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….
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I enjoyed the mystery combined with history, interesting characters, and good writing. I started with this and read the whole series.
Love the Sebastian St.Cyr series….wonderful characters.
“Once, he believed that there were such things as just wars and righteous causes. Once.” (quote from the book)
Atmospheric, ominous and secretive is just the opening chapter in this novel. It is one I have been wanting to start reading for several years. The wait was worth it, and I now have another historical murder/mystery series to dwell in.
“She blamed the fog…It was such a foul, creeping thing, the yellow fog of London.” (quote from the book)
The book description provides a good synopsis of this novel. But there are many layers to this tale…political intrigue, spies, family secrets and manipulation. It is all encompassing and each of the characters within bring it all to life…even the city of London. Each have their unique quirks, their faults and their vanities. Humanity at its best and worst.
“But as he turned to walk down that long, ornate corridor, his footsteps echoing hollowly, his heart feeling strangely heavy in his chest, Sir Henry Lovejoy became aware of a growing conviction that he was being used.” (quote from the book)
This is not a light, easy read. It is gritty, brutal, and dark, full of twists and turns that leaves one guessing. This is one mystery I couldn’t figure out who the murderer was. But there were several who were just as culpable.
“In government, one needed to be ruthless. Ruthless, and very, very clever.” (quote from the book)
Sebastian St. Cyr has a gift, but he is also a tortured soul. One I look forward to learning more about. Kat Boleyn has her own torments and then there is Tom, the would be pickpocket that attaches himself to Sebastian. I look forward to reading the rest of this series in between my Austenesque novels. Speaking of which, there is a humorous nod to one of Jane’s characters in this book.
May 7, 2020
I loved the historical aspect of this book and the attention to detail, particularly of the less noble life in Regency England. The hero, Sebastian St. Cyr, is drawn into a web of intrigue and murder (not horrible for those who are squeamish). He moves between the upper echelons of society and the dregs in the seamy underworld.
A fascinating glimpse into the political machinations of the time.
I love this series!
#GoodreadsGiveaway. It was an interesting read but not one that I particularly enjoyed. A beautiful woman is found raped and murdered and a pistol was at her side. The police are hunting for their suspect who is working to clear his name. Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, a brilliant young nobleman is the suspect and he takes everything that he has learned in the war to help him hide and try to find the real killer.
Wonderful plot I staid up late to read it all
C.S. Harris has developed a wonderful series. Besides wonderful characters, there is also excellent information about the time in England in the early 1800’s. She does not write fast enough for me!
I am so very thankful to all those who had encouraged my quick entrance into the world of Sebastian St. Cyr. I’m now a believer! What Angels Fear was a fascinating and absolutely fabulous read. I’ve already put the next book on hold and crazy excited to reenter this world.
THE SEBASTIAN ST CYR MYSTERIES
by C. S. Harris
C.S. Harris (Candice) is a very talented novelist and this is a well-researched Regency mystery series. Nobleman Viscount Devlin, a.k.a. Sebastian St Cyr, is the sleuth. Set in the same period as my own Lavender novels, they also feature a Bow Street magistrate. In the earlier books, Sebastian tends to focus on the crimes committed by the upper-classes in Belgravia drawing rooms (and the occasional Palace), but this enigmatic and restless hero isn’t afraid to rub shoulders with the common folk and, if need be, scrap on the filthy streets with the villains. Anyway, there’s now fifteen books available in this series, so it’s a binge-reader’s paradise. Download a few and enjoy!
This series continues to present interesting stories, characters and period details. I anxiously await each new release.
Great mystery .
I’m really enjoying this series and have read every one written so far.
Great series
I love this author and this book
The book started well but became increasingly convoluted and ended up being very mediocre
C.S. Harris is one of my favorite authors! Well written, well researched, great character development, superb mystery story-line (yes, all of that!). This book is the first in the series and I do recommend reading them in order. I was hooked immediately. This author is a must.
Anything by C.S.Harris is worth a good read. Her main character is a haunted man who seeks justice in the Regency period. Keeps you guessing the entire way through.
Love this book and all the others that go with it. There are about 14 books in this series and I love them all.
Another great series, that is a page-turner for me.