Publication
Berkley (2006), Edition: Reissue, 432 pages
Original publication date
2005-11-01
Collections
Subjects
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Historical Fiction. HTML: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.��Booklist It�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 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)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Storeetllr
A historical mystery romance set in London in 1811, this was a very readable first novel. The setting was evocative, the dialogue natural, and the action compelling; I would have liked a little more in the way of settings, descriptions, and character development. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to
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the next in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member richardderus
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: It's 1811, and the threat of revolution haunts the upper classes of King George III's England. Then a beautiful young woman is found raped and savagely murdered on the altar steps of an ancient church near Westminster Abbey. A dueling pistol discovered at the
Now a fugitive running for his life, Sebastian calls upon his skill as an agent 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....
My Review: BOOK ONE OF ADDICTIVE SERIES
You've been warned.
It's amazing how involving I *still* find the Regency, even after many and various outrages perpetrated on its remnant mummy corpse. People with ultramod unprejudiced 'tudes bearing titles like Lord Shavingrazorden and the Duchess of Murkwatter,entertaining. People traveling to far points without seeming to spend the required months. I mean seriously, how did all those East Indiamen get to Fort Thingummy in Malaya in a twinkling? Ye Olde Concorde?
*ahem*
This book does its share of anachronism-perpetuating. Devlin, our hero, is a straight (in all senses)-ahead 21st century romance hero. Doesn't make him unappealing; it makes me a little impatient, I guess.
The Publisher Says: It's 1811, and the threat of revolution haunts the upper classes of King George III's England. Then a beautiful young woman is found raped and savagely murdered on the altar steps of an ancient church near Westminster Abbey. A dueling pistol discovered at the
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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 experience in the Napoleonic Wars.Now a fugitive running for his life, Sebastian calls upon his skill as an agent 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....
My Review: BOOK ONE OF ADDICTIVE SERIES
You've been warned.
It's amazing how involving I *still* find the Regency, even after many and various outrages perpetrated on its remnant mummy corpse. People with ultramod unprejudiced 'tudes bearing titles like Lord Shavingrazorden and the Duchess of Murkwatter,entertaining. People traveling to far points without seeming to spend the required months. I mean seriously, how did all those East Indiamen get to Fort Thingummy in Malaya in a twinkling? Ye Olde Concorde?
*ahem*
This book does its share of anachronism-perpetuating. Devlin, our hero, is a straight (in all senses)-ahead 21st century romance hero. Doesn't make him unappealing; it makes me a little impatient, I guess.
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LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
One of the worst books I've actually been able to finish. As Sebastian St Cyr complains, 'I feel as if I've been chased across London and back again for the past hundred years' - and so does the reader, after persevering for 400 pages to solve the mystery.
This novel is an exercise in repetition -
Perhaps the most irritating aspect of the whole novel, however, is the facile, American perspective of English politics in the early nineteenth century: 'He knew his nation, too, knew its arrogance and its fears and its willingness to blame anyone foreign, without due process'. Naturally, St Cyr, an English viscount, is exempt, and his amour is an Irish actress, whose parents were hanged by the invading soldiers, so she can hate the English, too. Why set a book in Regency England just to rant against history? However, as the author merely provides a potted history of politics during the reign of George III/ the Regency of George IV, actually employing her hero to spout the textbook version to his young accomplice, brevity precludes impact. Charactersation (everybody wealthy good-looking, everybody poor well-meaning) and historical detail are also skimmed over in favour of a trite script and violent scenes, and the ending is appalling. The villain is straight out of a Victorian penny dreadful or a B-movie, explaining his dark deeds as he soon intends to kill the intrepid St Cyr, so it won't matter.
Please. Don't buy this, lured by the premise and the historical setting as I was - it fails to deliver.
