What do you think?
Rate this book
Sebastian St. Cyr #4
Where Serpents Sleep
London, 1812. The brutal slaughter of eight young prostitutes in a house of refuge near Covent Garden leaves only one survivor—and one witness: Hero Jarvis, reform-minded daughter of the Prince Regent's cousin, Lord Jarvis. When the Machiavellian power broker quashes any official inquiry that might reveal his daughter's unorthodox presence, Hero launches an investigation of her own and turns to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, for help. Still struggling to come to terms with the loss of his lover, Kat Boleyn, and the resultant estrangement from his father, Sebastian is at first reluctant to agree. But the callous violence of the murders—combined with the opportunity to provoke his archenemy Jarvis—prompts him to act.
Working in an uneasy alliance, Hero and Sebastian focus their efforts on one particular victim of the carnage: Rose Jones, the terrified nineteen-year-old girl, with the unmistakable accent of a gentlewoman, who died in Hero's arms. As they unravel a dangerous thread of lies and deceptions, Hero and Sebastian follow a trail of clues leading from the seedy brothels and docksides of London's East End to the Mayfair mansions of a noble family with dark secrets of its own to hide. Risking both their lives and their reputations, the two must race against time to stop a killer whose ominous plot threatens to shake the nation to its very core
Working in an uneasy alliance, Hero and Sebastian focus their efforts on one particular victim of the carnage: Rose Jones, the terrified nineteen-year-old girl, with the unmistakable accent of a gentlewoman, who died in Hero's arms. As they unravel a dangerous thread of lies and deceptions, Hero and Sebastian follow a trail of clues leading from the seedy brothels and docksides of London's East End to the Mayfair mansions of a noble family with dark secrets of its own to hide. Risking both their lives and their reputations, the two must race against time to stop a killer whose ominous plot threatens to shake the nation to its very core
343 pages, Hardcover
First published October 16, 2008
309 people are currently reading
2941 people want to read
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 710 reviews
June 19, 2019
4 .5 stars for another excellent book in this fine series which has never disappointed me. I won book 10 in this series 3 years go and have since been going to the library to read the rest of the series in order.
This book opens with a murder of a prostitute in a home for prostitutes run by Quakers who want to redeem them. There is a woman with the prostitute who is interviewing her. Hero Jarvis wants to gather evidence that most prostitutes are driven to prostitution by economic necessity, not poor morals. Once she has enough evidence, she plans to get friends in Parliament to introduce a bill providing assistance to poor women.
Hero's father is Charles, Lord Jarvis, cousin to the Prince Regent and the power behind the throne. He is more powerful than the Prime Minister, but prefers to operate in the shadows. She tells her father what happened. He calls in an operative and orders him to find the killers and kill them. But Hero wants to know who they are, and why they had to kill everyone in the Quaker home. She turns to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin and heir to Earl of Hendon. Devlin has investigated murders before with success, but he and Lord Jarvis despise each other and he is not friendly with Hero. However, he does agree to investigate.
The killers are ruthless and determined. They start killing anyone who might identify them, thwarting Devlin and Hero as they investigate. Devlin and Hero do discover who the killers are leading to a powerful climax. If you like historical fiction with authentic descriptions of 1812 England, then you will enjoy this series. I read this library book in 2 days.
One quote, describing a minor character: " She was a tall woman, taller even than her sonand just as lean, with a face that was all sharp planes and interesting angles accentuated rather than blurred by the passing of the years."
This book opens with a murder of a prostitute in a home for prostitutes run by Quakers who want to redeem them. There is a woman with the prostitute who is interviewing her. Hero Jarvis wants to gather evidence that most prostitutes are driven to prostitution by economic necessity, not poor morals. Once she has enough evidence, she plans to get friends in Parliament to introduce a bill providing assistance to poor women.
Hero's father is Charles, Lord Jarvis, cousin to the Prince Regent and the power behind the throne. He is more powerful than the Prime Minister, but prefers to operate in the shadows. She tells her father what happened. He calls in an operative and orders him to find the killers and kill them. But Hero wants to know who they are, and why they had to kill everyone in the Quaker home. She turns to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin and heir to Earl of Hendon. Devlin has investigated murders before with success, but he and Lord Jarvis despise each other and he is not friendly with Hero. However, he does agree to investigate.
The killers are ruthless and determined. They start killing anyone who might identify them, thwarting Devlin and Hero as they investigate. Devlin and Hero do discover who the killers are leading to a powerful climax. If you like historical fiction with authentic descriptions of 1812 England, then you will enjoy this series. I read this library book in 2 days.
One quote, describing a minor character: " She was a tall woman, taller even than her sonand just as lean, with a face that was all sharp planes and interesting angles accentuated rather than blurred by the passing of the years."
April 4, 2016
And still this series keeps getting better. I really enjoyed this one! Sebastian is such a likable character and we start to see a whole other side of Hero too. The underground scene is certainly a step in the right direction! I like that Sebastian has a whole team of reliable friends behind him now, people he can rely on to help him out. Smart people too who are more than a match for the baddies. I think Sebastian is beginning to discover his strengths now and that he will soon be able to put Kat behind him. All the signs are there and I am looking forward to a lot more murders and a lot more detective work from our charming, aristocratic sleuth.
April 12, 2023
4.5★
“Paying off the hackney, she rang an imperious peal on the Viscount's door. It was opened almost at once by a military-looking majordomo who regarded her with unconcealed suspicion.
‘Pray inform Lord Devlin that I am here to see him,’ she said loftily.
‘And whom shall I say is calling?’
‘My good man,’ said Hero at her most condescending, ‘if I wanted you to know my name, I would have given it to you.’”
This is another page-turning adventure with Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, who seems to be trying to put himself in harm’s way through gambling and drink, the reason for which is explained in the previous book. He used to put himself in harm’s way investigating murders, seeking justice.
London, 1812. England is at war with France, King George III is mad, so the Prince Regent (Prince of Wales) is the ruler. But the real power lies with his advisers, among them his cousin Charles, Lord Jarvis, the calculating, ruthless villain we have met before, Sebastian’s nemesis. When his eldest daughter, Hero Jarvis, finds herself with a dying woman in her arms outside a burning brothel, she is moved to uncover the cause.
It is she who has addressed the majordomo above in her usual fashion. She is a formidable woman, brilliant and educated. She is also very tall and strongly built, with her father’s aquiline nose. Hero is certainly never described as pretty, but she is striking and handsome, “Junoesque”, as the author puts it. She is also very obviously a lady of some importance, so when she speaks, people seem inclined to jump.
She approaches Lord Devlin (Sebastian) outside a shop and convinces him there is some plot afoot to target and murder prostitutes. She explains that she happens to know about it all because of her research into conditions for women. He and Hero and her father have been at odds before. She loves her father and she is very much his daughter, but where he aspires to political power, she seeks social reform.
His interest piqued, Sebastian begins to investigate, which irritates the authorities, Lord Jarvis, and just about everyone else. Needless to say, Hero Jarvis does not sit meekly at home, awaiting reports. No, she’s out getting herself into trouble because she can go places he can’t, speak to women who won’t talk to him.
Lord Jarvis is having his daughter followed, and of course the perpetrators of the murders are still at large, so Hero is dodging men everywhere in order to purse the truth. She shows up at Lord Devlin’s to tell him of her progress. He knows there's more to it.
