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Sebastian St. Cyr #20
Who Will Remember: Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries, Book 20
11 hours, 6 minutes
The gruesome murder of a prominent nobleman throws an already unsettled London into chaos in this electrifying new historical mystery by the USA Today bestselling author of What Cannot Be Said.
August 1816. England is in the grip of what will become known as the Year Without a Summer. Facing the twin crises of a harvest-destroying volcanic winter and the economic disruption caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the British monarchy finds itself haunted by the looming threat of bloody riots not seen since the earliest days of the French Revolution. Amidst the turmoil, a dead man is found hanging upside down by one leg in an abandoned chapel, his hands tied behind his back. The pose eerily echoes the image depicted on a tarot card known as Le Pendu, the Hanged Man. The victim—Lord Preston Farnsworth, the younger brother of one of the Regent's boon companions—was a passionate crusader against what he called the forces of darkness, namely criminality, immorality, and sloth. His brutal murder shocks the Palace and panics the already troubled populace.
Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, learns of the murder from a ragged orphan who leads him to the corpse and then disappears. At first, everyone in the dead man's orbit paints Lord Preston as a selfless saint. But as Sebastian delves deeper into his life, he quickly realizes that the man had accumulated more than his fair share of enemies, including Major Hugh Chandler, a close friend who once saved Sebastian's life. Sebastian also discovers that the pious Lord Preston may have been much more dangerous than those he sought to redeem.
As dark clouds press down on the city and the rains fall unceasingly, two more victims are found, one strangled and one shot, with ominous tarot cards placed on their bodies. The killer is sending a gruesome message and Sebastian is running out of time to decipher it before more lives are lost and a fraught post-war London explodes.
The gruesome murder of a prominent nobleman throws an already unsettled London into chaos in this electrifying new historical mystery by the USA Today bestselling author of What Cannot Be Said.
August 1816. England is in the grip of what will become known as the Year Without a Summer. Facing the twin crises of a harvest-destroying volcanic winter and the economic disruption caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the British monarchy finds itself haunted by the looming threat of bloody riots not seen since the earliest days of the French Revolution. Amidst the turmoil, a dead man is found hanging upside down by one leg in an abandoned chapel, his hands tied behind his back. The pose eerily echoes the image depicted on a tarot card known as Le Pendu, the Hanged Man. The victim—Lord Preston Farnsworth, the younger brother of one of the Regent's boon companions—was a passionate crusader against what he called the forces of darkness, namely criminality, immorality, and sloth. His brutal murder shocks the Palace and panics the already troubled populace.
Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, learns of the murder from a ragged orphan who leads him to the corpse and then disappears. At first, everyone in the dead man's orbit paints Lord Preston as a selfless saint. But as Sebastian delves deeper into his life, he quickly realizes that the man had accumulated more than his fair share of enemies, including Major Hugh Chandler, a close friend who once saved Sebastian's life. Sebastian also discovers that the pious Lord Preston may have been much more dangerous than those he sought to redeem.
As dark clouds press down on the city and the rains fall unceasingly, two more victims are found, one strangled and one shot, with ominous tarot cards placed on their bodies. The killer is sending a gruesome message and Sebastian is running out of time to decipher it before more lives are lost and a fraught post-war London explodes.
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published April 15, 2025
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About the author
C.S. Harris
23 books3,014 followersCandice Proctor, aka C.S. Harris and C.S. Graham, is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than a dozen novels including the Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery series written under the name C.S. Harris, the new C.S. Graham thriller series co-written with Steven Harris, and seven historical romances. She is also the author of a nonfiction historical study of the French Revolution. Her books are available worldwide and have been translated into over twenty different languages.
Candice graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude with a degree in Classics before going on to earn an MA and Ph.D. in history. A former academic, she has taught at the University of Idaho and Midwestern State University in Texas. She also worked as an archaeologist on a variety of sites including a Hudson's Bay Company Fort in San Juan Island, a Cherokee village in Tennessee, a prehistoric kill site in Victoria, Australia, and a Roman cemetery and medieval manor house in Winchester, England. Most recently, she spent many years as a partner in an international business consulting firm.
The daughter of a career Air Force officer and university professor, Proctor loves to travel and has spent much of her life abroad. She has lived in Spain, Greece, England, France, Jordan, and Australia. She now makes her home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband, retired Army officer Steve Harris, her two daughters, and an ever-expanding number of cats.
Candice graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude with a degree in Classics before going on to earn an MA and Ph.D. in history. A former academic, she has taught at the University of Idaho and Midwestern State University in Texas. She also worked as an archaeologist on a variety of sites including a Hudson's Bay Company Fort in San Juan Island, a Cherokee village in Tennessee, a prehistoric kill site in Victoria, Australia, and a Roman cemetery and medieval manor house in Winchester, England. Most recently, she spent many years as a partner in an international business consulting firm.
The daughter of a career Air Force officer and university professor, Proctor loves to travel and has spent much of her life abroad. She has lived in Spain, Greece, England, France, Jordan, and Australia. She now makes her home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband, retired Army officer Steve Harris, her two daughters, and an ever-expanding number of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
March 13, 2025
4 stars for book 20 in an entertaining historical fiction mystery series. I have read all of the previous books in the series. While this book can be read as a stand alone, you will better understand the characters if you read the previous books in the series.
Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin(the British do love titles!!) is independently wealthy thanks to his father the Earl of Hendon. Because of this wealth, he assists a local investigating magistrate, Sir Henry Lovejoy, without pay in solving murders. Both men are dedicated to finding out the truth, and not covering up embarrassing secrets of the wealthy and powerful aristocracy.
