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    Why Mermaids Sing
    Why Mermaids Sing
    Why Mermaids Sing
    Audiobook8 hours

    Why Mermaids Sing

    Written by C. S. Harris

    Narrated by Davina Porter

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Murder has jarred London's elite. The sons of prominent families have been found at dawn in public places, partially butchered, with strange objects stuffed in their mouths. Once again, the local magistrate turns to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, for help. Moving from the gritty world of London's docks to the drawing rooms of Mayfair, Sebastian confronts his most puzzling-and disturbing-case yet.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateOct 2, 2015
    ISBN9781490661780
    Why Mermaids Sing
    Author

    C. S. Harris

    C. S. Harris is the national bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including the Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries. Under the pen name C. S. Graham, she co-authored a thriller series with former intelligence officer Steven Harris and, as Candice Proctor, wrote seven award-winning historical romances. A respected scholar with a PhD in nineteenth-century Europe, she is also the author of a nonfiction historical study of the French Revolution. She lives with her husband in New Orleans.

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    Reviews for Why Mermaids Sing

    4/5

    269 ratings24 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Another wonderful work by C.S. Harris. I love the St. Cyr stories, and Davina Porter brings them to life!!
    • 4/5
      The mystery started out a bit slow, but the action and drama really hit its stride later on and it had a solid finish. So overall quite strong.
    • 4/5
      What the What?!?! Kate and Sebastian are half siblings?! I. Did. Not. See. That. Coming.
    • 4/5
      When two young noblemen are found brutally murdered under similar circumstances, Sebastian St Cyr joins with the local London magistrate to investigate. The killer’s pattern correlates with a John Donne poem, and the victims’ families were all connected to a sea voyage from India a few years earlier, where the ship was caught in a storm, the crew mutinied, and lives were lost. The murderer seems to have detailed knowledge of the voyage: were they a passenger? And if not, then what is the connection and their motive? As Sebastian gradually pieces together the details leading to a suspect, there are further developments in his personal relationships. Sebastian and his father are on better terms than in previous books, and Sebastian seems to be making headway in convincing his mistress, the actress Kat Boleyn, to marry him despite the likely societal consequences. But if you think Sebastian’s personal life is going to settle down, think again. I really enjoyed this installment in the series. Both the mystery and Sebastian’s story arc were well-crafted, and I’m eager to see what happens next.
    • 3/5
      Book 3 of a series.I have mixed feelings about this one. The plot felt as if the author hadn't decided how the life of Sebastian St. Cyr was going to progress. In Book 2, we are left with three unresolved situations ( Kat and Sebastian's romantic relationship, Kat hiding her association with French spies from her lover who wants to marry her, and Sebastian's search for his mother). As well, there continues to be Kat's backstory of her birth, early life and ultimately, the big reveal, which is meant to tidy up the conundrum as to whether she should/shouldn't marry into the St. Cyr family. Along with these personal developments, there is a series of horrifying murders, which our main character, Sebastian St. Cyr, has to unravel in order to find the person responsible. By the end of the novel, one unresolved situation is never explored again and the identity of the murderer was rather far-fetched for the reader to feel tantalised by clues. Since the raison d'être for the killings was handled in a rather clunky manner, the overall narrative felt raw, as if a rough draught of the plot was never revised.
    • 5/5
      Wow. These are so good. I loved the pace of this one.

      I'll be honest. The personal twist, I didn't see. Though, I suspect the other hinted at in the end of the book. I'm not really great at mystery. But the historical, atmospheric, and character-driven aspects of this book are so so good. (As are the secondary characters)

      And man, a tortured hero just became more tortured and I'm a real sucker for that action.
    • 4/5
      Third book in the Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries series and I continue to be a solid fan. I now fully appreciate the slow character development and story arc progression. Harris has her reasons, especially with the huge reveal that occurs in this installment of the series. All the clues were there in the earlier books, but only if you were looking for them. I like when authors turn small details into big things. Got to keep us readers on our toes! I also really appreciate how the published book summaries do not contain spoilers for readers who are not caught up with the series. So many others books seem to do exactly that, which I find very frustrating. While the earlier stories have a vein of darkness running through them, this particular story is even darker and not something I would recommend for readers who are faint of heart or don't like books that delve into disturbing topics, like cannibalism. I know, you are thinking "cannibalism" in Regency London? If you read the story, you will understand, but I wanted to give a heads up for any squeamish readers out there so they can steer clear. Political wranglings and espionage activities continue to crop up, but the focus of the story is on the mysterious deaths Viscount Devlin is determined to solve. Even with the overall dark aspects of the story, there are moments of levity courtesy of Sebastian's young tiger Tom and Viscount Devlin's failed attempts to secure a new valet. Always entertaining when a valet is more concerned with the master's reputation than the master is. The interviews just never seem to go as well as Sebastian hopes. Overall, another wonderfully suspenseful read set in atmospheric Regency England.
    • 4/5
      The third book of this series just gets better and better with building o the characters that have been introduced so far. The murders in this book have to do with the bodies of young men of good standing found with parts missing as if butchered. Sebastian solves the murders even if the murders seem like justice from the view of the murder. There is a huge reveal in Sebastian’s personal life that changes the direction of the books going forward.
    • 3/5
      I have not read the first two in the series and I'm not sure I'll read the rest. It was an easy and interesting read and the plot was ingenious, apart from the identity of the murderer, which it was unfairly impossible for the reader to have worked out. Having not read the earlier instalments I was not as invested in Kat/Sebastian as other readers.
    • 5/5
      I thought this one was the best of the series yet...and they have all been 4.5-5 star books. In addition to several murders to solve we also learned some well kept secrets f the St. Cyr family and what lengths people will go to and what they will sacrifice to cover their guilt and shame. It's a fast paced page turner that you won't want to end.
    • 4/5
      Why Mermaids Sing
      4 Stars

