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Sebastian St. Cyr #5
What Remains of Heaven
Listening Length: 8 hours and 41 minutes
Fifth in the "fast-moving"(Publishers Weekly, starred review) British-set historical mystery series starring "a charismatic hero."(Kirkus Reviews starred review)
Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury to help in the investigation of two corpses found in an ancient crypt, their violent deaths separated by decades. One is the Bishop of London, the elderly Archbishop's favored but controversial successor. The identity of the other seems lost in time.
Sebastian amasses a list of suspects that range from some of the Prince Regent's closest cronies to William Franklin, embittered son of famous American patriot Ben Franklin-and finds himself confronting the well-guarded secrets of his own family's history. Now each step he takes toward the killer brings him closer to a devastating truth that could ultimately force him to question who-and what-he really is.
Fifth in the "fast-moving"(Publishers Weekly, starred review) British-set historical mystery series starring "a charismatic hero."(Kirkus Reviews starred review)
Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury to help in the investigation of two corpses found in an ancient crypt, their violent deaths separated by decades. One is the Bishop of London, the elderly Archbishop's favored but controversial successor. The identity of the other seems lost in time.
Sebastian amasses a list of suspects that range from some of the Prince Regent's closest cronies to William Franklin, embittered son of famous American patriot Ben Franklin-and finds himself confronting the well-guarded secrets of his own family's history. Now each step he takes toward the killer brings him closer to a devastating truth that could ultimately force him to question who-and what-he really is.
Audible Audio
First published October 14, 2009
247 people are currently reading
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About the author
C.S. Harris
23 books3,015 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 658 reviews
August 1, 2019
4 stars for a well written historical mystery. I won a book in this series 3 years ago and liked it enough that I am reading the rest of the books in the series. Sebastian St Cyr has gained a reputation for solving murders in the previous 4 books in this series. He is approached by his aunt and the Archbishop of Canterbury for his expertise. They want him to solve the murder of the Bishop of London, who was mentioned as a successor to the Archbishop himself. Sebastian is reluctant to get involved, pointing out that a dozen people died that last time he investigated a murder. But the Archbishop and his aunt have combined to ask this of him, and he cannot turn down his dear aunt.
Sebastian does solve the murder, but not before he is attacked and nearly killed several times. I have noticed that this is a recurring theme in these books, i.e. Sebastian is always attacked and nearly killed, but always manages to survive.
While I recommend reading these books, I also recommend reading them in order, as there are developing relationships that progress through the series.
One quote on weather: "The next morning dawned heavily overcast and blustery, with an unseasonably chill north wind that whistled in the chimneys and sent trash scuttling down the streets."
Sebastian does solve the murder, but not before he is attacked and nearly killed several times. I have noticed that this is a recurring theme in these books, i.e. Sebastian is always attacked and nearly killed, but always manages to survive.
While I recommend reading these books, I also recommend reading them in order, as there are developing relationships that progress through the series.
One quote on weather: "The next morning dawned heavily overcast and blustery, with an unseasonably chill north wind that whistled in the chimneys and sent trash scuttling down the streets."
January 18, 2020
4.5 stars. This is my second favourite series in the historical (murder) mystery genre, second only to the Matthew Corbett series. I’m trying to pace myself with this series so I don’t catch up to the author too quickly! The historical context that I found so interesting in this one was in relation to the War of independence with America, and attitudes to it from the British point of view. William Franklyn (Benjamin’s son) has a bit part in the story too. In this book Sebastian gets some personal shocks of his own as well as leaving a wake of dead bodies as he attempts to find those responsible. We also get some foreshadowing for future books from Hero, who I have to say I like very much as a character.
Recommended series. But start at the beginning.
Recommended series. But start at the beginning.
April 12, 2023
4.5★
“I understand it has something to do with the composition of the soil and perhaps the lime in the mortar. If there's no intrusion of water, the corpses in a crypt can essentially mummify, rather than decay.”
Oh, the factoids I pick up on my reading travels. I learned about the difference between bog bodies and swamp bodies in a recent book, and now I’m being thrown into a newly opened crypt with another collection of putrid corpses.
This is London, 1812.
“During his ten years of service here at St. Margaret's, Malcolm Earnshaw had heard vague rumors of a crypt, sealed decades ago for health reasons. But nothing the Reverend had heard had prepared him for the workmen's gruesome discovery.”
Hurrying back to his church to meet his superior, the Bishop of London, the Reverend Earnshaw was already worried about how his late arrival would be received by Bishop Prescott. The author knows how to set a scene.
“The oppressive silence of the crypt closed around him. Built of rough stone covered in limestone mortar and with a low vaulted ceiling supported by worn columns, the bays of the chamber stretched before him in shadowy phalanxes of death. Piles of coffins stacked five and six high were crammed into nearly every bay, their wood warped and split to reveal tomb-blackened remnants of tattered clothing and the occasional, unmistakable gleam of a skull or long bone.”
Earnshaw timidly ventures down the stone steps into the crypt and discovers that the Bishop will never worry about anything again.
Murder! And what on earth would this have to do with our series hero, young Viscount Devlin, Sebastian St Cyr? Nothing it would seem, until his impressively well-connected aunt, the Duchess of Claiborne, calls by his home with the Bishop of Canterbury to seek his discreet assistance.
