Review: What Angels Fear by C. S. Harris

The year is 1811. As old King George III sinks deeper into madness, and the threat of social unrest and revolution haunts the privileged classes, a beautiful young woman is found raped and savagely murdered on the altar steps of an ancient parish church not far from Westminster Abbey. An ornate dueling pistol discovered tangled in the blood-soaked folds of Rachel York’s cloak and the damning testimony of a witness both point to one man, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, a brilliant young nobleman shattered by his experiences in the Napoleonic Wars. When a vicious attack during his arrest leaves a constable near death, Sebastian must run for his life.

What Angels Fear is the first in a historical mystery series. Three books have been written so far in the series and the covers and titles are all elegant and classy. I have also read and enjoyed a number of historical romances C. S. Harris has written under the name Candice Proctor.

London of 1811 comes alive in this book. King George III is about to be declared insane. The Prince of Wales–heir to the throne and soon to become The Regent–is an idle, self-aggrandizing individual fond of laudanum. England is fighting an expensive war with France, soldiers come home maimed, dead or without work to support their families, yet the Prince spends tremendous amounts of money for his pleasures. Many in London are desperately poor while the rich ignore them. In this book those in power worry the French Revolution might migrate to England. It is easy to see why they might worry! Harris blends history seamlessly into her story until the reader is asking what is the history and what is the fiction? She has a degree in classics and PhD in European history and her grasp of history shines through.

The setting is excellent, but it is the characters which keep the book interesting. Sebastian is a nobleman with a conscience. He notices the people around him. He joined the army after a love affair went bad, fought for England in the Napoleonic Wars and returned damaged by his experiences. The secondary characters are just as interesting–each with their own secrets and agendas. Among the characters: Sir Henry Lovejoy, the magistrate who must search for Rachel York’s killer; Kat Boleyn the successful actress who broke Sebastian’s heart years before; Paul Gibson, an Irish doctor and former army surgeon (until he lost his leg); a street urchin named Tom; Sebastian’s father Alistair St. Cyr, Fifth Earl of Hendon; Lord Jarvis, adviser to the throne.

The plot has many twists, but the more Sebastian learns the more he realizes the murder has ramifications for both his country and his personal life. The mystery, the relationships between the characters and the setting all create a great story. I have read the next books in the series and each builds upon the other. For full enjoyment start with this book and keep reading!