrupt.
After 18 books, I'm really anxious for revelations to some of the lingering questions that have gone unanswered for too long.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Jenny Sterlin, does a pretty good job. But I really miss Davina Porter's phenomenal narration of the series.
April 21, 2023
Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Series: Sebastian St. Cyr #18
Publication Date: 4/18/23
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 368
I cannot say enough good things about this author’s dedication to historical accuracy in political, social, and military norms. She elegantly portrays the tensions in London as Napoleon escapes his island prison and marches back into Paris to begin the wars all over again. The tension mounts as news of Quatre Bras and Ligny reach London and then crescendos when news of Waterloo reaches them. Cheering the victory or mourning the loss of so many lives, everyone feels deeply about the war's end. Set among these tensions is our story of a savage murder and mutilation – quickly followed by more. With London already on edge, Sebastian knows they must find and stop this vicious maniac before London erupts and everyone goes over the edge.
Nobody thinks too much about it when an almost naked, grossly mutilated corpse is pulled out of the Thames. Dozens of bodies are pulled from the Thames each year, but none like this one, and when he is identified as an aristocrat, Major Miles Sedgewick, brother to a Marquis, it finally becomes something important to Bow Street. It also quickly becomes vitally important to Sebastian St. Cyr when he learns that the body was identified by Alexi Sauvage who is the paramour of Sebastian’s best friend – Paul Gibson. Alexi identifies the corpse as Miles Sauvage – her husband – though it turned out she was tricked and it wasn’t a legal marriage. Had it not been for Alexi, Miles would have ended up in an unmarked mass grave, unidentified and unmarked. Would it have been better for that to have happened? You might be able to answer that after you’ve read the book – or you might not.
With people pointing fingers at Alexi, Sebastian knows it won’t be long before his closest friend, Irish surgeon Paul Gibson is pointed at as well. Sebastian knows without a doubt Paul isn’t guilty, but, for brief instances, he can see where Alexi might be. However, as more and more details surface about Miles and the person he was, there is a wide swath of the world population who might have wished to see him in his current state. Then, another body, this time without a head or feet, turns up in the Thames and nobody knows who he is as there is nothing identifiable about him. They believe him to be an aristocrat because of his soft skin and well-cared-for nails, but, is he? When yet another body turns up and two more people are reported as missing – everybody in London is beginning to be afraid of their own shadows. That is especially true with the suspense and worry about Bonaparte adding to the struggle.
There are more red herrings than you can shake a stick at – and all of them are very viable as suspects. Then, there are the motives – who knew there could possibly be so many potential motives for a set of crimes? Are the crimes all related? Is there more than one murderer? Is it overflowing from the wars on the continent? Is it a cuckolded husband? Or, is it really Alexi getting payback for Miles tricking her into a false marriage? Can it be that simple? Oh! You’ll just have to read the book to find out.
I anxiously await each new book in this series. My heart palpates with excitement and I vow I will read it slowly, savor each and every word so I can make the pleasure last absolutely as long as possible. Then, reality hits, the book arrives, and I devour each and every word so quickly I’m not even aware time is passing. Sadly, the book is read much too quickly, and I’m back to anxiously awaiting the next release.
This is a wonderfully crafted tale with a mystery so twisted you’ll be wondering right until the last who really did it – and why. You’ll hold your breath awaiting the next body, the next clue, the next bit of stray, meaningless information that might be the biggest clue yet. You’ll also feel the deep sense of apprehension felt by Londoners as they await news from the Continent. Is the war over? Who won? What will happen next?
I can definitely recommend this book and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Series: Sebastian St. Cyr #18
Publication Date: 4/18/23
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 368
I cannot say enough good things about this author’s dedication to historical accuracy in political, social, and military norms. She elegantly portrays the tensions in London as Napoleon escapes his island prison and marches back into Paris to begin the wars all over again. The tension mounts as news of Quatre Bras and Ligny reach London and then crescendos when news of Waterloo reaches them. Cheering the victory or mourning the loss of so many lives, everyone feels deeply about the war's end. Set among these tensions is our story of a savage murder and mutilation – quickly followed by more. With London already on edge, Sebastian knows they must find and stop this vicious maniac before London erupts and everyone goes over the edge.