In previous episodes of this wonderful historical mystery series, Sebastian (aka Lord Devlin, aka the Viscount, aka St Cyr) has been helpful to police in investigations where suspicions lie in the highest ranks of English society. Because of his title, Devlin has automatic access to people and places that even the police can’t get to.
In this case, the opening of the crypt has revealed not only this recent murder but one that seems to be decades old. When, why, and by whom was the crypt sealed? And whose body is it?
This is every bit as entertaining as the previous stories. The plot and relationships are as convoluted and intriguing as I’ve come to expect from the author. People married mostly within their own social circles, with unacceptable alliances nipped in the bud by disapproving fathers.
There were plenty of clandestine affairs with babies born who didn’t look like the mother’s husband, but there was no proof of misbehaviour. The Duchess seems to know who had secrets and what some of them were, which helps put Sebastian on the right track.
Sebastian can’t avoid dealing again with the wicked Charles, Lord Jarvis, “the acknowledged power behind the Prince's fragile regency.” That would be the fat, drunken Prince of Wales. Lord Jarvis’s daughter, Hero, involves herself in the investigation and is as outspoken and impressive a character as ever.
“Charles, Lord Jarvis, was in the library of his house on Berkeley Square, perusing the latest report from one of his French agents, when his daughter. Hero, came to stand in the doorway and said without preamble, ‘Did you kill the Bishop of London?’
I’ll never tell. An addition to this episode is William Franklin, son of Benjamin Franklin, which opens up extra intrigue regarding the repercussions from the American Revolution and the secret dealings between the King and loyalists at the time. It’s one of my favourite series, with good stories and good characters in (well-researched) real times.
My reviews of the earlier books:
1. What Angels Fear
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2. When Gods Die
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3. Why Mermaids Sing
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4. Where Serpents Sleep
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
“I understand it has something to do with the composition of the soil and perhaps the lime in the mortar. If there's no intrusion of water, the corpses in a crypt can essentially mummify, rather than decay.”
Oh, the factoids I pick up on my reading travels. I learned about the difference between bog bodies and swamp bodies in a recent book, and now I’m being thrown into a newly opened crypt with another collection of putrid corpses.
This is London, 1812.
“During his ten years of service here at St. Margaret's, Malcolm Earnshaw had heard vague rumors of a crypt, sealed decades ago for health reasons. But nothing the Reverend had heard had prepared him for the workmen's gruesome discovery.”
Hurrying back to his church to meet his superior, the Bishop of London, the Reverend Earnshaw was already worried about how his late arrival would be received by Bishop Prescott. The author knows how to set a scene.
“The oppressive silence of the crypt closed around him. Built of rough stone covered in limestone mortar and with a low vaulted ceiling supported by worn columns, the bays of the chamber stretched before him in shadowy phalanxes of death. Piles of coffins stacked five and six high were crammed into nearly every bay, their wood warped and split to reveal tomb-blackened remnants of tattered clothing and the occasional, unmistakable gleam of a skull or long bone.”
Earnshaw timidly ventures down the stone steps into the crypt and discovers that the Bishop will never worry about anything again.
Murder! And what on earth would this have to do with our series hero, young Viscount Devlin, Sebastian St Cyr? Nothing it would seem, until his impressively well-connected aunt, the Duchess of Claiborne, calls by his home with the Bishop of Canterbury to seek his discreet assistance.
In previous episodes of this wonderful historical mystery series, Sebastian (aka Lord Devlin, aka the Viscount, aka St Cyr) has been helpful to police in investigations where suspicions lie in the highest ranks of English society. Because of his title, Devlin has automatic access to people and places that even the police can’t get to.
In this case, the opening of the crypt has revealed not only this recent murder but one that seems to be decades old. When, why, and by whom was the crypt sealed? And whose body is it?
This is every bit as entertaining as the previous stories. The plot and relationships are as convoluted and intriguing as I’ve come to expect from the author. People married mostly within their own social circles, with unacceptable alliances nipped in the bud by disapproving fathers.
There were plenty of clandestine affairs with babies born who didn’t look like the mother’s husband, but there was no proof of misbehaviour. The Duchess seems to know who had secrets and what some of them were, which helps put Sebastian on the right track.
Sebastian can’t avoid dealing again with the wicked Charles, Lord Jarvis, “the acknowledged power behind the Prince's fragile regency.” That would be the fat, drunken Prince of Wales. Lord Jarvis’s daughter, Hero, involves herself in the investigation and is as outspoken and impressive a character as ever.
“Charles, Lord Jarvis, was in the library of his house on Berkeley Square, perusing the latest report from one of his French agents, when his daughter. Hero, came to stand in the doorway and said without preamble, ‘Did you kill the Bishop of London?’
I’ll never tell. An addition to this episode is William Franklin, son of Benjamin Franklin, which opens up extra intrigue regarding the repercussions from the American Revolution and the secret dealings between the King and loyalists at the time. It’s one of my favourite series, with good stories and good characters in (well-researched) real times.
My reviews of the earlier books:
1. What Angels Fear
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2. When Gods Die
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3. Why Mermaids Sing
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4. Where Serpents Sleep
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 11, 2016
This is the fifth book in the series and was so good. I read this as a buddy read with a GR friend. It was full of surprises. I just love this series. A great historical mystery series. The books just get better and better. If you like a historical mystery this series is for you. I really can't tell what its about because it would give a lot away. I don't want to give anything away. This one is the best in the series so far and the ending will blow you away.
