C.S. Harris reels the reader in again with WHEN THE WOLVES ARE SILENT, the twenty-first book in the Sebastian St. Cyr series.  This engrossing and dark historical mystery is set in Regency England and features lush historical flavor and details.  The former cavalry officer and aristocratic heir, Sebastien St. Cyr, is pulled into investigating a series of murders that swirl around his despicable nephew.

Harris writes complex and engaging mysteries that are tightly woven and superbly constructed.  Dissolute Bayard, St. Cyr’s nephew, wakes up from a drunken stupor to find his companion in debauchery dead and literally on fire.  He immediately implores his investigative uncle for help, as he is worried he and his cronies are in danger.  Another in their group was killed two weeks prior.  As Sebastian pursues a killer, he discovers that Bayard and his chums are even more deplorable than he realized, and I must say that I was rooting against the so-called victims here.

Two of my favorite characters in this long- running series are only lightly included this time.  Hero St. Cyr, Sebastian’s wife, is more peripherally involved in the sleuthing this go ‘round than usual.  We do still get additional insight into society’s ills thanks to Hero’s interest in interviewing the downtrodden in order to write social commentary articles for publication.  Sebastian’s irrepressible young tiger and factotum, Tom, is even less in sight.  I’ll admit to missing them, but their lack of involvement in this case makes it no less compelling.

I have to admit that it’s simultaneously delicious and infuriating to delve into a time when the status quo of the politicians and society’s well-heeled is so clearly ignominious in retrospect.  Reading about Western civilizations’ deeply flawed nature offers both an escape from and a commentary upon, where we are as a society today.  Harris does a bang-up job of providing us with sympathetic main characters against the richly figured backdrop of corruption and greed.

Readers jumping into the series at this point will be able to enjoy this book, but I think new readers will fall in love and race back to the beginning to devour these delightful books.  A tautly knit mystery, meticulous historical detail, and a satisfyingly rich plot make Harris’ WHEN THE WOLVES ARE SILENT a deeply satisfying read.