Nobody thinks too much about it when an almost naked, grossly mutilated corpse is pulled out of the Thames. Dozens of bodies are pulled from the Thames each year, but none like this one, and when he is identified as an aristocrat, Major Miles Sedgewick, brother to a Marquis, it finally becomes something important to Bow Street. It also quickly becomes vitally important to Sebastian St. Cyr when he learns that the body was identified by Alexi Sauvage who is the paramour of Sebastian’s best friend – Paul Gibson. Alexi identifies the corpse as Miles Sauvage – her husband – though it turned out she was tricked and it wasn’t a legal marriage. Had it not been for Alexi, Miles would have ended up in an unmarked mass grave, unidentified and unmarked. Would it have been better for that to have happened? You might be able to answer that after you’ve read the book – or you might not.
With people pointing fingers at Alexi, Sebastian knows it won’t be long before his closest friend, Irish surgeon Paul Gibson is pointed at as well. Sebastian knows without a doubt Paul isn’t guilty, but, for brief instances, he can see where Alexi might be. However, as more and more details surface about Miles and the person he was, there is a wide swath of the world population who might have wished to see him in his current state. Then, another body, this time without a head or feet, turns up in the Thames and nobody knows who he is as there is nothing identifiable about him. They believe him to be an aristocrat because of his soft skin and well-cared-for nails, but, is he? When yet another body turns up and two more people are reported as missing – everybody in London is beginning to be afraid of their own shadows. That is especially true with the suspense and worry about Bonaparte adding to the struggle.
There are more red herrings than you can shake a stick at – and all of them are very viable as suspects. Then, there are the motives – who knew there could possibly be so many potential motives for a set of crimes? Are the crimes all related? Is there more than one murderer? Is it overflowing from the wars on the continent? Is it a cuckolded husband? Or, is it really Alexi getting payback for Miles tricking her into a false marriage? Can it be that simple? Oh! You’ll just have to read the book to find out.
I anxiously await each new book in this series. My heart palpates with excitement and I vow I will read it slowly, savor each and every word so I can make the pleasure last absolutely as long as possible. Then, reality hits, the book arrives, and I devour each and every word so quickly I’m not even aware time is passing. Sadly, the book is read much too quickly, and I’m back to anxiously awaiting the next release.
This is a wonderfully crafted tale with a mystery so twisted you’ll be wondering right until the last who really did it – and why. You’ll hold your breath awaiting the next body, the next clue, the next bit of stray, meaningless information that might be the biggest clue yet. You’ll also feel the deep sense of apprehension felt by Londoners as they await news from the Continent. Is the war over? Who won? What will happen next?
I can definitely recommend this book and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
April 28, 2023
4.5 stars, rounded up because i love the main characters with a love so true.
London, June 1815
Sebastian St. Cyr and his wife Hero Jarvis (Viscount Devlin and Lady Devlin) are back in London, recovering from their various adventures in Paris. Devlin is not fully recovered from his wounds and thus unable to rejoin his old regiment as the Allied armies get ready to face Napoleon near Brussels.
The atmosphere in London is tense, as everyone awaits news from the Continent.
There's nothing like a sensational murder to distract Devlin from his frustrations and this is a doozy. The murder victim who was fished out of the Thames had his face shot off (no doubt to prevent identification) and his genitals removed. These injuries do not prevent Devlin from identifying him in Paul Gibson's autopsy room. The shocker comes when Gibson's lover, Alexi Sauvage, reveals that she was once married to the victim. A marriage that proved to be bigamous on his part.
Devlin has a very strong incentive to investigate this murder: he needs to find out who killed Major Miles Sedgewick before the powers that be decide Alexi and Gibson did the deed and send them to the gallows.
There are any number of candidates for the murderer--Alexi, the unappreciated wife, one mistress's husband, another (discarded) lover, or maybe even the French. Complications arise when another body is found, also mutilated. Who among the suspects has ties to both men?
There are twists and turns as the story unfolds-I don't want to say too much and spoil the story.
Hero's current interview project provides an important clue, as well as giving us a look at another facet of working class London.
The book has two climaxes: one, a very dramatic face-off between Devlin and the murderer, and two, the arrival in London of Wellington's dispatches from Waterloo. Victory all around.
It was so nice to have more page time with Gibson and Alexi; even Kat Boleyn has a small part to play.
I sincerely hope there will be more stories to come. The political situation is ripe for scandals, Devlin and Hero's personal stories have a major development to track, Paul Gibson and Alexi are on a new course, which needs to be acknowledged.
Now I need to go back and re-read a book or two in order to verify a hint dropped in this book. As if I need an excuse for a re-read...