This novel is an exercise in repetition -
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descriptions (how many times do we need to be told that it's cold, damp and foggy?), gestures (the universal sign of despair being to draw/drag/scrape a hand across the face), tactics (appearing from dark corners, brandishing a gun, to confront strangely co-operative suspects). Midway through the book, the main mystery is how long the author intends to drag it out. I didn't even care about the victim, an improbably pure and admirable actress/prostitute, strangely sharing her moniker with a real-life Broadway actress, after she actually uttered the comedy last words of: 'It's you!' The plot became hopelessly convoluted, involving French spies and blackmail, so that any glimmer of compulsion to discover the real murderer rapidly dwindled. And the dialogue is atrocious, intended more I feel for a Hollywood blockbuster or Hallmark screenplay than a historical novel - any attempt at formal English is quickly abandoned, giving into a modern, colloquial style that jars with the alleged era in which the story is set. Characters tell each other to 'snap out of it', and use glib phrases like 'I guess' and 'I don't get it'. Unfortunately, and rather painfully, the only dialect that remains is the excrutiating Mockney of the Disney-fied street urchin, presumably Dick Van Dyke's ancestor, who befriends the hero - 'Lor', love you, gov'nor!' When the author does attempt to insert a little Regency colour into the narrative, it's at the expense of Georgette Heyer - all 'rum coves' and 'showy hacks'. Perhaps the most irritating aspect of the whole novel, however, is the facile, American perspective of English politics in the early nineteenth century: 'He knew his nation, too, knew its arrogance and its fears and its willingness to blame anyone foreign, without due process'. Naturally, St Cyr, an English viscount, is exempt, and his amour is an Irish actress, whose parents were hanged by the invading soldiers, so she can hate the English, too. Why set a book in Regency England just to rant against history? However, as the author merely provides a potted history of politics during the reign of George III/ the Regency of George IV, actually employing her hero to spout the textbook version to his young accomplice, brevity precludes impact. Charactersation (everybody wealthy good-looking, everybody poor well-meaning) and historical detail are also skimmed over in favour of a trite script and violent scenes, and the ending is appalling. The villain is straight out of a Victorian penny dreadful or a B-movie, explaining his dark deeds as he soon intends to kill the intrepid St Cyr, so it won't matter.
Please. Don't buy this, lured by the premise and the historical setting as I was - it fails to deliver.
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LibraryThing member kmartin802
The first Sebastian St. Cyr mystery begins with Sebastian being accused of the brutal murder of actress Rachel York. Sebastian is the only surviving son of the Earl of Hendon and a soldier who recently sold out after working in intelligence. He has been back in London for about ten months being
Not having any faith in the authorities to clear his name, he decides to investigate to find out who killed Rachel York and why she was killed. He goes to an old girlfriend - and the woman he still loves - actress and courtesan, Kat Boleyn, to begin his investigation. Kat has secrets of her own but also still loves Sebastian and agrees to help.
Sebastian has no shortage of suspects. Could it be the actor who was Rachel's first patron? Could Rachel have been spying for the French under the control of spymaster Leo Pierrepont? Could it be one of Rachel's well-connected government lovers? Could it be Sebastian's nephew Bayard who seems to have an unhealthy obsession with Rachel?
As Sebastian investigates, with the assistance of street boy Tom, he soon finds that there isn't a simple solution. The more he looks, the more he finds complications involving the politics of the upcoming Regency government.
This was an exciting and twisty tale and an excellent historical mystery.
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bored and fighting duels. He sees himself as a cynic but we see not-so-deeply buried tendencies to be a hero.Not having any faith in the authorities to clear his name, he decides to investigate to find out who killed Rachel York and why she was killed. He goes to an old girlfriend - and the woman he still loves - actress and courtesan, Kat Boleyn, to begin his investigation. Kat has secrets of her own but also still loves Sebastian and agrees to help.
Sebastian has no shortage of suspects. Could it be the actor who was Rachel's first patron? Could Rachel have been spying for the French under the control of spymaster Leo Pierrepont? Could it be one of Rachel's well-connected government lovers? Could it be Sebastian's nephew Bayard who seems to have an unhealthy obsession with Rachel?
As Sebastian investigates, with the assistance of street boy Tom, he soon finds that there isn't a simple solution. The more he looks, the more he finds complications involving the politics of the upcoming Regency government.
This was an exciting and twisty tale and an excellent historical mystery.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
The first book of this historical crime fiction series is set in 1811, in the Regency Era.
This book begins with the discovery of the gruesome murder of a beautiful young actress, Rachel York. Evidence on the scene suggests the murderer was Sebastian St. Cyr, the twenty-eight year old Viscount
St. Cyr is not without resources to do the detective work. He was an undercover agent during his time in the military, having served for six years fighting in the Napoleonic Wars; he has been back home some ten months. He also has extraordinarily acute eyesight and hearing. He employs those same skills to save his own life.