Two bodies are found in a crypt, and Sebastian St. Cyr is going through lots of suspects to find who killed them. I wasn't able to guess the villain.
In this 5th installment of the series, Sebastian's personal life becomes complicated as he finds out important information that could change his life forever. Harris writes with her same gritty style bringing the plight of the poor and lower classes into focus, all the while weaving an intriguing and thought-provoking mystery. When Sebastian St. Cyr investigates, nothing is ever as it seems. Another excellent book
The author is so excellent with the character development. I especially love Sebastian and the character Hero, then there are other characters that I don't like so much, like Kat and Jarvis plus lots of others.
Two bodies are found in a crypt, and Sebastian St. Cyr is going through lots of suspects to find who killed them. I wasn't able to guess the villain.
In this 5th installment of the series, Sebastian's personal life becomes complicated as he finds out important information that could change his life forever. Harris writes with her same gritty style bringing the plight of the poor and lower classes into focus, all the while weaving an intriguing and thought-provoking mystery. When Sebastian St. Cyr investigates, nothing is ever as it seems. Another excellent book
The author is so excellent with the character development. I especially love Sebastian and the character Hero, then there are other characters that I don't like so much, like Kat and Jarvis plus lots of others.
May 4, 2016
Number five in the series and I have no trouble giving it a rating as a very easy five stars. Sebastian is just so likable and the development of Hero as a character so interesting that it is hard to stop at the end of each book and not binge read the whole series in one go! However I will restrain myself to my current reading of just one of these books a month and enjoy looking forward to the next one. I love the setting, the story, the characters and the different mystery to be solved in each book. All the clues are available to the reader although Sebastian does occasionally have flashes of inspiration not visible to the rest of us. This is to be forgiven because he is obviously super smart. Okay so I am hooked -it is a great series:)
November 6, 2010
I give this one less star that the others, not because the mystery wasn't great, it totally was, but UGH KAT JUST GO AWAY. Sebastian needs to GET OVER HER, so boring, she needs to die of consumption or something so he can move on. The whole twist with him NOT being her half-sibling was so soap opera-y, and there was NOT ENOUGH HERO. Serious, I can't wait for the next one because maybe indeed he'll get over the actress already. SHEESH.
Love this series. haha.
Love this series. haha.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2016
When the Bishop of London is found dead in a recently opened crypt, Sebastian is asked by his aunt to investigate. What follows next is one whiplash twist after another.
This might be the most complicated political mystery in the series to date. There are lots of principals, most we've seen before. Just as I thought I was unraveling the mystery, a new wrinkle and revelation would appear. I didn't even come close to the right answers. I loved it!
The revelations weren't limited to the murder mystery as important disclosures near and dear to Sebastian wreaked havoc. I can't decide which was the most interesting...his personal life challenges or the case.
I'm loving this series, very much in my top ten favorites. And, the ending has me wanting to just jump right into the next book...seriously!
4.5 stars
This might be the most complicated political mystery in the series to date. There are lots of principals, most we've seen before. Just as I thought I was unraveling the mystery, a new wrinkle and revelation would appear. I didn't even come close to the right answers. I loved it!
The revelations weren't limited to the murder mystery as important disclosures near and dear to Sebastian wreaked havoc. I can't decide which was the most interesting...his personal life challenges or the case.
I'm loving this series, very much in my top ten favorites. And, the ending has me wanting to just jump right into the next book...seriously!
4.5 stars
December 9, 2019
No, you've read four of these books backtoback in less than twenty-four hours. Ahem.
So, yeah, I'm not quite able to give this one a four, either. B u t. I think we're about to kickoff into a great direction and I'm sure I'll be bumping up ratings very soon. This had some very key moments that I was excited about but also some little bits that didn't do much. I'm definitely feeling like the mystery is less the point of this series and instead it's all the drama. I'm here for the drama.
But I do hope we get some excellent mysteries again, too.
So, yeah, I'm not quite able to give this one a four, either. B u t. I think we're about to kickoff into a great direction and I'm sure I'll be bumping up ratings very soon. This had some very key moments that I was excited about but also some little bits that didn't do much. I'm definitely feeling like the mystery is less the point of this series and instead it's all the drama. I'm here for the drama.
But I do hope we get some excellent mysteries again, too.
June 10, 2021
4.5 STARS
What a mess!! This story is all over the place, and poor Sebastian is having his feet knocked from under him at every turn. And I have to mention that I am getting quite annoyed with a certain heroine, who is hopefully FINALLY coming around. What a way to end the book, though. Thank God that I didn't have to wait for the next book to be released. Small miracles. I've already started book 6.
The mystery in this one was a little harder to follow. There were just too many people involved.
Uncles, brothers, cousins all with similar sounding names, that I kept getting confused as to who was who and how they were related. And the secret affairs that went on back then... my my. I can't wait to see what the next book reveals. ;)
What a mess!! This story is all over the place, and poor Sebastian is having his feet knocked from under him at every turn. And I have to mention that I am getting quite annoyed with a certain heroine, who is hopefully FINALLY coming around. What a way to end the book, though. Thank God that I didn't have to wait for the next book to be released. Small miracles. I've already started book 6.
The mystery in this one was a little harder to follow. There were just too many people involved.
