...and the first month this year I managed more than three or four books!

This is not exactly a review, but I just wanted to say that often times when a series stretches as long as this one has, the quality of the writing can begin to wane.

Thankfully, that is not so with this series.

I've not rated any of these books lower than a 4.

Also...a big, big YAY for Paul Gibson having more page time (he's one of my favorite characters), as well as the new characters that were introduced. I look forward to hopefully seeing more of them in the future.

The end of this chapter had me like:

Time to get back to this series, I think.

I continue to be impressed by this series of Regency-era historical mysteries.

In this latest tale, Lord Devlin, Sebastian St. Cyr, is awaiting the birth of his first child. His wife, Hero, is having a rather complicated pregnancy ... to say the least.

In the mean while, a French physician is found murdered in the St. Katharine's neighborhood ... with his heart cut out. Sebastian's friend, Paul Gibson, is looking into the matter from a medical perspective. This causes the two men to become acquainted with several members of the exiled French Bourbon household, as well as some men who have come to England on behalf of Napoleon's government ... and then ensues all matter of additional complications to the tale.

C.S. Harris gives us an outstanding look into the complicated politics of the period, as well as creating new characters who are just as multi-dimensional as the rest of the folk who people her stories. The "good guys" are far from perfect, and the "bad guys" are not cardboard stereotypes. That I once again failed to see the "whodunnit" coming impresses me tremendously each and every time.

Highly recommended.