The blurb sets the scene: "August 1816. England is in the grip of what will become known as the Year Without a Summer. Facing the twin crises of a harvest-destroying volcanic winter and the economic disruption caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the British monarchy finds itself haunted by the looming threat of bloody riots not seen since the earliest days of the French Revolution. Amidst the turmoil, a dead man is found hanging upside down by one leg in an abandoned chapel, his hands tied behind his back. The pose eerily echoes the image depicted on a tarot card known as Le Pendu, the Hanged Man. The victim—Lord Preston Farnsworth, the younger brother of one of the Regent’s boon companions—was a passionate crusader against what he called the forces of darkness, namely criminality, immorality, and sloth. "
Devlin becomes involved in this murder because a young teenager comes to him, telling Devlin that he has seen the body, but does not trust the authorities, since he lives on the street. Devlin has a reputation among the poor for honesty and fairness. Lovejoy and Devlin do solve the murder, but not before more people die. Devlin is also attacked, but miraculously survives. He is almost always attacked in every book.
The author makes clear that Britain treated its poor despicably. This includes some graphic descriptions of the treatment of disabled veterans, frequently denied pensions.
The author has done a great deal of research into this time period, describing not only the suffering of the poor, but also the habits and activities of the wealthy.
One quote on a dress worn by Devlin's sister: "She wore a long sleeved gown of silver Merino crepe trimmed around the hem and up the front with a cable of black silk crepe; a silk-trimmed black cloak lay over the chair beside her."
Thank you Berkley Publishing Group Berkley for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#WhoWillRemember #NetGalley
Pub Date Apr 15 2025 |
Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin(the British do love titles!!) is independently wealthy thanks to his father the Earl of Hendon. Because of this wealth, he assists a local investigating magistrate, Sir Henry Lovejoy, without pay in solving murders. Both men are dedicated to finding out the truth, and not covering up embarrassing secrets of the wealthy and powerful aristocracy.
The blurb sets the scene: "August 1816. England is in the grip of what will become known as the Year Without a Summer. Facing the twin crises of a harvest-destroying volcanic winter and the economic disruption caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the British monarchy finds itself haunted by the looming threat of bloody riots not seen since the earliest days of the French Revolution. Amidst the turmoil, a dead man is found hanging upside down by one leg in an abandoned chapel, his hands tied behind his back. The pose eerily echoes the image depicted on a tarot card known as Le Pendu, the Hanged Man. The victim—Lord Preston Farnsworth, the younger brother of one of the Regent’s boon companions—was a passionate crusader against what he called the forces of darkness, namely criminality, immorality, and sloth. "
Devlin becomes involved in this murder because a young teenager comes to him, telling Devlin that he has seen the body, but does not trust the authorities, since he lives on the street. Devlin has a reputation among the poor for honesty and fairness. Lovejoy and Devlin do solve the murder, but not before more people die. Devlin is also attacked, but miraculously survives. He is almost always attacked in every book.
The author makes clear that Britain treated its poor despicably. This includes some graphic descriptions of the treatment of disabled veterans, frequently denied pensions.
The author has done a great deal of research into this time period, describing not only the suffering of the poor, but also the habits and activities of the wealthy.
One quote on a dress worn by Devlin's sister: "She wore a long sleeved gown of silver Merino crepe trimmed around the hem and up the front with a cable of black silk crepe; a silk-trimmed black cloak lay over the chair beside her."
Thank you Berkley Publishing Group Berkley for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#WhoWillRemember #NetGalley
Pub Date Apr 15 2025 |
September 16, 2025
Twenty books in and this series is as solid as ever!! As is often the case, St Cyr finds himself investigating a murder that is fraught with societal pressures. There were several possible theories and as the bodies begin turning up, the reader is introduced to a variety of common and uncommon suspects. Although his nemesis Lord Jarvis doesn’t play much of a role in this book, there’s enough foreshadowing for the next one. Gotta wonder what’s in store for our lordship and his lovely wife!
While the ending felt a touch rushed, it was full of justice for the victims. As always, I look forward to the next one!!
While the ending felt a touch rushed, it was full of justice for the victims. As always, I look forward to the next one!!
June 2, 2025
Twenty books and I have read and enjoyed them all.
Who Will Remember is set in London in 1816 a date which became known as The Year Without a Summer. Due to an enormous volcanic eruption elsewhere in the world weather patterns became disrupted and the summer was constantly and unseasonally cold and wet. At a time when the country was trying to recover from the cost of the Napoleonic War crops were failing and people were starving.
This is an historical fact which I had not come across before despite studying English History at an English school. Thank heavens for a writer like C.S. Harris who can set a fictional mystery against a sound historical backdrop with delightful characters such as Sebastian and Hero St Cyr. For me this book was pure reading pleasure.
More please Ms Harris!
Who Will Remember is set in London in 1816 a date which became known as The Year Without a Summer. Due to an enormous volcanic eruption elsewhere in the world weather patterns became disrupted and the summer was constantly and unseasonally cold and wet. At a time when the country was trying to recover from the cost of the Napoleonic War crops were failing and people were starving.
This is an historical fact which I had not come across before despite studying English History at an English school. Thank heavens for a writer like C.S. Harris who can set a fictional mystery against a sound historical backdrop with delightful characters such as Sebastian and Hero St Cyr. For me this book was pure reading pleasure.
More please Ms Harris!
June 13, 2025
My review is perhaps a bit harsher than some of the others I have read. The writing is very good and Harris weaves history throughout the story. I know the characters as I had purchased each audiobook until Davina Porter retired. I was about 80 pages into this one and was ready to return it to the library as I disliked the victim but decided to finish it. The last few books have not really hit the spot for me. This volume feels formulaic. A Lord is murdered, and Lord Devlin investigates the case by asking everyone remotely concerned questions. No real leads or hints. I would describe the storyline as bleak. Hero plays a small part as sounding board and writes articles about soldiers returning from war. I just found the plot lackluster and even Sebastian seemed a bit downcast. A very tiny episode with Hero happens otherwise nothing much moves along with the family dynamics. Yes, I will continue the series, but it is not a must read
April 16, 2025
the setup…
It’s the summer of 1816 and the end of the Napoleonic Wars. It’s also what’s called the Year Without Summer, pummeling countries around the world with incessant rain, ruining crops. There’s unrest in England with soldiers returning home with no work prospects or pensions and rampant poverty and hunger. A young boy comes to the home of Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin and takes him to the site of a gruesome scene. Lord Preston Farnsworth is dead, hanging upside down in an abandoned chapel in a pose identical to the Le Pendu tarot card. On the surface, Farnsworth was perceived to be a crusader for decency. As Sebastian delves into his life, he discovers there’s more devil than saint. He’s racing against time because the primary suspect is his friend, one who saved his life during the war.
