Where Shadows Dance

Where Shadows Dance (2011) C. S. Harris

There are several authors whose books I pre-order as soon as I see them available. A far smaller set are authors whose books I will pre-order in hardback. C. S. Harris’ Sebastian St. Cry series falls into that very select category.

Interestingly, I quite enjoyed this book despite the fact that the mystery was quite secondary–this usually annoys me. However, this book focused on the relationship (and pending marriage) between Sebastian and Hero Jarvis.

Although she started as an almost secondary character in the first book, she developed through the series into an extremely complex and independent character. Marrying the two in a way that would make both happy was–to say the least–a complex negotiation, and thus the murder mystery took second place to the mystery of how these two characters could marry and not hate one another (and make the readers hate one of the two too boot).

And to be honest, I think the cover does a good job of making it clear that this book was going to be as much about Hero as about discovering a murderer.

So what murder makes its appearance?

As an anatomist, Paul Gibson buys corpses from London’s body snatchers. When he received the body of a young man who died of a weak heart, he quickly discovers the man was instead murdered. However, as the body is supposed to be buried and resting peacefully, investigating a this murder is going to be more complex than normal.

I actually thought the idea of how the murder was discovered was fascinating. How many anatomists of that time discovered murders but let the murderer go free because there was no way to bring the crime to light without placing themselves in jeopardy for their own crimes?

In a way, I wish this plot had not had to take second place to getting Hero & Sebastian to the alter, because it is something that had to have been quite common at that time.

If you have been reading this series, you will not want to miss Where Shadows Dance. If you have not read any books in this series, this is not the place to start.
Rating: 7/10

Published by Obsidian

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