Uncles, brothers, cousins all with similar sounding names, that I kept getting confused as to who was who and how they were related. And the secret affairs that went on back then... my my. I can't wait to see what the next book reveals. ;)
December 19, 2022
I love a multi-layered mystery and this one is just fantastic. Because these books lead directly on to the next it is difficult to write a review without spoilers for the earlier books, but I'll try. I am very happy to say that the mystery is a twisty one that surprised me in the end and the finale was a highlight of the book.
The Bishop of London, Francis Prescott, is a man known for his reformist views and as a good friend of Miss Hero Jarvis, who shares those views and helps advance them whenever she can. When he is found dead in an old crypt that had been opened there is no lack of suspects, but it's the 30-year-old body of an unknown man found with him that causes controversy.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has asked Sebastian St. Cry, Viscount Devlin, to investigate. Hero Jarvis has her own reasons for wanting to know who killed her friend and if certain secrets he held were divulged. The need to cooperate with Sebastian isn't something Hero wants to do. With their relationship overshadowed by an intimate encounter, she knows that in order to solve the mystery they will need to work together, or at least cooperate with each other.
The Bishop of London, Francis Prescott, is a man known for his reformist views and as a good friend of Miss Hero Jarvis, who shares those views and helps advance them whenever she can. When he is found dead in an old crypt that had been opened there is no lack of suspects, but it's the 30-year-old body of an unknown man found with him that causes controversy.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has asked Sebastian St. Cry, Viscount Devlin, to investigate. Hero Jarvis has her own reasons for wanting to know who killed her friend and if certain secrets he held were divulged. The need to cooperate with Sebastian isn't something Hero wants to do. With their relationship overshadowed by an intimate encounter, she knows that in order to solve the mystery they will need to work together, or at least cooperate with each other.
January 10, 2017
I love this series especially as each book has something fresh and new to offer even as the characters we are getting so know so well are developing and growing. This episode follows on closely from the previous book in the series. The Bishop of London has been found murdered in a recently uncovered crypt next to the body of a man who disappeared some 30y earlier. Sebastion is called upon by the his Aunt Henrietta and the Archbishop who asks Sebastion to look into both murders, even though they may not be related. Hero Jarvis is once again involved in the investigation as she had recently divulged an important secret to the Bishop, something she wants to cover up and desperately doesn't want Sebastion to find out.
Besides the mystery of the murders, which is complex and multilayered, there is much to enjoy in this book. The politics of the time are very much at the fore and the description of places, people and manners of various classes all very much set the sounds and smells of the Regency atmosphere. Hero Jarvis is very much becoming a favourite character and likely to be more so in future books. She is a good match for Sebastion in wits and the only person who can really challenge him. Through investigating the murders, Sebastion also learns some surprising details of his own past but will need to delve further to find out who he really is.
Besides the mystery of the murders, which is complex and multilayered, there is much to enjoy in this book. The politics of the time are very much at the fore and the description of places, people and manners of various classes all very much set the sounds and smells of the Regency atmosphere. Hero Jarvis is very much becoming a favourite character and likely to be more so in future books. She is a good match for Sebastion in wits and the only person who can really challenge him. Through investigating the murders, Sebastion also learns some surprising details of his own past but will need to delve further to find out who he really is.
November 7, 2018
Well, it’s said that GOT is based on the War of Roses…. And reading this series confirms it! The ton must have been a hornet’s nest! LOL
Poor Sebastian! Here he discovers another blow life had reserved to him! And what a blow it was!
The mystery part was also a hornet’s nest! Who did it and why? Solving the 30years old murder and a new one together will unravel years of treachery and cuckoldry! Who’s whom sibling, father, uncle? Ohhh, what a mess!
Add in people wanting to kill him and Sebastian finds himself up to his neck in problems!
And that's not everything! created another problem, as if all the others were not enough! ;-)
I so love this series! I also googled some of the secondary characters and found out that some of them were real persons that lived in that period! What a nice touch!
On to the next!
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March 7, 2014
Review to come! An absolutely fantastic story!
January 1, 2020
Audio: 5 STARS!!
Story: 5 STARS!!
What a way to end the year on a high note!
Story: 5 STARS!!
What a way to end the year on a high note!
September 16, 2018
Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is asked to investigate the death of the Bishop of London, found bludgeoned to death in the crypt of a church, helpfully sprawled on top of yet another dead body. While investigating, he discovers that his one time lover Hero Jarvis is ALSO investigating because secrets!!
1. Eternal complaint: not enough Hero Jarvis and the Hero Jarvis we did get was TRAPPED which is unpleasant to my very soul.
2. Kat can vamoose at ANY TIME. I am just over it and her and them and everything.
3. Got a little bored with the "You don't know?" plot twist surprise. It happened NEARLY EVERY CHAPTER and ultimately undermined what was actually a rather intriguing mystery.
4. You'd think Sebastian would hire himself a gorilla of a footman to help beat up the assholes who keep wanting to kill him. I mean, evidence points to him getting the shit kicked out of him AT LEAST once a month or so before he goes into hulk-mode and kills everyone, so... He could save himself the probable inquests and like PLAN AHEAD?
5. HIGHWAYMAN SURPRISE.
1. Eternal complaint: not enough Hero Jarvis and the Hero Jarvis we did get was TRAPPED which is unpleasant to my very soul.
