A
Genre: Historical: European, Mystery/Thriller
What Angels Fear has been mentioned positively a few times on the site but never reviewed. I became aware of the series when I received a marketing email for the 19th book in this series. When a series reaches that kind of number, there’s usually something special about it so off I went to the library for the first one in the series.
It was initially slow going for me to get into but I think that’s because it’s been so very long since I read anything that wasn’t a romance. Once I adjusted mentally, I found the writing immersive and compelling. Scent, in particular, is used in evocative ways to communicate the atmosphere.
Sebastian St Cyr is a remarkably interesting character. He’s part of the aristocracy and he worked in army intelligence for five years before selling out of the armed forces and returning to London. At the start of the story, he’s only been back for 10 months. He is quick (in all possible senses) and carrying a certain amount of baggage and disillusionment from his time in the war. This is a man (and a story) that is not scared to face and then dig into the horrors humanity can perpetrate. Despite the fact that Sebastian would deny this, he believes that justice should be equal and fair.
I enjoyed the multiple points of view present and the well-rounded secondary characters, particularly the magistrate Sir Lovejoy. I haven’t looked ahead in the series at all, but I do hope that this magistrate makes a return. In general, the secondary characters are interesting, dynamic and stand apart from each other in distinct ways, so it’s a pleasure to read.
To my delight, there seems to be a romantic subplot which I’d like to leave as a surprise for my fellow readers. .
I found the mystery gripping. It’s tightly plotted and as with all good mysteries, at the end, the culprit is a genuine surprise, but when you look back at the clues, they all align with that suspect. I particularly enjoyed the detailed Regency London I got to know through the various clues dug up and followed by Sebastian.
If you can stomach the content warnings and you don’t mind romance playing second fiddle and you enjoy a self-aware hero with baggage, then you might enjoy this book as much as I did. Once I mentally adjusted to the genre of the book, I found myself so immersed in the story that my actual life was forgotten while I was reading. I’m going to have to pace myself with this series. While I’ll definitely continue reading it, I’m going to space out the books so I can savour them.
– Lara
It’s 1811, and the threat of revolution haunts the upper classes of King George III’s England. Then a beautiful young woman is found savagely murdered on the altar steps of an ancient church near Westminster Abbey. A dueling pistol found at the scene and the damning testimony of a witness both point to one man-Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, a brilliant young nobleman shattered by his experience in the Napoleonic Wars
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The romance that unfurls over several books between Sebastian and his love interest is great. CS Harris has also written romances (under the name Candice Proctor) so she knows what she’s doing there.
I will say, she does not shy away from some of the truly dark and upsetting details of the Napoleonic era so be warned going into it. (For instance, there’s one that talks about the appalling treatment of children who were chimney sweeps. This is NOT Mary Poppins.)
Absolutely one of the best series. It gets better as you go. It is one of a few books that I buy in hardback.
You mention content warnings, but I don’t see any, just a mention of the “horrors humanity can perpetrate.” Can you be more specific?
Having loved the Candice Proctor romances, I eagerly followed into the St. Cyr books. I will certainly not spoil the romance of this series, but the advantage of just now finding it is that the reader won’t have to wait for resolutions, just get the next book!
So, yes, reading them in order is a must. I donate mine to the local library and encourage others to read them all.
Really good series. The audio books are also good, although there has been much switching of narrators in the last few books. The first 16 were narrated by Davina Porter, who is one of the best audio book narrators, but she has retired now.
I really appreciate the research she’s done on the darker side of the Regency. The conditions of working people and, in contrast, the supremely corrupt power of the aristocracy and the people around the Regent.
It’s a banger, alright. I recently did some selective rereading of the books that had more the romantic subplot, naturally those are my favorite!