the heart of the story…
It’s a particularly heartbreaking time in our history where the poor and impoverished were further victimized by those with power and means. Farnsworth was one of the leaders in those efforts and worked tirelessly to imprison them just for trying to survive. Sebastian managed the political minefields exceptionally well and kept his personal feelings in check. I appreciated how the factual elements were skillfully woven into the characterizations and background. There were a host of suspects and I came close.
the bottom line…
I love being back in Sebastian’s world as he’s a complicated, astute and highly skilled man with so many facets. His wife Hero again plays a significant role in assisting the investigation, despite her father’s (Lord Jarvis) interference and the resolution was gnarly. Lastly, this period in history was a revelation and I was fascinated. It was well researched and caused me to reflect on how relevant it is today as we seem to be repeating history.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
It’s the summer of 1816 and the end of the Napoleonic Wars. It’s also what’s called the Year Without Summer, pummeling countries around the world with incessant rain, ruining crops. There’s unrest in England with soldiers returning home with no work prospects or pensions and rampant poverty and hunger. A young boy comes to the home of Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin and takes him to the site of a gruesome scene. Lord Preston Farnsworth is dead, hanging upside down in an abandoned chapel in a pose identical to the Le Pendu tarot card. On the surface, Farnsworth was perceived to be a crusader for decency. As Sebastian delves into his life, he discovers there’s more devil than saint. He’s racing against time because the primary suspect is his friend, one who saved his life during the war.
the heart of the story…
It’s a particularly heartbreaking time in our history where the poor and impoverished were further victimized by those with power and means. Farnsworth was one of the leaders in those efforts and worked tirelessly to imprison them just for trying to survive. Sebastian managed the political minefields exceptionally well and kept his personal feelings in check. I appreciated how the factual elements were skillfully woven into the characterizations and background. There were a host of suspects and I came close.
the bottom line…
I love being back in Sebastian’s world as he’s a complicated, astute and highly skilled man with so many facets. His wife Hero again plays a significant role in assisting the investigation, despite her father’s (Lord Jarvis) interference and the resolution was gnarly. Lastly, this period in history was a revelation and I was fascinated. It was well researched and caused me to reflect on how relevant it is today as we seem to be repeating history.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
May 3, 2025
Comments from non-friends will remain decidedly off, because in some of my historical fiction (and fantasy, unrelated) reviews, white women get heated when I don't "understand" something about the time period. Maybe. But also, sometimes the writing is just bad.
I read mostly marginalized fiction these days, but this series remains an old favorite, as white and Regency as it is. So it's not your fiction I'm picking apart. It's how it's told.
Twenty books later, and this is as well-researched and enjoyable as when I first dove into Devlin's world. I'm still enamored with it. I'm still enamored with him.
My crush aside, and while well-written, what I love most about this series is that it doesn't shy away from the truth of the injustices of the time. And during this time, many injustices are done: to the French, to the Irish, but mostly to the local poor.
The perpetrators here are, as always, the white upper class elite, who hold themselves morally superior to those they deem inferior, all the while committing the same crimes. I knew without being told that rich white men invoking fear in the hearts of poor women would be abusing, raping, and killing them. This is not a spoiler. This is not a surprise. And if it is, you're looking at the world through a very privileged lens. Lose that lens.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
I read mostly marginalized fiction these days, but this series remains an old favorite, as white and Regency as it is. So it's not your fiction I'm picking apart. It's how it's told.
Twenty books later, and this is as well-researched and enjoyable as when I first dove into Devlin's world. I'm still enamored with it. I'm still enamored with him.
My crush aside, and while well-written, what I love most about this series is that it doesn't shy away from the truth of the injustices of the time. And during this time, many injustices are done: to the French, to the Irish, but mostly to the local poor.
The perpetrators here are, as always, the white upper class elite, who hold themselves morally superior to those they deem inferior, all the while committing the same crimes. I knew without being told that rich white men invoking fear in the hearts of poor women would be abusing, raping, and killing them. This is not a spoiler. This is not a surprise. And if it is, you're looking at the world through a very privileged lens. Lose that lens.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
May 24, 2025
I love the way that C.S. Harris can craft a mystery that is firmly rooted in history. Learning about the time period she writes is an added bonus to the wonderful mystery/suspense. The mystery that has overarched this entire series: who is Sebastian's father? isn't resolved this time either, but he is getting closer to someone who is an excellent candidate. The machinations of the upper ruling class and the plight of the poorer classes is on full display in the plot, and a convoluted, twisted plot it is too.
In August 1816 during a summer of economic and environmental devastation Lord Preston Farnsworth is found hanged in a most unusual way in an abandoned chapel. The city of London is on edge with crops failing and the returning solders from the Napoleonic Wars looking for work. Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is drawn into the murder because the prime suspect, Major Hugh Chandler, saved his life during the war and everyone wants a quick resolution to the matter.
As Sebastin digs into the life of Lord Farnsworth, he is stymied every direction he looks. No one wants the sully the good name of a Lord that was doing such passionate good work to clean up the rabble who were engaged in criminality, immorality, and sloth. Farnsworth was also the brother of a duke with close connections to the Prince Regent.
Political intrigue abounds with the end of the war, and with the rising numbers of the poor, England finds itself closer than ever to its' own revolution. Two more victims are found and the only thing linking them all is a tarot card. Sebestian discovers that the righteous Lord Farnsworth wasn't very righteous at all, and his activities hid a network of depravity that could ignite an already volatile situation.
In August 1816 during a summer of economic and environmental devastation Lord Preston Farnsworth is found hanged in a most unusual way in an abandoned chapel. The city of London is on edge with crops failing and the returning solders from the Napoleonic Wars looking for work. Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is drawn into the murder because the prime suspect, Major Hugh Chandler, saved his life during the war and everyone wants a quick resolution to the matter.
