"Two murders decades apart provides thrilling mystery"

By: C.S. Harris

Genres: Mystery Historical | Mystery

Posted: November 24, 2009

Something foul is afoot when the body of the Bishop of London is found murdered in the catacombs underneath St. Margaret's, a small country church.

Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, has been called in by the Archbishop of Canterbury to investigate the murder and soon discovers there is not one, but two unexplained murder victims -- the Bishop and the mummified remains of another in the decaying crypts.

Clues soon lead St. Cyr to uncover deep, dark secrets of some of the most prominent families in London society, including his own father.

Seems the Bishop wasn't all that popular, after all. As St. Cyr begins to trace the Bishop's last day, he is dismayed to find that the last person to have contact with him was Miss Hero Jarvis, the very lady who had been avoiding Sebastian's attentions since their last encounter ended up in a compromising situation. Why had Hero been consulting with the Bishop? And how did Benjamin Franklin's son, William, figure into the life of the dead Bishop?

Twist and turns and thrilling adventure await the reader in C.S. Harris' WHAT REMAINS OF HEAVEN. The 5th book in Harris' "St. Cyr Mystery" series, this is a mesmerizing tale of intrigue in Regency England. Part suspense, part romance, and part mystery, the story will keep the reader captivated to the cliffhanger ending.

I was fascinated by the descriptions of Sebastian's friend, Dr. Paul Gibson and the early autopsy techniques he used as he and St. Cyr work to determine the death of the mummified victim. I also enjoyed the assertiveness and independence of the heroine, Hero Jarvis as she faced difficulty decisions for a lady of her time. Harris handles this delicate situation admirably.

Fans of the Regency era of England will enjoy WHAT REMAINS OF HEAVEN, as will admirers of thrilling mysteries.

Book Summary

Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury to help in the investigation of two corpses found in an ancient crypt, their violent deaths separated by decades. One is the Bishop of London, the elderly Archbishop's favored but controversial successor. The identity of the other seems lost in time.

Sebastian amasses a list of suspects that range from some of the Prince Regent's closest cronies to William Franklin, embittered son of famous American patriot Ben Franklin-and finds himself confronting the well-guarded secrets of his own family's history. Now each step he takes toward the killer brings him closer to a devastating truth that could ultimately force him to question who-and what-he really is.

What Remains Of Heaven by C.S. Harris

What Remains Of Heaven

by: C.S. Harris

A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery #5

NAL Hardcover
November 1, 2009
On Sale: November 3, 2009
Featuring: Sebastian St. Cyr; Archbishop of Canterbury
336 pages
ISBN: 0451228022
EAN: 9780451228024
Kindle: B002SV36YQ
Hardcover / e-Book

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