2. Kat can vamoose at ANY TIME. I am just over it and her and them and everything.
3. Got a little bored with the "You don't know?" plot twist surprise. It happened NEARLY EVERY CHAPTER and ultimately undermined what was actually a rather intriguing mystery.
4. You'd think Sebastian would hire himself a gorilla of a footman to help beat up the assholes who keep wanting to kill him. I mean, evidence points to him getting the shit kicked out of him AT LEAST once a month or so before he goes into hulk-mode and kills everyone, so... He could save himself the probable inquests and like PLAN AHEAD?
5. HIGHWAYMAN SURPRISE.
January 12, 2018
This fifth book in the Sebastian St. Cyr series features illegitimate children and desperately unhappy and fearful married women at its core. Several mysteries with these themes interconnect at various points and in very crafty ways, including the primary mystery. A renowned bishop well on his way toward being appointed the next archbishop is found murdered in a crypt next to the body of a missing peer, long dead for decades. What is the connection between these two men and why are they discovered dead in the exact same location? At this point in the mysteries Sebastian still relies upon others to pull him in for help in solving cases, but more and more, Sebastian is recognized as a proficient in detective work. The mystery here is every bit as good as all the others and there is a fair amount of historical context about the role the Church played in abolitionism layered upon the themes of illegitimacy and the plight of married women. Unmarried women are often the focus in romance writing, but I really appreciated that Harris turns the spotlight on the institution of marriage here as it sets us up for upcoming books when Sebastian himself is surely to marry.
As much as I enjoy unraveling Harris's always tightly constructed mysteries and enjoy the depth of her historical knowledge, the themes of the book are becoming much more of a draw for me. For one, the hypocrisy of bearing children out of wedlock or cloaking illegitimate children from the prying eyes of society by incorporating them into a well-respected family is fascinating to see play out. There are several children of unknown parentage floating through the book and I am full of respect for the skill involved in tying their stories all together into the threads of the mystery as well as back to Sebastian's personal life. He's never merely a detective for he is also a complicated man with a complex history of his own in which he is trying to unravel. His own lineage is investigated further in this book as he learns the truth that Hendon is not his biological father. I hope this detail does not derail their tenuous relationship and that Sebastian can come to understand that family is not always about blood. Hendon clearly adores his son, regardless of the fact that his own wife cheated on him with another man to create Sebastian. Now that Kat and Sebastian are not related by blood, I wondered how far Harris would allow Sebastian's buried hopes and dreams to take shape, and thankfully, not much. Sebastian re-mourns for their loss in one brief scene he shares with Kat but much of his energy is focused on the very elusive Hero in this book.
If I had to mark this book down at all it is because Hero is not as present as I had hoped, especially given her very prominent role in the last book. Still, her physical absence by no means allows her to be forgotten. Sebastian is reminded of her constantly, and she gets to play a very pivotal role in the central mystery too, for which I was cheering at the end. The biggest story featuring Hero though is the fact that she is carrying Sebastian's baby and is torn about how to handle such an event. On the one hand, she wants to hide her pregnancy from Sebastian even when he pleads with her to allow him to raise the baby on his own. I felt such sympathy for Sebastian and his sadness at not being allowed to have a role in his unborn child's life plucked at me. This is such a tricky issue though because Hero has persuasive points about her role in mothering an unborn child. It is her body and, in my opinion, it would be absolutely wrong for her to be forced to give birth to a baby. Sebastian cannot take her physical autonomy away from her without becoming a villain. He may muse about it but it never goes beyond desperate thinking on his part, thankfully. Also, Hero greatly fears the institution of marriage, even to Sebastian who tries to reassure her that her autonomy, physical well-being, and assets will be safeguarded. That conversation seems so important to me because Hero has good reason to fear marriage given the laws regarding women in this historical period. If there is any doubt that these laws are on paper only and therefore just an abstraction for readers, we are shown in a number of cases in this story, including Hero's own very vulnerable mother, how much a woman relies upon her husband not to destroy her. I hope in the next book, which I'm frankly itching to read Immediately, that Hero and Sebastian can forge a new path for themselves based on mutual respect and equity. Sebastian is one of the best heroes I've read in the genre of romance and historical mystery writing though and I have no doubt that Harris is going to provide us with an enlightened man worthy of Hero.
As much as I enjoy unraveling Harris's always tightly constructed mysteries and enjoy the depth of her historical knowledge, the themes of the book are becoming much more of a draw for me. For one, the hypocrisy of bearing children out of wedlock or cloaking illegitimate children from the prying eyes of society by incorporating them into a well-respected family is fascinating to see play out. There are several children of unknown parentage floating through the book and I am full of respect for the skill involved in tying their stories all together into the threads of the mystery as well as back to Sebastian's personal life. He's never merely a detective for he is also a complicated man with a complex history of his own in which he is trying to unravel. His own lineage is investigated further in this book as he learns the truth that Hendon is not his biological father. I hope this detail does not derail their tenuous relationship and that Sebastian can come to understand that family is not always about blood. Hendon clearly adores his son, regardless of the fact that his own wife cheated on him with another man to create Sebastian. Now that Kat and Sebastian are not related by blood, I wondered how far Harris would allow Sebastian's buried hopes and dreams to take shape, and thankfully, not much. Sebastian re-mourns for their loss in one brief scene he shares with Kat but much of his energy is focused on the very elusive Hero in this book.