London, June 1815
Sebastian St. Cyr and his wife Hero Jarvis (Viscount Devlin and Lady Devlin) are back in London, recovering from their various adventures in Paris. Devlin is not fully recovered from his wounds and thus unable to rejoin his old regiment as the Allied armies get ready to face Napoleon near Brussels.
The atmosphere in London is tense, as everyone awaits news from the Continent.
There's nothing like a sensational murder to distract Devlin from his frustrations and this is a doozy. The murder victim who was fished out of the Thames had his face shot off (no doubt to prevent identification) and his genitals removed. These injuries do not prevent Devlin from identifying him in Paul Gibson's autopsy room. The shocker comes when Gibson's lover, Alexi Sauvage, reveals that she was once married to the victim. A marriage that proved to be bigamous on his part.
Devlin has a very strong incentive to investigate this murder: he needs to find out who killed Major Miles Sedgewick before the powers that be decide Alexi and Gibson did the deed and send them to the gallows.
There are any number of candidates for the murderer--Alexi, the unappreciated wife, one mistress's husband, another (discarded) lover, or maybe even the French. Complications arise when another body is found, also mutilated. Who among the suspects has ties to both men?
There are twists and turns as the story unfolds-I don't want to say too much and spoil the story.
Hero's current interview project provides an important clue, as well as giving us a look at another facet of working class London.
The book has two climaxes: one, a very dramatic face-off between Devlin and the murderer, and two, the arrival in London of Wellington's dispatches from Waterloo. Victory all around.
It was so nice to have more page time with Gibson and Alexi; even Kat Boleyn has a small part to play.
I sincerely hope there will be more stories to come. The political situation is ripe for scandals, Devlin and Hero's personal stories have a major development to track, Paul Gibson and Alexi are on a new course, which needs to be acknowledged.
Now I need to go back and re-read a book or two in order to verify a hint dropped in this book. As if I need an excuse for a re-read...
October 6, 2023
Whelp I’m all caught up! This series is such a nice escape and one that I’ve really enjoyed! I’ve found that reading series back-to-back increases my enjoyment so much. As I’ve said in the past couple reviews I really, really loved Davina Porter’s narration but Jenny Sterlin‘s is slowly growing on me. I’m, also, disappointed that the last two books have not included an authors note on the historical tidbits that were presented by Harris at the end of the previous novels. Still a really enjoyable series that does a wonderful job of mixing mystery with historical fiction.
Books 1-17 available on Hoopla. Book 18 available on Libby. I listened to books 1-16 which were narrated by Devin’s Porter at 1.5 speed. Books 17/18 narrated by Jenny Sterlin I listened at 1.7.
Books 1-17 available on Hoopla. Book 18 available on Libby. I listened to books 1-16 which were narrated by Devin’s Porter at 1.5 speed. Books 17/18 narrated by Jenny Sterlin I listened at 1.7.
April 30, 2023
Another excellent addition to the series, with a complex mystery involving a series of gruesome murders. There was less focus on the personal life of Sebastian and Hero in this one, but a bit more focus on Sebastian’s friend Paul Gibson.
May 14, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Eighteen books into the series, and the stories are as strong as ever. Historical facts are as exciting as the fictional mysteries at the heart of each one, and this most recent is no exception. The brutal mistreatment of prisoners of war, vast numbers of untethered spies running around lose, the mayhem of a second war with the newly resurrected Napoleon, gruesome washed up dead men with missing body parts, and a cultural fascination with folklore involving werewolves and witches thanks to the Regency popularity of the Brothers Grimm, this book is a wild juggling act for quite a lot of it. Anxiety permeates the madness of the moment as an entire nation awaits word of victory or defeat. I don't know if I felt the stress of the setting more here than in the series' other books, but I do think that Harris does a terrific job capturing a cultural mood that seems terribly likely given the stakes.
As always in this series, I read them as much for the characters' unique story trajectories as much as the clever and intricate mysteries and historical depth. This is a jam-packed venture with nearly all of the by-now extensive cast of characters appearing throughout. We get glimpses into the lives of most recurrent characters here, though I was happy for the particular focus on Paul Gibson. Paul has been Sebastian's loyal friend in every book since the first, and he has a strong story arc as an opium addict, which makes me even happier that Harris tackles Paul's narrative head on.
Historically, I don't know where the series is going now that Napoleon is defeated, as his threat has loomed large for quite a while. I've no doubt though Harris will have plenty of rich history to share. And then there's the problem of Jarvis and his enigmatic wife, who I hope take center stage in the next story.