“ ‘On the strength of our limited acquaintance, however, I suspect you have already made up your mind to go and have simply come here to request that I accompany you’—his gaze took in her riding costume – ‘posing, I take it, as your groom?’
‘And to beg the loan of a horse. I was forced to slip out the basement to avoid my watchdog.’
‘We could take a hackney.’
‘Then I would need a lady's maid, not a groom,’ she pointed out.
‘True. Unfortunately, I don't own any ladies' horses.’
‘Neither do I.’”
And that pretty much sums up Hero Jarvis.
There are more murders and more intrigue. Paul Gibson, a recurring character, is a former army surgeon who does autopsies as required and stitches up Sebastian as necessary.
“Paul Gibson thrust his needle through the flesh of Sebastian's forearm, stitching up the long gash left by [X]'s blade.
‘You're lucky,’ said Gibson.‘He nearly sliced the tendon.’
Sebastian watched the Irishman work his needle in and out. ‘I think you sew better than my tailor.’
Gibson tied off his thread and reached for a pair of scissors. ‘You keep me in practice.’”
Sebastian spent several years in the military, and his connections come in handy. The dangers are real and the story moves along quickly. I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the history. The writing is descriptive without being florid, and the dialogue is good. I wasn’t aware of any glaring anachronisms to interrupt me, and that’s always a plus.
On to the next!
My reviews of the previous 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...
“Paying off the hackney, she rang an imperious peal on the Viscount's door. It was opened almost at once by a military-looking majordomo who regarded her with unconcealed suspicion.
‘Pray inform Lord Devlin that I am here to see him,’ she said loftily.
‘And whom shall I say is calling?’
‘My good man,’ said Hero at her most condescending, ‘if I wanted you to know my name, I would have given it to you.’”
This is another page-turning adventure with Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, who seems to be trying to put himself in harm’s way through gambling and drink, the reason for which is explained in the previous book. He used to put himself in harm’s way investigating murders, seeking justice.
London, 1812. England is at war with France, King George III is mad, so the Prince Regent (Prince of Wales) is the ruler. But the real power lies with his advisers, among them his cousin Charles, Lord Jarvis, the calculating, ruthless villain we have met before, Sebastian’s nemesis. When his eldest daughter, Hero Jarvis, finds herself with a dying woman in her arms outside a burning brothel, she is moved to uncover the cause.
It is she who has addressed the majordomo above in her usual fashion. She is a formidable woman, brilliant and educated. She is also very tall and strongly built, with her father’s aquiline nose. Hero is certainly never described as pretty, but she is striking and handsome, “Junoesque”, as the author puts it. She is also very obviously a lady of some importance, so when she speaks, people seem inclined to jump.
She approaches Lord Devlin (Sebastian) outside a shop and convinces him there is some plot afoot to target and murder prostitutes. She explains that she happens to know about it all because of her research into conditions for women. He and Hero and her father have been at odds before. She loves her father and she is very much his daughter, but where he aspires to political power, she seeks social reform.
His interest piqued, Sebastian begins to investigate, which irritates the authorities, Lord Jarvis, and just about everyone else. Needless to say, Hero Jarvis does not sit meekly at home, awaiting reports. No, she’s out getting herself into trouble because she can go places he can’t, speak to women who won’t talk to him.
Lord Jarvis is having his daughter followed, and of course the perpetrators of the murders are still at large, so Hero is dodging men everywhere in order to purse the truth. She shows up at Lord Devlin’s to tell him of her progress. He knows there's more to it.
“ ‘On the strength of our limited acquaintance, however, I suspect you have already made up your mind to go and have simply come here to request that I accompany you’—his gaze took in her riding costume – ‘posing, I take it, as your groom?’
‘And to beg the loan of a horse. I was forced to slip out the basement to avoid my watchdog.’
‘We could take a hackney.’
‘Then I would need a lady's maid, not a groom,’ she pointed out.
‘True. Unfortunately, I don't own any ladies' horses.’
‘Neither do I.’”
And that pretty much sums up Hero Jarvis.
There are more murders and more intrigue. Paul Gibson, a recurring character, is a former army surgeon who does autopsies as required and stitches up Sebastian as necessary.
“Paul Gibson thrust his needle through the flesh of Sebastian's forearm, stitching up the long gash left by [X]'s blade.
‘You're lucky,’ said Gibson.‘He nearly sliced the tendon.’
Sebastian watched the Irishman work his needle in and out. ‘I think you sew better than my tailor.’
Gibson tied off his thread and reached for a pair of scissors. ‘You keep me in practice.’”
Sebastian spent several years in the military, and his connections come in handy. The dangers are real and the story moves along quickly. I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the history. The writing is descriptive without being florid, and the dialogue is good. I wasn’t aware of any glaring anachronisms to interrupt me, and that’s always a plus.
On to the next!
My reviews of the previous 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...
January 10, 2017
This series just seems to get better and better. Perhaps because Sebastian St Cyr, Lord Devlin has settled into his role as a high society sleuth and investigator of murders and has decided to put aside his wallowing in misery over his ill-fated affair with Kat, a Covent Garden actress. Perhaps it's because the politics and events of the regency period are so well integrated into the plot to add interest and substance to the crimes committed and those involved. Perhaps it's also because of the emergence of a new central character, Hero Jarvis, strong minded independent daughter of Charles, Lord Jarvis, cousin to the King and often Sebastian's adversary. Hero is a reformer and is researching the lives of women prostitutes when a half-way house for fallen women run by the Friends is burnt to the ground in an attempt to cover up the murder of the eight women found inside. Hero was convinced that one of the women was from an aristocratic family and so seeks Sebastian's help to find out who she was and who was behind the murders. Hero is the perfect foil for Sebastian - smart and tough and able to put him in his place. There are a lot of sparks flying between the two and a definite chemistry even if neither of them will admit it and it's clear that we'll be seeing quite a bit more of Hero in subsequent episodes.
November 4, 2022
I love this series. This book is just full of twists and turns and no lack of suspects for the baddie. I listened to the audio but had too many distractions and feel that I missed a lot of what was going on. I'm going to read the books in the future. I love Sebastian’s mystery-solving abilities and the people who help him help him find the baddie and deliver justice, Tom his young Tiger, Paul Gibson the surgeon/coroner of all dead things/people, and Sir Henry Lovejoy who gets a promotion in this book, at least I think it was a promotion. I particularly enjoy the growing relationship between Hero and Sebastian. I have loved Hero since her first appearance in the first book when Sebastian kidnapped her. She has a spine of steel and a brain to match Sebastian's.
Hero Jarvis, daughter of the Prince Regent's cousin, Lord Jarvis, is a socially conscious member of London's upper class. She is doing research on why women become prostitutes and interviewing those who had chosen to leave the life who are now living at a half-way house run by a church group. While she is there the house is attacked. Hero and one of the women escape, but the woman is shot and killed. Hero is the only survivor of the attack and subsequent fire that destroyed the house. Eight women perished and what passes for law enforcement could care less.
But Hero cares and is determined to find out why it was necessary to kill and burn eight women. She goes to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin for help. Sebastian is intrigued and this is just what he needs to drag him out of his malaises after losing Kat. Sebastian agrees to investigate even though he and Hero's father are pretty much enemies or maybe because of it. They follow clues all over London and when Hero is attacked, it becomes apparent that there is more to the deaths and the killers are determined that there be no witnesses to what happened to the prostitutes or anyone investigating the deaths.
