Why Kings Confess A Sebastian St Cyr Mystery

London, 1813. The vicious decapitation of Stanley Preston, a wealthy, socially ambitious plantation owner, at Bloody Bridge draws Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, into a macabre and increasingly perilous investigation. The discovery near the body of an aged lead coffin strap bearing the inscription King Charles, 1648 suggests a link between this killing and the beheading of the deposed seventeenth-century Stuart monarch. Equally troubling, the victims kinship to the current Home Secretary draws the notice of Sebastians powerful father-in-law, Lord Jarvis, who will exploit any means to pursue his own clandestine ends.

Working in concert with his fiercely independent wife, Hero, Sebastian finds his inquiries taking him from the wretched back alleys of Fish Street Hill to the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair as he amasses a list of suspects who range from an eccentric Chelsea curiosity collector to the brother of an unassuming but brilliantly observant spinster named Jane Austen.

But as one brutal murder follows another, it is the connection between the victims and ruthless former army officer Sinclair, Lord Oliphant, that dramatically raises the stakes. Once, Oliphant nearly destroyed Sebastian in a horrific wartime act of carnage and betrayal. Now the vindictive former colonel might well pose a threat not only to Sebastian but to everything—and everyone—Sebastian holds most dear.

“Best historical thriller writer in the business!...The entire series is simply elegant.”—New York Times Bestselling Author Lisa Gardner

“Page-turning adventure, international intrigue, and unlikely romance.”—The New Orleans Times-Picayune

“Excellent…The combination of complex back story, intricate plotting, surprising developments, and poignant evocations of the lives of the under-privileged makes this one of the best entries in Harriss superior historical series.”—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“Like Georgette Heyer, Harris delves deep into the mores of Regency England, but hers is a darker, more dangerous place.”—Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

“A ripping read. Sebastian St. Cyrs world of Georgian intrigue captivated me to the final page.”—Will Thomas, Author of To Kingdom Come

“Thoroughly enjoyable...kept me enthralled.”—Deanna Raybourn, Author of The Dead Travel Fast

“Harris does an excellent job of interweaving the mystery in this book with the larger story arc of the series.”—St. Petersburg Times

“An intriguing mix of bloody murder, incest, and brutality…fascinating.”—The Washington Times

“Harris combines all of the qualities of a solid Regency in the tradition of Georgette Heyer …Anyone who likes Amanda Quick and/or is reading the reissued Heyer novels will love this series.”—Library Journal (Starred Review)

“Harris is a master of the genre.”—The Historical Novels Review

Praise for Why Kings Confess

“Harris's best Regency whodunit yet...[She] melds mystery and history as seamlessly as she integrates developments in her leads personal life into the plot.”—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

“Harriss novel shows an intimate knowledge of both the political and social history of Regency England.…The history, characters, mystery, and atmosphere all draw the reader in and dont let go.”—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick)

“This riveting historical tale of tragedy and triumph, with its sly nods to Jane Austen and her characters, will enthrall you!”—Sabrina Jeffries, New York Times bestselling author of How the Scoundrel Seduces

“Draws Sebastian St. Cyr and his wife, Hero, into greater danger than ever before. Unbearably exciting, filled with historical details, multiple suspects and, unexpectedly, Jane Austen, the reader will not be able to put this down.”—Romantic Times, Top Pick

“The solution, one of Harriss trickiest, will appeal both to fair-play fans and those interested in a vivid evocation of the period.”—Publishers Weekly

Regency England, January 1813: When a badly injured Frenchwoman is found beside the mutilated body of Dr. Damion Pelletan in one of Londons worst slums, Sebastian finds himself caught in a high-stakes tangle of murder and revenge. Although the woman, Alexi Sauvage, has no memory of the attack, Sebastian knows her all too well from an incident in his past—an act of wartime brutality and betrayal that nearly destroyed him.

As the search for the killer leads Sebastian into a treacherous web of duplicity, he discovers that Pelletan was part of a secret delegation sent by Napoleon to investigate the possibility of peace with Britain. Despite his powerful father-in-laws warnings, Sebastian plunges deep into the mystery of the “Lost Dauphin,” the boy prince who disappeared in the darkest days of the French Revolution, and soon finds himself at lethal odds with the Dauphins sister—the imperious, ruthless daughter of Marie Antoinette—who is determined to retake the French crown at any cost.

With the murderer striking ever closer, Sebastian must battle new fears about Heros health and that of their soon-to-be born child. When he realizes the key to their survival may lie in the hands of an old enemy, he must finally face the truth about his own guilt in a past he has found too terrible to consider.... 

Thrust into dangerous conflict with the Dauphins sister—the imperious, ruthless daughter of Marie Antoinette—Sebastian finds his self-control shattered when he recognizes the injured woman as Alexi Sauvage, a figure from his own past associated with an act of wartime brutality and betrayal that nearly destroyed him.

With the murderer striking ever closer, Sebastian fears for the lives of his pregnant wife, Hero, and their soon-to-be-born child. And when he realizes the key to their survival may lie in the hands of an old enemy, he must finally face the truth about his own guilt in an incident he has found too terrible to consider....