He is aided by the counsel of his friend, the surgeon Paul Gibson, who serves as a Watson to St. Cyr’s Holmes, as well as by Kat Boyeyn, 23, the toast of the London stage and the love of Sebastian’s life. He also -unknowingly at first - has the help of Sir Henry Lovejoy, Chief Magistrate at Queen Square, who suspects St. Cyr was not in fact the killer. And most amusingly, he acquires an “acolyte” of sorts in the street urchin Tom, who is hired by St. Cyr to help him with his detective work. Tom uses the thieves’ slang, or “Patter Flash” but Devlin always speaks to Tom in the “posh” diction common his class and background. The juxtaposition of the two argots is most amusing, and incidentally provides us with a guide to what Tom is actually saying.
Evaluation: The historical part of the book is definitely superior to the crime part, but the “mystery” is adequate enough to form a framework for a very good depiction of Regency London. And the characters are very appealing, enough so to make me eager to read more in the series.
This book begins with the discovery of the gruesome murder of a beautiful young actress, Rachel York. Evidence on the scene suggests the murderer was Sebastian St. Cyr, the twenty-eight year old Viscount
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Devlin. The police are determined to calm the fears of the populace by quickly nabbing and convicting the suspect. St. Cyr, who is innocent, feels he has no choice but go into disguise, flee, and find the killer himself. St. Cyr is not without resources to do the detective work. He was an undercover agent during his time in the military, having served for six years fighting in the Napoleonic Wars; he has been back home some ten months. He also has extraordinarily acute eyesight and hearing. He employs those same skills to save his own life.
He is aided by the counsel of his friend, the surgeon Paul Gibson, who serves as a Watson to St. Cyr’s Holmes, as well as by Kat Boyeyn, 23, the toast of the London stage and the love of Sebastian’s life. He also -unknowingly at first - has the help of Sir Henry Lovejoy, Chief Magistrate at Queen Square, who suspects St. Cyr was not in fact the killer. And most amusingly, he acquires an “acolyte” of sorts in the street urchin Tom, who is hired by St. Cyr to help him with his detective work. Tom uses the thieves’ slang, or “Patter Flash” but Devlin always speaks to Tom in the “posh” diction common his class and background. The juxtaposition of the two argots is most amusing, and incidentally provides us with a guide to what Tom is actually saying.
Evaluation: The historical part of the book is definitely superior to the crime part, but the “mystery” is adequate enough to form a framework for a very good depiction of Regency London. And the characters are very appealing, enough so to make me eager to read more in the series.
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LibraryThing member DWWilkin
There was a lot to like about the first St. Cyr mystery and I do intend to read others in the series. Ms. Harris who is a historian knows a great deal and shares that with us, though sometimes it does seem that we have artifice instead of art to do so.
We have the dead body, which we of course want
Thieves cant abounds except when our street urchin, whose disposition is not settled, drops the usage of it. Then we have a great many Irish with a grievance, or other continental types who have accents and then don't.
What we also have is the veneer of politics which is useful to parts of the mystery, but we also have a senior minister so intent on his plans, that he forgets that our hero is also well enough connected that he could have been Jack the Ripper and political expediency would have saved him. Further, the entire crooked constable action needed more. I felt when reading it that there was more there, but as our hero, like a ball in a pinball machine, bounced all over London and repeatedly say the same characters to get clues, the author ran out of pages she could devote to self-interested evil.
Those reasons are why I can't give a better award to the story. Too much Red Herrings, too many coincidences, and just a few too much suspension of my disbelief. But it is worth sticking with to see if this becomes as good as the Bruce Alexander Sir John Fielding Mysteries which seem to have a very similar feel.
We have the dead body, which we of course want
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in our mysteries. We even have our heroic investigator, but what we have also is some additional hijinks that does not make sense. Why does our hero need the Bithil Syndrome? It is a device that author has added that does not add to our protagonist overmuch. Thieves cant abounds except when our street urchin, whose disposition is not settled, drops the usage of it. Then we have a great many Irish with a grievance, or other continental types who have accents and then don't.