Hero Jarvis, daughter of the Prince Regent's cousin, Lord Jarvis, is a socially conscious member of London's upper class. She is doing research on why women become prostitutes and interviewing those who had chosen to leave the life who are now living at a half-way house run by a church group. While she is there the house is attacked. Hero and one of the women escape, but the woman is shot and killed. Hero is the only survivor of the attack and subsequent fire that destroyed the house. Eight women perished and what passes for law enforcement could care less.
But Hero cares and is determined to find out why it was necessary to kill and burn eight women. She goes to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin for help. Sebastian is intrigued and this is just what he needs to drag him out of his malaises after losing Kat. Sebastian agrees to investigate even though he and Hero's father are pretty much enemies or maybe because of it. They follow clues all over London and when Hero is attacked, it becomes apparent that there is more to the deaths and the killers are determined that there be no witnesses to what happened to the prostitutes or anyone investigating the deaths.
November 5, 2018
Oh, what a ride!
Poor Sebastian!!! How can he says no to Hero, Jarvis' daugther?
And how can the death of several prostitutes lead to the death of Prime Minister?
Oh, I love the devious mind of C.S. Harris and how Sebastian and Hero are led by their noses around searching for killers, only to sumble on corpse after corpse one after the other!
This was another intricate story, but I got used to them in this series! That's why I said "poor Sebastian"!
I already knew what end met the poor women, being them widows, or impoverished daugthers, or just ruined ones... but it was really with sour taste in my mouth that I read the why and how poor Rachel ended a prosititute...
And also because I wanted to kick in the nuts very many of the men here! How dare they judge?
I also wanted to hug Sebastian because he got it! And Hero too, even if she started with a study-attitude, she changed her point of view when fronted with harsh reality.
I'm liking Hero and her no-nonsense attitude, but also because she's, as Sebastian says himself, the only one who can manage Lord Jarvis! :-)
On to the next!
Poor Sebastian!!! How can he says no to Hero, Jarvis' daugther?
And how can the death of several prostitutes lead to the death of Prime Minister?
Oh, I love the devious mind of C.S. Harris and how Sebastian and Hero are led by their noses around searching for killers, only to sumble on corpse after corpse one after the other!
This was another intricate story, but I got used to them in this series! That's why I said "poor Sebastian"!
I already knew what end met the poor women, being them widows, or impoverished daugthers, or just ruined ones... but it was really with sour taste in my mouth that I read the why and how poor Rachel ended a prosititute...
And also because I wanted to kick in the nuts very many of the men here! How dare they judge?
I also wanted to hug Sebastian because he got it! And Hero too, even if she started with a study-attitude, she changed her point of view when fronted with harsh reality.
I'm liking Hero and her no-nonsense attitude, but also because she's, as Sebastian says himself, the only one who can manage Lord Jarvis! :-)
On to the next!
November 6, 2010
I skipped books 2 and 3 accidentally to read this, but not really, haha. I read the synopses and I really wasn't so into the main characters' relationships in #1, and when I saw the description on THIS one, #4, I snapped it up: I REALLY LOVED THIS BOOK!
Why? Because of a GREAT female character "Hero Jarvis". So funny and fresh and just a delight to read about, I found myself wishing she were the lead character over and over, and her interactions with the hero were delightful. SOO MUCH BETTER THAN KAT AND St. CYR!
Love loved the book! Def. the best in the series so far.
Why? Because of a GREAT female character "Hero Jarvis". So funny and fresh and just a delight to read about, I found myself wishing she were the lead character over and over, and her interactions with the hero were delightful. SOO MUCH BETTER THAN KAT AND St. CYR!
Love loved the book! Def. the best in the series so far.
June 16, 2017
The series continues to be a top notch historical suspense with an added bonus of just budding but very promising romance. And again, as with other installments, the journey of solving mystery is much more enjoyable than the resolution itself. I should get used to it by now and not even try to guess the culprit as it's usually not on par with the story.
February 5, 2018
4.5 This story was very good, as are they all so far in the series. It was much more interesting to have Hero Jarvis play a more significant role and much more interesting with less of Kat Boleyn! I enjoy the backdrop and contextual details of the Napoleonic war and the range of postings for military men was surprisingly wide (to me anyway!) I enjoyed the relationship between Sebastian and his great aunt and loved the details in the fashion of the time- the turbans with fruit or feathers on in shocking pink for example. Interesting too to see the contrast in how Jarvis behaves with his daughter and everyone else. Finally, the shift in relations between Sebastian and his father is quite a touching one. Recommended series!
December 8, 2019
Five stars for every scene with Hero.
But the rest of this mystery, and the pacing, was a bit of a miss for me. Didn't quite measure up to the previous two. But still hella enjoying.
But the rest of this mystery, and the pacing, was a bit of a miss for me. Didn't quite measure up to the previous two. But still hella enjoying.
September 13, 2016
This is definitely my favorite book in the series so far. It once again presents an interesting murder mystery, with origins rooted in the darker aspects of mankind, wrapped up in some political intrigue and all the hallmarks of the regency period in which it all takes place. But this series has consistently done that since the first book so what changed with this one? What bumped it up to a four star book for me? Well, for starters, there was blessedly little of Kat this time around. Maybe the author is making it up to the readers for the excess of Kat in the last book (to my mind anyway), but she makes only three very brief appearances here. And when I say brief, I mean less than a page total for two of them and even those seemed completely shoehorned in.
Sebastian remains the cool, yet passionate and sexy Earl's son that we've come to know and love. This book picks up about eight months after the events of the last book and it seems that Sebastian has spent those intervening months in something of a drunken stupor, pining away for his lost love...which, cry me a river because that's how little I care. I'm just grateful that we were spared that eight month emo fest. Clearly, Sebastian needs a kick in the breeches...something to spark his interest in life again, in living. It could be a woman, or it could be a murder. It could be both.
Which brings me to the real reason that I enjoyed this book so much: Hero Jarvis. Miss Jarvis is a character that was first introduced in book one when Sebastian briefly kidnapped her to ensure his safe escape. She's the daughter of Sebastian's political nemesis who also happens to be the Machiavellan power behind the British throne. Since that first introduction though, Hero has been sparingly used which is a damn pity because, to paraphrase Sebastian himself, "if ever there was woman who could take care of herself, it was Hero Jarvis." Hero takes center stage in this book or at least she shares it with Sebastian and I loved it! As the sole survivor of a brutal assault that leaves eight other women dead, and stymied by her father in her request to launch an official investigation, Hero turns to the only person in her acquaintance - however strained that acquaintance might be - who has even the slighest knowledge in how to proceed with a murder investigation. She turns to Sebastian. What follows is a curiously entertaining dual investigation by two people who at times seem to barely tolerate each other. And yet, there are definite moments of humor and a begrudging sense of admiration. Don't get me wrong, Sebastian isn't losing his heart to anyone new but, oh, how I feel the stirrings of hope. THIS is the chemistry that I've been looking for and which, in my opinion, has been sorely lacking in the Sebastian/Kat department.
"I suspected it was you," said an amused voice, "from my majordomo's description. I don't know that many tall, haughty gentlewomen with the manner of a Turkish pasha."
She swung to face him. "I don't know any Turkish pashas."
