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41st out of 738 books
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1,609 voters
When Gods Die (Sebastian St. Cyr #2)
by
C.S. Harris (Goodreads Author)
Brighton, England, 1811. The beautiful wife of an aging Marquis is found dead in the arms of the Prince Regent. Draped around her neck lies an ancient necklace with mythic origins-and mysterious ties to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin. Haunted by his past, Sebastian investigates both the Marchioness's death and his own possible connection to it-and discovers a complex p...more
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
November 7th 2006
by NAL Hardcover
(first published 2006)
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Viscount Devlin is once again tapped to use his unique sleuthing abilities to discover who has murdered the Marchioness of Anglessey. Is it the Prince Regent, who is caught with her body nearly in her arms? Or is it one of the prince’s political enemies who seeks to discredit him and put another claimant on the throne? Or is it the lady’s husband, jealous because she took a younger lover? Or maybe it’s the lover, whom she cast aside?
Lots of suspects abound in this intriguing mystery set in 1800...more
Lots of suspects abound in this intriguing mystery set in 1800...more
This is the second book in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series. I picked up the first in the series, “What Angels Fear,” because I adore a good British period mystery. I love Lauren Willig, Deanna Raybourn, Tasha Alexander, but CS Harris’ books are different. The narrator and detective of her series is a man, and while this probably seems like a stupid thing to point out, it does significantly change the tone of the books. Historical mystery novels with female narrators tend to be heavy on roma...more
There are a lot of things I am really coming to like about this series. Obviously, I like Devlin, because why would I stick to a series revolving around a protagonist I couldn't stand? In a way he reminds me of Batman, sans the cool gadgets. In addition to all the sleuthing and action, he's got a junior sidekick in the form of Tom, the same air of menace in society due to his reputation, and, as we're beginning to learn in this book, something of a tragic past.
And he cares. He cares more than he...more
And he cares. He cares more than he...more
Why aren't there more works of Regency-era suspense? There's something seductive about the careful forms observed by the aristocracy while darker things circle beneath this polished veneer. Although I confess I wasn't quite as taken by the first one, this one's got me firmly hooked on the series, and I count myself lucky to be just on the second one, with several more to go.
One of the things I look for in a murder mystery is how much I end up learning about the murder victim as a person rather t...more
One of the things I look for in a murder mystery is how much I end up learning about the murder victim as a person rather t...more
This is my first Sebastian St. Cyr book and now I absolutely have to read all of them. Our hero, the Viscount Devlin, was never meant to hold that title but his two older brothers died, then he lost his mother died in a boating accident (her body was never found.) He has a lovely actress mistress, Kat Boleyn, and a tiger (servant), Tom, pickpocket turned assistant to Sebastian. These are great characters just for a Regency romance but throw in a mystery and I am so hooked on these books.
In this...more
In this...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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There was a lot I liked about this story, and on balance I liked a lot more than I didn't, but the things I didn't like nearly spoilt it for me.
I really liked the way Ms Harris used history. I loved her take on the Regency, her eyes-wide-open views of Prinny and his proflicacy, and her brutish portrayal of London's Underworld. I love the concept of Sebastian, the high-born socialist who mingles freely with the ton and the lower classes, and I love his relationsion with the courtesan (who might...more
I really liked the way Ms Harris used history. I loved her take on the Regency, her eyes-wide-open views of Prinny and his proflicacy, and her brutish portrayal of London's Underworld. I love the concept of Sebastian, the high-born socialist who mingles freely with the ton and the lower classes, and I love his relationsion with the courtesan (who might...more
Because I enjoyed What Angels Fear so much, I put the entire Sebastian St. Cyr series on my to-read list. This is the second book in the series, although it would stand alone well enough.