What we also have is the veneer of politics which is useful to parts of the mystery, but we also have a senior minister so intent on his plans, that he forgets that our hero is also well enough connected that he could have been Jack the Ripper and political expediency would have saved him. Further, the entire crooked constable action needed more. I felt when reading it that there was more there, but as our hero, like a ball in a pinball machine, bounced all over London and repeatedly say the same characters to get clues, the author ran out of pages she could devote to self-interested evil.
Those reasons are why I can't give a better award to the story. Too much Red Herrings, too many coincidences, and just a few too much suspension of my disbelief. But it is worth sticking with to see if this becomes as good as the Bruce Alexander Sir John Fielding Mysteries which seem to have a very similar feel.
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LibraryThing member EvBishop
Great atmosphere and description in this story. C.S. Harris did a wonderful job of placing me soundly in early 19th century London, and I enjoyed her cast of characters very much. Although I didn't finish the book desperate to delve into the next one in the series, I will definitely aim to read
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more of her work. Show Less
LibraryThing member cameling
This might be the first Sebastian St Cyr mystery in the series. A fine mystery with alot of twists and sub plots. This story takes the reader through Victorian London with a very entertaining, intelligent, kind and determined nobleman who, through circumstantial evidence and 2 dead women, find
In the process of trying to find out who the murder is for these heinous crimes and clearing his name, he also finds that there is a potential scandal within his family, French master spies running around London and that all is not as they seem among the judiciary, the nobility, artists and performers.
I found the pace of the book to be fast enough to keep me gripped to the story and I couldn't put it down once I started it.
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himself on the run from the law. In the process of trying to find out who the murder is for these heinous crimes and clearing his name, he also finds that there is a potential scandal within his family, French master spies running around London and that all is not as they seem among the judiciary, the nobility, artists and performers.
I found the pace of the book to be fast enough to keep me gripped to the story and I couldn't put it down once I started it.
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LibraryThing member Stewartry
What Angels Fear opens with the murder of a young woman who turns out to be an actress-cum-prostitute (Cyprian - I'd forgotten about that term). At the scene of the crime is found a dueling pistol with the name "St. Cyr" engraved on it - which obviously incriminates Sebastian St. Cyr, young
In working to do so, SSC must turn to the woman who broke his heart several years ago, Kat Boleyn, and a doctor friend who provides valuable forensic information; he is also joined by a young boy who starts off trying to pick his pocket and, in the grand tradition of Regency and Victorian novels, becomes his ally. (And of course he's much cleverer than SSC was expecting; I swear I'm tempted to write a book about a street urchin being taken under someone's wing, someone who realizes the boy is at least as intelligent as anyone in society, and educating him and training him to "pass" - and maybe end up in Parliament. I'll call it "My Fair Laddie.") I don't want it to sound like it's Just Another Regency; it has some rather standard plot turns, and I admit I saw the end coming a ways off, but I was enjoying myself so much that didn't care. And I did think the killer was someone else; there were some lovely red herrings.
There was political intrigue - the French, of course, and the mess surrounding the Madness of King George - which usually annoys me, but this was quite well done and well integrated into the plot: it's integral, and more cloak-and-dagger than oh-lord-not-another-worldwide-conspiracy. There was some truly wonderful period detail. And I loved the characters. The supporting cast could easily have been a cast of cliches, but Harris provided enough twists and quirks that those who peopled this novel came quite close to living and breathing. Sebastian St. Cyr is not Mr. Darcy, nor Julian Kestrel, nor William Monk, nor yet Sherlock Holmes, or any of the other dandies or detectives (or both) of gaslit fame; he is himself, damaged by childhood tragedies, a cold father, and heartbreak and war horrors as an adult. I have to admit, I was still in Fantasy mode when I started this, and still thinking it was by the author of supernatural mysteries, so when the narrative started talking about how he could see almost perfectly well in the dark and hear what no one else could I kept expecting a paragraph along the lines of "He caught the scent of blood on the constable's coat, and turned his face away. He had learned to manage his unholy hungers, but since the night he was bitten he lived in constant fear of losing control"... Obviously I was wrong, and I'm glad of it. (It was an odd experience, though...) I loved the book; it wasn't perfect - again, there was really only one way the climactic struggle could end - but it was close enough.