"Which is probably a good thing," he said, leaving the door open behind him. "They like their women obsequious and agreeable."
"Like most Englishmen."
"Like most men," he agreed, advancing into the room.
Hero is no shrinking violet and she's no damsel in distress. *cough*Katinbookone*cough* I don't know about Sebastian, but she completely won me over. I think I know what might be coming next because the foreshadowing was of the hit-you-over-the-head-it's-so-obvious variety but I don't even care. I'm tentatively excited (hopeful?) to see what Hero can bring to the story next and how Sebastian will deal with it.
**Re-read February 2014 and it was just as good the second time around.**
Sebastian remains the cool, yet passionate and sexy Earl's son that we've come to know and love. This book picks up about eight months after the events of the last book and it seems that Sebastian has spent those intervening months in something of a drunken stupor, pining away for his lost love...which, cry me a river because that's how little I care. I'm just grateful that we were spared that eight month emo fest. Clearly, Sebastian needs a kick in the breeches...something to spark his interest in life again, in living. It could be a woman, or it could be a murder. It could be both.
Which brings me to the real reason that I enjoyed this book so much: Hero Jarvis. Miss Jarvis is a character that was first introduced in book one when Sebastian briefly kidnapped her to ensure his safe escape. She's the daughter of Sebastian's political nemesis who also happens to be the Machiavellan power behind the British throne. Since that first introduction though, Hero has been sparingly used which is a damn pity because, to paraphrase Sebastian himself, "if ever there was woman who could take care of herself, it was Hero Jarvis." Hero takes center stage in this book or at least she shares it with Sebastian and I loved it! As the sole survivor of a brutal assault that leaves eight other women dead, and stymied by her father in her request to launch an official investigation, Hero turns to the only person in her acquaintance - however strained that acquaintance might be - who has even the slighest knowledge in how to proceed with a murder investigation. She turns to Sebastian. What follows is a curiously entertaining dual investigation by two people who at times seem to barely tolerate each other. And yet, there are definite moments of humor and a begrudging sense of admiration. Don't get me wrong, Sebastian isn't losing his heart to anyone new but, oh, how I feel the stirrings of hope. THIS is the chemistry that I've been looking for and which, in my opinion, has been sorely lacking in the Sebastian/Kat department.
"I suspected it was you," said an amused voice, "from my majordomo's description. I don't know that many tall, haughty gentlewomen with the manner of a Turkish pasha."
She swung to face him. "I don't know any Turkish pashas."
"Which is probably a good thing," he said, leaving the door open behind him. "They like their women obsequious and agreeable."
"Like most Englishmen."
"Like most men," he agreed, advancing into the room.
Hero is no shrinking violet and she's no damsel in distress. *cough*Katinbookone*cough* I don't know about Sebastian, but she completely won me over. I think I know what might be coming next because the foreshadowing was of the hit-you-over-the-head-it's-so-obvious variety but I don't even care. I'm tentatively excited (hopeful?) to see what Hero can bring to the story next and how Sebastian will deal with it.
**Re-read February 2014 and it was just as good the second time around.**
March 6, 2019
Magnificent. I am in awe of this author’s talent.
June 7, 2021
5 STARS
Well, I'm fully invested now. I may as swell order the rest of the series. I feel like I'm binging a show on Netflix. I see a few things coming up in the future. I'm not quite sure how they are going to play out, but I know what I want to happen. It's too late to start book 5 tonight, but I will be on it sometime tomorrow, to be sure! Great series.
There was quite a pile up of bodies in this one. Almost too many, if you ask me. But it makes for exciting reading. I can't wait to see what's coming next.
He'd thought himself dead within, and at times found himself wishing for death. Ironic that he should be so aware of the life coursing through him now, when he was about to lose it.
Well, I'm fully invested now. I may as swell order the rest of the series. I feel like I'm binging a show on Netflix. I see a few things coming up in the future. I'm not quite sure how they are going to play out, but I know what I want to happen. It's too late to start book 5 tonight, but I will be on it sometime tomorrow, to be sure! Great series.
There was quite a pile up of bodies in this one. Almost too many, if you ask me. But it makes for exciting reading. I can't wait to see what's coming next.
March 28, 2018
4.5 - Easily as good as the others though I especially enjoyed the enhanced role of Hero Jarvis in this one. I did though have a slight deduction for a somewhat confusing mystery that was pretty twisty by the end, and I'm not sure still if all the parts came together as well as they could.
The story starts off on such a strong note with Hero working undercover as a journalist in a brothel in her efforts to try to influence legislation to help prostitutes in London. Unbeknownst to her, the young woman she is interviewing is from a well-respected family and is in hiding. She is also as it turns out sought by a group of armed men hunting her down, and Hero barely escapes the brothel with her life. The body count is high in this book compared to the others before it. Hero wisely chooses Sebastian to help her track down the killers and though he finds Hero arrogant and cold, he is willing to get involved. It helps too that the story begins months after Sebastian and Kat have ended their affair and that the story picks up with Sebastian ready to start putting his drunken, moping days behind him. And even though he is still depressed and heartbroken, the mystery provides a welcome distraction, as does Hero's insistent presence in his life.
Clearly Hero is going to be a major character in the series now that she and Sebastian have joined forces to solve a mystery together. Though Sebastian is reluctant to claim her as a partner here, it is also very clear that these two work well together, and in a way that he and Kat never managed. They have so much chemistry together and I felt too that Hero's ability to serve as a sounding board to Sebastian's musings helped move the investigations forward. Sebastian and Kat were so often operating on two very different planes and never felt at ease with each other. That's not the case at all with Hero, and the times when Sebastian withholds information from Hero, he's doing it to shield her from sordid events that he fears will upset her. It also is worth noting that he never really manages to fool Hero as she is rarely a step behind him. The budding romance is so subtle but so nicely done too. Neither are looking for a romance, and if they were, they certainly would not be looking at each other given their past antagonism. Having said that, there are lovely, subtle signs that these two are going to come to care a great deal for each other. Sebastian reluctantly admires her. He finds her brilliant and courageous and as he learns more about her motives in being involved in the mystery, he respects her motivations for getting involved, and more importantly, he shares them. It turns out that these two characters are actually quite alike. Hero on the surface seems even less inclined to look to Sebastian for anything beyond what his detective skills can reveal to her about the murder of London prostitutes, but in brief conversations with her father, she reveals that she trusts Sebastian and that she believes him to be a good man. By the end of the book she reveals too that she worries for his safety. There is an encounter between them that I didn't see coming, or at least so soon, but it felt understandable given what they endure together. Of course, it also foreshadows future events between them too.
I wasn't sure what to make of Sebastian's brief encounter with Kat at the end of the book and why he refers to their romance as the love of his life except that at this point in the series, I'm not sure either Sebastian or Kat, or even Hero for that matter, are entirely reliable narrators. I think too that Sebastian just needs more time away from Kat and more time with Hero to see clearly which of the two is the right woman for him.
The story starts off on such a strong note with Hero working undercover as a journalist in a brothel in her efforts to try to influence legislation to help prostitutes in London. Unbeknownst to her, the young woman she is interviewing is from a well-respected family and is in hiding. She is also as it turns out sought by a group of armed men hunting her down, and Hero barely escapes the brothel with her life. The body count is high in this book compared to the others before it. Hero wisely chooses Sebastian to help her track down the killers and though he finds Hero arrogant and cold, he is willing to get involved. It helps too that the story begins months after Sebastian and Kat have ended their affair and that the story picks up with Sebastian ready to start putting his drunken, moping days behind him. And even though he is still depressed and heartbroken, the mystery provides a welcome distraction, as does Hero's insistent presence in his life.