As Sebastin digs into the life of Lord Farnsworth, he is stymied every direction he looks. No one wants the sully the good name of a Lord that was doing such passionate good work to clean up the rabble who were engaged in criminality, immorality, and sloth. Farnsworth was also the brother of a duke with close connections to the Prince Regent.
Political intrigue abounds with the end of the war, and with the rising numbers of the poor, England finds itself closer than ever to its' own revolution. Two more victims are found and the only thing linking them all is a tarot card. Sebestian discovers that the righteous Lord Farnsworth wasn't very righteous at all, and his activities hid a network of depravity that could ignite an already volatile situation.
December 12, 2024
Another great entry in this series. The last installment was pretty hopeless. While this book was dark, it wasn’t quite so upsetting, even though all of the author’s books tend toward the dark side. They’re all based in historical fact, which makes them that much more resonant. Lots of parallels to the modern era, which in a way comforts one that there is nothing new under the sun. The characters remain favorites, though I’ve noticed that last few books I n the series have not spent much time on their development. There earlier entries focused more on their evolution and developing relationships. I’d like to see a return to that. Hero did a lot of investigating this time around, and I always enjoy that. What’s nice is that she only investigates in ways that are realistic for her gender and social position. Not sure how long this series will go on, but I always enjoy new ones.
May 14, 2025
A- / 4.5 stars rounded up
Who Will Remember, the twentieth instalment in the long-running series of historical mysteries starring Sebastian St. Cyr, is another engrossing, clever, and superbly researched tale full of twists and turns as our favourite aristocratic amateur sleuth attempts to solve a very unusual murder.
This story takes place around a year after the events of What Cannot Be Said (book nineteen), during the summer months of 1816, now known as ‘the year without a summer’ because of the abnormally cold temperatures experienced across the Northern Hemisphere. In England – as it did across Europe - this strange climatic event caused widespread crop failure, leading to higher food prices and much discontent, and it, coupled with the economic disruption caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, meant that the prospect of bloody revolution was never far from the minds of those in power.
We’re plunged into the mystery right away when, late at night, Sebastian is approached by a young lad who nervously informs him that he needs to come to a nearby ruined chapel right away because there’s a dead man hanging inside. When the boy explains that the man is hanging upside down, suspended from one foot with his hands tied behind his back, Sebastian knows something is badly wrong, and agrees to take a look.
The boy goes with Sebastian to the ruins and directs him to the back where, sure enough, there is the body of a man – obviously a gentleman judging by the quality of his clothing – hanging exactly as described. It’s a gruesome sight; blood from the gory mess someone had made os his head had dripped down to pool on the worn pavinstones beneath him and congealed there. It looks as though the material of the dead man’s own cravat was used to tie his right foot to his left knee and to tie his hands together, and the discoluration of the skin and distortion of the features aren’t enough to disguse his identity. He was Lord Preston Farnsworth, a man widely known and respected for his dedication to worthy causes and for living an upright and moral life. He was also part of a major scandal some years earlier, when his wife, Lady Tess, left him for a young cavalry officer – and close friend of Sebastian’s - by the name of Hugh Chandler. Farnsworth refused to divorce her – a woman could not divorce her husband at this time – and instead obtained an ecclesiastical separation (i.e, they separated but were still legally married) and then proceeded to sue Chandler for such a large sum of money it almost ruined him. Hugh is the obvious suspect in Farnsworth’s murder – the man’s death means Hugh and Tess can finally be married and that Tess’ substantial dowry will revert to her; and while Sebastian would like to believe absolutely in his friend’s innocence, but knows he can’t afford to discount the possibility that Hugh could be guilty. With the deceased’s brother, the Duke of Eversfield, being one of the Regent’s boon companions, the pressure on the London magistrates for fast action is immense – and there is little regard for whether or not the right man is arrested.
Having recognised the unusual way the killer posed the body as copying that on the tarot card Le Pendu, The Hanged Man, Sebastian pays a visit to Madame Blanchette, a French cartomancer residing in London. She informs Sebastian that while the image of Le Pendu is most often associated with betrayal and treason, it has other, more subtle meanings as well, such as indicating the need to reevaluate a situation or the need to accept one’s fate. The visit gives Sebastian a lot to think about – not least of which is to wonder exactly what the enigmatic Frenchwoman isn’t telling him.
The plot is clever and superbly constructed, peppered with red herrings and symbols and knotty conundrums, as Sebastian’s investigations reveal the victim to have been a bigot and a hypocrite with no charitable instincts behind the charming, pious exterior he presented to the world. When two more bodies are found, both with sinister tarot cards placed on them, it appears that whoever is responsible is sending a macabre message – and Sebastian is running out of time to decode it.
As with all the books in this series, the historical background is superbly researched and woven very skilfully and securely into the story, which is also full of a lot of pertinent social commentary. Sebastian’s wife, Hero, is an important lens through which readers come face-to-face with the less pleasant side of English society of the Regency era; there are no glittering balls or soirées here (other than when attending one is necessary for Sebastian to gather information or meet someone related to his investigations), and it’s through Hero’s work with the underprivileged that the author explores the conditions endured by the least fortunate in society. Soldiers returning from war, men who had served their country and often paid a hefty price, came home to find themselves ignored and forgotten by those they’d fought for and fought under. Working women who did what they had to do to earn a living who were locked up in “houses of correction” known as Bridewells, where hard labour and prodigious use of the whip were common. And even the ladies of the ton were barely second-class citizens, many of them unable to forge their own paths and completely dependent on the whims of the men in their lives.
The St. Cyr mysteries almost always go to some dark places, and the darkness at the heart of Who Will Remember is clearly reflected in the setting; it’s August, but it’s cold and damp, the skies are unremittingly grey and gloomy, the rain barely lets up and it seems as though the sun will never be seen again.
Most of the secondary characters will be familiar to anyone following the series; surgeon Paul Gibson is on hand to examine the bodies and offer his professional opinion, magistrate Henry Lovejoy provides a useful sounding-board, Sebastian’s aunt, Lady Henrietta, offers amusement and useful insight, and the repellent Jarvis is his wily, nasty self. And there’s an intriguing secondary plotline running through the story about a French assassin recently arrived in London on behalf of the new Bourbon régime, and his search for a man who may turn out to be a very important figure in Sebastian’s life.
