Blog Tour Literary Word Association Challenge and Giveaway: Enraptured by Elisabeth Naughton

Regency London, 1812: How do you set about solving a murder that no one can reveal has been committed?

Sebastian St. Cyr finds himself in the realm of international intrigue when he investigates the murder of a foreign office diplomat-a murder his reluctant bride-to-be, Hero Jarvis, knows something about. And when a second body is found, Sebastian must race to unmask a ruthless killer who is now threatening Hero’s life-and the life of their unborn child.

picks up right where left off and for those of us who are already familiar with the series – it couldn’t come fast enough. In What Remains of Heaven aristocratic sleuth Sebastian St. Cyr was reeling from revelations in his private life – both those revealed by his father’s actions and the consequences of his own. Now, in , Hero Jarvis (realizing that there is no other way) responds to Sebastian’s proposal…and the couple become engaged in what is set to be a marriage of convenience for the sake of their unborn child.

Meanwhile, in the underbelly of London, Sebastian’s friend and a 19th century version of a forensic expert Paul Gibson is asking for trouble when he seeks to exhume the body of a young man who died of heart failure – the case being a perfect one for further investigation of the human heart. Sadly for Gibson, it soon turns out the man’s death was far from natural – a stiletto to the neck the true cause – this is a case for Sebastian St. Cyr.

What follows is a complex mystery that touches upon Britain’s diplomatic ties with both European countries and the United States and the intricacies of international trade. Solving the murder starts out as an especially difficult thing to do – since everyone (but the murderer) assumes that the dead man – Alexander Ross a rising Foreign Office star, died of natural causes. As usual, Lord Jarvis, Hero’s father and his machinations are in some way involved and in this case, Hero takes a more central role as assistant sleuth. Sebastian tries to find the truth between the lies and coverups, while the bodies start piling up and time is running out….

For me, this book was all about the relationship between Hero and Sebastian. Don’t get me wrong, the mystery was wonderful – yes, it got a bit convoluted at times but I have to admit, I had no idea who the murderer was until the final reveal. Yet it was the more personal side of the story that made this a real page turner for me. And I loved each and every single page. It would have been so easy for Ms. Harris to just make this couple fall madly in love with each other and there you have it! Happily Ever After now they can solve mysteries together. But that just wouldn’t be right for either of these characters.

Both Sebastian and Hero come from homes where marriages have been unhappy and in Hero’s case, her position as a woman leaves her extremely wary of ‘wedded bliss’. Sebastian still feels betrayed by his father’s revelations and still feels love and passion for his now married ex-mistress Kat Boleyn. To just jump over that straight into a new relationship wouldn’t make sense. Now, I have been a fan of Ms. Jarvis since Sebastian first kidnapped her in when she calmly told him she saw no point in indulging in hysterics. My big sister on the other hand, always thought Kat Boleyn is the one. Even she saw sense (hah!) in .

Hero’s intelligence and curiosity compliment Sebastian to perfection and she makes an admirable partner in the crime-solving venture. In I think this couple learnt how to respect each other and are slowly growing to understand each other. The ending leaves me very hopeful for future books, being quite the fan of mystery solving duos. ;)

like previous books in this series is fast paced and extremely hard to put down – so make sure to set aside a day for this book or you too will miss out on a night’s sleep.

The historical aspect and the attention to detail was thoroughly enjoyable. I always finish these books knowing something new about the period whether it’s how diplomacy was managed in a time before press conferences or how you got the upper hand in business dealings in the days before emails or even a reliable postal services existed.

I am so happy that this brilliant series is set to continue with more books in the (please soon!) future. Each installment is simply delicious and never lets me down – the only problem? I finish them so quickly and then I have to wait again! Double edged sword those ARCs…

Here’s to more murder and mayhem in the not-too-distant-future (or in this case: past)!

Happy Reading!

Noa first fell in love with books when she discovered 100 acre wood and its inhabitants. To this day, the last pages of “The House at Pooh Corner” make her cry. In a good way. From“Calvin and Hobbes” to “The Iliad and the Odyssey” and lets not forget “Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes”. Biographies, mysteries, history books and romances all have a place on her bookshelves. Who needs furniture? This 29 year old singleton’s dream is to invent the zero-calorie chocolate. But until that day arrives, she tries to create sweet confections with whatever chocolate she can find. An MA in conflict studies (need a mediator?) means Noa loves a good debate, especially when she wins. If she were in charge, books would be free for everyone.

Doll Noa

View all posts by Doll Noa
Noas website

Related posts:

1. Review: What Remains of Heaven, C.S. Harris – James bond meets Regency London
2. Week In Review (Veil of Shadows Winner!)
3. Interview: C. S. Harris, Author of the Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries
4. Radiant Shadows; The next in the Wicked Lovely saga
5. Succubus Shadows: Memories, Heartbreak, & Hope