When Falcons Fall by C. S. Harris

The combination of Regency England, family secrets, a dashing aristocrat ad murder mysteries makes WHEN FALCONS FALL by expert historian C. S. Harris an entertaining read.

The 11^th installment in the Sebastian St Cyr Mystery series, WHEN FALCONS FALL can be read as a standalone. New readers won’t have a problem keeping up while returning fans will enjoy catching up with the war-tortured aristocrat and his family.

To honor a slain friend’s request, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, travels to the seemingly peaceful Shropshire village. While there, Sebastian also hopes to unravel some threads of his own ancestry. When the body of Emma Chance, a lovely young widow, is discovered beside the river, Sebastian’s help is requested by the village’s inexperienced new magistrate.

While the constable believes the woman committed suicide, Sebastian quickly realizes it was murder. As he begins to investigate, Sebastian finds the woman may not have been who she claimed to be, nor in the village for the reason she gave. It’s soon discovered that Emma isn’t the first, or even the second, young woman to die under suspicious circumstances in the village. Sebastian and his wife, Hero, are drawn into a tangle of passion and intrigue as they search for the killer.

Readers are taken on a breathtaking adventure of suspense and intrigue in this thrilling historical mystery. The author’s eye for detail and her vivid descriptions brings the setting to life while placing the reader in the middle of the drama. Combining historical figures and settings with her characters, the author adds depth and dimension to this fascinating tale.

The story takes on an added query as Sebastian searches for clues to his own family secrets. Readers will be held spellbound from beginning to end.

When Falcons Fall by C. S. Harris, A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery (Book #11), NAL, @2016, ISBN: 978-0451471161, Hardcover, 368 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. I hope I’ve enticed you to check out the Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery series and WHEN FALCONS FALL. Do you enjoy Regency mysteries? When you read a book that contains historical information, do you find yourself researching some of the points to see just how much is real?

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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