      Local Magistrate Henry Lovejoy seeks the aid of Sebastian St. Cyr when the sons of several prominent families are found viciously butchered. Skilled at ferreting out the truth, Sebastian’s investigation exposes a deadly web of lies that someone is willing to kill to keep secret.

      A rather straightforward serial killer mystery set in Regency England. Nevertheless, the aspects of the case make for gripping reading and the twists and turns in Sebastian’s personal life are very satisfying.

      The murder mystery is definitely one of the more brutal and gruesome in the series and Harris leaves little to the imagination. While the details of the underlying crime make it possible to understand the killer’s motivation, the actions cannot be condoned or accepted.

      In terms of Kat and Sebastian’s relationship, Harris resolves the keeping secrets trope quite satisfactorily although Sebastian’s reaction to Kat’s deception could have been better. The most significant development, i.e., that Kat is Hendon’s biological daughter moves the story into new and intriguing directions. Hopefully, the changes in the romantic angle will be permanent as Kat has never been a favorite of mine.

      All in all, this series gets better with each installment and the blurb for the next book has me eager to continue.
    • 5/5
      After I'd listened again to Who Buries the Dead, the 10th book in the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries set during Regency England, I checked out and listened to book 3, Why Mermaids Sing. It had been two years since I'd listened to book 10 and almost three since I'd read book three. I enjoyed both books both times, but there was a big difference between the two: I hadn't remembered anything about Who Buries the Dead, but this mystery was so horrific that I remembered who the killer was and the motive. Okay, I'd completely forgotten this was the book with an important milestone in Sebastian's romance with Kat Boleyn, but I'm sure you'll agree it pales in comparison to the murder. There's also a couple of thrilling escape scenes.The book opens with a frightened young nobleman riding through the dark. His body is found the next morning in a sickening condition. As St. Cyr investigates, it becomes clear that this was not the killer's first victim.I'm familiar with narrator Davina Porter's work from Anne Perry audio books. She does as well by this series except for Magistrate Sir Henry Lovejoy. She read aloud the description of Lovejoy's unusually high voice for a man and didn't give him a high voice. Why?
    • 4/5
      Note: There are necessarily spoilers for previous books in this series.Background:This is the third book in the historical crime fiction series set in 1811 Regency England, and featuring Sebastian St. Cyr, the twenty-eight year old Viscount Devlin. In the first book, he was suspected of a murder he did not commit, and had to become something of a Sherlock Holmes to find the real murderer to save his own skin. In the second, he is asked to help solve a murder, based on his expertise evinced in his own case.You may also wish to consult my post on "An Introduction to the Regency Era."In this book, which takes place eight months after the first book, Devlin is approached by Sir Henry Lovejoy, the chief magistrate at Queen Square, with whom he has become friends. Lovejoy informs Devlin about a series of grisly murders in which the bodies of young men have been drained of blood, carved up, and left displayed in very public places, with odd items stuffed into their mouths. Jurisdiction for investigation has been given to Bow Street (the Bow Street Runners, a precursor of Scotland Yard, was the name of London's first detective force, established in 1753). But both Lovejoy and Devlin remain committed to solving the string of murders, and of course, Devlin eventually does, albeit at considerable risk to his own life.As in previous books, Devlin is aided by his “Watson,” the surgeon Paul Gibson; his mistress, the beautiful but low-born actress Kat Boleyn (who refuses to marry him because Devlin’s father would disinherit him if they married); and the former urchin Tom, who now serves as Devlin’s “tiger,” or handler of his horses. A stunning cliff-hanger ending, however, puts his relationship with Kat in jeopardy.Evaluation: The circumstances surrounding this crime are much more interesting than the usual “serial killer” motif. And one becomes invested in the recurring characters. I look forward to seeing what happens to them in subsequent books in the series.
    • 5/5
      A very rare series that keeps getting better with each entry. Again, I come back to one of the hallmarks of really well done mystery writing--the characters in this series have complicated and complex lives before any murders ever take place. The murders are a large part of the events, but there is a lot going on in terms of romance, family relations, political intrigue and more.
    • 4/5
      Complex and compelling. An excellent addition to a fine series.
    • 4/5
      Ms. Harris doesn't disappoint in this third mystery. Sebastian is as astute as ever, putting together the pieces that spell out the motive, tracking down the killer. Along the way there is significant development in his personal life and in the developing mystery of his own family. This was such an enjoyable story to read.
    • 3/5
      This is an interesting series about England in the 1810's. This novel does not dwell as much as the previous books of the series with actual events in England during this period. The emphasis of this book is finding a butchering serial killer. Halfway through the book, we learn the reason for the bloody murders; now the killer must be found before he strikes again. Harris gives away many secrets in this book with blatant hints concerning the St Cyr family. Sebastian has various detectives looking for his mother, who is still alive. The book is well written and the characters are vivid, but I constantly worry that England is a vicious and unsafe place to live.
