A favored series and I want to thank the author for her consistently, well developed historical, mystery series. This is number seventeen and they are as fresh and intrigues as they were at the beginning. I have followed, grown older with Sebastian St. Cyr, through danger, heartbreaks, secrets exposed, the search for his mother. Now he is happily married, with two sons and a child n the way, when once again he is asked to assist in a murder investigation. A mother and child murdered and many suspects to interview. The conclusion was for me very unexpected.

There is also historical references present in all the novels in this series. In this one Napoleon has once again been captured and the government is trying to figure out what to do with him.

Brilliant series.

I have read and loved the first 18 books in the Sebastian St. Cyr series. This is the first one I listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed it. The author is so knowledgeable about the Regency time period and she really takes the reader there. This book I found extra dark and suspenseful.

My first book in the series that I didn't realize was a series when I requested it from Netgalley, but now I want to read all the others. This was a disturbing, dark, awful series of crimes and the aristocracy trying to find a quick scapegoat to protect their secrets. Scary twist at the end.

What Cannot Be Said by C.S. Harris and narrated by Amy Scanlon is an intriguing historical mystery that is right up my alley

Amy Scanlon does a great job of narrating the audiobook, reflecting the cadence of 1815 diction beautifully

The Prince Regent is planning a more than elaborate celepbration of the defeat of Napoleon, it is the height of Summer, and two teenage boys are avoiding the cacophony of their sisters wedding when they hear gunshots in the distance. They race to see what has happened and are met by a bloody scene. The two women were not just shot, their bodies were posed, hands in prayer, like effigies in a mausoleum, in the same manner as an identical murder fourteen years previously

The tale races along at a glorious pace and I was utterly gripped throughout. This is more than just a murder mystery, that are a lot more factors at play, such as the exploits of an illegimate son, the dodgy behaviour of the vile Sir Ivo McInnis (husband and father of the two murder victims) and all the while, we have the backdrop of years of devastating warfare coming to an end

The character building was brilliant and I absolutely adore Hero, her quick mind and grace is beautiful! A fantastic listen, highly recommended!

Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media | Recorded Books, the author C.S. Harris and narrator Amy Scanlon for this fantastic ALC. My review is leftvoluntarily and all opinions are my own

What Cannot Be Said AUDIO by CS Harris is a mind-numbeing investigation into several murders by Sir Henry Lovejoy and Sebastian St Cyr, Viscount Devlin. It comes to a mind-numbing conclusion with so many tentacles reaching in so may directions that, although it was not difficult to follow the reasoning, it implicated several people in various crimes unrelated to the initial and primary crime. The writing is extraordinary, as we have come to expect from CS Harris and explored even more deeply the relationship between Sebastian and his wife, Hero, as well as her father, Lord Jarvis, a favorite of the regent. The personalities explored were well-thought-out and intriguing. Investigation was not as easy at this time as there was no Internet, no cellphones, when every communication was in person or by writing. There was nothing like ballistic testing or fingerprinting. It was all down to making connections. That Sebastian did with alacrity. His character has developed over the years; watching him maturing and growing older has been an exercise in admiration.

CS Harris had put a lot of time and effort into these very well-written mysteries that pull at the readers’ heartstrings as well as strain their brains and powers of deduction. Sebastian is a member of the nobility, a system he abhors, but uses for the betterment of those around him. She has done an exceptional job of aging both him and Hero. This book is so well-plotted, that one doesn’t realize the manipulation, both by the killer and the author, until it is upon them. Kudos, CS Harris! You have a fan.

Amy Scanlon was born to narrate this book. She did it effortlessly with little need for voices, using simple, subtle changes in accent to differentiate amongst the characters. It was supremely well done. Thanks, Amy Scanlon!

I was invited to listen to the audio version of What Cannot Be Said by RB Media. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RBMedia #CSHarris #AmyScanlon #What CannotBeSaid

The latest (number 19!) of the early 19th century series centered around Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, who has a calling to help Bow Street untangle tricky murder cases, particularly when the upper classes are involved.

This episode takes place in July, 1815 — just as Napoleon is captured for the second time, his fate left to the British to determine (exile was chosen because nobody wanted to create a precedent for murdering heads of state, regardless of their crimes). Sebastian is brought in to investigate the brutal murder of a Baronet’s wife and her 16 year old daughter, their bodies posed in the exact same positions as those in a prior crime fourteen years earlier. Through an investigation tangled with possibilities, we are led to a dark conclusion that I admit I never would have suspected (though all the clues were there).

Harris excels at the successive unfolding of layer after layer of intrigue, suspects, and background stories. From lunatic asylums to the work houses to neglectful baby fostering to Dickensian apprenticeships and cruel taskmasters for the unfortunate orphans to soldiers returning from war along with the ever present sniping, posturing, and opportunities for outrage of the upper classes, the story gets richer and richer as it progresses.

