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Friday, May 04, 2018

Why Kill the Innocent: A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery by C.S. Harris

I've long enjoyed this historical Regency mystery series, but I have to admit this one is not as engaging as previous books.  What is interesting is the emphasis on the situation in which women found themselves during this period.  We tend to forget how circumscribed the lives of women have traditionally been.

Jane Ambrose, a talented musician, is murdered, and the plot revolves around the surprisingly numerous suspects for such a kind and talented woman.  As a music tutor to Princess Charlotte, her connections to the royal family have placed her in a precarious situation. Her husband may also have had a reason to kill her.  Her brother and a dear friend have been imprisoned for their writings against not only the Prince Regent, but against much of the Tory ideology, but even the Whigs may have been willing to sacrifice lives at the political alter.    Jane may have overheard something at the homes of one of her pupils that has to do with smuggling and the French.  On and on, there are suspects and possible motives.  

Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount of Devlin, becomes involved in Jane's death because his wife Hero discovered the body.  So...there is the basic plot.  Sebastien and Hero visit suspect after suspect, all of whom deny murdering Jane.

It is interesting to see, in the context of fiction, the way Jane's life has been restricted and hemmed in by the strictures of society.  A brilliant musician, Jane is reduced to becoming a tutor for children because women were not allowed to perform.  Her art has been censored by social norms, not by law. Her husband can beat her, and she has little recourse.  Divorce was legally possible, but not an option for most women because husbands would take their children.  

I was reminded of the book Censored:  A Literary History of Subversion and Control which I read in January and in which there is a section on Frances Burney, whose writings were stifled and controlled by her father and her mentor because writing for the stage was considered inappropriate for women.  

Interesting aspects of this historical mystery include the corruption of the court and politics, the common people and the poor who were neglected or used as cannon fodder, and the fact that no mattered how intelligent or how talented, women were confined by the dictates of a male dominated society.  As a Sebastian St. Cyr mystery, however, I found it much slower than previous novels.  

Read in April; blog review scheduled for May 4

NetGalley/Berkely Publ.

Historical Fiction.   April 3, 2018.  Print length:  368 pages.

15 comments:

  1. I still have to read this one! I like the characters too much not to. :)

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    1. I like all of them except for that despicable Jarvis! :)

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    2. Ooh, yeah. But he does make a great villain!

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  2. I've only read the first book in this series which I really liked but haven't made it to the others in the series.

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    1. It really is a good historical mystery series. You can get caught up with the characters, solve the mysteries, and learn a lot about the Regency period!

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  3. Hm. I've been thinking about trying more historical fiction bc I am always torn when it comes to them ... I'm thinking a good mystery series might be a good way to get into the genre, esp if this series has been excellent, despite this last one ... I just finished an installment in a favourite series of mine, and yeah, it was an off-book for me.

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    1. I love historical mysteries because I get a good mystery and learn more details of the time period. Some of my favorite authors in the genre include Candace Robb, Jerri Westerson, C.S. Harris, Ann Perry, and Charles Finch. :)

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  4. The historical aspect in this one sounds really interesting. It's too bad the mystery wasn't stronger. I would really like to try this author someday. Key word being someday. LOL

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    1. I like this series and if this wasn't my favorite, I still learned something about the time period.

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  5. Sounds like an interesting premise. I'm not familiar with this author so another new author to explore. :)

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    1. The Regency period is interesting, and I like the characters C.S. Harris has created. :)

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  6. wow i want to read the book JUST because of that cover! Idk.. so mysterious and atmospheric! And the feminist aspects of the story are fascinating [a little upsetting too :) ] I think this is a MUST read for me! TY for bringing it to my attention!

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    1. :) Most of the covers for this series are intriguing! When we wish we "could have lived back then," we aren't thinking about the restrictions of earlier time periods...or the lack of conveniences!

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  7. I like it when historical fiction teaches me about an era or historical period in a non-didactic manner. In fact, I think this can really emphasize, for instance in this case how women's lives were constrained, in a way that facts and figures cannot. This sounds like a great series, I will have to check it out. The only regency era mysteries I have read were the Julian Kestrel books by Kate Ross.

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    1. When have a personal interest in characters we learn in a completely different way, don't we? We feel it rather than memorize. I love the Kate Ross books and was so sad when she died.

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