In this story, the Queen Square magistrate, Sir Henry, has one again asked Sebastian to assist him an investigation. The unpopular Prince Regent is found in a compromising position with the very young wife of an elderly marquis -- and the young lady is dead. She is also wearing a necklace that has particular mea...more
In this story, the Queen Square magistrate, Sir Henry, has one again asked Sebastian to assist him an investigation. The unpopular Prince Regent is found in a compromising position with the very young wife of an elderly marquis -- and the young lady is dead. She is also wearing a necklace that has particular mea...more
How did I miss this historical mystery series? As a sleuth, Sebastian St. Cyr carries his own mystery with him. Because he is himself an aristocrat, he can travel in the highest Regency period circles. Because he was a soldier and carries the heavy psychological scars of war, he has an empathy uncommon to the aristocratic class. His tiger is a reformed pickpocket. his lover is a beautiful actress and his sometime boss is the power behind the throne. Add to this a best friend who is a former army...more
Once again we find ourselves following Sebastian and Kat through the drawing rooms of the Ton. This time the ever unpopular Prince Regent has found himself in a delicate situation that only a gentleman would understand. Having recently found favor with the local constabulary, viscount Devlin is called upon to help solve the mystery. I started to find the space which could have been otherwise used to flesh out the plot is inordinately allotted to describing Sebastian's unusual eyes. We get it. Th...more
I am really enjoying this series. At one time, I loved "historical" mysteries - not so much any more (though I don't really know why). That doesn't seem to matter with this one; even though it is not set in one of my favorites periods in Britain's history, the Hanoverian era. The hero, such a tortured sole, is so intriguing, so sympathetic and to me, so likable and admirable, I can't help myself. I just want to understand him more - what drives him; how he tries to grow and deal with his past. B...more
This is the second installment in C.S. Harris's series of Regency-era mysteries featuring Sebastian St. Cyr, the Viscount Devlin. George, Prince of Wales (aka Prinny) has just assumed the Regency and already fears for his throne. The portly, pampered, extravagant prince is vastly unpopular with the people and his cause is not helped when the beautiful Marchioness of Anglessy is found dead in his arms, with a dagger that once belonged to Bonnie Prince Charlie in her back, in the Royal Pavilion in...more
The second book in the Sebastian St. Cyr series…my new obsession *grin* Although Sebastian is no longer fighting to clear his name, his days investigating mysteries are thankfully not over. This time sees him investigating the death of a woman who is found in the Prince Regent’s rooms at Brighton. People have told me that this is their least favorite book in the series so far but I enjoyed it and didn’t find it lacking. The mystery was decent and nicely woven into some historical events of the t...more
A young noblewoman is found stabbed in the private rooms of the Prince Regent, casting suspicion on the vain, spendthrift monarch in a time of political unrest fed by the revolutions in France and America. Viscount Devlin is summoned to investigate in this second outing of the Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries.
Devlin is intrigued, not because of any political or royalist loyalties but why the woman was wearing a mysterious necklace last seen when Devlin's mother was lost at sea when he was a child.
Th...more
Devlin is intrigued, not because of any political or royalist loyalties but why the woman was wearing a mysterious necklace last seen when Devlin's mother was lost at sea when he was a child.
Th...more
A beautiful marchioness is found dead in the Prince Regent’s chambers at the Brighton Pavilion. Her death is declared to be suicide, but enquiring minds are curious about the dagger stuck in her back. Sebastian St. Cyr happens to be nearby, and takes an interest in the case because... well, because the author needed a murder mystery to write about.
This wasn’t a bad read, but I wasn’t as engaged by this book as by the first one. St. Cyr didn’t seem to have much personality. He does have a lot of...more
This wasn’t a bad read, but I wasn’t as engaged by this book as by the first one. St. Cyr didn’t seem to have much personality. He does have a lot of...more
A solid and interesting historical novel set in the 1700's. Although this book did not have the depth of detail like many historical fiction novels it was still a goodread. I found the book both interesting and hard to put down. The flow of the book made this book an easy read.
