THE FIRST SEBASTIAN ST. CYR MYSTERY!“The combined elements of historical fiction, romance, and mystery in this fog-enshrouded London puzzler will appeal to fans of Anne Perry.”—BooklistIt’s 1811, and the threat of revolution haunts the upper classes of King George III’s England. Then the body of a beautiful young woman is found savagely murdered on the altar steps of an ancient church near … altar steps of an ancient church near Westminster Abbey. A dueling pistol discovered at the scene and the damning testimony of a witness both point to one man: Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, a brilliant young nobleman shattered by his experiences in the Napoleonic Wars.
Now a fugitive running for his life, Sebastian calls upon his skill as an officer during the war to catch the killer and prove his own innocence. In the process, he accumulates a band of unlikely allies, including the enigmatic beauty Kat Boleyn, who broke Sebastian’s heart years ago. In Sebastian’s world of intrigue and espionage, nothing is as it seems, yet the truth may hold the key to the future of the British monarchy, as well as to Sebastian’s own salvation….
more
I could leave an equally glowing review for every title in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series. Our hero is a Regency sleuth who is heir an earldom, a veteran of the Peninsular campaign, and a guy with a convoluted (dare we say tormented?) family history. Every aspect of these stories is done to a perfect turn–the exquisite Regency world-building, the who-done-it pacing, the character and relationship arcs that stretch from book to book. Supporting characters are superbly memorable and smoothly woven into the plot. Conflicts are drawn from the author’s intimate knowledge of original sources. Historical mystery does not get any better than this.
I haven’t read mysteries in years, and yet I’m now on book 6 of the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries, set in Regency England, and I can’t put them down. The main character, Sebastian, is utterly compelling, and the supporting cast of nobles, spies, urchins, soldiers, and misfits is fantastic. Highly recommended as the mystery series you didn’t know you must read!
This book introduces Sebastian St. Cyr, the Viscount Devlin, a young nobleman who enlisted in the war against Napoleon and came home disillusioned and, if not exactly broken, certainly with a few additional stress fractures. When he is accused of murdering a young woman, he goes on the run to avoid arrest. With the help of Tom, a street urchin and pickpocket, he searches for the real killer–and finds at last a cause in which he can believe.
C.S. Harris is a good writer and an excellent historian. If you love historical fiction but hate the feeling that you’re going to run face-first into an anachronism at any moment, this is the series for you. Harris holds a PhD in the history of this period, and her research is meticulous. The result is a convincing, living recreation of the Regency era in all of its splendor and squalor.
This series is my favorite currently-running series of historical fiction AND mystery. If you are a fan of either genre, give this a try.
I couldn’t put this book down until the very end. Great twisty plot with wonderful scene-setting and fantastic characters. I felt I was in Sebastian St Cyr’s shadow every step of the way. What a hero to die for he is!
This book got me hooked on the wonderful Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series. An unusual and sexy series protagonist, and an unvarnished view into Regency England. Fabulous series.
I’ve meant to pick up this series for ages. Its darkly atmospheric, occasionally graphic, and moody take on regency England. There’s murder, terrible people, interesting characters, agendas and a plucky orphan. So basically, I loved it and want to inhale the rest of them.
Sebastian St Cyr is a remarkable character: complex, multi-layered, flawed yet heroic, principled yet testing himself against his moral code. Hero, his wife, is also a wonderfully complex character, an excellent counterpart and partner, yet is also her own strong character. Harris’ world-building of Regency period London and England is richly filled with sights, sounds, and smells, with the class-consciousness of the nobility and the poor. Historical figures intertwine wonderfully with her fictional people.
If you’re as huge a fan as me of historical mysteries with intriguing plots, interesting heroes, intelligent heroines, and a touch of romance, this series delivers it all!
If you like historical mysteries, don’t miss this series! St. Cyr is an intriguing aristocratic protagonist of the Regency era. But these novels aren’t the lighthearted fluff of high society that often makes the early 1800s in England so appealing. CS Harris shows the gritty side of London more often than the ballrooms. Addictive. I dare you to read just one!
I devoured this series upon discovery! Sebastian St. Cyr is a self-tortured hero who is committed to solving murders in an effort to redeem his honor from a perceived wrong that he committed while serving in the military. I found myself caring every bit as much for the secondary characters, who are richly and deftly drawn, as I did for St. Cyr. Yes, the mysteries are entertaining and keep one guessing, but it’s the characters that one keeps coming back to visit and learn more about. The exquisite attention to detail of everyday life and history of the time is also an added bonus. Highly recommended!!!! They just keep getting better and better as you go along….
I put off reading this series for years. After reading up to the current book, I can’t imagine why. I have trouble with some of the characters (almost cartoon level villainy or not learning from repeated mistakes) but it’s not a deal breaker.
Loved it!
C.S. Harris is one of my favorite authors. Some books are read over and over. This is one.
Open the book for its suspense and atmosphere, the underbelly of Regency London. Keep turning pages through the brilliant plotting. In the end, fall in love with her haunting, original hero and follow him through the entire emotional and deeply satisfying series.
Not only enjoyable but gives the reader so much information about that period . And I loved the characters particularly strong women which was so hard to be at that time.
For a historical fiction writer and author, I am surprisingly unfamiliar with Regency writing. It’s a period that has many devoted fans, so I recently jumped on the train to see what all the fuss was about. My first foray into Regency historical fiction was What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris.
Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is a young veteran of the Napoleonic wars, now back in London and haunted by his experiences in France. Then, just a few days before the installment of Prince George as Regent, a beautiful actress is found murdered in a small church in Westminster. Devlin’s pistol is found near her body, and Sebastian becomes the prime suspect.
Left with few options but to defend himself, Sebastian sets out to find the true killer, helped along the way by his former lover Kat Boleyn and a clever street urchin Tom. But as he begins his pursued through snowl, fog-filled London streets as well as taverns and exclusive clubs, he finds growing evidence of a vast conspiracy that may reach not just Britain’s government but also his own family.
What Angels Fear is an enjoyable start to a new series. C.S. Harris’s prose and pace are brisk, and she has researched the period thoroughly. After reading it, I feel like I have learned a lot about the history of a period that I have not been terribly familiar with before. I highly recommend it for historical fiction, mystery, and romance lovers.
This was a deliciously fun mystery to devour! Fast-paced and full of twists, I loved every minute of it. Harris is a very talented wordsmith! Can’t wait to start the next in the series.
Good series, unpredictable, and solid character development.
I have just started to read this series and I find it very good stories to follow.
I have read most of the books by this author and they are all FANTASTIC! There is some romance. The characters carry over to the next book. I love, love this author and her main character Sebastian St Cyr.