The audio book reader was new for me — the first 16 books were narrated by Davina Porter who is one of my absolute favorites. I have no complaints at all about Amy Scanlon but I do miss Ms Porter’s voice.

I very much enjoyed this book. It was a very well written mystery that kept me engaged and wondering who the murderer was until the end.

I loved this book! The suspense continued to build throughout, making it very difficult to put this book down. Sebastian St Cyr, Viscount Devlin finds himself investigating the murders of Lady McInnis and her daughter Emma, whose bodies were left in Richmond Park arranged in a bizarre fashion. Chillingly, the murder scene exactly mirrored that of the murders of the wife and daughter Bow Street magistrate Henry Lovejoy, fourteen years earlier. Did the same person commit both sets of murders or was this a copycat murder? The list of suspects grows lengthy, including among others, Lady McInnis’ husband Sir Ivo, a soldier who might have been Lady McInnis’ lover, and even Basil Rhodes, the king’s favorite illegitimate son. Sebastian, his wife Hero, and Lovejoy slowly uncover evidence leading to a startling conclusion, with lots of twists and turns along the way. This story will stay with me for some time. I listened to the audio version of this book, and I found the narration to be excellent, truly bringing the characters to life. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mystery and suspense.

I have been addicted to this series since Book 1. I mean, what's not to like? It's well-written, incredibly well-researched, the characters are compelling and complex and the plots are deep and engrossing. As far as historical mystery series go, I would call the Sebastian St. Cyr series among the best. There's really nothing cozy about them. The endings are bittersweet, justice does not always prevail and good people die.

There is so much to these stories, which is why when I am reading them, sometimes I need a break to gather my thoughts. But with this audio book I could just listen. Being able to hear the story made it much easier for me to follow without needing a break.

In this book, Sebastian and Hero are involved in solving the death of a woman and her young daughter at a picnic. It tackles many early 19th Century topics such as baby farming, the treatment of children in the workplace and Napolean's capture and transport to St Helena. As always, the social and political atmosphere of the time is embedded into the storyline along with details of every day life, so the reader feels completely immersed in the storyline.

I did skip a few books in the series to listen to this one, and although the story had moved along, I didn't feel the impact. I'll now go back and read the ones, I missed or maybe even listen to them.

I received this audio book from RB Media and Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I jumped into this series to read this ARC and it was good as a stand-alone but now have another series that I want to read all the books! I am adding all of C.S. Harri's books to my TBR and starting with book 1 in this series, maybe I can catch up before the next installment is released! I did not see that twist coming at the end and I love that!

#WhatCannotBeSaid
#NetGalley

I picked up this series again after reading some earlier books in the series years ago. I needed an audiobook that would keep my interest while I worked on some time consuming tasks. It is a historical regency mystery with tons of side characters and the ending was unexpected until very late in the book. I would say you could read the book as a stand alone as the main characters are introduced with a little historical detail but you might be wondering more about the characters backstories as you read. I thought the narrator was great and the story kept my interest over many hours.
Advanced Copy via NetGalley.

There’s still profanity. Many things I do like about this series. There’s always several other things that crop up during the course of the murder investigation. I really enjoy the main characters. Tom, the Tiger is one of my favorite characters. The author catches the essence of this young, enthusiastic lad, as does the narrator. Typically I deduct a star for unnecessary profanity, but I also deducted a star for who the murderers of the primary murder being investigated. It was disturbing and a little dark for me. I love the way Sebastian and his wife Hero have come together as a married couple and also as investigators. Lovejoy and Sebastian make a cohesive team as well. I’ve read several in this series and will continue to do so. If profanity doesn’t bother you I highly recommend the series. I rarely read a book with profanity and make an exception for this series. It is always entertaining, and well plotted. I was blessed with a free audible ARC, and I’m leaving my review voluntarily. Outstanding narration as always.

This used to be my favorite English historical mystery. Unfortunately, it is another mediocre installment. While the author does her due diligence with historical accuracies for the time period, this murder didn't suck me in until the very end.

If you've made it this far in the series, you'll know quite a few of the crimes deal with taboos. I won't say this was the worst one yet, but it made for a very interesting story in the end. What will you do to protect those you love? How far will you go?

We made it the entire book with only a passing glance at Devlin's heritage. Do we consider it a done deal after the last book? Are we supposed to have forgotten, after it was made such a big deal?

I am glad they changed narrators. Davina's voice makes me sleepy.

So many murders, so many suspects, at times it was difficult keeping track of the different characters. That is my main compliant about listening to the audio versions of these books. The narrator, Amy Scanlon, did an excellent job and added to the listening experience. As is usual with this series, Harris shows us the social upheaval of the time. Issues covered in this story include the treatment of mental illness, the protection of the upper classes and the dreadful state of those children left orphaned. Hero best not turn her back on her stepmother, that one is a real snake. C.S. Harris is a wonderful author who crafts stories that are gripping and make the Regency times real. Her characters and plots are meticulously researched and written. The storyline flows and always has a twist you can never see coming. There is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end, and I will definitely be waiting for the next book.

