C.S. Harris and I go way back, not literally, because she is fabulous and glamourous and has lived the life I would have were I smarter, wealthier, and better looking...but nonetheless I have been a long time fan as I discussed in my post on The Babylonian Codex her join venture with her husband Steve Harris. For some strange reason however, Where Shadows Dance, the sixth book in her Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series has been nigh on impossible to track down. The publisher, a subdvision of Penguin books is one of the chains that is withholding shipments to Boarders and despite the past popularity of the books, in fall of 2009 when What Remains of Heaven came out there were dozens of pre-release holds on several libraries copies, not a single library pre-ordered the new installment this time. It was weird, I'm not sure what happened. I will say that the release schedule, formerly a consistent fall release was screwed up this time, delayed until spring perhaps because of her C.S. Graham series release which was the end of November. People get used to a certain schedule, and if it changes sometimes they loose interest. That being said, I broke down and ordered the book from Amazon (at $13.17 it was only priced like a dollar fifty higher than the trade paperback of What Remains of Heaven). I, like many readers, have been eagerly anticipating the reveal of the Sebastian-Hero conflict started in Where Serpents Sleep. Sebastian, everyones favorite soldier/viscount/ tough detective and Hero, the confirmed old maid daughter of his enemy Lord Jarvis decided a roll in the hay was a good idea when faced with death back in book four, resulting in the inconvenient pregnancy in book five and now the saga continues. As the series has gone on Sebastian's story has come more to the forefront, both in terms f his love life and his mysterious parentage. It went from perhaps 25% of the plot in What Angels Fear, the first mystery to morel like 75% not six books later. The question of whether or not this hurts the mystery plot is up for debate. Does it make for a better more satisfying story? Without a doubt, but there are some who beleive that a true mystery is just that. Lucky for you and C.S. Harris I'm not one of them.
In terms of mystery I'm pleased to say that this was much better than What Remains of Heaven, which had all the makings of a good mystery featuring a fresh corpse found side by side in an ancient crypt with a long-ago murder victim... there was espionage, a secret baby, spousal abuse, Benjamin Franklin's son (random I know), but in the end it just fizzled out and died. Where Shadows Dance was a meatier, better plotted mystery, much more reminiscent of the shockingly gory and weird stuff that was thrown at us in the good old Sebastian St. Cyr stories. He faces the challenge of how does one investigate a murder that no ones knows has been committed. His surgeon friend Paul Gibson discovers this when examining the corpse which he has paid to have stolen from a city graveyard.
Now trying to put the murder victim back together again like a gory Humpty Dumpty provides an element of slapstick, I guarantee a mildly disgusted belly laugh at the very least. If anything Hero's presence at Sebastian's side lends itself to telling of the story, mainly because you never know what side she's really on. If this were the 1950's Katherine Hephburn would play her in the film version, a la Adam's Rib. They make a good team and I'm sure St. Cyr junior when it arrives will add a little something as well.
I will say that the body count does get a little high towards the end, a bit Tarentino and unbelievable. I don't think its necessary to kill off every other suspect just to show your audience who the real killer is... but artist's choice. The mystery is still good, if there are a few unbelievable points or very loose ends Harris' storytelling is so good that you really don't mind. She lets you escape to the Regency period more fully than any other writer or the period I know, and that alone makes her books magical and a real treat.