The only two problems that I had with this book is that there are 7 names or titles for each character. This makes it sometimes confusing at first. I realize that in old English Society everyone has titles, and the title t...more
The only two problems that I had with this book is that there are 7 names or titles for each character. This makes it sometimes confusing at first. I realize that in old English Society everyone has titles, and the title t...more
Brief Summary:
The Prince Regent is discovered clutching the lifeless body of a murdered marchioness. Further complicating matters, the necklace around the dead woman's neck was last worn by Sebastian St. Cyr's mother, who died more than 10 years earlier. Personal intrigue draws Sebastian into investigating the murder of the marchioness but investigation quickly turns to political intrigue and rebellion.
Why I picked it up:
After reading the first in the series, I couldn't wait to get more Sebastia...more
The Prince Regent is discovered clutching the lifeless body of a murdered marchioness. Further complicating matters, the necklace around the dead woman's neck was last worn by Sebastian St. Cyr's mother, who died more than 10 years earlier. Personal intrigue draws Sebastian into investigating the murder of the marchioness but investigation quickly turns to political intrigue and rebellion.
Why I picked it up:
After reading the first in the series, I couldn't wait to get more Sebastia...more
Sebastian St. Cyr has to be one of my favorite fictional characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading this 2nd book of the series. I enjoyed it the first time around, but appreciated it even more this time. I am reading the series over again in preparation for the release of the next book in the series. I found the storyline in this book to be fast paced and intriguing. It held my interest from the very beginning. I love Sebastian, and there are many compelling secondary characters in the boo...more
The Prince Regent is completely surprised that the woman that he just propositioned is not sitting there in a provocative pose, she is sitting there with a knife in her back...dead. Of course since this is a delicate matter with the Prince, Sebastian St. Cyr is called in to solve the crime.
Sebastian eagerly takes on the case, because on the neck of the dead woman is a necklace that was on his mother's neck the day she was lost at sea 17 years ago. How can the two cases be linked together?
But o...more
Sebastian eagerly takes on the case, because on the neck of the dead woman is a necklace that was on his mother's neck the day she was lost at sea 17 years ago. How can the two cases be linked together?
But o...more
I liked this instalment much more than the first novel in the series. The violence in it was far less off-putting for me. I think it helped that I was already introduced to many major characters and that made it easier to be brought into their world. I thought the political history inserted into the novel were relevant and informative, without it being too much of a "show" to make it believable.
I loved the mystery and that it wasn't too bogged down with romance. I think that might change in late...more
I loved the mystery and that it wasn't too bogged down with romance. I think that might change in late...more
Sebastian St. Cyr is a wonderful character and Harris' writing is phenomenal. The novels are part regency romance, part detective novel, part Brontean/Eliotesque social novel. I have never not been surprised in reading one of these--things happen with the protagonist(s) that you would never suspect as a reader. In fact, Sebastian's personal history is just as engrossing as the novel itself. It is that, actually which keeps me wanting to read this series. It's almost like watching Spooks/MI-5 reg...more
C.S. Harris was going to speak at a conference and that spurred me to read her books. Now I can’t put down her Sebastian St. Cyr series, set in Regency England. They are page-turners with great characters and twists you’ll never predict and all the other fun of a suspenseful read. They are also crystal windows into a particular moment and place. It was delightful to listen to C.S. Harris talk about her research methods and her love of history...For the complete review
Second book in the Sebastian St Cyr novels....and I think book 2 is an improvement over book 1. Book 1 consisted of a lot of introductions to the characters and with book 2 I was able to enjoy the mystery without a lot of explanation regarding the primary characters and their roles. I really like Sebastian and Tom and their relationship. I want to like Kat but I find her frustrating at times, although that also lends to her believability as a character. I thought the mystery was well developed a...more
Not as good as the first installment, I thought. Although, unlike the first book, Sebastian did have a lot more freedom, seeing as how he wasn't running from the law.
