WHO SLAYS THE WICKED

5 stars out of 5

Choosing the word "enthralled" to describe my feelings toward this historical mystery - especially since it's full of murder, mayhem and some very nasty people - might seem a bit strange, but that's exactly how I felt from the first page to the last. It's also my first of 14 books in this series, so another prime emotion I felt when I finished is sadness that I hadn't read the predecessors. What an attention-holding, well-written book!

It's also well-researched, and that adds substantially to the "flavor." Set in London circa 1814, the story is greatly enhanced by descriptions of the city, what was happening elsewhere in the world (Paris had just sent Napoleon packing, for instance) and terminology appropriate to the time. The characters spoke and acted the way I'd expect from that time period - although I must say that Sebastian St. Cyr and his wife, Hero, are far less stodgy than their family and friends (which only made me like them all the more). 

As this one begins, Sebastian is called in to help find out who murdered and pretty thoroughly mutilated Lord Ashworth, a man who not long ago married Sebastian's young niece Stephanie. Ashworth has a long history of abusing anyone who tickles his fancy (or refuses to) - most notably children and young ladies - so while no one owns up to the murder, neither does anyone express sorrow that he bit the dust. That widespread attitude, of course, makes the suspect pool grow as each new clue is revealed; the consensus, though, is that the killer is female (with Stephanie, who recently gave birth to twins but is estranged from Ashworth, at the top of the list).

Sebastian desperately hopes to prove her innocence, but first he must convince himself. Complicating matters is that other dead bodies are turning up, thought to be somehow connected to Ashworth's murder. Besides that, a Russian delegation, including a snobbish high-ranking princess, is in town for what may be nefarious purposes - and before long, entanglements with Ashworth are unearthed and members of their entourage are added to the suspects' list as well. The more Sebastian digs in, the more it becomes clear that the hole he's creating may be the perfect size for his own grave. 

This story stands alone well, although there were a few allusions to people and events that no doubt would be better understood by those who read previous books. Also, the fact that some of the characters were called by different names or titles here and there was a bit confusing to me at times(Sebastian is also known as Viscount Devlin, for example). But honestly, none of that really got in the way. I found this book absolutely delightful - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Who Slays the Wicked by C. S. Harris (Berkley, April 2019); 352 pp.