Eighteen books into the series, and the stories are as strong as ever. Historical facts are as exciting as the fictional mysteries at the heart of each one, and this most recent is no exception. The brutal mistreatment of prisoners of war, vast numbers of untethered spies running around lose, the mayhem of a second war with the newly resurrected Napoleon, gruesome washed up dead men with missing body parts, and a cultural fascination with folklore involving werewolves and witches thanks to the Regency popularity of the Brothers Grimm, this book is a wild juggling act for quite a lot of it. Anxiety permeates the madness of the moment as an entire nation awaits word of victory or defeat. I don't know if I felt the stress of the setting more here than in the series' other books, but I do think that Harris does a terrific job capturing a cultural mood that seems terribly likely given the stakes.
As always in this series, I read them as much for the characters' unique story trajectories as much as the clever and intricate mysteries and historical depth. This is a jam-packed venture with nearly all of the by-now extensive cast of characters appearing throughout. We get glimpses into the lives of most recurrent characters here, though I was happy for the particular focus on Paul Gibson. Paul has been Sebastian's loyal friend in every book since the first, and he has a strong story arc as an opium addict, which makes me even happier that Harris tackles Paul's narrative head on.
Historically, I don't know where the series is going now that Napoleon is defeated, as his threat has loomed large for quite a while. I've no doubt though Harris will have plenty of rich history to share. And then there's the problem of Jarvis and his enigmatic wife, who I hope take center stage in the next story.
May 8, 2023
Regency London, England. Tuesday, 13 June 1815. C. S. Harris’ Who Cries for the Lost is another winner. Every April I count the days until Ms. Harris’ Sebastian St. Cyr mystery arrives on my doorstep. Napoleon is headed for his Waterloo, but Sebastian will not be there. His injury to his leg received in Paris has extremely hampered the strength in this leg. Frustrated though he will not be fighting for King and Country, Sebastian visits his good friend, Paul Gibson, a former army surgeon who now does postmortems on bodies discovered. The current, mutilated body on Paul’s slab had been found in the Thames, but has been identified, amazingly! Alexi Sauvage, the love of Paul Gibson, has identified the body from scars she had seen before. Sebastian delves into this murder, and while doing so, another mutilated body appears and then another. Sebastian and his wife, Hero, attempt to uncover the whys and the who of these murders. A gritty, no holds barred mystery that truly gets down and dirty, but Sebastian will not surrender. An excellent Sebastian St. Cyr mystery. 5 stars!
Hint: Live spelled backwards is evil!
Hint: Live spelled backwards is evil!
May 2, 2023
Napoleon is meeting his Waterloo. Meanwhile in London, a British spy with a roving eye is being fished out of the Thames. Sebastian’s friends are implicated in his death… and the deaths to follow.
Who Cries for the Lost is the eighteenth book in a strongly connected series. While each new installment brings a standalone murder investigation, there is much in the way of backstory for Sebastian and the regular cast of characters so that each book builds on what came before it.
Unforgettable Characters
Sebastian has been a brooding yet brilliant lead character since the beginning is joined by a growing cast of family, servants, friends, and more. Harris takes the time to make each memorable and part of the story tapestry.
She also has a gift that allows her villains to remain in the shadows until the end, but still have such presence that the reveal brings the reader face to face with someone who is not completely unknown or unknowable. They are worthy and menacing opponents for the tough and determined Sebastian.
Multiple Perspectives
The pacing is steady with bursts of pulse-pounding action moments. Sebastian is the primary narrator, but the reader receives brief perspective changes to several of the series regulars, particularly Hero as she helps her husband with his investigations. This gives the book more depth and complexity.
Deadly Danger
The investigation stirs up more than one set of people keen to stop Sebastian, and permanently, at that. My heart was in my throat as Sebastian navigated the dark streets of London’s east end and, of course, encountered deadly danger. Naturally, the killer is not easy to spot until right when CS Harris wants the reader to know about them.
A Standout Series
With the final battle of the Napoleonic War rising in the background and a grisly murder and subsequent murders filling the foreground, Who Cries for the Lost dug deep and gripped me so hard I was right there with Sebastian through it all. The Sebastian St. Cyr series stands out among so many other historical mysteries as an evocative, phenomenal, must read.
My full review will post at Austenprose May 1st.
Who Cries for the Lost is the eighteenth book in a strongly connected series. While each new installment brings a standalone murder investigation, there is much in the way of backstory for Sebastian and the regular cast of characters so that each book builds on what came before it.
