Where Shadows Dance...

I was thrilled to get the latest title in the wonderful Sebastian St. Cyr historical mystery series this week.  Penned by the talented C.S. Harris, Shadows Dance is the sixth book featuring Sebastian St. Cyr, a sort of Regency era James Bond. St. Cyr, or Viscount Devlin, as he is also known, is an intriguing character and Harris is a marvelous writer. I was very excited to find a historical mystery series set in the regency era, as it is probably my favorite historical period.

Overall, this has been a really solid and enjoyable series.  Sebastian is an intriguing character with a wonderful wit and style.  In the early going, he was deeply involved with an actress, Kat Boleyn. I never really enjoyed the pairing because Sebastian seemed like a whiny child when he was around Kat. He seemed to use her as a threat and a wedge with his estranged family and it just got tiresome. As the books progressed, it became very clear that the mysteries involved were somewhat secondary to the familial secrets that Sebastian is constantly uncovering. This ongoing storyline lets the reader get to know more about Sebastian and his family with each book and a fascinating family it is. One of these family secrets eventually brings an end to the romantic relationship between Sebastian and Kat and while I felt for them, I was actually pretty thrilled about this development as I hoped it meant less of the petulant, emo Sebastian and more of the witty, mystery solving, urbane Sebastian.

Throughout the series Sebastian's nemesis is the wonderfully villainous, Lord Jarvis. Jarvis is the power behind the throne and  perhaps my favorite character in the books. If I loved Jarvis for no other reason, I would love him for fathering his daughter, Hero Jarvis. Hero is an amazing character. She is a 25 year old bluestocking, with a love for all things intellectual as well as a highly developed social concious.  Her ability to stand up to Sebastian as an equal made their relationship interesting to me from the start. As the series progressed, I hoped for a relationship between these two, but didn't see how Harris could pull this off since Sebastian is so sure that he can never love anyone but Kat. I should not have underestimated Harris's abilities, since she has indeed managed to build a unique and complex storyline for these two.

Where Shadows Dance is, I think, a pivotal book in this series. It felt like Sebastian was finally growing up. When a low level but well liked young diplomat is murdered, Sebastian steps in to investigate. The investigation uncovers an incredibly complex situation involving politicians and diplomats from many countries and almost more twists and turns than the reader can keep up with. Almost. Harris outlines the many players and elements of the storyline very carefully and I had no trouble following the action. The plot of this book serves to remind one just how volatile the world was in the early 1800s. There were so many powerful players on the world's political stage and all were seeking to build and strengthen alliances. As Sebastian works to unravel the puzzle surrounding the young diplomat's death, he also works to convince Hero to become his wife. Thanks to an unplanned episode in their recent past, Hero and Sebastian find themselves facing a difficult situation and both seem to be trying desperately to behave honorably. As they agree to marry, Hero steps in to aid Sebastian in his investigation. This development gives me great pleasure as well as real hope that this trend will continue in future books.  Sebastian and Hero are an amazingly well-matched couple and when they join forces they are indeed a force of nature!

A word here about romances in historical mysteries.  I am in favor of them. Really. That said, I think that writers of historical mysterys have to tread a bit lightly to keep the fine line between mystery and romance in place. Harris has always done an excellent job with this and I am truly grateful that she didn't try to keep some sort of love triangle going between Kat, Sebastian and Hero. When Sebastian makes his decision, he definitely mourns for what he might have had with Kat, but he makes it clear that he is going to be a faithful husband to Hero. He and Kat have a couple of lovely moments and I'm sure that she will continue to be featured in the series, but I felt like Harris effectively ended the concept of any sort of sordid triangle. I also worried about Sebastian and Hero being trapped in a stuffy marriage of convenience. These two have enormous chemistry and a strong physical attraction, but I was concerned that they would refrain from attempting a real relationship due to the circumstances of their marriage.  I would like to cheer C.S. Harris for not going that very tired route. The last few pages of this books are quite possibly the most romantic I have ever read in any genre. The writing is truly beautiful and I am reminded that Harris, under her real name, Candace Proctor, wrote several excellent historical romances earlier in her career. She even quotes one of my favorite poets, Sir Thomas Wyatt. Sigh!

So, strong mystery, swoony romance, great attention to historical detail, interesting familial situations, intriguing characters, both main and supporting, along with some truly fine writing combine to make the latest entry in this series one of the best.  If you haven't read this one, do so.  At the first opportunity.  Number seven in the series is due next March and believe me I expect that they will only get better and better! Harris is a worthy successor to the late, great Kate Ross and while Julian Kestral remains number one in my heart, Sebastian is certainly a close second.

Titles in the Sebastian St. Cyr series:
What Angels Fear: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book 1
When Gods Die: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery
Why Mermaids Sing: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery
Where Serpents Sleep: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book 4
What Remains of Heaven: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book 5
Where Shadows Dance: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery, Book 6