If I had to mark this book down at all it is because Hero is not as present as I had hoped, especially given her very prominent role in the last book. Still, her physical absence by no means allows her to be forgotten. Sebastian is reminded of her constantly, and she gets to play a very pivotal role in the central mystery too, for which I was cheering at the end. The biggest story featuring Hero though is the fact that she is carrying Sebastian's baby and is torn about how to handle such an event. On the one hand, she wants to hide her pregnancy from Sebastian even when he pleads with her to allow him to raise the baby on his own. I felt such sympathy for Sebastian and his sadness at not being allowed to have a role in his unborn child's life plucked at me. This is such a tricky issue though because Hero has persuasive points about her role in mothering an unborn child. It is her body and, in my opinion, it would be absolutely wrong for her to be forced to give birth to a baby. Sebastian cannot take her physical autonomy away from her without becoming a villain. He may muse about it but it never goes beyond desperate thinking on his part, thankfully. Also, Hero greatly fears the institution of marriage, even to Sebastian who tries to reassure her that her autonomy, physical well-being, and assets will be safeguarded. That conversation seems so important to me because Hero has good reason to fear marriage given the laws regarding women in this historical period. If there is any doubt that these laws are on paper only and therefore just an abstraction for readers, we are shown in a number of cases in this story, including Hero's own very vulnerable mother, how much a woman relies upon her husband not to destroy her. I hope in the next book, which I'm frankly itching to read Immediately, that Hero and Sebastian can forge a new path for themselves based on mutual respect and equity. Sebastian is one of the best heroes I've read in the genre of romance and historical mystery writing though and I have no doubt that Harris is going to provide us with an enlightened man worthy of Hero.
October 11, 2019
So I should have given this 4 stars. There were a couple of things that bugged me. There are a handful of similarities between the books. Sebastian isn’t predictable but there’s a pattern. However, I thunk it’s more my fault for reading the books back to back to back like a lunatic. I wouldn’t notice these little things If I gave them a little space.
The murder mystery was a bit convoluted. Not particularly interesting. But the personal issues and revelations were top freakin shelf.
I made time to swing by the library today to grab the next book. And I could not be more thankful.
At this point the only mystery is when I’ll stop reading this series. Will I get tired before the last book and need a break? Will I finish this series? All without a breather? Based on my history it seems likely I’ll become overwhelmed and disinterested Bc of saturation. But this series is doing better than most. My horrible habit of needing to read an author til I hate them may have met its match.
Oh. And that ending. Damn.
The murder mystery was a bit convoluted. Not particularly interesting. But the personal issues and revelations were top freakin shelf.
I made time to swing by the library today to grab the next book. And I could not be more thankful.
At this point the only mystery is when I’ll stop reading this series. Will I get tired before the last book and need a break? Will I finish this series? All without a breather? Based on my history it seems likely I’ll become overwhelmed and disinterested Bc of saturation. But this series is doing better than most. My horrible habit of needing to read an author til I hate them may have met its match.
Oh. And that ending. Damn.
June 12, 2020
4.5 Stars
January 15, 2021
This series is so good. I checked the library for the next one and I would have been #2 on 1 copy so I actually bought it. I'm really trying to be good and not buy a ton of books in 2021, but I just couldn't wait that long.
Sebastian is one messed up dude, with good reason. People who care for him really do him dirty and it's amazing he trusts anyone. Besides Tom, Calhoun, and Dr. Gibson, I don't think there's anyone he could possibly believe at any time. But they all seem to care for him anyway, even if they're all a bunch of liars.
I was pretty disappointed in but I guess panic will do that to you.
The mystery was intricate with some fascinating history. Also, I love the author's notes at the end of these books as much as anything. These stories take place at such an interesting time in the world and Harris writes in such an evocative way, the richness and texture of the setting come through really strongly.
I can't recommend this series more highly. I'm so glad there are lots of books still to read, I just hope the library will have them available when I want them because I can't afford to buy them all!
Sebastian is one messed up dude, with good reason. People who care for him really do him dirty and it's amazing he trusts anyone. Besides Tom, Calhoun, and Dr. Gibson, I don't think there's anyone he could possibly believe at any time. But they all seem to care for him anyway, even if they're all a bunch of liars.
I was pretty disappointed in but I guess panic will do that to you.
The mystery was intricate with some fascinating history. Also, I love the author's notes at the end of these books as much as anything. These stories take place at such an interesting time in the world and Harris writes in such an evocative way, the richness and texture of the setting come through really strongly.
I can't recommend this series more highly. I'm so glad there are lots of books still to read, I just hope the library will have them available when I want them because I can't afford to buy them all!
August 23, 2020
One of my favorite series. This booked moved the thread and history of the characters along. The mystery was entertaining and I didn't figure out the "who dunnit". So the ending was good and it was a surprise. I would give it 4.5 stars as it did not employ the secondary characters as much as I would have liked. I have already downloaded the next audible in the series.
August 10, 2016
This series has done several things right from the start. I admit to being no expert on 18th century London (or 18th century anywhere for that matter), but this series has always felt "right" to me in terms of bringing the time period to life, with all of its sights, sounds, and smells. Sometimes very vivid smells. *wink* That said, my investment in this series sky rocketed with the last book (book 4), Where Serpents Sleep, with the elevation of Hero Jarvis as a character to be reckoned with. Now I love Sebastian as well, and have since book one. He's smart, dashing, dangerous, and sexy but he's needed a woman who could well and truly hold her own against him. For my money, that woman is Hero. So yes, while this series works quite well as a historical mystery, I'm not going to lie...I'm in this for Sebastian and Hero now.