Unforgettable Characters
Sebastian has been a brooding yet brilliant lead character since the beginning is joined by a growing cast of family, servants, friends, and more. Harris takes the time to make each memorable and part of the story tapestry.
She also has a gift that allows her villains to remain in the shadows until the end, but still have such presence that the reveal brings the reader face to face with someone who is not completely unknown or unknowable. They are worthy and menacing opponents for the tough and determined Sebastian.
Multiple Perspectives
The pacing is steady with bursts of pulse-pounding action moments. Sebastian is the primary narrator, but the reader receives brief perspective changes to several of the series regulars, particularly Hero as she helps her husband with his investigations. This gives the book more depth and complexity.
Deadly Danger
The investigation stirs up more than one set of people keen to stop Sebastian, and permanently, at that. My heart was in my throat as Sebastian navigated the dark streets of London’s east end and, of course, encountered deadly danger. Naturally, the killer is not easy to spot until right when CS Harris wants the reader to know about them.
A Standout Series
With the final battle of the Napoleonic War rising in the background and a grisly murder and subsequent murders filling the foreground, Who Cries for the Lost dug deep and gripped me so hard I was right there with Sebastian through it all. The Sebastian St. Cyr series stands out among so many other historical mysteries as an evocative, phenomenal, must read.
My full review will post at Austenprose May 1st.
April 26, 2023
I love these books. I love the characters: Sebastien, Hero, Tom, Gibson, Alexi, Herndon, Lovejoy, Kat and even Lord Jarvis. I learn something about the era every time I read one of C.S Harris' novels. Here, the tragedy known as Cabrera, where 25,000 French men, women and children were dumped and confined to a small inhospitable island for 5 years at the behest of the English and French with almost no rations and no shelter resulting in a horrific death toll, plays a central part in the subsequent murders in this novel.
February 22, 2024
I love these books for the way Harris weaves a fantastic story with the historical times.
Napoleon is marching to his final battle at Waterloo and everyone in London is waiting for word of this epic battle. Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, wishes he could be with those troops, but an injury had prevented him. When his fellow exploring agent, Major Miles Sedgewick, is found in the Thames mutilated he decides to find the murderer.
This case is personal for Sebastian's best friend, Paul Gibson. His lover, Alexi Sauvage, has good reason to want Miles Sedgewick dead, but Sebastian soon finds out that a lot of others have good reason also.
Napoleon is marching to his final battle at Waterloo and everyone in London is waiting for word of this epic battle. Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, wishes he could be with those troops, but an injury had prevented him. When his fellow exploring agent, Major Miles Sedgewick, is found in the Thames mutilated he decides to find the murderer.
This case is personal for Sebastian's best friend, Paul Gibson. His lover, Alexi Sauvage, has good reason to want Miles Sedgewick dead, but Sebastian soon finds out that a lot of others have good reason also.
January 13, 2023
I have always enjoyed the Sebastian St. Cyr series and C.S. Harris's writing. This latest edition does not disappoint. While Londoners await to hear news of Napoleon's forces, a nobleman's mutilated body is pulled from the Thames. Not only did Sebastian know the victim, Miles Sedgewick, from his time fighting in Portugal but there is also a connection between Miles and Sebastian's closest friend Paul Gibson. Gibson's lover Alexi knew Miles and had reason to want him dead. Sebastian tries to learn more about Miles's life but as he does more bodies connected to Miles turn up dead in unusual circumstances.
I truly enjoyed reading this one. It is my favorite of the year so far. I loved how we actually delve more into Gibson and Alexi's relationship and their character development with more than one chapter written in their point of view. Besides Hero they are two of my favorite side characters. The historical detail Harris puts into her written is wonderful and makes you feel as if you are truly in 1815 London. A wonderful read for any historical fiction mystery lovers.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publishers for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I truly enjoyed reading this one. It is my favorite of the year so far. I loved how we actually delve more into Gibson and Alexi's relationship and their character development with more than one chapter written in their point of view. Besides Hero they are two of my favorite side characters. The historical detail Harris puts into her written is wonderful and makes you feel as if you are truly in 1815 London. A wonderful read for any historical fiction mystery lovers.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publishers for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 19, 2023
The Sebastian St. Cyr series are my favourite historical mysteries, hands down. I get so excited when another book comes out. I love spending time in this world with these characters. Who Cries for the Lost? is the 18th book and C.S. Harris continues to go from strength to strength. I really love how compact the timeline is in this series. The first book is set 1811 and 18 books later it is 1815.
