Who Buries the Dead

In the vibrant yet brutal London of 1813, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is plunged into a macabre investigation following the grisly decapitation of wealthy West Indies slave owner Stanley Preston at Bloody Bridge. The chilling discovery of a lead coffin strap dated 1648, reminiscent of King Charles I's execution, hints at a deeper, more unsettling connection. As the victim's kinship to the powerful Home Secretary draws the attention of Sebastian's formidable father-in-law, Lord Jarvis, Sebastian must navigate the treacherous political landscape. Aided by his fiercely intelligent wife, Hero, his inquiries lead him from the squalid alleys of Fish Street Hill to the opulent ballrooms of Mayfair, encountering an eccentric array of suspects including the brother of renowned spinster Jane Austen. However, the stakes escalate dramatically with a series of brutal murders, all linked to the ruthless former army officer Sinclair, Lord Oliphant—a man from Sebastian's past who nearly destroyed him in a horrific wartime act of betrayal. Now, Oliphant's reappearance threatens not only Sebastian's life but also everything and everyone he holds dear.