Reviews

Where the Dead Lie by C.S. Harris

reikista's review

5.0

Sebastian investigates the disappearance of poor children

catmom22's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

5.0

ceta_cea's review

3.0

The story was still great, but type of crime and the evilness of these men were too much for me.

haylnomann's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

iskanderjonesiv's review against another edition

4.0

In the latest mystery from the national bestselling author of When Falcons Fall, the gruesome murder of a young boy takes Sebastian St. Cyr from the gritty streets of London to the glittering pleasure haunts of the aristocracy...



London, 1813. Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is no stranger to the dark side of the city, but he’s never seen anything like this: the brutalized body of a fifteen-

year-old boy dumped into a makeshift grave on the grounds of an abandoned factory.



One of London’s many homeless children, Benji Thatcher was abducted and tortured before his murder—and his younger sister is still missing. Few in authority care about a street urchin’s fate, but Sebastian refuses to let this killer go unpunished.



Uncovering a disturbing pattern of missing children, Sebastian is drawn into a shadowy, sadistic world. As he follows a grim trail that leads from the writings of the debauched Marquis de Sade to the city’s most notorious brothels, he comes to a horrifying realization: someone from society’s upper echelon is preying upon the city’s most vulnerable. And though dark, powerful forces are moving against him, Sebastian will risk his reputation and his life to keep more innocents from harm...

**

mamap's review against another edition

3.0

This is actually my second time to read this book. Interesting that I didn't record it!

Much more depraved - if that's possible - still fleshing out relationships and the role that Devlin wants to play.

Left some loose ends with the killer(s) and fixed some others.

Look forward to the next.

bponsford's review against another edition

dark

4.0

cassandra67b07's review against another edition

4.0

We are back in London in the midst of family crises and Lord Jarvis’s schemes but Devlin is caught up in the hunt for a serial killer preying on the street children of London.

In many ways, this is one of the more disturbing books in the series but perhaps I just don’t like reading about serial killers. This installment of the series leaves me with some unanswered questions about Lady Jarvis, dear sweet innocent cousin Victoria and Devlin’s niece Stephanie.

The relationship between Devlin and his father is beautifully rendered here as is the focus on social justice.

Onward to book 13!

annmaries's review against another edition

4.0

This one was gut-wrenching. Why Mermaids Sing was brutal, but this one was even more emotionally draining for Sebastian, both personally and "professionally", you might say. Still, it was gripping and tautly written, and I think will prove to be a turning point for many of the characters in this world.

nevclue's review against another edition

3.0

I enjoyed this one. However, it's been a few years since I read the last Sebastian St. Cyr mystery and I will confess that I just did not care that much about the characters' relationships and emotions which relied on all of the backstory from previous novels. While this was a fast read, it was not particularly light due to all the rape, torture and murder of children, as well as the crushing weight of poverty and the structural violence of the penal system.

So, all the trigger warnings.

Spoiler

And I am very upset that child rapist and murder Ashworth is married to Sebastian's niece Stephanie and has faced no punishment.