I’ve read most of the 20 or so books there are now in the series, and I agree, it is a well-written, very well-researched series. Each book is a satisfying stand-alone, for the most part, but there are several sub plots that extend over many books, so if you become invested in the characters, you want to read on, just to find the next piece in the puzzle. The audiobooks are, indeed, very well done: those by Davina Porter *are* the best. I think the newest one is the first narrated by a man. The crimes committed are pretty dark, so if you are sensitive to violence YMMV. Gruesomely murdered dead bodies abound, and there are some pretty loathsome villains… at times, a bit caricaturally so. The books are sometimes very closely tied to historical events, which makes them interesting for the amateur historian. The author has a PhD in European history, so can be relied on not to stray too objectionably from real events. I don’t often keep reading such long running series. I will say I’ve moved from buying the books to getting them from the library, but I’m still reading.
@ Teckelvik—A lot of bad stuff that happens to children and women, in particular. Things I remember from various books: discussion of the torture of the heir to the throne of France (who was a child of 8? 10?), there’s stuff about this awful chapter from the war where people were basically dumped on a deserted island with no food or water and left to fend for themselves, executions of children for theft, stuff like that. All historically accurate and all of it horrible.
I remember reading the first few in the series some years ago and enjoying them tremendously. I had no idea there were so many of them now. Time to renew my acquaintance.
I’m afraid that a blurb leading with “woman is savagely murdered” generates an immediate NOPE from me. I don’t care if it’s offscreen. That’s a starting point I’m done with.
I am a wee bit jealous that you are just discovering this series, Lara, because it is a favorite of mine. I recently finished the latest book (#21) and it was just as satisfying as prior installments. I think you are wise to pace yourself in reading the series. She packs a lot of historical detail (and plot developments) into each book and I found I needed a little time to think about events and some contemporary palette cleansers before starting the next one. The most recent book is set in 1816.
I first encountered this series at book #3, Why Mermaids Sing, which was on the take a book/leave a book shelf at a resort. I came home determined to catch up on the series, which I did fairly quickly, and have followed Sebastian St. Cyr faithfully ever since. Without spoilers I can say the number of intriguing secondary characters expands, and Sir Lovejoy the magistrate continues as a regular. These books are tightly plotted, with a lot of real history sandwiched in to lend believability to the stories. I’m putting this new one on hold at my library right now!
I’m a wholehearted fan of St Cyr and all the family and character drama. No one is perfect, not even the good guys, but they are all compelling! I finished #21 shortly after it came out and as I’m in a bit of a reading slump decided to reread the series. I’m on #13 and they are all every bit as good as I remember. In fact, there is a scene between the hero and the love interest that has stuck in my memory. I can recall it so clearly, even years later. When I reread the scene this time, I still found my heart pounding.
I love this series, and I have listened to most of them. No 21 When the Wolves are Silent is waiting for me to listen to on the long plane trip home from Vienna to Melbourne in a few weeks.
I introduced my husband to the series during a driving holiday around Ireland and now he is hooked as well.
I started this series way back when and have the first 10 in mass market paperback. I’ve been thinking I needed to start up again so this review was just what I needed.
Looking at my goodreads, I’ve read the first 7, and really enjoyed them, but I don’t remember them AT ALL. Which I think may mean they were a little too dark for me (I definitely remember pausing in the series because I read a couple back to back and needed a lightness break.) I remember it being similar in the best ways to the first Julian Kestral book by Kate Ross, if anyone needs another excellent series.
Oh, Julian Kestrel – be still my beating heart! As for the Sebastian St Cyr books, I almost stopped reading after the first few because the victims were almost always young, beautiful women, and it was both cruel and too predictable (reminded me a bit of the short life spans of Bond girls). I did keep on, however, and this became one of my favorite historical mystery series. The books are immersive, the characters vivid, and the plots intriguing. I think I may know which scene between the hero and heroine that Holly Bush refers to, as there is one such scene I have read many times, my heart in my mouth each time.
Susan/DC,
I’ve thought of that scene more times than I can count. And even though there are scenes that are more horrific and gruesome, it remains the one I remember. Her terror was palpable.
Glad to see I’m not the only one!
I’m just waiting for my hold to come in on the latest! I work in a library and recommend this series to so many people. There is a wicked jaw-dropping plot twist in the 2nd or 3rd book (post-menopausal memory fails) so I strongly recommend reading in order 🙂
The scene is in Book 4, Where Serpents Sleep. I couldn’t rest until I found it! Then I had to reread it again!