Where the Dead Lie by C.S. Harris

Where the Dead Lie by C.S. Harris ISBN-13: 9780451471192 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Berkley Released: April 4, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
London, 1813. Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is no stranger to the dark side of the city, but he's never seen anything like this: the brutalized body of a fifteen-year-old boy dumped into a makeshift grave on the grounds of an abandoned factory.

One of London's many homeless children, Benji Thatcher was abducted and tortured before his murder—and his younger sister is still missing. Few in authority care about a street urchin's fate, but Sebastian refuses to let this killer go unpunished.

Uncovering a disturbing pattern of missing children, Sebastian is drawn into a shadowy, sadistic world. As he follows a grim trail that leads from the writings of the debauched Marquis de Sade to the city's most notorious brothels, he comes to a horrifying realization: someone from society's upper echelon is preying upon the city's most vulnerable. And though dark, powerful forces are moving against him, Sebastian will risk his reputation and his life to keep more innocents from harm.


My Review:
Where the Dead Lie is a historical mystery set in 1813 in London. This is the 12th book in a series. You don't need to read the previous novels to follow this one, and this book did not spoil any whodunits of the previous novels.

The author vividly described the setting and wove in historical details without slowing the fast pacing. The main characters were likable and cared about justice for the street children. Sebastian and Hero were observant and asked good questions, but the mystery was complex enough that it took some time to uncover who was involved. I'm a little surprised that Sebastian doesn't have more enemies, though, considering the secrets he tends to uncover along the way. It's a good thing he doesn't use those secrets against people.

Sex occurred and rape and torture was referred to, but there were no play-by-play sex or torture scenes. There was a fair amount bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this well-written novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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