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nobleman and rake, who has been a sore disappointment to his father. But Sebastian (SSC) didn't do it, and when the officious twits of the London police force come to arrest him, he is rather indignant, especially when the Beau Brummel-wannabe sergeant mouths off to him. SSC puts the latter in his place, which may have been a bit of a tactical error given the circumstances - and given that the sergeant has a knife and a temper. In the end, the second constable stumbles onto the knife, the sergeant is yelling that SSC has killed him, and SSC runs for it. At that point his choices are: turn himself in and hope for the best (although the case is strong against him, and whoever else could or would have stabbed the constable?); find a ship to smuggle him to America or somewhere; or stay hidden and try to find the real killer. SSC being SSC, he has no real choice - he has to try to clear his name. In working to do so, SSC must turn to the woman who broke his heart several years ago, Kat Boleyn, and a doctor friend who provides valuable forensic information; he is also joined by a young boy who starts off trying to pick his pocket and, in the grand tradition of Regency and Victorian novels, becomes his ally. (And of course he's much cleverer than SSC was expecting; I swear I'm tempted to write a book about a street urchin being taken under someone's wing, someone who realizes the boy is at least as intelligent as anyone in society, and educating him and training him to "pass" - and maybe end up in Parliament. I'll call it "My Fair Laddie.") I don't want it to sound like it's Just Another Regency; it has some rather standard plot turns, and I admit I saw the end coming a ways off, but I was enjoying myself so much that didn't care. And I did think the killer was someone else; there were some lovely red herrings.
There was political intrigue - the French, of course, and the mess surrounding the Madness of King George - which usually annoys me, but this was quite well done and well integrated into the plot: it's integral, and more cloak-and-dagger than oh-lord-not-another-worldwide-conspiracy. There was some truly wonderful period detail. And I loved the characters. The supporting cast could easily have been a cast of cliches, but Harris provided enough twists and quirks that those who peopled this novel came quite close to living and breathing. Sebastian St. Cyr is not Mr. Darcy, nor Julian Kestrel, nor William Monk, nor yet Sherlock Holmes, or any of the other dandies or detectives (or both) of gaslit fame; he is himself, damaged by childhood tragedies, a cold father, and heartbreak and war horrors as an adult. I have to admit, I was still in Fantasy mode when I started this, and still thinking it was by the author of supernatural mysteries, so when the narrative started talking about how he could see almost perfectly well in the dark and hear what no one else could I kept expecting a paragraph along the lines of "He caught the scent of blood on the constable's coat, and turned his face away. He had learned to manage his unholy hungers, but since the night he was bitten he lived in constant fear of losing control"... Obviously I was wrong, and I'm glad of it. (It was an odd experience, though...) I loved the book; it wasn't perfect - again, there was really only one way the climactic struggle could end - but it was close enough.
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LibraryThing member Romonko
This is the first book in the Sebastian St. Cyr series, and it is a winner. The action is non-stoppable, and it kept me wanting to read more. The book is set in London in the winter of 1811. The tension begins early in the book with the discovery of a badly mutilated body of a woman in a lady
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chapel of a church, and it kept up from there, not letting the reader go. We are also introduced to Sebastian St. Cyr who is a larger-than-life hero with many skills in spying, self-defence and in investigation all of which he handles with extreme courage. The book touches on political aspects of this time as well. 1811 is when the mad King George is removed from his kingship and the throne is given to the Prince Regent, his son. There is an ongoing war with France that allows the author to bring in a French spy connection. This is a complex book with many plots and sub-plots and it is a sign of the author's skill that all of them come together at the end. I cannot wait to read the next book in this compelling series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kimaoverstreet
The morning after I finished, What Angels Fear, I rushed out to buy the sequel, in spite of the size of my reading pile! It took visits to three bookstores to find it!
Sebastian St. Cyr is a fascinating protagonist, a mix of superhero, English gentlemen, and tormented veteran. Period detail sets the
Sebastian St. Cyr is a fascinating protagonist, a mix of superhero, English gentlemen, and tormented veteran. Period detail sets the
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stage for this fast-paced story. Recommended for fans of historical mysteries. Show Less
LibraryThing member Johnny1978
This detetctive genre novel set in early Regency London, reads like a romance: it's chock full of pulsing adverbs, granite jawed Viscounts and beautiful demi-reps come actresses. The Viscount Devlin St Cyr (yeah I know) never simply says anything, he 'murmurs sardonically' or 'whispers huskily';
For all that, I enjoyed this novel immensely. C.S Harris has produced top-shelf brain candy. A light, fun read - does exactly what it says on the tin.
