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A review by maria_nanci
Who Buries the Dead by C.S. Harris
4.0
I won a copy of this book via a FirstReads giveaway.
After Stanley Preston's decapitated body is discovered on Bloody Bridge, Sebastian St. Cyr (or Viscount Devlin) is called in to investigate. The only clue at the scene is a lead coffin strap inscribed with "King Charles, 1648". In a coincidental twist, Stanley is a collector of items belonging to the Stuarts, including several heads. As Devlin begins investigating, other plotlines are thrown into the mix. Stanley's daughter wishes to marry Captain Wyeth, a man who is "beneath" her station. Prior to Stanley's death, he is seen arguing with both Wyeth and with a family friend who was trying to persuade Stanley to let the young couple wed. Stanley also dealt with some unsavory characters in procuring Stuart relics. The lead strap found at the crime scene is from a recently unearthed tomb at Windsor Castle, that is supposedly a well-kept secret. There is also tension between Devlin and Jarvis (his father-in-law), as well as confusion about Jamie Knox, who bears a striking resemblance to Devlin and could possibly be a half-brother. There are interesting scenes of Hero (Devlin's wife), who is compiling a book on costermongers and scenes with a delightfully astute Jane Austen.
This is the first book I've read in this series and while the author did an admirable job of filling in the blanks, I think it would behoove the reader to read the previous books. I enjoyed the author's style of writing and would like to read more in this series. There were plenty of twists and turns - I would recommend it to any historical fiction fans.
After Stanley Preston's decapitated body is discovered on Bloody Bridge, Sebastian St. Cyr (or Viscount Devlin) is called in to investigate. The only clue at the scene is a lead coffin strap inscribed with "King Charles, 1648". In a coincidental twist, Stanley is a collector of items belonging to the Stuarts, including several heads. As Devlin begins investigating, other plotlines are thrown into the mix. Stanley's daughter wishes to marry Captain Wyeth, a man who is "beneath" her station. Prior to Stanley's death, he is seen arguing with both Wyeth and with a family friend who was trying to persuade Stanley to let the young couple wed. Stanley also dealt with some unsavory characters in procuring Stuart relics. The lead strap found at the crime scene is from a recently unearthed tomb at Windsor Castle, that is supposedly a well-kept secret. There is also tension between Devlin and Jarvis (his father-in-law), as well as confusion about Jamie Knox, who bears a striking resemblance to Devlin and could possibly be a half-brother. There are interesting scenes of Hero (Devlin's wife), who is compiling a book on costermongers and scenes with a delightfully astute Jane Austen.
This is the first book I've read in this series and while the author did an admirable job of filling in the blanks, I think it would behoove the reader to read the previous books. I enjoyed the author's style of writing and would like to read more in this series. There were plenty of twists and turns - I would recommend it to any historical fiction fans.