Reviews - Who Cries for the Lost

Who Cries for the Lost by CS Harris is the 18th book of Sebastian St Cyr and his investigations into murder.

After 18 books I am still on tenterhooks reading Harris's novels!
They tend to be deep mysteries, too graphic, sad, peppered with cruel people, but also thrilling, passionate and interesting.

I listed the charecters as diverse because there is a mix of people from different socioeconomic background. There is considerable tension in the mystery, and more than one thread is informative.
In most of this series St Cyr bounces back from a fight, still in peak form. It was gratifying that he spent this entire book recovering from a leg injury that he incurred in the last book!

Content Warnings

jodiesackettbrown's review

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adventurous challenging dark informative sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

chadjames312's review

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adventurous informative mysterious medium-paced

4.0

spaces_and_solaces's review

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4.0

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I absolutely love regency era mystery novels that exude old world danger, wit & unparalleled atmosphere. And C.S Harris’s book series on Sebastian St. Cyr, delivers that & more.
Set in the regency era, sometime around 1800’s, this series revolves around Sebastian Devlin, a Viscount who uses his uncompromising moral compass to solve murders & bring justice for the dead. Although it is uncommon & heavily frowned upon for an Earl’s son to engage in such pastimes/profession, Sebastian doesn’t mind bending the societal norms & breaking a few rules to stand for the dead, & often helps the impoverished & the voiceless.
Dealing with threats to his life for choosing to be in a life of service, the author draws the protagonist to be a man of intelligence, wit, & unyielding grit. Although the murders solved in this series are on a standalone basis, the author does a fantastic job of binding these books together with rich character developments, giving shape to the story in a way that feels wholesome & familiar.
The plot is thick with intrigue as Napoleon plans to march towards Britain, with a final reckoning held in Waterloo, and tension soars high amongst the classes & masses. In the midst of political turmoil, an unidentifiable body of young man was fished out of Thames.
Apparently murdered in the most gruesome ways possible, Sebastian thinks these murders are connected with Political Espionage & along with his wife’s support does his best to decipher the reason behind this malevolent act.
Recognizing the person as someone Sebastian served with in the prior wars, Sebastian delves deeper into his life & learns of his many secrets and the many powerful people/ countries who could want him dead. As more and more bodies of young men are pulled out of Thames, the writing turns theatrical, and I could almost sense the disquiet & stress felt by Sebastian.
With a climactic ending, driven by a fierce protagonist & the rich & diverse personalities of the side characters – this series has it all. And anyone interested in historical crime fiction specifically set in the regency era should definitely read this series!!!