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bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
5.0
Lady Hero Devlin stumbles (quite literally) over the body of a beautiful young musician while on a socially conscious mission in the area of Clerkenwell. But what was Jane Ambrose, musical teacher to Princess Charlotte, doing in that part of town? The palace decides to hush things up--calling what is clearly manslaughter at best and quite likely murder an "unfortunate accident." Sebastian St Cyr, Lord Devlin takes up the case--for he has never paid attention to the "official" way of handling delicate affairs. He and Hero are determined to seek justice for Miss Ambrose.
The more they learn, the more intricate the plot surrounding the musician becomes. There are ties to the throne through Princess Charlotte, there are stolen letters which may put a spoke in Lord Jarvis's plans for England and Europe, and there is a plot of gold smuggling which Jane may have stumbled across. But there are also more homely matter--Jane's husband keeps a mistress and she herself was in love with another. Had she threatened to leave her husband--not only making for a scandal but also cutting off his livelihood? For Edward Ambrose's operas were not his own--his wife, barred from publishing such musical endeavors under her own name had written the works and he had taken the credit. Devlin and Hero will have to carefully investigate the international and domestic leads--dodging dangers on all sides before untangling the threads to find the one tied to the killer.
Harris delivers another excellent historical mystery. And this time I'm going to give her the coveted ★★★★★ rating. I've been waiting for one that knocks it out of the park and I think she's done it. The setting is superb--the last Frost Fair in England. This is the last time the Thames was completely frozen with games on the ice and all sorts of merchandise sold. She portrays the excitement and atmosphere surrounding the events perfectly. The mystery is well-plotted with an unexpected denouement and she kept me guessing till the end. And I loved that Hero Devlin got to have more involvement in the investigation and a bit of the action herself--taking out one of the bad guys with her little muff pistol.
“Is he dead?"
Alexi knelt in the snow beside the still body. "Not yet. But he will be soon."
Hero sucked in a deep breath tainted with the stench of fresh blood and burning fur. "Good."
Alexi looked up at her. "Your muff is on fire."
"Drat," said Hero, dropping the flaming fur into the melting snow. "I just purchased it.”
She is truly a good match for our hero, Lord Devlin. Strong. Strong-minded. Well able to take care of herself. I said it before and I'll say it again: if Harris decides to kill Hero off in a later installment (a la Elizabeth George and her Inspector Lynley series), I won't forgive her.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.
The more they learn, the more intricate the plot surrounding the musician becomes. There are ties to the throne through Princess Charlotte, there are stolen letters which may put a spoke in Lord Jarvis's plans for England and Europe, and there is a plot of gold smuggling which Jane may have stumbled across. But there are also more homely matter--Jane's husband keeps a mistress and she herself was in love with another. Had she threatened to leave her husband--not only making for a scandal but also cutting off his livelihood? For Edward Ambrose's operas were not his own--his wife, barred from publishing such musical endeavors under her own name had written the works and he had taken the credit. Devlin and Hero will have to carefully investigate the international and domestic leads--dodging dangers on all sides before untangling the threads to find the one tied to the killer.
Harris delivers another excellent historical mystery. And this time I'm going to give her the coveted ★★★★★ rating. I've been waiting for one that knocks it out of the park and I think she's done it. The setting is superb--the last Frost Fair in England. This is the last time the Thames was completely frozen with games on the ice and all sorts of merchandise sold. She portrays the excitement and atmosphere surrounding the events perfectly. The mystery is well-plotted with an unexpected denouement and she kept me guessing till the end. And I loved that Hero Devlin got to have more involvement in the investigation and a bit of the action herself--taking out one of the bad guys with her little muff pistol.
“Is he dead?"
Alexi knelt in the snow beside the still body. "Not yet. But he will be soon."
Hero sucked in a deep breath tainted with the stench of fresh blood and burning fur. "Good."
Alexi looked up at her. "Your muff is on fire."
"Drat," said Hero, dropping the flaming fur into the melting snow. "I just purchased it.”
She is truly a good match for our hero, Lord Devlin. Strong. Strong-minded. Well able to take care of herself. I said it before and I'll say it again: if Harris decides to kill Hero off in a later installment (a la Elizabeth George and her Inspector Lynley series), I won't forgive her.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.
gawronma's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of my favorite series. The characters grow and develop with each every book. Harris has really brought through Regency period to life. I always look forward to next chapter in Sebastian and Hero's life.
jonetta's review against another edition
4.0
Hero St. Cyr and Alexi Sauvage are returning home following a visit to one of her patients when they stumble upon the body of a young woman in a snow drift. Hero recognizes her as Jane Ambrose, the long time piano teacher to Princess Charlotte, the sole child and heir presumptive of the Prince Regent. When the palace moves quickly to silence the official investigation, Hero and Sebastian continue and find themselves in the midst of high intrigue and danger.
