It's October 1814. The war with France is finally over and Europe's diplomats are convening in Vienna for a conference that will put their world back together. With peace at hand, London suddenly finds itself in the grip of a series of heinous killings eerily similar to the Ratcliffe Highway murders of three years before.
In 1811, two entire families were viciously murdered in their homes. A suspect--a young seaman named John Williams--was arrested. But before he could be brought to trial Williams hanged himself in his cell. The murders ceased, and London slowly began to breathe easier. But when one of the investigators, Sir Edwin Pym, is killed in the same brutal way three years later and others possibly connected to the original case meet violent ends, the city is paralyzed with terror once more.
Was the wrong man arrested for the murders? Bow Street magistrate Sir Henry Lovejoy turns to his friend Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, for assistance. Pym's colleagues are convinced his manner of death is a coincidence, but Sebastian has his doubts. The more he looks into the three-year-old murders, the more certain he becomes that the hapless John Williams was not the real killer. Which begs the question--who was? And why are they dead set on killing again?
About the Author :
C. S. Harris is the USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels, including the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series; as C. S. Graham, a thriller series coauthored by former intelligence officer Steven Harris; and seven award-winning historical romances written under the name Candice Proctor.
Davina Porter has been enthralling listeners for over twenty-five years with her ability to mine the psychological depths of the characters she reads and bring them convincingly to life. In 2006, she won the prestigious Audie Award for Best Female Narration and in 2004 for Best Inspirational Literature Narration. She has been honored as an AudioFile Golden Voice and has won nineteen AudioFile Earphones Awards. As an actress, she has appeared on stage at the Vineyard Playhouse and the Square One Theater, among others.
Review :
"An intricate puzzle, based on a series of real-life murders, that indicts social injustices that continue to this day."
-- "Kirkus Reviews"
"As readers try to guess the identity of the killer, they will enjoy the ride through the many levels of Regency English society this case involves."
-- "Booklist"
"C. S. Harris at her best."
-- "Shelf Awareness"
"Excellent...Harris makes good use of the available evidence concerning the historical crimes, crafting a clever and suspenseful plot."
-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"
"Narrator Davina Porter pulls back the many layers of Harris's sixteenth installment in the Sebastian St. Cyr historical mystery series. Her British accent adds realism to the large cast of characters...Whether or not you've read other books in the series, you will find yourself immersed in this mystery."
-- "AudioFile"
