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Stephanie, the
niece of Sebastian St. Cyr, is married to Lord Ashworth, a
sexually profligate, violent man, whom St. Cyr had suspected
of kidnapping and killing children several years ago. After
the birth of their twin sons, Stephanie no longer lives with
Ashworth. Still, she becomes a natural suspect when a small
bloody handprint is found in the door to Ashworth's house,
and he is found naked, tied to the bedposts, and brutally
murdered.
Harris is very good at capturing the reader's attention on
page one. She then keeps the tension going through the introduction
of various suspects, and additional bodies, and a character
gone missing.
It's
always interesting to see how similar, and yet different,
was forensics over 200 years ago. Harris makes very good use
of such information. The story's setting and the inclusion
of historical events adds a nice layer and intrigue to the
plot. It also educates one about the period.
There
are nicely done snippets of humor—"Why exactly
are we here?" "To watch. And listen. And leap to
wild and probably faulty assumptions." Harris knows how
to create atmosphere—"The entire area reeked of
overflowing bog houses, rot, disease, and despair." She
effectively destroys any illusions one may have about the
tranquil, genteel life of the entitled and wealthy, especially
as it pertains to a woman. As she describes the rise and fall
of prosperity in various neighborhoods, one does wish for
a detailed map.
The question as to why one murders has long been given the
answer of five human emotions. To that, Harris adds a sixth,
rather frightening motive. She also reflects on the hypocrisy
of those who call themselves Christians and reveals things
about which one might not know except for reading historicals.
While the story contains a plethora of bodies and suspects,
many are ones who seem incidental and don't add significantly
to the story.
"Who
Slays the Wicked" does hold one's interest and effectively
demonstrates that it truly is the poor who pay the price while
the elite are never brought to justice.
Reviews
of other titles in the series
What
Angels Fear # 1
When
Gods Die # 2
Where
Serpents Sleep # 4
Where
Shadows Dance # 6
When Maidens Mourn #7 [review
1] [review
2]
What
Darkness Brings #8
Why Kings Confess # 9 [review
1] [review
2]
Who Buries the Dead #10 [review
1] [review
2]
When
Falcons Fall
#11
Who
Slays the Wicked #14
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