This author is so repetitive sometimes. In this book everyone's nostrils kept flaring! Still. I love the relationships enough that I keep reading. They advance so slowly. *grumble*

In book six, Devlin had finally persuaded Hero, the soon-to-be mother of his child, to marry him. Of course, Hero, being the strong-willed young woman she is, made the match for reasons of her own. Now the two are working on just what their marriage will be...and just how much they really mean to each other. They plan to escape the heat of London and spend their honeymoon in the country when Gabrielle Tennyson, one of Hero's friends, is found stabbed to death at an antiquary dig at Camlet Moat. Gabrielle firmly believed that Camlet Moat was the site of the original Camelot--the background source for the Arthur legends.

Her work as an antiquary riled her male colleagues, but were they upset enough to resort to murder? Or is there a deeper plot afoot? When it is discovered that Gabrielle's two young nephews are also missing, it begins to look like there's more than scholarly jealous at work. Hero and Sebastian each take an interest in the case--sometimes working at cross-purposes and never fully confiding in each other. Especially when circumstances involve Hero's father, Lord Jarvis (sworn enemy to Devlin) or Sebastian needs to consult his former lover, Kat Boleyn, about French spies. But the information they gather will need to be pooled if they are to discover the killer before it's too late for the boys. They may also learn some uncomfortable secrets about Lord Jarvis and Sebastian's past along the way.

Harris has given us another fine historical mystery. I've enjoyed watching the relationship between Hero and Sebastian grow and look forward to seeing where it goes next. The mystery aspect is really well done with a good range of suspects and red herrings to keep the reader occupied and looking for the culprit. I also liked the way she brought in Arthurian legend as well as the family of the (later) Poet Laureate of England, Alfred Lord Tennyson, though she did take some liberties with the number of family members. It was a nice change to get away from the more politically charged plotline and delve into one with a more literary background. A highly enjoyable read.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.

Another excellent read by one of my favorite authors. Harris has developed a wonderful series of characters with complicated lives. The mystery was entertaining. The action sequences suspense filled. Sebastian and his friends have complicated lives.

C.S. Harris gives hungry readers another great installment of Sebastian St. Cyr and his new wife, Lady Hero Devlin. Though keeping with the dark and gritty, Harris takes some interesting turns in this book that didn't always play out well, or make a lot of sense.

The mystery is exceptionally well-plotted for most of the book ... until the very end. Quite a bit of time is spent exploring the various Arthurian legends of England and it's tight-knit relationship to the current (Regency) time period. Compounding this is the secondary family to the first victim is the Tennyson family ... of Alfred, Lord Tenneyson and the Lady of Shalott fame. As a fan of this poem (thank you Anne of Green Gables!), I loved the intertwined stories and the glimpse into the Tennyson family. However, I was VERY surprised at the ending and the who-dun-it, because it came clear out of nowhere and had nothing at all to do with the leads Harris had been developing. The politics and Arthurian legends are dropped ... never mentioned again ... and the mystery is wrapped up by a very weird and awkward Deus ex Machina.

I am also SO SICK of Kat Boelyn. She can be the next victim for all I care. Though when Sebastian finally has his big "DUH" moment, I cheered. Hero is such a better match for him, and it was gut-wrenchingly painful to watch their mutual secrets drive a wedge between them. Hero and Sebastian aren't over as a couple though! And the end of the book had me cheering out loud.

If you like historical mysteries and haven't checked out this series yet, please do! I promise you'll like it!

Sebastian and Hero are four days into their marriage when the honeymoon is interrupted by the murder of Gabrielle Tennyson, an antiquarian and good friend of Hero's. Both of them are drawn into the investigation, working together and sometimes at cross purposes.

This was a gnarly mystery with lots of players and suspects who might have benefited from Gabrielle's death. I loved the way Hero and Sebastian interacted with each other, even when they weren't being as forthcoming as they should have been as they were aware of each's subterfuge. Their relationship deepened throughout the investigation and it was lovely to witness. They're not completely there but are definitely on the right path. The villain turned out to be someone on my suspect list but pretty far down. The clues were there and I should have gotten it right.

I really enjoyed this story, the mystery and the burgeoning relationship between Sebastian and Hero. There were important developments affecting them and others in their sphere, including the powerful Jarvis. And, a new character was introduced that has the potential of setting Sebastian on his heels. I can't wait for the next book!

http://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-book-123.html

Wonderfully readible

This book has the things I love about historical mysteries: a strong sense of setting, a complex, likable hero who is relevant while also suitable to his era, and a satisfying plot. In addition the author has included a few snippets of real historical figured. Another enjoyable Sebastian St Cut mystery.

I love this series. This installment does not disappoint.