Whenever I’m asked for recommendations in the historical mystery genre this series is always the one that I end up recommending. It’s so well done, with a wonderful cast of characters and each new mystery still keeps me on the edge of my seat until it’s usual fiery conclusion. It never feels stale, and I never get bored, and I’m always excited to see what comes next.

This entry into the series hits a bit too close to home for one member of the extended cast of characters as the discovery of the dead bodies of a mother and daughter eerily resembles the crime scene of Sir Henry Lovejoy’s wife and daughter 14 years before. Sebastian is called in on the case, and as he looks into the life and associations of Lady McInnis and her young daughter, his list of suspects on grows larger and more complex.

This case haunts Lovejoy as he must deal with the fact that he may have arrested the wrong man, who was ultimately convicted and hung. His tumultuous feelings and desire to find out what really happened all those years ago, lend an even more somber air over the investigation. I found this book to be one of the darker and more grim entries in the series, which is saying a lot.

Along with Sebastian, Hero makes her usual appearances, helping out where she can and interviewing subjects that Sebastian cannot. She is indispensable to any investigation, and I love her and her insights. Gibson is still fighting his dependance on opium, and readers are left with hope that his lover Alexi can finally help him break through the pain of his missing limb and addiction to the relief that opium provides with her unusual methods.

This is not a book you can read as a standalone, and I know nineteen books can be daunting when thinking of starting a new series, but just know that it is so worth it if you decide to jump in. The Sebastian St. Cyr series continues to be one of my absolute favorites in the genre, and I look forward to whatever comes next.

4 stars for a fine addition to the Sebastian St. Cyr series of mysteries set in Regency England. This book opens with Devlin(Sebastian) called to the scene of two murders in London, July, 1815. A woman named Lady McInnis and her daughter have been savagely killed and their bodies have been posed in a manner eerily similar to two murders that happened 14 years ago.. The two previous murders were the wife and daughter of Sir Henry Lovejoy, who is the Investigating Magistrate for these 2 murders. He calls his friend Devlin to assist him in solving the two murders. Lovejoy is haunted by the possibility that he may have convicted and hung the wrong man 14 years ago. Devlin is a wealthy aristocrat and investigates murders without pay. He started out doing this to clear his name in book 1 when he was framed for a murder that he did not commit.
This is book 19 in the series. It can be read as a stand alone, but you will better understand the characters if you read the series in order. This book was a fast read--2 days for me.
One quote on Devlin's reaction to the two bodies: "He'd spent six years at war, yet he still found violent death disturbing and the senseless loss of the young particularly so. But there was something about the careful posing of those two innocent victims that transcended both tragedy and loss, that hinted at a level of human malevolence that reached beyond revenge to something he could only understand as evil."
#WhatCannotBeSaid #NetGalley. Thanks to Berkley Publishing for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
4.5 / 5 Warning; some graphic descriptions of violence

I am a big fan of this series by C.S. Harris - the author grounds her characters in very well researched historical events and immerses the reader in those events, and the locations her characters inhabit. I also appreciate that the books follow one another by only several months in the characters' time. Most also unfold over the course of only a few days.

This instalment takes place shortly after the British victory at Waterloo. However, Sebastian, Hero and Sir Henry (of Bow Street) get involved in trying to solve a murder that has far too much similarity to the murder of Sir Henry's family 15 years previously. As always the author adds details that bring the setting to life, and makes sure that the characters are carrying out their investigation in the larger context of life in London at that exact moment in time. She also skilfully weaves in details about the problems that society was dealing with and trying to change, which makes this series so different from many Regency offerings that focus on fun and parties.

I love this series for the great writing, realism and the very complicated plots. Recommended for fans of accurately historical historical fiction; readers new to this author should start much earlier in the series to get all the nuances and become familiar with the large cast of characters.

I say it every year, but it’s true. A series on its 19th book that has maintained the quality level throughout is so impressive. While I did find this story to be very bleak and dark, the suspense and storytelling is top-notch, and I so enjoy coming back into Sebastian‘s world with every new installment.

It’s just another great read in a great series. In one sense, I want to say you kind of know what you’re going to get going in - a great story centered around Sebastian and a rich group of supporting characters, but on the other hand, every story is unique and engaging, and it never feels like anything gets repeated.

I can’t recommend this series enough. It is so well done and still going strong.

(Posted to Goodreads)

C. S. Harris delivers another strong addition to her St. Sebastian series - her finesse with regard to making her characters engaging and real, across time and history, continues to astound and delight. A taut mystery plot as well as the promise of changes for some of her secondary characters makes this a must read.

In faithful style of her St. Cyr series, Harris creates a mystery of ugly murder with many twists, weaving true history, danger, and fictional characters into a surprising finale. Sebastian is a very human character, flawed and wily. Each book in this series is highly anticipated and the returning characters welcomed.

An absolutely stellar new edition to one of my favorite historical fiction authors, C.S. Harris has truly outdone herself with "What Cannot Be Said." A murder mystery in which I can never guess the ending. along with her ability to truly capture the time and feel of regency England are some of the things I most enjoy about her books, and this newest edition had everything I have come to expect and love from an author of her caliber. I even found myself rereading wonderful exchanges between the characters or certain passages because they were so good! This book definitely is for the mystery lover, but one of the things I really enjoy about this series is the wonderful, ongoing romance between Sebastian and his wife, Hero. I would say this is the perfect book to read at the beach, on vacation, at home, listen to in the car...just somehow read it! You won't be sorry. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to get my hands on a paper copy!

This was dark, darker than a lot of the stories in this series, barring just a couple. I found the lack of character development a little disappointing, but this mystery was well-crafted because the resolution was so insidious. The reader is not left with a comforting feeling, and sometimes that’s just the way it goes. I hope for more character development in future.

It's July 1918; Napoleon has surrendered to the English, Prince Regent is planning an elaborate celebration, and a woman and her daughter are brutally murdered in Richmond Park. The staging of the murder is nearly identically to the murder of Sir Henry Lovejoy's wife and daughter 14 years prior. As additional murders are staged and attempts are made on the lives of potential witnesses, Sebastian and Lovejoy race to find the killer or killers. As with all of Harris' books, they are meticulously researched and rich in the history of the times. The story is engaging and the characters are like old friends. Will read this series as long as Harris wants to write it.

Sebastian, Hero, Gibson, and Sir Henry are back as they all have a hand in investigating the murder of a mother and daughter that harkens back to a similar murder 14 years before. It was nice to finally find out what had happened to Lovejoy's family, though it was sad to watch him deal with that while trying to solve this murder. Harris is so good at keeping you guessing about the culprits until the end, and What Cannot Be Said continues that streak as I went back and forth on who was guilty. I just love this series and look forward to recommending it highly. Don't skip out on the author notes, either because they're always full of additional details - and in this case a clue to the next book. I did miss seeing more of Gibson and hope with the turn at the end that he will appear more in the next one. A huge thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the early access in exchange for my honest opinion.