Of all the books in the series, this was one of the most historically accurate and complex. The central palace figure here is Princess Charlotte, surrounded by many with secret agendas and very few with her best interests in mind, least of all her nasty father. I loved how Sebastian and Hero worked as a team, both formidable individually and a major force together. The stark realities of the era are tough to absorb, heightened by the cruelty of not only the ruling class but a brutal, icy winter upon the poor and disenfranchised.
Sometimes it was difficult to keep up with all the machinations and chess players but I managed just fine. This story has a bit of everything, including but not limited to the romance of Hero & Sebastian, mystery, suspense and history (never knew about the Frost Fair of 1814). There’s a scene involving Hero that I’ll never forget as she showed how distinctly unique she is and has now become my favorite character. This was a highly interesting story with so many, many layers.
Of all the books in the series, this was one of the most historically accurate and complex. The central palace figure here is Princess Charlotte, surrounded by many with secret agendas and very few with her best interests in mind, least of all her nasty father. I loved how Sebastian and Hero worked as a team, both formidable individually and a major force together. The stark realities of the era are tough to absorb, heightened by the cruelty of not only the ruling class but a brutal, icy winter upon the poor and disenfranchised.
Sometimes it was difficult to keep up with all the machinations and chess players but I managed just fine. This story has a bit of everything, including but not limited to the romance of Hero & Sebastian, mystery, suspense and history (never knew about the Frost Fair of 1814). There’s a scene involving Hero that I’ll never forget as she showed how distinctly unique she is and has now become my favorite character. This was a highly interesting story with so many, many layers.
taisie22's review against another edition
5.0
When his wife Hero finds the body of a woman frozen on a London street, Sebastian St Cyr becomes involved in the case. Jane Ambrose was the piano teacher to Princess Charlotte, daughter of the Prince Regent. The Palace wants to cover the crime up, but Sebastian and Hero investigate anyway and find a web involving smuggled gold, the Rothschilds, a tie to the proposed marriage of Prince William of Orange to Charlotte, and politics between the Whigs and the Tories.
I always wait eagerly for the books in this series to appear on my reader, having preordered them months in advance. I am never disappointed. The writing is excellent, the history is detailed and accurate, and the mystery most always confounds me. I found Why Kill the Innocent to be among the best of the series. There are a lot of suspects, all with varying (and interesting) reasons for being the murderer.
I always like the subplots that involve Hero. She's usually writing an article about social conditions in England of the time. Here she focuses on men pressed into military service and the families left to support themselves on their own. "If no one criticizes or even questions the wrongs of our society, it will never change.”
We also got some more information on the overarching mystery of who Sebastian's real father is.
And now I wait another year for the next book in this excellent series. Sigh.
I always wait eagerly for the books in this series to appear on my reader, having preordered them months in advance. I am never disappointed. The writing is excellent, the history is detailed and accurate, and the mystery most always confounds me. I found Why Kill the Innocent to be among the best of the series. There are a lot of suspects, all with varying (and interesting) reasons for being the murderer.
I always like the subplots that involve Hero. She's usually writing an article about social conditions in England of the time. Here she focuses on men pressed into military service and the families left to support themselves on their own. "If no one criticizes or even questions the wrongs of our society, it will never change.”
We also got some more information on the overarching mystery of who Sebastian's real father is.
And now I wait another year for the next book in this excellent series. Sigh.
jeannine's review against another edition
4.0
The many layers in this story are so interesting (especially when you know the author’s note at the end will provide even more context) and I literally couldn’t put this book down.
Sebastian and Hero are at their best, with Hero playing a larger role than ever before. The fact that Alexi Sauvage is becoming a strong secondary character is pretty exciting to me.
Some authors dealing with aristocrats in this time period might resign a baby to the nursery, so it’s fun to see baby Simon in several scenes.
Sebastian and Hero are at their best, with Hero playing a larger role than ever before. The fact that Alexi Sauvage is becoming a strong secondary character is pretty exciting to me.
Some authors dealing with aristocrats in this time period might resign a baby to the nursery, so it’s fun to see baby Simon in several scenes.
hollie313's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
longtimereader's review against another edition
5.0
I've come into this series on the 13th book, but it's far from unlucky. Now I'd love to read them all! Our main characters and their baby. Hero, Sebastian's wife, falls over a body. That body is Jane and she was ahead of her time. She was a fantastic musician and music teacher. That alone made her death so sad and to make it worse, it was murder. As thing progress in all areas of the investigation, I grew fond of the victim and our detectives while "experiencing" the history included in the story.
My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.
My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.