Clearly Hero is going to be a major character in the series now that she and Sebastian have joined forces to solve a mystery together. Though Sebastian is reluctant to claim her as a partner here, it is also very clear that these two work well together, and in a way that he and Kat never managed. They have so much chemistry together and I felt too that Hero's ability to serve as a sounding board to Sebastian's musings helped move the investigations forward. Sebastian and Kat were so often operating on two very different planes and never felt at ease with each other. That's not the case at all with Hero, and the times when Sebastian withholds information from Hero, he's doing it to shield her from sordid events that he fears will upset her. It also is worth noting that he never really manages to fool Hero as she is rarely a step behind him. The budding romance is so subtle but so nicely done too. Neither are looking for a romance, and if they were, they certainly would not be looking at each other given their past antagonism. Having said that, there are lovely, subtle signs that these two are going to come to care a great deal for each other. Sebastian reluctantly admires her. He finds her brilliant and courageous and as he learns more about her motives in being involved in the mystery, he respects her motivations for getting involved, and more importantly, he shares them. It turns out that these two characters are actually quite alike. Hero on the surface seems even less inclined to look to Sebastian for anything beyond what his detective skills can reveal to her about the murder of London prostitutes, but in brief conversations with her father, she reveals that she trusts Sebastian and that she believes him to be a good man. By the end of the book she reveals too that she worries for his safety. There is an encounter between them that I didn't see coming, or at least so soon, but it felt understandable given what they endure together. Of course, it also foreshadows future events between them too.
I wasn't sure what to make of Sebastian's brief encounter with Kat at the end of the book and why he refers to their romance as the love of his life except that at this point in the series, I'm not sure either Sebastian or Kat, or even Hero for that matter, are entirely reliable narrators. I think too that Sebastian just needs more time away from Kat and more time with Hero to see clearly which of the two is the right woman for him.
July 26, 2023
After the great boost the series achieved in volume 3, this book continues in the same vein. It opens with Hero Jarvis, daughter of Sebastian's powerful enemy, interviewing a young woman in the Magdalen House run by the Society of Friends (Quakers) to help prostitutes leave the trade. Hero is intrigued by the woman whose accent shows her to be of the same social background as Hero herself, rather than the poor women from city or country that she normally encounters in her research. Her goal is to write a paper to try to convince Parliament that women mainly go into prostitution through dire need, not because they are inherently lacking in morals as the conventional view would have it.
Disaster strikes as the building is invaded by murderous men who begin to kill everyone there. Showing her usual presence of mind, Hero manages to get herself and the young woman, who goes by the name of Rose, onto the roof and then jumps down onto one of the villains, knocking him out. She and Rose run and nearly escape, but as they near Hero's carriage, a shot rings out and Rose dies in Hero's arms. Hero decides to investigate the mass murder after the house is torched to conceal the atrocity and the authorities hush it up as a house fire despite the obvious wounds on the bodies. As her father forbids her to approach the Bow Street magistrate who would be in charge of investigation, she involves Sebastian instead.
There was plenty of action in this story, in which a complicated conspiracy was gradually revealed. Both Sebastian and Hero had to fight for their lives on more than one occasion, and Hero was a great foil for him with her superb competence, which includes being a good shot. Despite Sebastian's efforts to shield her, as a gentlewoman, from the nastier and more disturbing aspects of the case, she uncovers a lot of the facts for herself and handles her discoveries with equanimity. The one thing I wasn't so convinced by was the manner in which the author finally 'gets them together' - even facing certain death, it seemed a bit of a stretch. But otherwise, the setup for the series is all properly in place now, especially since, by the end of the book, his magistrate friend is also looking to be far better placed to help Sebastian in future. Not quite a full rating due to my reservations, but a solid 4 star read.
Disaster strikes as the building is invaded by murderous men who begin to kill everyone there. Showing her usual presence of mind, Hero manages to get herself and the young woman, who goes by the name of Rose, onto the roof and then jumps down onto one of the villains, knocking him out. She and Rose run and nearly escape, but as they near Hero's carriage, a shot rings out and Rose dies in Hero's arms. Hero decides to investigate the mass murder after the house is torched to conceal the atrocity and the authorities hush it up as a house fire despite the obvious wounds on the bodies. As her father forbids her to approach the Bow Street magistrate who would be in charge of investigation, she involves Sebastian instead.
There was plenty of action in this story, in which a complicated conspiracy was gradually revealed. Both Sebastian and Hero had to fight for their lives on more than one occasion, and Hero was a great foil for him with her superb competence, which includes being a good shot. Despite Sebastian's efforts to shield her, as a gentlewoman, from the nastier and more disturbing aspects of the case, she uncovers a lot of the facts for herself and handles her discoveries with equanimity. The one thing I wasn't so convinced by was the manner in which the author finally 'gets them together' - even facing certain death, it seemed a bit of a stretch. But otherwise, the setup for the series is all properly in place now, especially since, by the end of the book, his magistrate friend is also looking to be far better placed to help Sebastian in future. Not quite a full rating due to my reservations, but a solid 4 star read.
August 31, 2018
When Hero Jarvis witnesses the murder of 8 prostitutes and barely escapes with her own life, she does the only logical thing and approaches Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, to request he get ON THE CASE. Sebastian, who is busy pouting about his break up, finally does get ON THE CASE and also on Hero Jarvis?
1. I yearned for more Hero Jarvis?? And while I loved every page that I got, I just wanted that touch of more that I am clearly not going to get until book #94 which, ugh. But HERO JARVIS, prim badass who manages to get along with her father and be self-aware and bold and brilliant UGH I LOVE IT.
2. NOT ENOUGH HERO JARVIS.
3. Sebastian's pouting is obnoxious but still somehow more tolerable than his relationship with Kat, SO.
4. The case was: whatever. I should have flagged Bellingham's name but I DID NOT and got distracted by all the neck-breaking everywhere. (Although I was slightly confused by the list of Epsom-Salt's earlier victims because I could have sworn one of them was Lord Stanton who Sebastian ended up killing with a knife to the throat? Or am I confused again?)
5. I actually did kind of miss Sebastian's pops in this? I am confused by this as well?
1. I yearned for more Hero Jarvis?? And while I loved every page that I got, I just wanted that touch of more that I am clearly not going to get until book #94 which, ugh. But HERO JARVIS, prim badass who manages to get along with her father and be self-aware and bold and brilliant UGH I LOVE IT.
2. NOT ENOUGH HERO JARVIS.
3. Sebastian's pouting is obnoxious but still somehow more tolerable than his relationship with Kat, SO.
4. The case was: whatever. I should have flagged Bellingham's name but I DID NOT and got distracted by all the neck-breaking everywhere. (Although I was slightly confused by the list of Epsom-Salt's earlier victims because I could have sworn one of them was Lord Stanton who Sebastian ended up killing with a knife to the throat? Or am I confused again?)
