What Remains of Heaven

by C.S. Harris

Book Overview

Fifth in the critically acclaimed mystery series. London 1812. When the controversial reform-minded Bishop of London is found bludgeoned to death in an ancient crypt beside the corpse of an unidentified man murdered decades before, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, reluctantly agrees to investigate. As his search for the killer leads him from the back alleys of Smithfield to the power corridors of Whitehall, Sebastian must confront the well-guarded...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451230566
• ISBN13: 9780451230560
• Release Date: August 2010
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A series that gets better and better—-but what is up with the cover art??

The emergence of Hero Jarvis as a main character deepens and enriches this series— and I could not put this down. The author’s meticulous knowledge of history also increasingly comes to the foreground. I also enjoy her expertise on the day to day details of the time period - the weapons, writing instruments, food & drink, of the time period-all are described so naturally (you never feel as if she is flipping open a reference book) that it all comes alive - and I actually have had fun testing her description of the guns of the time with my husband, who knows quite a bit about these things. I don’t want to go into plot details— the chief delight of this book is the interactions between the main characters and the vivid descriptions of the crypt that serves as a focal point. This would make quite a film!

Intrigue with heartbreak and romance

I have to say I'm hooked on this series. I went back and reread books one through four prior to reading this one, which is the fifth installment. The mysteries are well written and keep you guessing, however, it is the cast of characters that keep you coming back. They are intriguing, yet realistic, having both likeable and not so likeable characteristics that make one relate to them. The subplot of St. Cyr's personal story keeps one both crying and yet hopeful. The other reviews have done a great job in summarizing, but I had to add my voice noting this as a must read series especially for those that like a little romance with their mysteries. Please though - read them in order. It makes the stories much more delicious.

Can't wait for the next one

This is another great book in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series. Other reviewers have commented on the plot but I want to call attention to the historical detail. C.S. Harris really recreate regency London and has a great grasp of period detail. It is the really great historical background and knowledge of the period that makes these books come alive. This book makes you feel as if you were in regency London. As always the plot is great, suspenseful and continues the mystery of Sebastian's pasth. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Fantastic -- but read the earlier books first

This is one of the very best books I have read in years. It sets multiple murder mysteries square in the color and flavor of Regency England. The plot is twisted and delightful, the clues are there but the killer an unexpected surprise. But what makes this book outstanding is that it really brings alive its time period with people who are not necessarily nice (in the accepted romance sense) but are always interesting, motivated and intriguing. I give this five stars and happily look forward to the next in the series. Thanks Ms. Harris.

engaging Regency mystery

In 1812 Sebastian St, Cyr, Viscount Devlin is reestablishing a relationship with his father. Their rift was caused by a secret that came to light leading to the son ending his relationship with his beloved actress Kat Boleyn; whom he intended to marry. Now he wonders if his one night with Hero Jarvis, the daughter of his father's mortal enemy resulted in a child although she refuses to verify it one way or another. Escaping his female woes, Sebastian is asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury to investigate the deaths of two men decades apart in an ancient crypt in a church. One of the victims is Sir Nigel, who vanished decades ago. The second corpse is the Bishop of London Francis Prescot, Sir Nigel's younger brother. Sebastian assumes the deaths are connected beyond the sibling link and believes the association harks back to the American Revolution. St. Cyr is taken aback when he finds a tie to his family. His father, Sir Nigel and Lord Jarvis went to the colonies to see if pursing the war would end up in England's triumph. Viscount Devlin is a brooding hero in the tradition of Lord Byron as he distrusts everyone starting with his father who has kept a seemingly zillion secrets from him. His investigative methods are similar to that of a twentieth century police detective as he follows clues to wherever they lead. C. S. Harris has written a wonderfully constructed Regency mystery filled with concealment, red herrings, and misunderstanding that keeps the lead protagonist going down wrong lanes, but never giving up. Harriet Klausner

Another Excellent Entry to the Sebastian St Cyr Series

C. S. Harris has crafted another excellent mystery detailing darkly charismatic hero Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, seeking the answer to a murder by investigating every echelon of Regency London society. The mystery itself is clever, requiring, as it does, Sebastian to seek answers to both a recent murder and one which happened thirty years before and tied to the American Revolution. However, the book's strongest points arrive via the series' overarching mystery, that of Sebastian's past, and that of his family, and in fact overshadow the mystery of the main plot. Some of the questions which have haunted him (and readers) since the first book (What Angels Fear) find answers (and more questions) here. This book also continues (and complicates) the situation between Sebastian and Miss Hero Jarvis which began in the fourth book (Where Serpents Sleep). Further, the murder mystery also stirs up an enemy from Sebastian's more recent past from his time with the army on the Continent. All of the series regulars take part, to varying degrees, including the aforementioned Hero, but also Jarvis, Sir Henry Lovejoy, the Earl of Hendon, Kat Boleyn, Tom, Paul Gibson, and St. Cyr family members Amanda and Henrietta. I highly recommend that everyone already acquainted with Sebastian pick up this installment immediately. (Readers unfamiliar with the series should start with book one, What Angels Fear, and read through all five!!) It's a fast, absorbing read that is difficult to put down once you start. The prose is delightful, the atmosphere beautifully rendered, and the characters are expertly delineated. (Also, the old saying about judging books by covers goes triply here. Note that the cover, while lovely, is completely unrelated to this book... Sebastian is still the protagonist, and at no time does a barefoot heroine stumble about old stairways.)