    • 3/5
      I read the first book in this series because I read lots of crime fiction and I love the Regency period. I was somewhat underwhelmed and didn't bother to read the follow up. However, while on holidays recently I decided to give the series another go. This book was an enjoyable read. The characters and plot were engaging, although I don't think Ms Harris does Regency language nearly as well as, say, Georgette Heyer. At any rate, I enjoyed Why Mermaids Sing enough to keep on reading the series.
    • 5/5
      Book 3 in the Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery series, this is the best one so far. Sebastian is investigating the grisly murders of the son's of some prominent men. The bodies are butchered and left in public in the most ghastly manner. As it turns out, all of the fathers are connected because they were all shipwrecked together on a boat and turned to cannibalism to survive. Whoever the murderer is, he knows and is seeking revenge. Great twisty turny story though I am deeply saddened for Sebastian over some devastating news he receives towards the end of the book. I really enjoyed this one!
    • 4/5
      As with the other two books of the series, the plotting here is slightly all over the place. Once again Sebastian, Lord Devlin, is called in to involve himself in a murder. Two, in fact, as the horrifically mutilated body just discovered is the second such in a few months. He looks into the matter, trying to determine why two (or more) such dissimilar boys have been murdered in such a similar manner, all the while continuing to keep an eye on the matter of his mother which came up in the previous book. In his personal life, he continues to try to convince or coerce or cozen his mistress into marrying him, while she continues to keep a secret from him which she believes will change his feelings for her forever. Peripheral to the pursuit of the investigation, a piece of information comes out that turns Sebastian's own life and world inside out: it's a complete game-changer. The detecting seems a bit more inspired in this book: Sebastian makes an intuitive leap that is helpful in determining what ties the murders together. He still physically chases after clues from place A to B to C to D, but either C.S. Harris is learning better how to put a mystery together or Sebastian is learning better how to unravel one. It would be a really wonderful thing if it was the latter, and done on purpose. I still enjoyed the characters, and enjoyed the plot enough to blink at the flaws – like, for example, the - to me -shaky connection between the murders and between the connection and the murderer. There are aspects of the story and some of the characters I wish had been explored more deeply: Sebastian's extraordinary senses and how they mark him; Kat's world and her ability to assist in detection; Sebastian's tiger Tom's past and its impact on his present. All in all, though, it is a dependably enjoyable series, as long as I'm willing to cut it a fair amount of slack.
    • 4/5
      A good continuation of the Sebastian St. Cyr series. The mystery is good and new revelations about the central characters come to light, with enough left unanswered to interest the reader in a sequel. Why Mermaids Sing centers on the brutal murders of seemingly unconnected victims, a case Sebastian is called into by his friend Sir Henry Lovejoy. Sebastian soon uncovers relationships between the victims' fathers and a disastrous sea voyage years before. Overall, this mystery novel makes a fun and engaging read. Sebastian, Kat, and Tom are fun characters and I look forward to encountering them again and again in future novels.
    • 4/5
      I really love this series of books. It's set in early 19th century London. There are shades of Sherlock Holmes in St. Cyr but he's not annoyingly omniscient or condesending, two reasons I can never make it all the way through a Connan Doyle book. In this book, the pace is perfect; it's fast without being unrealistic given the setting. In this book, St. Cyr solves a mystery and finds out something shocking about Kat Boleyn (great name, by the way), the woman he loves and plans to marry despite the consequences. He also tangles with his arch enemy, Lord Jarvis, who has a close personal connection with the crimes St. Cyr is investigating.
    • 5/5
      The best book of the series, so far. No doubt.The mystery was absolutely enthralling and very clever. Young men across the city are turning up dead, murdered, in brutal ways. That is one thing they all have in common, another is the connection of their fathers. A connection of a secret that has been hidden for years. What kind of secret would men keep, while their sons are turning up brutally murdered? The conclusion is one that is unfathomable and totally outrageous.The other plus to this installment is the unmasking of the many layers of Sebastian St. Cyr. We start to see what the effects of war can really bring about in a person. With his actions and reactions, we start to see a darker persona.My rule with a mystery series is that I have to have all the books when I start, or at least have the rest of them on the way to me. I do NOT have the fourth book yet and I have to say, I'm losing my mind a bit, here.
    • 4/5
      Another good murder mystery set in the 1800s and Sebastian St Cyr reluctantly helps out the police. Someone appears to be killing the sons of a select group of people, but who is the murderer and what's the relevance of objects stuffed in the mouths of the victims? There's also a twist at the end regarding Sebastian's relationship with Kat Boleyn that's a big surprise.