5. I actually did kind of miss Sebastian's pops in this? I am confused by this as well?
July 17, 2020
I just want to rave about this series. I am not going to write anything new that someone hasn't already put into words. Its just that this is a great series. I have run out of audible credits and now am waiting for the library to get the book that is on hold for the next one. I will miss the narrator who does a superb job. But on to the written word for me!
July 19, 2024
4.3 stars
What a gripping plot! The twists and turns were surprising, rich and very entertaining. It was really nice the way the plot was tied with an historical event (). I was moreso happy that the investigation was once again developped in a natural, organic way and that Sebastian is indeed becoming a better sleuth (though I shook my head at his last minute accusing Jarvis).
And I loved the intermingling of the personal life of Sebastian in the story. CSH does a great job in painting her characters, even secondary ones, with many layers (e.g. Jarvis and his deep, warm relationship with his daughter). Hero was a surprising woman, with nerves of steel that rivalled Sebastian's (except on that one memorable occasion 😌).
On the next book!
P.S. Maybe I am a bit dense (or more probably amnesia prone 😅), but the 'great enmity' between Jarvis and Sebastian does not seem that great and justified based on all that happened so far. I would have classified it rather as a deep, mutual and natural loathing rather than the 'mortal enemy' route that the story is pushing at. Did I miss a world shaking event on why they would want to annihilate each other?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2019
What can I say at this point? Y’all should listen to me anyway. I’m hooked. A goner. I’m 4 books in and no lookin back.
The mystery was..okay. But who’s here for that? This is 100% sebastian. And that was amazing. So much is happening - to him. Around him. Bc of him. And there are huge issues brewing.
I can gush about Sebastian. His layers. His loss. His pain. His sense of right and wrong. His goodness - downplayed but ever present. But as stated - I’m hardly a reliable reviewer here. I’m obsessed with him. Sort of obsessed with the series - I like the side characters and their stories. But Sebastian...here’s the thing. I’d tell you he’s a top 5 hero. But come on. He has like 15 books out! That’s more time than I think I’ve ever spent with a book hero. Even at the 4 I’ve read Sebastian is entering Harry Potter territory for sheer time together. And the fact that I’m not tired of him - not in the slightest - can’t wait to start the next one - should tell you how amazing and multi faceted and fascinating he is.
I have arcs to review. And I’m a stickler. Dates. Responsibilities. I need to read these books. And for the first time. Ever. EVER. I’m like “meh. They’re not going to be this. They reek of mediocrity. Give me more Sebastian.”
Not. Cute.
The mystery was..okay. But who’s here for that? This is 100% sebastian. And that was amazing. So much is happening - to him. Around him. Bc of him. And there are huge issues brewing.
I can gush about Sebastian. His layers. His loss. His pain. His sense of right and wrong. His goodness - downplayed but ever present. But as stated - I’m hardly a reliable reviewer here. I’m obsessed with him. Sort of obsessed with the series - I like the side characters and their stories. But Sebastian...here’s the thing. I’d tell you he’s a top 5 hero. But come on. He has like 15 books out! That’s more time than I think I’ve ever spent with a book hero. Even at the 4 I’ve read Sebastian is entering Harry Potter territory for sheer time together. And the fact that I’m not tired of him - not in the slightest - can’t wait to start the next one - should tell you how amazing and multi faceted and fascinating he is.
I have arcs to review. And I’m a stickler. Dates. Responsibilities. I need to read these books. And for the first time. Ever. EVER. I’m like “meh. They’re not going to be this. They reek of mediocrity. Give me more Sebastian.”
Not. Cute.
September 30, 2025
3.5 stars.
Sept 2025 - re-listened.
____________
June 2023 - re-listened.
____________
May 2022 - re-listened.
____________
May 2019
Hero Jarvis is finally front and centre in this one. Although I thought what happened between her and Sebastian seem a bit too quick and I wonder how their relationship's going to turn out.
I liked how the author managed to link everything together especially as there're actually quite a few mysteries/secrets to be revealed.
Sept 2025 - re-listened.
____________
June 2023 - re-listened.
____________
May 2022 - re-listened.
____________
May 2019
Hero Jarvis is finally front and centre in this one. Although I thought what happened between her and Sebastian seem a bit too quick and I wonder how their relationship's going to turn out.
I liked how the author managed to link everything together especially as there're actually quite a few mysteries/secrets to be revealed.
October 5, 2020
I’ve been intrigued by Hero Jarvis ever since she was introduced in book one and this book proves why. I was a little apprehensive because based on the reviews, she’s a well loved character and her romance was Sebastian was really hyped by fans of this series. I have to say it’s everything they say it is and more. I love the “hero is in love with another woman when he met the heroine” trope and this book hits all the right spot.
January 26, 2023
Reread/listened to audiobook Jan'2023
5+ stars - Historical Mystery/Thriller
I love this series so much, and Davina Porter's audiobook narration is phenomenal.
Original rating/review Nov'2020
5+ stars - Historical Mystery/Thriller
Another complex, intriguing mystery in this excellent series! Big 5 stars!
5+ stars - Historical Mystery/Thriller
I love this series so much, and Davina Porter's audiobook narration is phenomenal.
Original rating/review Nov'2020
5+ stars - Historical Mystery/Thriller
Another complex, intriguing mystery in this excellent series! Big 5 stars!
December 28, 2019
Audio: 5 STARS!!
Story: 5 STARS!!
My love affair with Sebastian St. Cyr continues. :D
Story: 5 STARS!!
My love affair with Sebastian St. Cyr continues. :D
December 3, 2008
WHERE SERPENTS SLEEP (Hist. Mys-Sabastian St. Cyr-England-Regency/1812) - Ex
Harris, C.S. (aka Candice E. Proctor) – 4th in series
Obsidian, 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780451225122
First Sentence: The girl stared out the window, one hand sliding up and down her shawl-covered arm in a ceaseless, uneasy motion.
Hero Jarvis is a reformist working on a theory as to what drives women to prostitution. She is also daughter to a cousin of the Prince regent. While interviewing one of the women, Rose, who had clearly been a gentlewoman, men break into Magdalene House, a shelter for women trying to escape the life, with Rose the object of the search. Rose and Hero escape the house, but Rose is shot and killed.
Hero appeals for help in finding out who Rose really was and why she turned to prostitution, to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin. When Devlin learns all the women in the house had been murdered and the house burnt down and any investigation stopped, he agrees to help her
Each time I start a new book, I hope for the best and I certainly got it here. As with all of Harris’ books, this was a don’t-bother-me-I’m- reading, one-stop read.
The characters are wonderful. Hero is an intelligent, gutsy, independent and appropriately named. Devlin is a former soldier, recovering from heartbreak and in need of a new challenge. Then there is Tom, 14-year-old former pickpocket now Devlin’s ‘tiger’ who takes care of the horses, James Calhoon, the son-of-a-prostitute valet, and Paul Gibson, invalid ex-army doctor who conducts autopsies. All the characters are well done and actual historical characters are used in realistic, appropriate ways.
Harris provides a detailed view into both the ballrooms and the back alleys of Regency England. Devlin may be fighting for his life in the afternoon and heading off to Almak’s in the evening. Both events are handled with style and panache.
I love good dialogue. Ms. Harris does provide good dialogue. There’s a wonderful scene where Devlin is talking with a Calhoun’s mother, who has a thick Gordie accent and there are times Calhoun has to translate for him. The story is very well done.
