annieb123's Review of What Cannot Be Said (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, #19)

by C S Harris

A seemingly idyllic summer picnic ends in a macabre murder that echoes a pair of slayings fourteen years earlier in this riveting new historical mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of Who Cries for the Lost.

July 1815: The Prince Regent’s grandiose plans to celebrate Napoléon’s recent defeat at Waterloo are thrown into turmoil when Lady McInnis and her daughter Emma are found brutally murdered in Richmond Park, their bodies posed in a chilling imitation of the stone effigies once found atop medieval tombs. Bow Street magistrate Sir Henry Lovejoy immediately turns to his friend Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, for help with the investigation. For as Devlin discovers, Lovejoy’s own wife and daughter were also murdered in Richmond Park, their bodies posed in the same bizarre postures. A traumatized ex-soldier was hanged for their killings. So is London now confronting a malicious copyist? Or did Lovejoy help send an innocent man to the gallows?

Aided by his wife, Hero, who knew Lady McInnis from her work with poor orphans, Devlin finds himself exploring a host of unsavory characters from a vicious chimney sweep to a smiling but decidedly lethal baby farmer. Also coming under increasing scrutiny is Sir Ivo McInnis himself, along with a wounded Waterloo veteran—who may or may not have been Laura McInnis’s lover—and a charismatic young violinist who moonlights as a fencing master and may have formed a dangerous relationship with Emma. But when Sebastian’s investigation turns toward man about town Basil Rhodes, he quickly draws the fury of the Palace, for Rhodes is well known as the Regent’s favorite illegitimate son.

Then Lady McInnis’s young niece and nephew are targeted by the killer, and two more women are discovered murdered and arranged in similar postures. With his own life increasingly in danger, Sebastian finds himself drawn inexorably toward a conclusion far darker and more horrific than anything he could have imagined.

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

What Cannot Be Said is the 19th Regency murder mystery featuring Viscount Sebastian St. Cyr by author C.S. Harris. Released 23rd April 2024 by Penguin on their Berkley imprint, it's 368 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

This series has been consistently strong from the first book. Although the actual mysteries are self contained in each volume, the characters and story arc develop throughout the series. Since the series itself is so well done and engaging, reading them in order will reward the reader and is recommended.

The plotting and pacing are seamless with varying dramatic tension throuout. Sebastian is a complex and three dimensional character with a believable family and retinue and it's always enjoyable revisiting the series with each new volume and seeing how his young coach-boy Tom is developing as well as visiting his dogsbody/valet Calhoun, and his redoubtable wife, Hero and now, their children.

This is just a top quality historical murder mystery series with meticulous background research and beautifully written. It would make an admirable summer binge/buddy read or a long mystery book club project.

The unabridged audiobook format has a run time of 11 hours, 43 minutes and is read by Amy Scanlon. This is her first foray reading in this series (it has had a rotating cast of narrators thus far) and it's not an entirely seamless crossover. She has a distinct and somewhat abrasive voice and at any speeds over regular narration, it loses definition and clarity. Sound and production quality are high throughout.

Five stars for both the series as a whole and this, the 19th book.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading updates

26 May, 2024: Started reading

26 May, 2024: Finished reading

26 May, 2024: Reviewed