The fact that throughout the book Sebastian was being followed kept my interest. The thought that there was someone hiding behind a bush or in a dark alley ready to off him at any minute him was pretty exciting.
They were a lot of action, chases and close get-aways to keep my attention peeked throughout the book.
Questions were left u...more
The fact that throughout the book Sebastian was being followed kept my interest. The thought that there was someone hiding behind a bush or in a dark alley ready to off him at any minute him was pretty exciting.
They were a lot of action, chases and close get-aways to keep my attention peeked throughout the book.
Questions were left u...more
I liked this better than the previous book, because Sebastian could move around more freely. We learn a lot about his past, and it seems like he's really grown as a character.
My one big complaint is about that necklace that first catches Sebastian's interest. It's the main reason he got involved, and comes up again and again in the investigation. Yet even after we understand how it got where it was, there was still no explanation of why it was there. For some reason that detail still really both...more
My one big complaint is about that necklace that first catches Sebastian's interest. It's the main reason he got involved, and comes up again and again in the investigation. Yet even after we understand how it got where it was, there was still no explanation of why it was there. For some reason that detail still really both...more
This was a well written mystery with many twists and turns until the end of the story. We see some different aspects of Regency England in that there is a lot of politics and gamesmanship and historical fiction brought into the story and not so much what is going on in polite society. There is an underlying relationship for the main character, but it is more subplot to the mystery than anything else. While this can be read as a stand alone, it is easier to understand after having read the first...more
This is the second book in the Sebastian St. Cyr series set during the Regency period in England and I enjoyed it more than the first. Because Harris spent so much time fleshing out the principle characters in the “What Angels Fear,” the plot in this novel was much more fast-paced, intricate and intriguing. I love Sebastian’s complex character and the fact that he isn’t a “run of the mill” aristocrat and I really enjoyed the storyline regarding their family secret, it’ll be interesting to see wh...more
This is the second book in the series. St. Cyr is called to help find who murdered the young married aristocrat found dead in the prince regent's rooms. Of course, the prince himself is a suspect, so everyone, even St. Cyr, assumes the goal of the investigation is to clear the prince by pinning the murder on someone else. I like the historical aspect of this series. I also like the main character, his family mystery which continues to unwind, his actress girlfriend, his staid father, and the oth...more
Another nice historical mystery from Harris. The main character, Sebastian, is asked by the Prince Regent's advisors to find out who actually killed the woman found stabbed in the Prince's arms. Harris does a good job in developing characters from the previous St Cyr novel and continues to build on a deeper mystery in Sebastian's life (involving his parentage and his parents), threading the stories together on a different level. Again, I appreciate the honest look at what England was actually li...more
C.S. Harris was recommended to me by a book friend here and at PBS, she said that I would love this author and she was right, I did love the book. I had not read the first book in the series and was at first conserned that I might be lost, but that was not the case the author wrote enough about the characters that I was able to fall into the story and it was an effortless read. I was left guessing about "who done it" to the very last and am looking forward to following Sabastian St.Cyr and Co. o...more
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Candice Proctor, aka C.S. Harris and C.S. Graham, is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than a dozen novels including the Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery series written under the name C.S. Harris, the new C.S. Graham thriller series co-written with Steven Harris, and seven historical romances. She is also the author of a nonfiction historical study of the French Revolution. Her books...more
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“She had been born with a different name, to a woman with laughing eyes and warmly whispered words of love who’d died degraded and afraid on a misty Irish morning.”
—
2 people liked it
“He was like a god to her. What happens when your god dies? Sebastian wondered. When someone is your sun and moon and stars, and then you discover something, something that reveals a hitherto unknown weakness so fundamental, so shattering that it destroys not only your trust in the other person, but your respect, too.
Some people never recover from that kind of disillusionment.”
—
1 person liked it
More quotes…
Some people never recover from that kind of disillusionment.”
May 27, 2012 12:49pm