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Kat Boelyn, the courtesan/actress who once broke his heart, doesn't simply walk dressed in a cloak, she 'strides gracefully clutching the satin-lined lengths of velvet cloak about her slender body'. For all that, I enjoyed this novel immensely. C.S Harris has produced top-shelf brain candy. A light, fun read - does exactly what it says on the tin.
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LibraryThing member sweans
This was an interesting read, but not as suspenseful as I had hoped. I would definitely recommend it for a history buff.
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
Set in Regency England, What Angels Fear recounts the tale of nobleman and former soldier Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, who finds himself implicated in a brutal murder. As discovering the actual killer is his only chance to prove his innocence, Sebastian sets out to do just that, with the
Unlike some other historical mysteries I have read, What Angels Fear is very much about the murder mystery itself. Nevertheless, the characters are interesting and compelling and the conclusion reveals some satisfying details about the relationship between the characters while leaving the door open for more. i would recommend this book to fans of historical mysteries and the Regency era.
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assistance of his former lover Kate Boleyn and a boy from the streets named Tom. Unlike some other historical mysteries I have read, What Angels Fear is very much about the murder mystery itself. Nevertheless, the characters are interesting and compelling and the conclusion reveals some satisfying details about the relationship between the characters while leaving the door open for more. i would recommend this book to fans of historical mysteries and the Regency era.
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LibraryThing member grandpahobo
This has a lot of intrigue, adventure and a well crafted mystery. So why only three starts? For some reason, the story never grabbed me. I never felt like I didn't want to put it down. There were only a few boring parts (mainly the sex scenes), but that wasn't a significant problem. I think it may
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be that the characters seemed to lack much depth or complexity. Show Less
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
Sebastian St. Cyr is a likeable character who gets caught up in a horrible murder and chooses to search for the killer rather than run from the law. Ms. Harris creates a number of clues and suspects and kept me guessing to the end. Well written and enjoyable to read.
LibraryThing member reneebooks
Set in England on the verge of the Regency period, WAF is an engrossing historical mystery blending political intrigue and suspense. Viscount Sebastian St. Cyr is the prime suspect in the gruesome rape and murder of an actress who has been the mistress to various members of the prime minister's
If you enjoy fast paced mysteries with well-developed characters, this book is for you. The historical detail provided a fascinating backdrop to this story. The plot was tight and kept me on edge to its conclusion. Sebastian was an interesting fully drawn character and I loved his side-kick, Tom. There were lots of characters coming in and out of the story but they were all so unique I had no trouble keeping track of the action. And the mystery was a good one.
Some of you may wonder if there is any romance in the story and I'm happy to report that there is a small bit of romance here but it was very minor. Kat Boleyn is one of the victim's friends that Sebastian questions and is his former love that broke his heart years ago. Kat is hiding a secret from him about why she walked out on him. That secret is eventually revealed to Sebastian in a satisfying way. However, several questions were left unanswered and I supposed that's because this book is the first in a series. But I don't like questions left hanging because it feels like I'm being manipulated into buying the next book so that affected my grade. A straight mystery lover would probably give WAF a higher grade. (Grade: B)
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cabinet. In order to clear his name, Sebastian escapes capture by the authorities so he can investigate the murder himself and expose the person who framed him. Using his training in intelligence and his very clever disguises, he begins questioning her friends and looks into her past.If you enjoy fast paced mysteries with well-developed characters, this book is for you. The historical detail provided a fascinating backdrop to this story. The plot was tight and kept me on edge to its conclusion. Sebastian was an interesting fully drawn character and I loved his side-kick, Tom. There were lots of characters coming in and out of the story but they were all so unique I had no trouble keeping track of the action. And the mystery was a good one.
Some of you may wonder if there is any romance in the story and I'm happy to report that there is a small bit of romance here but it was very minor. Kat Boleyn is one of the victim's friends that Sebastian questions and is his former love that broke his heart years ago. Kat is hiding a secret from him about why she walked out on him. That secret is eventually revealed to Sebastian in a satisfying way. However, several questions were left unanswered and I supposed that's because this book is the first in a series. But I don't like questions left hanging because it feels like I'm being manipulated into buying the next book so that affected my grade. A straight mystery lover would probably give WAF a higher grade. (Grade: B)
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LibraryThing member JalenV
Although my first St. Cyr mystery was the eighth one, What Darkness Brings, that didn't spoil my enjoyment of this, the first book. It certainly didn't help me solve the extremely nasty murders. What I knew of the hero's future made me enjoy a particular scene much more than I would have if I'd
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started from the beginning. You can bet that I'd already asked my local library to hold book two for me before I'd even finished this one! Show Less
LibraryThing member PleasantHome
Captivating mystery. Some graphic scenes.
