Sebastian Alistair St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, a title he received when his elder brothers died much to the chagrin and disappointment of his father, the Fifth Earl of Hendon, was having a very troublesome day. In the very early hours of the morning he had fought a duel. It had been a close call since the other man had tried to shoot him before they had even completed their paces, and St. Cyr, although well within his rights to kill him outright, had instead merely wounded him in the backside, leaving him unable to sit for quite some time. Returning home later that morning he was greeted by his father, who as the current Chancellor of the Exchequer, was furious with St. Cyr for dueling since it would reflect badly on the family’s reputation and for his careless disregard for his own life, since as the last remaining heir it was imperative that he preserve the family line.

His second visitors that day were Sir Henry Lovejoy the chief magistrate for Westminster and two constables who arrived with a warrant for his arrest for the murder of Rachel York, an actress and thus a woman of questionable morals who had been found murdered, her head almost decapitated, on the steps to the altar of St Matthew of the Fields church. St . Cyr’s pistol was found next to the body, and Lovejoy said that if he did not have a good alibi they would have to take him into custody.

After initially thinking that he should let justice take its course St. Cyr changes his mind when confronted with one of the constables who seems particularly bent on framing him and escapes from their custody, disappearing into the warrens of St. Giles. There in hiding he decides that the only way to prove his innocence is to do it himself. Following the evidence with skills he learned while serving in the intelligence service during the Napoleonic Wars, St. Cyr  gradually uncovers the twisted trail and reveals the person who killed Rachel York and tried to frame him for her murder.

Harris knows how to create great characters, and evoke the time period and customs of the pre-Regency era with great deft and care. St. Cyr is arrogant, as someone in his position would tend to be, but he also is able to relate to common people, and is vulnerable and caring. The other characters each in their own right are interesting and fully fleshed out, even Rachel, who was murdered, is shown as a complicated and multi-dimensional person.  Tom, the urchin boy that St. Cyr rescues, is particularly delightful and interesting.

This was my first introduction to Harris and this series, but I know that it will not be my last. I have already downloaded the next book!

Brenda’s Rating: ****(4 out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Sharon, Marian and Lauren

Book Study Worthy? No

Read in ebook format.