At one point, I was having trouble seeing how everything fit together, but Harris brought it all together in a way that made sense without at all stretching credulity. Even the romance made sense to the story and the ending was so well done. Now my only regret is having to wait another year for the next book.
Harris, C.S. (aka Candice E. Proctor) – 4th in series
Obsidian, 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780451225122
First Sentence: The girl stared out the window, one hand sliding up and down her shawl-covered arm in a ceaseless, uneasy motion.
Hero Jarvis is a reformist working on a theory as to what drives women to prostitution. She is also daughter to a cousin of the Prince regent. While interviewing one of the women, Rose, who had clearly been a gentlewoman, men break into Magdalene House, a shelter for women trying to escape the life, with Rose the object of the search. Rose and Hero escape the house, but Rose is shot and killed.
Hero appeals for help in finding out who Rose really was and why she turned to prostitution, to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin. When Devlin learns all the women in the house had been murdered and the house burnt down and any investigation stopped, he agrees to help her
Each time I start a new book, I hope for the best and I certainly got it here. As with all of Harris’ books, this was a don’t-bother-me-I’m- reading, one-stop read.
The characters are wonderful. Hero is an intelligent, gutsy, independent and appropriately named. Devlin is a former soldier, recovering from heartbreak and in need of a new challenge. Then there is Tom, 14-year-old former pickpocket now Devlin’s ‘tiger’ who takes care of the horses, James Calhoon, the son-of-a-prostitute valet, and Paul Gibson, invalid ex-army doctor who conducts autopsies. All the characters are well done and actual historical characters are used in realistic, appropriate ways.
Harris provides a detailed view into both the ballrooms and the back alleys of Regency England. Devlin may be fighting for his life in the afternoon and heading off to Almak’s in the evening. Both events are handled with style and panache.
I love good dialogue. Ms. Harris does provide good dialogue. There’s a wonderful scene where Devlin is talking with a Calhoun’s mother, who has a thick Gordie accent and there are times Calhoun has to translate for him. The story is very well done.
At one point, I was having trouble seeing how everything fit together, but Harris brought it all together in a way that made sense without at all stretching credulity. Even the romance made sense to the story and the ending was so well done. Now my only regret is having to wait another year for the next book.
May 27, 2012
The five stars are for Hero Jarvis, whose name really fits the bill. I liked Kat well enough, but Hero really impressed the pants off me. I love her strength and determination as much as I love her imperiously stiff upper-lip. I read her as a character with the bearing of an Amazon queen and the buttoned-up appearance of a librarian, and that is a fascinating combination. If more female characters had the stuff Hero Jarvis is made of, we'd be wading through a lot less crap.
I know that Kat is the great love of Devlin's life, but for some reason they were always rather bland to me--possibly because the book starts off with their relationship more or less established and oh man these stars how they are crossed--but I think there's a great deal of potential chemistry between Devlin and Hero. Her relationship with her father Jarvis is also very interesting to me -- man is he going to blow a gasket if this story goes the way I think it's going.
Oh right, and other things happened. Hero really stole the spotlight in this one.
I know that Kat is the great love of Devlin's life, but for some reason they were always rather bland to me--possibly because the book starts off with their relationship more or less established and oh man these stars how they are crossed--but I think there's a great deal of potential chemistry between Devlin and Hero. Her relationship with her father Jarvis is also very interesting to me -- man is he going to blow a gasket if this story goes the way I think it's going.
Oh right, and other things happened. Hero really stole the spotlight in this one.
August 17, 2025
Enjoyed this the most due to the greater inclusion of Hero Jarvis. She has been an intriguing and scene-stealing character from her introduction, and J gave craved more of her character.
July 8, 2016
This book is part of the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series. They are set in the Regency period in England and are very well researched. In this book, Sebastian solves the mysteries of deaths involving women who have worked in a brothel at the request of Hero Jarvis. There were scandals and secrets galore,
January 3, 2023
First read of 2023, and I'm officially obsessed with this series. I doubt I'll take a break from it, just binge my way through the rest as quickly as I can because that's what I do when I care about a character so much: it's imperative that I experience every existing story-moment with him. Immediately. (See? Obsessed.) 4.5 stars, enthusiastically rounded up.
October 8, 2021
Another fantastic book in this series! I think I see where this is headed, but can't wait to read the next one!
April 24, 2017
You can find this review in English below.
Muy interesante el misterio. Pero me parece a mí que esta autora tiene una peligrosa debilidad por el melodrama de telenovela… Veremos qué pasa…
El misterio-suspense es impresionante. Me ha tenido ensimismada durante toda la historia. No tenía ni idea de cómo iba a acabar. Ha sido impresionante. Como también es interesante el trabajo que hace la autora para mezclar hechos reales con ficción. Sutil y muy bien hecho.
En esta ocasión es Hero Jarvis, hija de Lord Jarvis, némesis de Sebastian, quién se encuentra atrapada en medio de un asesinato. Y busca la ayuda de Sebastian para resolverlo porque sabe que los métodos poco ortodoxos, por decirlo suavemente, de su padre nunca le permitirán averiguar qué hay detrás de las muertes de ocho prostitutas.
Pero como siempre con esta autora, una cosa lleva a la otra y de repente ambos protagonistas se encuentran inmersos en una situación fuera de control dónde ya no sé sabe con seguridad quién miente, quién no o cómo están relacionados el reguero de cadáveres que llena las calles de Londres.
Sinceramente, como la cosa siga así, Ms. Harris se va a quedar sin gente a la que matar. Pero no le puedo poner una pega al misterio. Bueno sí, la pega que le pongo es que ha dejado un par de frentes abiertos (entre ellos un malo sin castigo) al que me hubiese gustado ver… ¿cómo decirlo de una manera políticamente correcta?… tremenda y justamente castigado. Pero bueno, igual con un poco de suerte me entero de algo en la próxima entrega.
A lo que sí le puedo (y tengo) que poner pega es al romance. O a la falta del mismo. Porque si bien apenas hemos visto aparecer a Kat (cosa que agradezco desde el fondo de mi corazón) la palabra clave es casi. ¡Madre de amor hermoso! ¿Hasta cuándo seguiremos con la mártir de Kat y la obsesión de Sebastian? Por favor, eso no es amor, es una enfermedad: dependencia. :/
Y tenemos a una nueva heroína. Una nueva, fantástica, inteligente, sensata, fuerte e independiente heroína que no le deja pasar a Sebastian ni una sola tontería. Hero. Ha sido refrescante. Esperemos que este romance que apunta maneras no sea uno de esos en los que la pobre Hero tiene que mandar de paseo a Sebastian hasta que tengaun par de suficiente inteligencia para dejar atrás esa obsesión y sé de cuenta de lo que tiene delante de las narices.
Sigue habiendo un poquito de melodrama familiar, no muy bien hecho, la verdad, y bastante cansino. Se ve venir de lejos en qué va acabar todo ese drama, no es que vaya a ser nada original ni impactante. Espero que pase pronto y rápido. Ha sido una pena que la autora haya decidido terminar la historia con esta escena en vez de dejarla con el fin del misterio en pleno apogeo. Te quedas con un sabor de boca medio amargo.
Por si sirve de algo, con la cantidad de explicaciones que da la autora cada vez que aparece un personaje, esta historia puede ser leída como un stand-alone. Te pierdes los misterios anteriores pero también todo el drama…
:)
***
The mystery was so interesting but I´m beginning to dread this author´s fondness for soap-opera melodrama… We´ll see.