This book picks up roughly two months after book four and finds Sebastian drawn into trying to solve two murders, 30 years apart, at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury and his own Aunt Henrietta, the Duchess of Claiborne. I love Aunt Henrietta and I wish there was more of her in each book. She's a take-no-prisoners type of woman, a grand dame of high society, and she gives Sebastian the type of advice that he sorely needs to hear even when he doesn't want to hear it. I totally picture Maggie Smith a la the Dowager Duchess from Downton Abbey in my head when I read her parts. But I digress.
In the course of solving the latest murders, Sebastian unwittingly stumbles upon some pretty significant information about his past and his family. It's nothing that will come as a shock to readers as this reveal has been pretty well telegraphed since the first book still, it is interesting to read about Sebastian coming into this knowledge and how it upends his world. Some things are cleared up with the reveal but it also shakes the already fragile relationship between Sebastian and his father, the Earl of Hendon. Along with Sebastian and Hero, this father-son relationship is one I am also strongly rooting for, despite Hendon's wrong choices.
Kat continues to make the odd, but brief, appearance or two but I get the sense that she is going to be in rear view mirror from here on out at least as far as the major story arc goes. I just can't see that her character offers anything to the story, or to Sebastian, that can't be provided by one of the other characters. She does try to encourage the father-son relationship so I give her props for that.
But my most favorite bits were those that dealt with Hero...and with Sebastian trying to deal with Hero, lol. Hero is preoccupied with figuring out just how she is going to deal with some very real consequences stemming from the last book. Because if anyone can find a way, she can. Meanwhile, Sebastian spends his "free" time chasing her down from one London hot spot to another in his efforts to figure out the truth he is sure she is hiding. And all the while, there is the definite sense that while Hero exasperates and frustrates him, and he her, an attraction is growing as well as, perhaps, respect and a better understanding.
He had always thought of her as a formidable, intelligent woman of extraordinary courage and fortitude. But now, standing stiff-backed in the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the garden window, she looked suddenly vulnerable, and maybe a little afraid."
Bring on the next book!
**Re-read it in February 2014 and loved Sebastian and Hero just as much**
This book picks up roughly two months after book four and finds Sebastian drawn into trying to solve two murders, 30 years apart, at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury and his own Aunt Henrietta, the Duchess of Claiborne. I love Aunt Henrietta and I wish there was more of her in each book. She's a take-no-prisoners type of woman, a grand dame of high society, and she gives Sebastian the type of advice that he sorely needs to hear even when he doesn't want to hear it. I totally picture Maggie Smith a la the Dowager Duchess from Downton Abbey in my head when I read her parts. But I digress.
In the course of solving the latest murders, Sebastian unwittingly stumbles upon some pretty significant information about his past and his family. It's nothing that will come as a shock to readers as this reveal has been pretty well telegraphed since the first book still, it is interesting to read about Sebastian coming into this knowledge and how it upends his world. Some things are cleared up with the reveal but it also shakes the already fragile relationship between Sebastian and his father, the Earl of Hendon. Along with Sebastian and Hero, this father-son relationship is one I am also strongly rooting for, despite Hendon's wrong choices.
Kat continues to make the odd, but brief, appearance or two but I get the sense that she is going to be in rear view mirror from here on out at least as far as the major story arc goes. I just can't see that her character offers anything to the story, or to Sebastian, that can't be provided by one of the other characters. She does try to encourage the father-son relationship so I give her props for that.
But my most favorite bits were those that dealt with Hero...and with Sebastian trying to deal with Hero, lol. Hero is preoccupied with figuring out just how she is going to deal with some very real consequences stemming from the last book. Because if anyone can find a way, she can. Meanwhile, Sebastian spends his "free" time chasing her down from one London hot spot to another in his efforts to figure out the truth he is sure she is hiding. And all the while, there is the definite sense that while Hero exasperates and frustrates him, and he her, an attraction is growing as well as, perhaps, respect and a better understanding.
He had always thought of her as a formidable, intelligent woman of extraordinary courage and fortitude. But now, standing stiff-backed in the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the garden window, she looked suddenly vulnerable, and maybe a little afraid."
Bring on the next book!
**Re-read it in February 2014 and loved Sebastian and Hero just as much**
October 20, 2020
2020 Reread
1. I stand by everything in my original review.
2. I quite like the flow of the case in this particular one. In many ways, it felt less absolutely bleak than some of these. And I do generally prefer when Sebastian isn't a suspect.
3.
2018
4.5 stars, but I have rounded up. Because I felt like it. This is quite a good mystery. I like the lack of direct connection to Sebastian in this one, and I continue to really enjoy this world, and its characters. Sebastian could maybe use a couple fewer people who randomly pop up and want to kill him though. Just sayin'.
That said, I really liked the dynamic between Sebastian and Jarvis in this one. And the dynamic between Sebastian and Hero, but that obviously goes without saying.
Continue to find his sister so much whatever. Mostly, I just don't get the point of her character, but maybe she has one later. I also do not get the point of Kat, especially moving forward. Mostly because she doesn't add much, except to prompt Sebastian to brood, and to tell him to go talk to his father. Plus, I continue to find her irritating.