All of this adds up to another thoroughly engaging and satisfyingly complex read and one I’m happy to recommend and add to my keeper shelf. If you haven’t read any of the Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries, then you could probably pick up Who Will Remember and enjoy it, although reading at least some of the earlier books in the series would provide a stronger sense of who Sebastian is and what he’s been through to have brought him to this point in his life. Jumping in at book one of a series of (so far) twenty may be a daunting prospect, but the books are so good, it won’t be long before you find yourself completely hooked and racing through them to get up to date!
Who Will Remember, the twentieth instalment in the long-running series of historical mysteries starring Sebastian St. Cyr, is another engrossing, clever, and superbly researched tale full of twists and turns as our favourite aristocratic amateur sleuth attempts to solve a very unusual murder.
This story takes place around a year after the events of What Cannot Be Said (book nineteen), during the summer months of 1816, now known as ‘the year without a summer’ because of the abnormally cold temperatures experienced across the Northern Hemisphere. In England – as it did across Europe - this strange climatic event caused widespread crop failure, leading to higher food prices and much discontent, and it, coupled with the economic disruption caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, meant that the prospect of bloody revolution was never far from the minds of those in power.
We’re plunged into the mystery right away when, late at night, Sebastian is approached by a young lad who nervously informs him that he needs to come to a nearby ruined chapel right away because there’s a dead man hanging inside. When the boy explains that the man is hanging upside down, suspended from one foot with his hands tied behind his back, Sebastian knows something is badly wrong, and agrees to take a look.
The boy goes with Sebastian to the ruins and directs him to the back where, sure enough, there is the body of a man – obviously a gentleman judging by the quality of his clothing – hanging exactly as described. It’s a gruesome sight; blood from the gory mess someone had made os his head had dripped down to pool on the worn pavinstones beneath him and congealed there. It looks as though the material of the dead man’s own cravat was used to tie his right foot to his left knee and to tie his hands together, and the discoluration of the skin and distortion of the features aren’t enough to disguse his identity. He was Lord Preston Farnsworth, a man widely known and respected for his dedication to worthy causes and for living an upright and moral life. He was also part of a major scandal some years earlier, when his wife, Lady Tess, left him for a young cavalry officer – and close friend of Sebastian’s - by the name of Hugh Chandler. Farnsworth refused to divorce her – a woman could not divorce her husband at this time – and instead obtained an ecclesiastical separation (i.e, they separated but were still legally married) and then proceeded to sue Chandler for such a large sum of money it almost ruined him. Hugh is the obvious suspect in Farnsworth’s murder – the man’s death means Hugh and Tess can finally be married and that Tess’ substantial dowry will revert to her; and while Sebastian would like to believe absolutely in his friend’s innocence, but knows he can’t afford to discount the possibility that Hugh could be guilty. With the deceased’s brother, the Duke of Eversfield, being one of the Regent’s boon companions, the pressure on the London magistrates for fast action is immense – and there is little regard for whether or not the right man is arrested.
Having recognised the unusual way the killer posed the body as copying that on the tarot card Le Pendu, The Hanged Man, Sebastian pays a visit to Madame Blanchette, a French cartomancer residing in London. She informs Sebastian that while the image of Le Pendu is most often associated with betrayal and treason, it has other, more subtle meanings as well, such as indicating the need to reevaluate a situation or the need to accept one’s fate. The visit gives Sebastian a lot to think about – not least of which is to wonder exactly what the enigmatic Frenchwoman isn’t telling him.
The plot is clever and superbly constructed, peppered with red herrings and symbols and knotty conundrums, as Sebastian’s investigations reveal the victim to have been a bigot and a hypocrite with no charitable instincts behind the charming, pious exterior he presented to the world. When two more bodies are found, both with sinister tarot cards placed on them, it appears that whoever is responsible is sending a macabre message – and Sebastian is running out of time to decode it.
As with all the books in this series, the historical background is superbly researched and woven very skilfully and securely into the story, which is also full of a lot of pertinent social commentary. Sebastian’s wife, Hero, is an important lens through which readers come face-to-face with the less pleasant side of English society of the Regency era; there are no glittering balls or soirées here (other than when attending one is necessary for Sebastian to gather information or meet someone related to his investigations), and it’s through Hero’s work with the underprivileged that the author explores the conditions endured by the least fortunate in society. Soldiers returning from war, men who had served their country and often paid a hefty price, came home to find themselves ignored and forgotten by those they’d fought for and fought under. Working women who did what they had to do to earn a living who were locked up in “houses of correction” known as Bridewells, where hard labour and prodigious use of the whip were common. And even the ladies of the ton were barely second-class citizens, many of them unable to forge their own paths and completely dependent on the whims of the men in their lives.
The St. Cyr mysteries almost always go to some dark places, and the darkness at the heart of Who Will Remember is clearly reflected in the setting; it’s August, but it’s cold and damp, the skies are unremittingly grey and gloomy, the rain barely lets up and it seems as though the sun will never be seen again.
Most of the secondary characters will be familiar to anyone following the series; surgeon Paul Gibson is on hand to examine the bodies and offer his professional opinion, magistrate Henry Lovejoy provides a useful sounding-board, Sebastian’s aunt, Lady Henrietta, offers amusement and useful insight, and the repellent Jarvis is his wily, nasty self. And there’s an intriguing secondary plotline running through the story about a French assassin recently arrived in London on behalf of the new Bourbon régime, and his search for a man who may turn out to be a very important figure in Sebastian’s life.
All of this adds up to another thoroughly engaging and satisfyingly complex read and one I’m happy to recommend and add to my keeper shelf. If you haven’t read any of the Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries, then you could probably pick up Who Will Remember and enjoy it, although reading at least some of the earlier books in the series would provide a stronger sense of who Sebastian is and what he’s been through to have brought him to this point in his life. Jumping in at book one of a series of (so far) twenty may be a daunting prospect, but the books are so good, it won’t be long before you find yourself completely hooked and racing through them to get up to date!