On a lazy summer day in July 1815 in Richmond Park, the sound of gunfire rings out across a quiet park. A mother, Laura, Lady McInnis, and her daughter, Emma, are shot, and their bodies posed to echo another murder from fourteen years ago. For Bow Street magistrate Sir Henry Lovejoy this is a chilling reminder of the death of his wife and daughter and Sir Henry knows he needs his friend, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, to help unravel this murder.

Soon a very pregnant Hero is looking into the charity work that Lady McInnis was involved in and hoping to find the identity of the killer in someone who simply wanted to silence her. Being warned off this pursuit by her mother-in-law, Hero is left to wonder why. Sebastain follows a trail that leads in many different directions including to a chimney sweep using young children in his nasty business, a Waterloo veteran who loved Laura, a farmer and his wife who take in orphaned babies who die under mysterious circumstances. So many suspects including the widower, Sir Ivo McInnis and the illegitimate son of the Prince Regent. Both of whom Sebastian has been warned not to involve in this case.

When the niece and nephew of Lady McInnis, who were with her in Richmond Park on that day, are attacked as well as two other young women being found dead and poised, Sebastain is forced to consider a motive that is both terrifying and unconceivable.

My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary audio Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

Thank you to my bookish friends who caught me up on the MC's very exciting background and dynamics between the recurring characters so that I could jump into this series this late in the game. The book was written so well and the characters so vivid that it was no problem at all to start here and I enjoyed this book and Sebastian and Hero so much!  The writing swept me away and was almost addicting, the way I was lead along and could not stop (I finished this in under 24 hours). The historical setting of this book was wonderfully described and it was absolutely heartbreaking to read about what so many poor children were put through and how they were treated during this time!  The way the clues came together and the final result were so perfectly shocking. I cannot wait for more!!
Note: the audiobook narration is perfection and I highly recommend it!

First, I’d like to admit I started reading this book without knowing it was part of a series. Maybe my review would be better if I had realized that before hand.
My first critique is that it was narrated by a female although it is completely written from the perspective of a male detective. While her voice was enjoyable to listen to, I just didn’t understand that choice.

The main plot I found interesting, a murder mystery set is the aristocratic 1800s. I felt like to many subplots and extra characters were Introduced and to much time was spent on them. The story telling was entertaining but I felt myself losing focus during parts that I didn’t feel necessary.

Over all I would recommend it to people who are I retested in historical crime fiction. It just didn’t hit on all cylinders for me. Thank you RB media and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

C. S. Harris' long running St. Cyr series continues as fresh and thrilling as ever. In 1815 England, Lord Devlin is invited to assist Bow Street detective Sir Henry Lovejoy in investigating the horrific murders of a mother and daughter that appear to imitate the murders of Sir Henry's own wife and daughter 14 years earlier. As the investigation proceeds, Ms. Harris pulls back the veil on a number of social and political woes of the day, some that the murdered woman was working to address and others that serve to hinder or are merely peripheral to the investigation. Whether or not any or all are pertinent to the murders, they serve to pull the reader further into the story. I cannot help but compare and contrast the adversities in this historical setting with those in our own age, leading me to consider how far we have or have not come in more than 200 years. Not to worry, for the less introspective, they will serve only to flesh out a well written and plotted mystery. Either way, this is a mystery that will baffle the most astute armchair detective, and the resolution is as explosive as the murders themselves. Ms. Harris presents us with a well researched and written book that is a wonderful addition to the series but that can serve as a standalone to any who have not yet discovered this amazing series. I highly recommend this book and series.

Amy Scanlon does an excellent job of voicing these characters.

Wow, there is a lot happening in this murder mystery involving a killer who preys on both the aristocracy and the working class. I probably should not have jumped into this series at book 19, but the plot sounded so interesting. I think anyone who has been following the series probably sees the main characters as old friends by now. I would advise reading some of the previous installments before getting in too deep. There were so many threads of inquiry to follow that I was a bit lost at times, too.

Once again, I really enjoyed the narration of Amy Scanlon. She does an excellent job of bringing a variety of characters to life -- male, female, young, old.

I always love the Sebastian St. Cyr books. They are a solid mystery with historical aspects driving the story. The characters are interesting. The mystery is engaging. And I am always ready for the next one. I liked the narrator of the audiobook but I do miss the original one.

Lady McInnis and her daughter are found dead in Richmond Park, their bodies eerily arranged like ancient tomb effigies. As family members are targeted and more victims meet similar fates, investigator Sebastian pursues a twisted trail of horrors. With the stakes and victims mounting, he uncovers a chilling revelation that surpasses his darkest imaginings.

This is a dark and tortured story, the only book I’ve read in the series. I had a hard time keeping track of the recurring characters. The plot is twisty and unpredictable. The emotional tone trends toward anger and grief, with little warmth or close attachments. The audiobook narration was entertaining.

Thanks, NetGalley for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.