The darkness of a London night in 1813 is not a safe place to be out and about, so why were two young people going down the dark winding lane to Bloody Bridge on this ebony moonless night? They might have been expecting a bit of fun and frolic, but what they didn't expect is getting the shock of their lives!

Driven from sleep by his reoccurring nightmares, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin hears the doorbell ring in the early morning hour; then, a voice speaking with horror to Morey, his majordomo. Sebastien rushes down. Would he come to help investigate a vicious murder?

The victim, now recognized by a constable as Mr. Stanley Preston, a wealthy and socially ambitious cousin to the Home Secretary, had been decapitated. Few clues were found near the murdered body, other an old metal coffin strap with an inscription reading "King Charles 1648". How and why did that strap get to be left there? What is the connection.. if any at all to the former King?

WHO BURIES THE DEAD is the tenth story in the Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery Series written by the best-selling and highly acclaimed C.S. Harris (aka Candice Proctor who also writes as C.S. Graham). Following WHY KINGS CONFESS, the story takes place in London in March of 1813, seven weeks after Hero has safely delivered a son, called Simon, the future Earl of Hendon.

Sebastian is a very interesting protagonist. He is a man with a past he can't forget or forgive himself for and so is haunted by nightmares. Even now, happily married and with a baby son he loves, he still feels driven to solve murders for the sake of the victims. This story pits him against a former nemesis. Even his father-in-law who stills rues the day his beloved Hero married St. Cyr is also ready to murder Sebastian if any evil or harm befalls Hero and Simon. Given these concerns, will Sebastien have the perseverance with the investigation that puts his family in danger?

One of Harris' many talents is her strong writing style and especially her sharp-witted dialogues that are so wonderful to read. The rapier-sharp verbal exchanges between Sabastian and his aunt are a particular delight as well of his short interactions with the father-in-law he detests. Like others in the series, WHO BURIES THE DEAD can easily be read as a stand-alone mystery, yet, it is an even richer story for fans who have read some or all of the previous books.

WHO BURIES THE DEAD is a thrilling, action packed story with interesting pauses as Sebastian keeps returning to the scene of the crime as he ponders what he is missing in determining who the murderer is. After all the compelling reading in WHO BURIES THE DEAD, I fully enjoyed the historical note at the end of the book that Harris provides -- very interesting indeed!

Another benefit for those who like learning more about the Regency time period as much as solving this Regency based mystery, Harris nicely conveys her research by pointing out how unusual it is for Hero to be breastfeeding and caring for her own baby, especially as she is a wealthy and titled member of society while also using Hero's own investigation into the lives and work of the costermongers to bring in more tidbits of interesting information while also serving as a plot development. An added bonus is the intriguing use of having Jane Austin and her banker brother as secondary characters and how they were able to add a new wrinkle in the plot by their involvement in determining the innocence or not of the unsuitable soldier suitor? Was he the killer? Was it a rival collector of footpads?

To find out and/or if you are looking for a dark and dangerous murder adventure, look no further than WHO BURIES THE DEAD!! You will be glad you did!