April 30, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 because I love these characters.
It's now August, 1816--The year with no summer. It's cold and it rains constantly. That's bad enough for those with a roof over their heads and a source of heat, but for the poor and downtrodden it's pure misery. The crops are failing; the rivers, lakes, and streams are overflowing. And adding to the nation's economic woes is the addition of all the returning army and navy veterans of the war with France. They are jobless, injured, poor, homeless. And the British government made few, if any, provisions for dealing with them. In short, the country is in a mess.
This is the background that the story is set against. The mystery itself is typical for this series--a murdered lord, in this case the younger brother of a duke, whose corpse was found in a bizarre setting. Sebastian St Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is brought into the investigation very early on. I really liked the twists in this one. The young boy who first found the body, the French priest, the mysterious Angelique; all play important parts. I liked Devlin's friend Hugh and his wife Tess--both of whom are suspects (for Reasons). Devlin's goal is to solve the mystery, see that the real baddie is caught, and keep the powers-that-be from settling for a quickie solution.
As always, I enjoyed Hero (Lady Devlin)'s interviews for her newspaper articles. She's interviewing various veterans, thus giving the author an opportunity to personalize their post-war situation. Hero also interviewed a 'person of interest' in Devlin's investigation, which was fun to read.
The author did a great job of bringing that time and place to life; weaving her research into the story without resorting to the dreaded info-dump. (The author's notes at the end are worth reading.)
The main mystery is resolved satisfactorily. However, there are several very interesting threads left dangling: What is Lord Jarvis up to? Who is trying to kill Hero? I need to know, soonest!
I'll be here for the next one. I will try to be patient while I wait.
It's now August, 1816--The year with no summer. It's cold and it rains constantly. That's bad enough for those with a roof over their heads and a source of heat, but for the poor and downtrodden it's pure misery. The crops are failing; the rivers, lakes, and streams are overflowing. And adding to the nation's economic woes is the addition of all the returning army and navy veterans of the war with France. They are jobless, injured, poor, homeless. And the British government made few, if any, provisions for dealing with them. In short, the country is in a mess.
This is the background that the story is set against. The mystery itself is typical for this series--a murdered lord, in this case the younger brother of a duke, whose corpse was found in a bizarre setting. Sebastian St Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is brought into the investigation very early on. I really liked the twists in this one. The young boy who first found the body, the French priest, the mysterious Angelique; all play important parts. I liked Devlin's friend Hugh and his wife Tess--both of whom are suspects (for Reasons). Devlin's goal is to solve the mystery, see that the real baddie is caught, and keep the powers-that-be from settling for a quickie solution.
As always, I enjoyed Hero (Lady Devlin)'s interviews for her newspaper articles. She's interviewing various veterans, thus giving the author an opportunity to personalize their post-war situation. Hero also interviewed a 'person of interest' in Devlin's investigation, which was fun to read.
The author did a great job of bringing that time and place to life; weaving her research into the story without resorting to the dreaded info-dump. (The author's notes at the end are worth reading.)
The main mystery is resolved satisfactorily. However, there are several very interesting threads left dangling: What is Lord Jarvis up to? Who is trying to kill Hero? I need to know, soonest!
I'll be here for the next one. I will try to be patient while I wait.
May 29, 2025
I really enjoyed this book and these characters. Feels like the audiobooks have a new narrator. Not bad but I am reserving judgement until I listen to another one at least. It felt a tad flat. As for the story - they are all god but starting to feel like the same themes and dramas over and over again. Would like the stories of the main characters to evolve a bit more as they have felt stagnant.
May 4, 2025
Another fascinating, layered mystery with a high body count, and more hints to Sebastian’s background. We also get the super adorable family scenes that have become a highlight of every installment in this series.
May 15, 2025
This is book 20 of Sebastian St Cyr and I loved it. I can't believe we're on book 20 and I'm still interested. I'm even snatching up the series on audiobook when on sale because I think some day I'd really enjoy listening to the whole thing!
June 3, 2025
Still incredibly well researched and plotted, but it's possible the characters and formula are becoming stale?
April 23, 2025
Sebastian once again is on the trail--looking for the real culprit behind the killings so the crown (Lord Jarvis) won't just pick a suspect (any suspect--preferably nobody important) and hang him them just to make sure the populace doesn't get any more riled up than they already are. Since Sebastian's friend Hugh Chandler is a public outcast (despite being a war hero) because he ran off with Lord Preston's wife, everyone thinks he'd make a great scapegoat. It doesn't help that Preston refused to divorce her and that her dowry portion will revert to her now that Preston's dead. And, given that Hugh isn't telling Sebastian everything he knows, even Sebastian isn't sure the man didn't do it. But even the magistrate in Jarvis's pocket has to admit that Hugh doesn't really have a motive to kill the other victims...or to leave behind tarot calling cards.Of course, Sebastian does figure it all and assures that the innocent won't pay for the guilty person's crimes.
I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: This is my favorite (current) historical mystery series. It's the one series that I am on the edge of my chair waiting for the next one to come out and then read it as soon as I can get my hands on it. [And then I have to wait a whole year for the next one...] It's a bit darker and more brutal than I generally care for, but I like the characters so much that I don't mind. Sebastian's sense of justice and investigating on behalf of those who might suffer at the hands of the powers that be really appeals to me and I enjoy Hero's efforts at bringing social injustices to the public eye. Speaking of Hero--I'm not a fan of this mysterious person who seems out to get her and if (in a future book) Sebastian loses another person he cares about, I may just lose my mind. He and Hero are so good together that I will be very upset if something happens to her. [I'm still scarred by Elizabeth George and her treatment of Inspector Lynley.]
I'm also sitting here tapping my foot, waiting for Sebastian to finally find out for certain who his father is. There have been all sorts of hints and mentions of a certain person...but is it really him? Will we ever find out? I hope so.