Like I said the mystery-suspense is amazing. It had me totally engrossed with the story. I had no idea how all would end. It has been impressive. So has been the author´s interesting work mixing reality with fiction. Subtle and very well done.
On this occasion is Hero Jarvis, daughter of Lord Jarvis, nemesis of Sebastian, who is trapped in the middle of a murder. And seeks Sebastian´s help to resolve it because she knows that her father´s unorthodox to put it mildly, methods won´t allow her to find out what and who is behind the eight prostitutes´ deaths.
But as always with this author, one thing leads to another and suddenly both, Sebastian and Hero are immersed in a situation out of control where you can´t known for sure who lies or who do not or how the trail of corpses filling the streets of London are related.
Honestly, if things don´t change, Ms. Harris is going to run out of people to kill, but I couldn´t find a fault to the mystery. Well, maybe I can find one: there are a couple of things that remain unsolved (between them a monster who is left unpunished) which I would have liked to see... how can I say it in a politically correct manner? ... tremendous and justly punished. But well, just with a bit of luck I´ll find something in the next installment.
I can´t say the same about the (and I´m using the word liberally) romance. Or the lack of it. Because even though we only have to meet Kat three times, they have been three times too much. My goodness! Until when are we going to have to put up with Kat the martyr and Sebastian´s obsession? Please, that's not love, it is a disease. :/
And we have a new heroine. A new, fantastic, intelligent, sensible, strong, independent heroine who won´t put up with Sebastian. Hero. It has been refreshing. Let us hope that this romance, which shows promise, won´t be one of those in which the poor Hero must send Sebastian away until he grows a has enough intelligence to leave behind his obsession and can see what has in front of his nose.
There is still a bit of family melodrama, a not very well done one, that is becoming quite tiresome. You can see where all this is going to end and it won´t be anything original or shocking, I hope it will happen soon and fast. It was a pity that the author decided to end the story on this note rather than leaving it at the end of the mystery in full swing. You are left with a bittersweet taste.
For what it´s worth, the number of explanations that the author gives whenever a character appears in the story made it possible to read it as stand alone. You´ll lose the previous mysteries but you also will skip all the melodrama...
:)
Muy interesante el misterio. Pero me parece a mí que esta autora tiene una peligrosa debilidad por el melodrama de telenovela… Veremos qué pasa…
El misterio-suspense es impresionante. Me ha tenido ensimismada durante toda la historia. No tenía ni idea de cómo iba a acabar. Ha sido impresionante. Como también es interesante el trabajo que hace la autora para mezclar hechos reales con ficción. Sutil y muy bien hecho.
En esta ocasión es Hero Jarvis, hija de Lord Jarvis, némesis de Sebastian, quién se encuentra atrapada en medio de un asesinato. Y busca la ayuda de Sebastian para resolverlo porque sabe que los métodos poco ortodoxos, por decirlo suavemente, de su padre nunca le permitirán averiguar qué hay detrás de las muertes de ocho prostitutas.
Pero como siempre con esta autora, una cosa lleva a la otra y de repente ambos protagonistas se encuentran inmersos en una situación fuera de control dónde ya no sé sabe con seguridad quién miente, quién no o cómo están relacionados el reguero de cadáveres que llena las calles de Londres.
Sinceramente, como la cosa siga así, Ms. Harris se va a quedar sin gente a la que matar. Pero no le puedo poner una pega al misterio. Bueno sí, la pega que le pongo es que ha dejado un par de frentes abiertos (entre ellos un malo sin castigo) al que me hubiese gustado ver… ¿cómo decirlo de una manera políticamente correcta?… tremenda y justamente castigado. Pero bueno, igual con un poco de suerte me entero de algo en la próxima entrega.
A lo que sí le puedo (y tengo) que poner pega es al romance. O a la falta del mismo. Porque si bien apenas hemos visto aparecer a Kat (cosa que agradezco desde el fondo de mi corazón) la palabra clave es casi. ¡Madre de amor hermoso! ¿Hasta cuándo seguiremos con la mártir de Kat y la obsesión de Sebastian? Por favor, eso no es amor, es una enfermedad: dependencia. :/
Y tenemos a una nueva heroína. Una nueva, fantástica, inteligente, sensata, fuerte e independiente heroína que no le deja pasar a Sebastian ni una sola tontería. Hero. Ha sido refrescante. Esperemos que este romance que apunta maneras no sea uno de esos en los que la pobre Hero tiene que mandar de paseo a Sebastian hasta que tenga
Sigue habiendo un poquito de melodrama familiar, no muy bien hecho, la verdad, y bastante cansino. Se ve venir de lejos en qué va acabar todo ese drama, no es que vaya a ser nada original ni impactante. Espero que pase pronto y rápido. Ha sido una pena que la autora haya decidido terminar la historia con esta escena en vez de dejarla con el fin del misterio en pleno apogeo. Te quedas con un sabor de boca medio amargo.
Por si sirve de algo, con la cantidad de explicaciones que da la autora cada vez que aparece un personaje, esta historia puede ser leída como un stand-alone. Te pierdes los misterios anteriores pero también todo el drama…
:)
***
The mystery was so interesting but I´m beginning to dread this author´s fondness for soap-opera melodrama… We´ll see.
Like I said the mystery-suspense is amazing. It had me totally engrossed with the story. I had no idea how all would end. It has been impressive. So has been the author´s interesting work mixing reality with fiction. Subtle and very well done.
On this occasion is Hero Jarvis, daughter of Lord Jarvis, nemesis of Sebastian, who is trapped in the middle of a murder. And seeks Sebastian´s help to resolve it because she knows that her father´s unorthodox to put it mildly, methods won´t allow her to find out what and who is behind the eight prostitutes´ deaths.
But as always with this author, one thing leads to another and suddenly both, Sebastian and Hero are immersed in a situation out of control where you can´t known for sure who lies or who do not or how the trail of corpses filling the streets of London are related.
Honestly, if things don´t change, Ms. Harris is going to run out of people to kill, but I couldn´t find a fault to the mystery. Well, maybe I can find one: there are a couple of things that remain unsolved (between them a monster who is left unpunished) which I would have liked to see... how can I say it in a politically correct manner? ... tremendous and justly punished. But well, just with a bit of luck I´ll find something in the next installment.
I can´t say the same about the (and I´m using the word liberally) romance. Or the lack of it. Because even though we only have to meet Kat three times, they have been three times too much. My goodness! Until when are we going to have to put up with Kat the martyr and Sebastian´s obsession? Please, that's not love, it is a disease. :/
And we have a new heroine. A new, fantastic, intelligent, sensible, strong, independent heroine who won´t put up with Sebastian. Hero. It has been refreshing. Let us hope that this romance, which shows promise, won´t be one of those in which the poor Hero must send Sebastian away until he
There is still a bit of family melodrama, a not very well done one, that is becoming quite tiresome. You can see where all this is going to end and it won´t be anything original or shocking, I hope it will happen soon and fast. It was a pity that the author decided to end the story on this note rather than leaving it at the end of the mystery in full swing. You are left with a bittersweet taste.
For what it´s worth, the number of explanations that the author gives whenever a character appears in the story made it possible to read it as stand alone. You´ll lose the previous mysteries but you also will skip all the melodrama...
:)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 710 reviews