What Angels Fear
(Libby/OverDrive eAudiobook)

Off to a quick start with the gruesome near-decapitation and rape of a lovely actress, this fast-paced pre-Regency mystery effectively pits the sophisticated, overly mannered elite against the grimier lower echelons of 1811 London society. When his dueling pistol is found on the body, and the authorities seek to question him, Sebastian St. Cyr takes to the streets in disguise to clear his name. A bewildering cast of seemingly unconnected people leads to a labyrinthine set of clues connecting high-ranking politicians with a scheme to tilt the balance of power when the prince is made regent. At every turn, Sebastian blithely escapes capture, persistently "persuades" his suspects to talk, and woos a reluctant mistress who hides a deadly truth. The combined elements of historical fiction, romance, and mystery in this fog-enshrouded London puzzler will appeal to fans of Anne Perry and Will Thomas ( To Kingdom Come0 , 2005). Expect to hear more from Harris' troubled but compelling antihero. --Jennifer Baker Copyright 2005 Booklist

Set in England in 1811, Harris's riveting debut delivers a powerful blend of political intrigue and suspense. When Sebastian Alistair St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is accused of the rape and murder of actress Rachel York, mistress to various members of Spencer Perceval's wobbly Tory cabinet, Sebastian goes "on the lam," in the words of young Tom, his adopted companion and faithful servant, and must spend frantic days in clever disguises chasing "across London and back." Uncanny powers of sight and hearing help him to identify several suspects, including Hugh Gordon, Rachel's fellow actor and ex-lover; shadowy French emigre Leo Pierrepoint; and even his own wayward nephew, Bayard Wilcox, who had been stalking the victim for weeks. Also implicated is portrait painter Giorgio Donatelli, for whom Rachel often posed nude, whose current patron, Lord Fairchild, is expected to be the next prime minister. Waiting in the wings to rule over this gathering chaos is dissolute Prince George (aka Prinny), soon to become regent for his incompetent father, George III. Backed by a blurb from Stephanie Barron, this fresh, fast-paced historical is sure to be a hit. Agent, Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Library. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Starred Review. In Regency London (circa 1811), Sebastian St. Cyr, the youngest but only surviving son of an earl, stands accused of brutally raping and murdering a young actress. Then, as he's led away by police, an accidental knifing is also attributed to him. Sebastian runs, bent on finding the real murderer and clearing his own name. Using his skills as an ex-army intelligence officer, he attempts to get to the bottom of what may be a plot by Whigs to gain control of the government before the Tory prince becomes regent. Appealing characters, authentic historical details, and sound plotting make this an amazing debut historical. Highly recommended for all collections. A scholar of the French Revolution and 19th-century Europe, Harris is also the author of Women, Equality, and the French Revolution under the name Candice E. Proctor. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 7/05.] (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

In 19th-century England, a dashing nobleman teams up with a jaded actress to clear his name of a murder charge. London, 1811. Naïve young actress Rachel York is lured to a rendezvous at St. Matthew's of the Fields church, where she is brutally raped and murdered by an anonymous figure. Magistrate Sir Henry Lovejoy arrests handsome Sebastian St. Cyr, the Viscount Devlin, a veteran of the Napoleon Wars with a notorious reputation. Though addicted to danger and alcohol, the honorable Sebastian, haunted by war memories, is no predator. While transporting Sebastian to lockup, sniveling constable Edward Maitland accidentally stabs another officer and quickly blames it on Sebastian, multiplying the young nobleman's alleged offenses and triggering his escape. Breaking into the room of acclaimed actress Kat Boleyn, who's both his great lost love and the late Rachel's closest confidante, Sebastian enlists her help in ferreting out the truth. The pair embark on dangerous probes that uncover a cache of secrets about Rachel as well as an array of lovers and admirers. These include a fellow thespian, a wealthy Frenchman and Sebastian's brother-in-law. Meanwhile, Sebastian's distraught father tries to slow Lovejoy's manhunt by confessing to the murder himself, to little avail. But the discovery of Rachel's diary and a hidden pregnancy quicken the search for her killer. A starchy but well-appointed debut most notable for its historic detail. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Off to a quick start with the gruesome near-decapitation and rape of a lovely actress, this fast-paced pre-Regency mystery effectively pits the sophisticated, overly mannered elite against the grimier lower echelons of 1811 London society. When his dueling pistol is found on the body, and the authorities seek to question him, Sebastian St. Cyr takes to the streets in disguise to clear his name. A bewildering cast of seemingly unconnected people leads to a labyrinthine set of clues connecting high-ranking politicians with a scheme to tilt the balance of power when the prince is made regent. At every turn, Sebastian blithely escapes capture, persistently "persuades" his suspects to talk, and woos a reluctant mistress who hides a deadly truth. The combined elements of historical fiction, romance, and mystery in this fog-enshrouded London puzzler will appeal to fans of Anne Perry and Will Thomas (To Kingdom Come, 2005). Expect to hear more from Harris' troubled but compelling antihero. ((Reviewed October 1, 2005)) Copyright 2005 Booklist Reviews.

In Regency London (circa 1811), Sebastian St. Cyr, the youngest but only surviving son of an earl, stands accused of brutally raping and murdering a young actress. Then, as he's led away by police, an accidental knifing is also attributed to him. Sebastian runs, bent on finding the real murderer and clearing his own name. Using his skills as an ex-army intelligence officer, he attempts to get to the bottom of what may be a plot by Whigs to gain control of the government before the Tory prince becomes regent. Appealing characters, authentic historical details, and sound plotting make this an amazing debut historical. Highly recommended for all collections. A scholar of the French Revolution and 19th-century Europe, Harris is also the author of Women, Equality, and the French Revolution under the name Candice E. Proctor. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 7/05.]

In Regency England, a young woman is killed on the steps of a church and evidence points to the Viscount Sebastian St. Cyr. The young nobleman will need to draw on skills he learned in the Napoleonic Wars to clear his name and find the real killer. This series will be adored by those who love the Regency period, but the mysteries are always tightly plotted, and there is a romance layer as well. (LJ 7/05)

Set in England in 1811, Harris's riveting debut delivers a powerful blend of political intrigue and suspense. When Sebastian Alistair St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is accused of the rape and murder of actress Rachel York, mistress to various members of Spencer Perceval's wobbly Tory cabinet, Sebastian goes "on the lam," in the words of young Tom, his adopted companion and faithful servant, and must spend frantic days in clever disguises chasing "across London and back." Uncanny powers of sight and hearing help him to identify several suspects, including Hugh Gordon, Rachel's fellow actor and ex-lover; shadowy French émigré Leo Pierrepoint; and even his own wayward nephew, Bayard Wilcox, who had been stalking the victim for weeks. Also implicated is portrait painter Giorgio Donatelli, for whom Rachel often posed nude, whose current patron, Lord Fairchild, is expected to be the next prime minister. Waiting in the wings to rule over this gathering chaos is dissolute Prince George (aka Prinny), soon to become regent for his incompetent father, George III. Backed by a blurb from Stephanie Barron, this fresh, fast-paced historical is sure to be a hit. Agent, Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Library. (Nov.)