Also, totally called it.
1. I stand by everything in my original review.
2. I quite like the flow of the case in this particular one. In many ways, it felt less absolutely bleak than some of these. And I do generally prefer when Sebastian isn't a suspect.
3.
2018
4.5 stars, but I have rounded up. Because I felt like it. This is quite a good mystery. I like the lack of direct connection to Sebastian in this one, and I continue to really enjoy this world, and its characters. Sebastian could maybe use a couple fewer people who randomly pop up and want to kill him though. Just sayin'.
That said, I really liked the dynamic between Sebastian and Jarvis in this one. And the dynamic between Sebastian and Hero, but that obviously goes without saying.
Continue to find his sister so much whatever. Mostly, I just don't get the point of her character, but maybe she has one later. I also do not get the point of Kat, especially moving forward. Mostly because she doesn't add much, except to prompt Sebastian to brood, and to tell him to go talk to his father. Plus, I continue to find her irritating.
Also, totally called it.
September 30, 2025
4 stars.
Sept 2025 - re-listened.
___________
June 2023 - re-listened.
___________
May 2022 - re-listened.
___________
May 2019
Another intricately woven mystery where the discovery of one dead body in the crypt of a church leads to the death of the Bishop of London in the same spot decades later. The author managed to somehow intertwine the two murders to keep Sebastian's investigation very interesting.
On a personal front, just when Sebastian's coming to forgive his father's lies about his mother, he finds there're more lies.... ..and that there are consequences to his interlude with Hero under Somerset House. I do wish there's more romance to their relationship though. Here's hoping that will develop in the coming books.
Sept 2025 - re-listened.
___________
June 2023 - re-listened.
___________
May 2022 - re-listened.
___________
May 2019
Another intricately woven mystery where the discovery of one dead body in the crypt of a church leads to the death of the Bishop of London in the same spot decades later. The author managed to somehow intertwine the two murders to keep Sebastian's investigation very interesting.
On a personal front, just when Sebastian's coming to forgive his father's lies about his mother, he finds there're more lies.... ..and that there are consequences to his interlude with Hero under Somerset House. I do wish there's more romance to their relationship though. Here's hoping that will develop in the coming books.
September 3, 2020
What Remains of Heaven by C.S. Harris was one of those novels that sucked me in fromt the first chapter. The plot is well crafted and there are two murders for Sebastian to solve. Danger, multiple suspects, intrigue and personal revelations kept me turning the pages.
July 29, 2023
I love this series. This is book 5. The murder mystery always has me guessing. The way Sebastian's life is progressing also has you in mystery as to what will happen and what direction it will go. Love the setting of early 1800s England and all that brings to the story.
February 5, 2018
Very entertaining. I look forward to more revelations concerning Hero and Sebastian’s relationship. I have had great admiration for Hero since the first book and I hope to see more of her.
July 20, 2024
4.1 stars
Another very good instalment in the series! The plotting, writing and pacing continues to be gripping, blending adroitly murder and personal storylines. This series has reached its cruise speed, and it can only get better going forward!
While the plot was once again very rich, I was a little bit disappointed by the ending because it was too easy and it left some unanswered to the main case. Namely,
I loved the development of the story on the personal side. It sets up the scene very nicely for the next book. I can't wait. There is one unanswered question that possibly, I hope, will be answered in future books: who tried to kill Sebastian early in the book using that gun? It might also be linked to who had been tailing Sebastian in Book 3 (re: the sugar warehouse), because that too was never clarified?
P.S. I think this is the first book in the series where its title was not explicitly referenced in the book's text.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2018
I cannot get enough! The way C.S. Harris brilliantly weaves in real historical tidbits, the way she connects the mystery to so many of the characters personal lives, the way secrets are revealed while leaving so many more to be answered... It's the reason I'm binge reading without breaks in between (so far). 100% committed and obsessed. The way I feel for so many characters, the emotion is strong. There were even random tears, alongside moments of holding my breath.
I feel a need to play Trivial Pursuit after I'm finished with this series. I am learning so much.
I feel a need to play Trivial Pursuit after I'm finished with this series. I am learning so much.
December 3, 2019
Family secrets and treachery run rampant throughout this story. To make matters worse, Sebastian St. Cyr...Viscount Devlin...learns something that has the ability to turn his world upside down. The reader can't help but become involved as much with the characters as with the murder, although this one will keep you guessing until the very last chapter. I was partially right and still very much wrong...but hey...it was fun. I would recommend this series to anyone that enjoys a good murder mystery...a hero with outstanding character traits...and a good deal of history thrown into a delightful mix.
October 26, 2018
I couldn't put it down
"He {Sebastian} said, 'The last time I participated in a murder investigation, something like a dozen people ended up dead.' "
"those murders had touched him personally in some way, or had involved victims who were otherwise unlikely to find justice. And each case had peeled another layer off his soul."
"Sometimes it's better that the truth never be known."
CS Harris, What Remains of Heaven
"He {Sebastian} said, 'The last time I participated in a murder investigation, something like a dozen people ended up dead.' "
"those murders had touched him personally in some way, or had involved victims who were otherwise unlikely to find justice. And each case had peeled another layer off his soul."
"Sometimes it's better that the truth never be known."
CS Harris, What Remains of Heaven
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