In 1811, murder has jarred London’s elite. The sons of prominent families have been found at dawn in public places, their bodies mutilated and strange objects stuffed into their mouths. Although Sebastian St. Cyr is distracted by his seemingly doomed relationship with actress Kat Boleyn, the oddness of these murders nags at him-and he becomes determined to track down the assassin, even at the risk of his own life.

Why Mermaids Sing is the third book in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series, which was most definitely evident in the story arc that ties the three novels together. While it doesn’t detract from this individual outing, it certainly begs the reader to go back and start from the beginning with When Gods Die (if you haven’t already, that is.)

Considering its historical setting and a few grisly murders, this mystery was light enough. That could be put down to the fact that the setting is never center stage; details of England in the 1800’s are mentioned, but do little to add depth to the story. It is obvious, though, that Harris cares a great deal for her characters, and Sebastian is a worthy sleuth.