This is a fantastic series. Great characters. Well-done research and I learn something new about the time period every time. Harris manages to teach her readers about history without info dumps and without detracting from the plot. Good mystery plots mixed with a learning experience is a win in my book. ★★★★ and 1/2 [rounded up here]
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: This is my favorite (current) historical mystery series. It's the one series that I am on the edge of my chair waiting for the next one to come out and then read it as soon as I can get my hands on it. [And then I have to wait a whole year for the next one...] It's a bit darker and more brutal than I generally care for, but I like the characters so much that I don't mind. Sebastian's sense of justice and investigating on behalf of those who might suffer at the hands of the powers that be really appeals to me and I enjoy Hero's efforts at bringing social injustices to the public eye. Speaking of Hero--I'm not a fan of this mysterious person who seems out to get her and if (in a future book) Sebastian loses another person he cares about, I may just lose my mind. He and Hero are so good together that I will be very upset if something happens to her. [I'm still scarred by Elizabeth George and her treatment of Inspector Lynley.]
I'm also sitting here tapping my foot, waiting for Sebastian to finally find out for certain who his father is. There have been all sorts of hints and mentions of a certain person...but is it really him? Will we ever find out? I hope so.
This is a fantastic series. Great characters. Well-done research and I learn something new about the time period every time. Harris manages to teach her readers about history without info dumps and without detracting from the plot. Good mystery plots mixed with a learning experience is a win in my book. ★★★★ and 1/2 [rounded up here]
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
September 15, 2025
one of Harris's best. If you follow the series you know what a wonderful read these books are. In this the 20th in the series the setting is London during the summer of 1816, known as the Year Without a Summer due to the bizarre weather believed now to be due to an incredibly large volcano eruption in Java that sent so much ash into the atmosphere that it effected worldwide weather. A perfect setting for a strange murder of a noble man, hang upside down in a position know as Le Pendu as seen in the hanging man card of the Tarot deck.
Viscount Devlin gets involved in trying to find the killer and ends up in danger to himself, his wife and a good friend. It is a well done mystery with many clues in the Tarot and great fun to listen to. There are many, Many suspects. The story is woven around the political times in London and France in these years when the Bourbons are back in power and the French/British war had ended but there is much poverty and famine in both countries and the world.
4.5 stars rounded up. It is a great mystery but this is not a series that is easy to dip in and out of. Much would be missed about these characters lives if not started earlier in the series. Also lots of characters in this one so it was necessary for me to have the print as well as the great audio read by Tom Kiteley.
Viscount Devlin gets involved in trying to find the killer and ends up in danger to himself, his wife and a good friend. It is a well done mystery with many clues in the Tarot and great fun to listen to. There are many, Many suspects. The story is woven around the political times in London and France in these years when the Bourbons are back in power and the French/British war had ended but there is much poverty and famine in both countries and the world.
4.5 stars rounded up. It is a great mystery but this is not a series that is easy to dip in and out of. Much would be missed about these characters lives if not started earlier in the series. Also lots of characters in this one so it was necessary for me to have the print as well as the great audio read by Tom Kiteley.
May 5, 2025
This one was only okay for me though I did really like the family man stuff.
September 11, 2025
This 20th book in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery delivers. It is better than the last few books in this series and has peaked my excitement for future books. In this one St. Cyr must solve the murder of a member of an anti-vice society which leads to the uncovering of lots of vice by the victim and others. I enjoyed it. But... I think this is better enjoyed by fans of the series as there are several secondary characters with whom it is assumed the reader is already familiar and multiple references to prior plots. This, overall, is a great series and one I regularly recommend to historical mystery fans.
May 5, 2025
Yes, this series has a formula it never deviates from: but I still enjoy every entry.
May 3, 2025
“When the War is Over” always seemed like a melancholy song to me, but it was running through my head most of this book because Who Will Remember? addresses what comes of the soldiers and sailors who came home from the Napoleonic War, a country unstable economically after the war, and also a whole world reeling under ‘The Year Without Summer” when a giant volcanic event occurs on the far side of the world. CS Harris took this multi-layered historical backdrop and wove in a clever murder mystery for Sebastian and his friends to solve.
Who Will Remember? is the twentieth book in this lush and fabulous historical murder mystery series. There are subtle side plots carrying through the series and great character and relationship developments so that this series really should be read in order.
Sebastian learns of a bizarre murder when an Irish youth comes for him when the boy learns the crumbling old chapel he took shelter in from the rain was already occupied by a murdered man. Sebastian and Sir Henry Lovejoy begin their investigation with the largest piece of evidence is a strong tie to the Tarot deck. Their victim is apparently a saint to most people- Sebastian excluded. He suspects any man who would show the vindictiveness toward his wife who left him for another man can’t be all that saintly. Not long into the investigation, Sebastian suspects that though his old army pal, Hugh might be everyone’s chief suspect, the list of people who would be happy to see Preston dead will fill pages.
The magistrate’s office is getting pressure from the Crown to tag someone for Lord Preston’s murder, Hero is working on her interviews and writing up of the plight of the displaced and often homeless beggars who were recently soldiers and sailors saving their country from the Tyrant, and a French assassin for the Bourbon crown is busy leaving dead French about who displeased them. If that were not troubling enough, Sebastian suspects the man who is his real birth father is on that assassin’s agenda. And, where in all this does the attack on his wife fit?
As usual, I was happily immersed in the blend of history and mystery and the lives of now well-beloved characters from start to finish. The historical backdrop is carefully researched and presented so that its fascinating and lends depth to the plot without overpowering the story while the mystery itself offers a gritty, tension building to a nailbiter climax.
All in all, another gem for the series that I can’t praise enough. Now, I must wait for the next installment with high anticipation knowing there are a couple exciting bits I hope are revealed.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy 4.17.25.
Who Will Remember? is the twentieth book in this lush and fabulous historical murder mystery series. There are subtle side plots carrying through the series and great character and relationship developments so that this series really should be read in order.
Sebastian learns of a bizarre murder when an Irish youth comes for him when the boy learns the crumbling old chapel he took shelter in from the rain was already occupied by a murdered man. Sebastian and Sir Henry Lovejoy begin their investigation with the largest piece of evidence is a strong tie to the Tarot deck. Their victim is apparently a saint to most people- Sebastian excluded. He suspects any man who would show the vindictiveness toward his wife who left him for another man can’t be all that saintly. Not long into the investigation, Sebastian suspects that though his old army pal, Hugh might be everyone’s chief suspect, the list of people who would be happy to see Preston dead will fill pages.
