Who Buries The Dead by C.S. Harris

I’m delighted to tell you about a release just out this week, WHO BURIES THE DEAD by C.S. Harris, the tenth installment in her Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery series.

First a brief description of this fascinating historical mystery and then my thoughts on it:

        The grisly murder of a West Indies slave owner and the reappearance of a dangerous enemy from Sebastian St. Cyr’s past combine to put C. S. Harris’s “troubled but compelling antihero” (Booklist) to the ultimate test in this taut, thrilling mystery.
        London, 1813. The vicious decapitation of Stanley Preston, a wealthy, socially ambitious plantation owner, at Bloody Bridge draws Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, into a macabre and increasingly perilous investigation. The discovery near the body of an aged lead coffin strap bearing the inscription King Charles, 1648 suggests a link between this killing and the beheading of the deposed seventeenth-century Stuart monarch. Equally troubling, the victim’s kinship to the current Home Secretary draws the notice of Sebastian’s powerful father-in-law, Lord Jarvis, who will exploit any means to pursue his own clandestine ends.
        Working in concert with his fiercely independent wife, Hero, Sebastian finds his inquiries taking him from the wretched back alleys of Fish Street Hill to the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair as he amasses a list of suspects who range from an eccentric Chelsea curiosity collector to the brother of an unassuming but brilliantly observant spinster named Jane Austen.         But as one brutal murder follows another, it is the connection between the victims and ruthless former army officer Sinclair, Lord Oliphant, that dramatically raises the stakes. Once, Oliphant nearly destroyed Sebastian in a horrific wartime act of carnage and betrayal. Now the vindictive former colonel might well pose a threat not only to Sebastian but to everything—and everyone—Sebastian holds most dear.

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Author C.S. Harris has crafted a most intriguing protagonist in Sebastian St. Cyr. He is likable and features flaws readers can relate to, especially when it comes to those he loves. The secondary characters are delightful and add depth to the story.

The London setting of 1813 comes to life through the author’s rich descriptions and details. Readers are placed in the middle of this fascinating location and era as the action develops.

Though dealing with a series of grisly murders including beheadings, Harris has a way of blending the events with Sebastian’s home life and bits of humor for a well-balanced story. Twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat as the story unfolds.

While WHO BURIES THE DEAD is the tenth installment in the series, it can be read on its own. New readers to the series won’t be left in the dark trying to keep up with the characters and events.

This is an entertaining mystery that will hold you spellbound throughout the story.

Who Buries the Dead by C.S. Harris, Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery Book #10, Obsidian, @2015, ISBN: 978-0451417565, Hardcover, 352 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Are you a fan of historical mysteries? Have you read any of the Sebastian St. Cyr series? I found the cover elegant and intriguing, what about you? 

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