Audiobook narrated by the wonderful Davina Porter.Now that I'm nearly finished with the second book, I figured it's time to share my thoughts on the novel that kicked off the Sebastian St. Cyr adventures: What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris.The series begins in 1811, right before the Regency era, while King George still reigned. The Napoleonic Wars were raging. One fine day, a young actress is discovered dead in a church, a dueling pistol beside her. The pistol belongs to Sebastian St. Cyr, a rebell...

4.5★“He hauled on the reins, wrenching the bays sideways. The horses plunged, snorting, hooves striking sparks from the edge of the footpath. The joints of the old landau squealed. Wood snapped. The coach body crashed to the pavement, the box skewing sideways.”There’s a fair bit of derring-do in this excellent historical murder mystery, **What Angels Fear** by C.S. Harris. Lots of politics, too. And blackmail. And spies. This is England in 1811, just as the Prince of Wales is about to take over ...

4 starsI won book 10 in this series two years ago and enjoyed it enough to go back and read more. *What Angels Fear*, book one, takes place in January 1811, in London, England. C.S. Harris uses a familiar formula: an innocent person is accused of murder and sets out to find the real killer to clear their name. It’s a classic historical mystery setup.Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, finds himself accused of murdering Rachel York, a beautiful actress discovered dead in a church. Her throat was ...

This was absolutely fantastic! I'm giving it 4.5 stars, but I have a feeling this series as a whole is easily a 5-star experience. This Regency-era murder mystery really grabbed me. I know a decent amount about the Victorian era, but I always felt like everything I knew about the Regency period came straight from Georgette Heyer novels.And look, I'm British. I studied history. I like to think I'm not completely clueless. I've seen 'The Madness of King George' and even wandered around the Royal P...

I'm always on the hunt for a gripping historical mystery, and I think I've just stumbled upon a new favorite series! In this first installment, we're introduced to Sebastian St. Cyr, a young man who's handsome, charming, a touch dangerous, and, naturally, wealthy. The setting is Regency England, which is a huge win for me. Add to all of that a compelling, fast-moving plot, an intriguing mystery, and a host of other likable characters, and you've got yourself an excellent read. If you're looking ...

Rating: 4* out of five starsThe Publisher Says: The year is 1811, and revolution threatens the upper classes of King George III's England. A beautiful young woman is found raped and savagely murdered on the altar steps of an ancient church near Westminster Abbey. A dueling pistol at the scene and a damning witness statement point to one man: Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, a brilliant young nobleman haunted by his experiences in the Napoleonic Wars.Now a fugitive, Sebastian must use his skil...

I’ve had this one on my to-read list since Dec2022, which will make it a part of my “Cleaning Out the Closet” challenge. When I noticed that GR friend, PattyMacDotComma had selected it for a May Group read, I thought that now was as good a time as any to finally getting around to reading it. I love good historical fiction stories, and I am currently a big fan of a few series right now. I am going to add this to my current list of historical fiction series.This one takes place during the London R...

Actually it would have been a full 5 stars, the story has been so engaging and so well written, but  something annoyed me in the end, so I removed 1 star ( better explanations at the bottom of my review ).Let's start telling something about ____ the PLOT : We are in England in 1811, when King George III is about to be deposed due to his madness and a regent is about to be appointed. The rivalry between the two main political parties is increasingly heated and with it espionage, political pressur...

4.5* London’s cobblestone streets in 1811 are flickering with gas lamps through an endless blanket of yellow foul smelling fog. Inside an ancient church, Rachel York is sprawled across an altar quite dead with her throat violently slashed several times leaving the young woman surrounded by a significant amount of blood. Once the crime scene has been searched, a pistol is found close by belonging to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, placing him at the top of the list as the slayer. Having the r...

A young actress is found brutally murdered at the altar in a church and all evidence seems to point to Sebastian St. Cyr, Lord Devlin. It soon becomes clear to him that there are multiple forces at play, some powerful and political, and he goes on the run to investigate the crime to clear his name. This is a well written historical mystery with a strong sense of place and Regency setting. The characterizations are outstanding as all of them have multiple layers and dimensions. We also watch Seba...