Where Shadows Dance

January 24, 2011
An overly convoluted plot mars this otherwise solid historical set in 1812, Harris's sixth featuring aristocratic London detective Sebastian St. Cyr (after 2009's What Remains of Heaven). When surgeon Paul Gibson finds a cadaver that he bought for anatomical study with a stab wound at the base of the skull, Gibson brings the matter to St. Cyr's attention. The corpse is identified as that of Alexander Ross, who worked for the Foreign Office. Several other murders follow, at least some of which may be linked with the political turmoil roiling the Continent in the wake of Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Meanwhile, Hero Jarvis, the independent daughter of St. Cyr's archenemy, accepts his marriage proposal, but this dramatic personal development compensates only in part for the failure of the disparate narrative threads to come together neatly enough. Series fans will hope the intriguing lead character will return to form in the next installment.

March 1, 2011
An amateur sleuth in late-nineteenth-century Britain, Sebastian St. Cyr has a new case fraught with complications. His surgeon-anatomist friend, Paul Gibson, examining the body of a young man who supposedly died of heart disease, finds a stiletto wound at the base of the skull: murder, not heart disease. St. Cyr must find the killer without revealing that the murder took place. His search takes him from St. Jamess Palace to the Russian, American, and Turkish Empire embassies, plunging him into the deep waters of diplomatic intrigue. St. Cyr is also dealing with personal issues, including his relationship with his father and his fianc'e, Hero Jarvis, who has finally agreed to a wedding date. However, as his investigation progresses, he realizes that Hero and her father, Lord Jarvis, know more about the case than they are revealing. When another body with an identical wound turns up, St. Cyr must hurry to catch the killer, who is now threatening the life of Hero and their unborn child. Historical-mystery fans will enjoy this absorbing story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)