Why Mermaids Sing is the third book in C.S. Harris’s Regency mystery series. The series focuses on the aristocratic war veteran, Sebastian St. Cyr, his actress lover, Kat Boleyn, and an assortment of secondary characters. Each book contains a self-contained mystery, plus a couple of continuing story arcs including Sebastian and Kat’s complicated relationship, and Sebastian’s search for the truth about his mother’s death.
It is September 1811 and – once again – Sebastian St. Cyr has become embroiled in a murder investigation. A sadistic killer is murdering and mutilating the sons of wealthy and influential families. With the exception of the damage done to their bodies, the investigating magistrate, Sir Henry Lovejoy, is at a loss to discover a connection between the murdered men. Aware that he is unable to move easily in High Society, he entreats his sometime friend, Sebastian St. Cyr, to assist in the investigation and make enquiries where he cannot.
Sebastian is reluctant to involve himself in yet more murders, but his pervading sense of justice overrides his misgivings. With the help of his faithful tiger, Tom, he discovers more killings which might be linked to the case, and a strange connection to a John Donne poem.
Meanwhile, Sebastian’s lover, Kat Boleyn, is fighting her own demons: her sordid past is catching up to her and threatens all she holds dear.
This is an interesting mystery with a few flaws which prevented it from being a perfect read. The mystery itself is very well done. It took me a while to get into the book (Harris’s style of very short chapters takes some getting used to) but it was worth the effort. I had no idea of the killer’s identity until the very end. The direction which Harris chose to take Sebastian and Kat’s relationship is controversial and not entirely to my liking. Although I’m fond of Sebastian, I still haven’t warmed to Kat. I am hoping against hope that Harris intends for him to end up with a certain other young lady, but I suspect this won’t happen.
I enjoyed Why Mermaids Sing and I’m very much looking forward to further titles in the series. As Harris has two releases coming out in November 2009, I won’t have long to wait to find out what happens next. The fourth book, Where Serpents Sleep (2008), will be reissued as a mass market paperback, and the fifth title, What Remains of Heaven (2009), will be released in hardcover. Grade: B
Other Titles in the Sebastian St. Cyr Series
{ 4 comments }
Great review…I really want to try this series!!
@Mandi If you like historical mysteries, this is a great series. It’s not of the cozy variety, like so many historical mysteries seem to be, but not quite as dark as Ashley Gardner’s Captain Lacey series.
I still haven’t read the first book in this series, although I have it in my mountain o’ books. The cover is fab.
I also wanted to tell you I gave you an award: http://heidenkind.blogspot.com/2009/08/awards-spreading-love.html
@heidenkind Thank you!!!