LibraryThing member Rtnrlfy
First book in what I think will be a really enjoyable series - it started off slowly but picked up quickly. Looking forward to getting the next book from my library.
LibraryThing member delphimo
This is a new series for me that is set in England in the 1810's about the different classes of the population. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the fear of the government that the French Revolution could spread to England, and the thought of French spies. And the hilarious nature of the
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aristocracy. The story centers on Sebastian who must prove that he did not kill a popular actress in a brutal method. The characters are lively and dimensional, and the setting is superb. I could feel the dankness of the English weather. I look forward to reading more of the Sebastian St Cyr series. Show Less
LibraryThing member RubyScarlett
Engrossing and decently written historical mystery with an unusual premise (the hero is forced to detection when falsely accused of several murders). Good amount of period detail and politics which gives it larger scope and an interesting depiction of 19th century spying. Despite all its qualities,
Overall, a good start to a series and I will definitely read the rest of the books but unless some of the shortcomings mentioned above are addressed later (which I doubt), it won't be a favourite.
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I can't give it five stars for several reasons. First, the characters - beginning with St Cyr himself - while given time to be fleshed out, are never wholly likeable nor believable. I didn't even care for Sebastian in the end, which is a problem when he features in every book in the series. It's not so much that he seems to be the product of the author's fantasies (above average eyesight and hearing, ability to move between different social stratas with ease, old money yet surprisingly mindful of the needs of the poorest, amazing lover, etc) which is understandable seeing that she has to deal with writing him for several more books (creating a main character you can't stand isn't sustainable) but it's also that frankly his every move became predictable and therefore boring. I was much more interested in the political context by the end of the novel than in St Cyr's fate. This isn't good. Moreover, the writing of the mystery itself isn't the strongest - while I can appreciate that realistically not everyone is as willing to tell the whole truth at the first or second interview as Christie would have us believe, there's a fine line between oversharing and going back to see the same people ten times in the course of a hundred pages. It's redundant and ultimately dull. Painters only have so much mystique, you know. Lastly, the book could have used some humour and lightness which would have given the story a bit of life and plausibility. The whole thing is bleak and I can tell it's not a series I'm ever going to reread for that reason. I couldn't wait to get out of that world (as opposed to the Charles Lennox series which takes place a few decades later but which has the perfect balance of bittersweet atmosphere with some truly refreshing scenes). The author redeems herself with a truly sharp plot and although the portrayal she makes of women isn't very diverse, we're treated to a few really good female characters, something which, judging from the premise of acts of violence against women, I absolutely wasn't expecting. The dead are also given a whole history and I felt I could even visualise what their personality and life had been like, more so than for some of the living characters.Overall, a good start to a series and I will definitely read the rest of the books but unless some of the shortcomings mentioned above are addressed later (which I doubt), it won't be a favourite.
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LibraryThing member reeread
A fast paced murder mystery in a cold, damp, foggy, rainy London. Sebastian St. Cyr is implicated in the murder and rape of Rachel York, a talented actress of the day. He sets out to clear his name by tracking down the murderer in vigorous style. Imagine Amanda Quick with some history and political
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intrigue thrown into the mix with the pace of a modern day action novel/movie but without the technology. Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
It's a story of Sebastian St Cyr who is a prime suspect in a murder mystery. He's sure he's innocent but can he find out who did it and why he's being blamed.
Interesting and shows promise.
Interesting and shows promise.
LibraryThing member bookswoman
I didn't dislike this book but it didn't grab my attention and make me finish it either. Normally a book this long would take me three maybe four days - this one was 11 days. I don't know if I'll continue the series or not, I think I'll wait to see if my mind keeps going back to St. Cyr and his
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life. If it does, I'll go back, if not, I guess it just isn't my series. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
0451219716 / 9780451219718
Physical description
432 p.; 4.2 inches
Pages
432