The magistrate’s office is getting pressure from the Crown to tag someone for Lord Preston’s murder, Hero is working on her interviews and writing up of the plight of the displaced and often homeless beggars who were recently soldiers and sailors saving their country from the Tyrant, and a French assassin for the Bourbon crown is busy leaving dead French about who displeased them. If that were not troubling enough, Sebastian suspects the man who is his real birth father is on that assassin’s agenda. And, where in all this does the attack on his wife fit?
As usual, I was happily immersed in the blend of history and mystery and the lives of now well-beloved characters from start to finish. The historical backdrop is carefully researched and presented so that its fascinating and lends depth to the plot without overpowering the story while the mystery itself offers a gritty, tension building to a nailbiter climax.
All in all, another gem for the series that I can’t praise enough. Now, I must wait for the next installment with high anticipation knowing there are a couple exciting bits I hope are revealed.
I rec'd an eARC via NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy 4.17.25.
April 13, 2025
It's hard to believe I have been reading these books for 20 years, and this is book 20! Another terrific addition to the series, and what a surprise mystery. Sebastian and Hero are such wonderful characters that I hate when the book ends, and I have to leave them until the next book.
Will Sebastian ever find out who his father is. Will he meet him? Will we find out who is trying to kill Hero?
Another thing I love about this series is what great parents they are. We see them playing with them, reading to them, and not just seeing them before they go to bed, like many Regency parents.
This is a series that should be read in order as each book builds upon the previous one.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. The opinions are my honest ones.
Will Sebastian ever find out who his father is. Will he meet him? Will we find out who is trying to kill Hero?
Another thing I love about this series is what great parents they are. We see them playing with them, reading to them, and not just seeing them before they go to bed, like many Regency parents.
This is a series that should be read in order as each book builds upon the previous one.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. The opinions are my honest ones.
December 28, 2024
Another strong installment in this long running series that has yet to lose any steam. I love the historical elements that the author includes in these stories. I also don’t know why this series has struck a cord with me to be honest. I tend to go for more lighter, fluffy, happy stories, but Sebastian finds himself in some very dark and disturbing situations. And yet I can’t turn the pages fast enough with every mystery that comes along. I love seeing how Sebastian‘s brain unravels the clues and I also love catching up with all of the other characters we’ve gotten to know.
If you love a good fast-paced mystery, I highly recommend this series.
If you love a good fast-paced mystery, I highly recommend this series.
May 4, 2025
5 stars - Historical Mystery
April 15, 2025
Ominous, rich, and gritty!
Who Will Remember is an eerie, sinister, absorbing tale set in London during 1816 when the city is ravished with economic instability and political upheaval, and Sebastian St. Cyr and his wife Hero now find themselves investigating a strange case involving a set of murders in which the victims are found posed in the same positions as the depictions on the tarot cards left with the bodies.
The prose is meticulous and tight. The characters are sharp, reliable, and resourceful. And the plot is a menacing tale about life, loss, secrets, deception, danger, control, power, politics, lawless behaviour, violence, and murder.
Overall, Who Will Remember is another dark, intense, intriguing addition to the Sebastian St. Cyr series by Harris that does a wonderful job of interweaving historical times and compelling fiction into a suspenseful mystery that is deliciously atmospheric and disturbingly entertaining.
Who Will Remember is an eerie, sinister, absorbing tale set in London during 1816 when the city is ravished with economic instability and political upheaval, and Sebastian St. Cyr and his wife Hero now find themselves investigating a strange case involving a set of murders in which the victims are found posed in the same positions as the depictions on the tarot cards left with the bodies.
The prose is meticulous and tight. The characters are sharp, reliable, and resourceful. And the plot is a menacing tale about life, loss, secrets, deception, danger, control, power, politics, lawless behaviour, violence, and murder.
Overall, Who Will Remember is another dark, intense, intriguing addition to the Sebastian St. Cyr series by Harris that does a wonderful job of interweaving historical times and compelling fiction into a suspenseful mystery that is deliciously atmospheric and disturbingly entertaining.
May 30, 2025
If you get as far as book 20 in a series you must be seriously hooked, and I admit I am. I really enjoy these stories although the glacial speed of revealing Devlin’s own family story means there is space for plenty of books yet before he eventually meets his real father.
As usual the plot is tightly written, the dialogue good and the characters engaging.
As usual the plot is tightly written, the dialogue good and the characters engaging.
June 8, 2025
Book 20 and I still love the series and can’t wait to read each new entry! The writing is still great and the storyline is still interesting and something to look forward to.
At this point of the series we know some about Sebastian’s past but are still awaiting new revelations. (This is always secretly my favorite part of each book)
This entry kept you guessing on the mystery til the end with lots going on. It’s set during the “year without a summer” - 1816 England. Can’t wait until the next one comes out!
At this point of the series we know some about Sebastian’s past but are still awaiting new revelations. (This is always secretly my favorite part of each book)
This entry kept you guessing on the mystery til the end with lots going on. It’s set during the “year without a summer” - 1816 England. Can’t wait until the next one comes out!
July 2, 2025
Once again C.S. Harris kept my wrapped attention with intrigue & historical details. I was uncertain who the villains' were until the last chapter or two. I always look forward to the next Sebastian St. Cry book and seeing how everyone's lives are progressing in this Post-Napoleonic London setting. C.S. Harris did leave us with one very unanswered question which leads me to believe we will get a book #21.
I also loved how Tom Kiteley narrated this story.
I also loved how Tom Kiteley narrated this story.
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April 18, 2025I read these as soon as they come out.
July 9, 2025
3.5. Not the best in this series. I love getting back together with characters I know but this one lacked a good plot. Just not interesting.
July 5, 2025
31/2 stars! I have the complete series of Sebastian St. Cyr but this was not one of my favorites 🤔
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