The mutilated body of a man is pulled from the river. When a connection is discovered to one of Sebastian's close friends, he decides to investigate. The rest of the story plays out against the backdrop of the battle between Napoleon and Wellington at Waterloo.
The mystery is complex and layered. The story is well-paced. The fast-paced action is blended well with quieter, slower paced scenes. I love the historical detail naturally woven into the story; both political and social, well-known and obscure.
I will read anything that C.S. Harris writes and can't wait for the next book in this fantastic, compelling series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The mutilated body of a man is pulled from the river. When a connection is discovered to one of Sebastian's close friends, he decides to investigate. The rest of the story plays out against the backdrop of the battle between Napoleon and Wellington at Waterloo.
The mystery is complex and layered. The story is well-paced. The fast-paced action is blended well with quieter, slower paced scenes. I love the historical detail naturally woven into the story; both political and social, well-known and obscure.
I will read anything that C.S. Harris writes and can't wait for the next book in this fantastic, compelling series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 28, 2023
I enjoyed seeing what is going on with the characters in this long running story but I felt that there was too much plot and not enough character development. What we learned of the characters was more in the way of a tease. Readers will find multiple new people in the story and may wish to take notes to follow the plot.
I did notice that the stories are getting shorter -- a 300 page book but large print and lots of white space. Still I did enjoy this and am very invested in the plot. And I still suspect that Hero's mother was murdered by her new stepmom but we will have to wait to see if I am right about this.
The book like others in the series is a compelling read and I finished it within days of picking it up from the bookstore,
I did notice that the stories are getting shorter -- a 300 page book but large print and lots of white space. Still I did enjoy this and am very invested in the plot. And I still suspect that Hero's mother was murdered by her new stepmom but we will have to wait to see if I am right about this.
The book like others in the series is a compelling read and I finished it within days of picking it up from the bookstore,
May 17, 2023
Historical mystery series set in early 1800's London with a mix of local murders which sometimes, although not always, tie into the conflict/political intrigue of the Napoleonic Wars. This is the 18th book in the series, and I recommend only reading in order starting at book 1. In the first half or so of the series, the characters make the stories. In the last half so far, especially in the last several books, the mystery/political intrigue has driven the stories. Both have merit, but I enjoyed the character driven books more. Still, an excellent series that I'm happy to continue.
September 4, 2024
Somehow I never get tired of this series,the characters and their adventures. There is enough mystery and true history that it keeps me going!
May 2, 2023
18 books in, I am hooked on this series! The historical bits are fantastic, but I love the characters most. They are quite dimensional and always keep me vested in the plot. Sebastian and Hero have grown from their first meet and I’m interested in how far they’ll go. Hopefully far since I’m not ready for the series to end any time soon!
I also need a novella…or three…focused on Gibson and Alexi! Kat deserves a few too…. They don’t have very much page time, but when they do, it’s always interesting.
I also need a novella…or three…focused on Gibson and Alexi! Kat deserves a few too…. They don’t have very much page time, but when they do, it’s always interesting.
May 5, 2024
I enjoy the mystery and the personal lives of the St. Cyrs, but also the historical information is interesting. It is unsettling to read about the vast chasm between the neighbourhoods and lives of the haves and have-nots at that time in history.
May 8, 2023
I cannot believe how much I like this series 18 books in AND (Yes, that is aggressively not the point of the series but Hero/Devlin is aggressively MY point of the series.)
April 24, 2023
This time the book seemed to me to be a bit fumbling like its main protagonist, who did not know which way to go looking for the culprit. The only thing that gives me hope for the future is the turn the relationship between Alexi and Paul has taken. A book that is almost an interlude, I hope toward some new arc that is worth following as it has been so far.
Stavolta il libro mi é sembrato un po' brancolante come il suo protagonista principale, che non sapeva da che parte mettersi a cercare il colpevole. L'unica cosa che mi fa ben sperare per il futuro é la piega presa dalla relazione tra Alexi e Paul. Un libro che é quasi un intermezzo, spero verso qualche nuova arc che valga la pena seguire com'é stato finora.
Stavolta il libro mi é sembrato un po' brancolante come il suo protagonista principale, che non sapeva da che parte mettersi a cercare il colpevole. L'unica cosa che mi fa ben sperare per il futuro é la piega presa dalla relazione tra Alexi e Paul. Un libro che é quasi un intermezzo, spero verso qualche nuova arc che valga la pena seguire com'é stato finora.
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