Book Review: Who Slays The Wicked

Author: C. S. Harris
Title:  Who Slays The Wicked
Publish Date: April 9. 2019
Publisher: Berkley
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: The death of a fiendish nobleman strikes close to home as Sebastian St. Cyr is tasked with finding the killer to save his young cousin from persecution in this riveting new historical mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of Why Kill the Innocent....

When the handsome but dissolute young gentleman Lord Ashworth is found brutally murdered, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is called in by Bow Street magistrate Sir Henry Lovejoy to help catch the killer. Just seven months before, Sebastian had suspected Ashworth of aiding one of his longtime friends and companions in the kidnapping and murder of a string of vulnerable street children. But Sebastian was never able to prove Ashworth's complicity. Nor was he able to prevent his troubled, headstrong young niece Stephanie from entering into a disastrous marriage with the dangerous nobleman.

Stephanie has survived the difficult birth of twin sons. But Sebastian soon discovers that her marriage has quickly degenerated into a sham. Ashworth abandoned his pregnant bride at his father's Park Street mansion and has continued living an essentially bachelor existence. And mounting evidence--ranging from a small bloody handprint to a woman's silk stocking--suggests that Ashworth's killer was a woman. Sebastian is tasked with unraveling the shocking nest of secrets surrounding Ashworth's life to keep Stephanie from being punished for his death.

Review: This is the first Sebastian St. Cyr mystery that I've read, and I have to say I'm totally impressed by it. Its the 14th book in, and I will say because of continuity, it might be best to read the series in order. There was a lot of things referenced from past books here, but it didn't detract from the main mystery at hand. It did make me want to go back and read the series from the beginning.

This is a wonderful historical mystery series, set during Regency times. The attention to detail to superb and the characters are really well fleshed out. Sebastian is a really strong character and so is his wife, Hero. I would have loved to have had more time with her in this story.

Sebastian is investigating the murder of a young Lord, who happens to be married to Sebastian's niece. This is where things get tricky. Basically Ashworth is the type of man, that everyone wanted to kill. He's nasty, perverted and just an all around scum sucking pig. The more you learn about him, the more you might think everyone got together to hack him apart, because he deserved it.

You also learn that everyone has something to hide. (well except for me and my monkey..pardon the Beatles pun) Sebastian isn't quite sure what his niece is lying about, but he knows she's lying, and he also isn't sure that she isn't involved in some way with the murder of her husband.

This novel takes you to the darkest places in London, learning about the rag and bone men as well as well as erm..poop shovelers, all of which have a part in the story, along with the Grand Duchess of Russia and her companions.

The mystery was very well crafted and it was truly one of the few books I've read where I really couldn't figure out who might have killed Ashworth. Of course, there were so many, and all of them had good reason to want to kill him too.

If you are a fan of historical novels and mysteries, this is series you have to immerse yourself in!

Rating: 5 flowers