Don't Be Afraid of the Dork

Sebastian St. Cyr is destined to be an Earl in regency-era England. But then he becomes the prime suspect in the murder and rape of a young, beautiful actress and he must try and clear his name by figuring out who is really guilty of the crime. This is a challenge he is uniquely suited for as he has been a spy in the military and has some other physical advantages such as extraordinary hearing and the ability to see in the dark.

I like mysteries and I love books about regency-era England, so was excited to discover this series. Compared to some of the other series I’ve read (most notably as compared to this one Kate Ross’ Julian Kestrel Series) its dirtier, and grittier view of this time period and Sebastian himself is rather grim and mysterious and intense. However I wouldn’t call this a dark read.

I did find the book enjoyable and moderately engaging. The mystery was interesting and the inclusion of the politics of the day added some depth. However I think I was overall a little disappointed simply because I wanted to find another series just like Kate Ross’ Kestrel mysteries. So I can say right up front my judgment of the book is probably a little unfair because it would weird for there to be identical series of books in the world. Overall I just didn’t like the characters as much and thought the plot and relationships were at times a little forced and clunky. For me the romance between Sebastian and Kat was a miscalculation as it felt forced upon the reader rather than a relationship we witnessed developing. There was a lot of LOOK AT THE ANGST, LOOK AT THE TENSION to convince the reader there was a relationship there.

Despite my disappointment, I do plan on continuing with the series. It was a well-plotted mystery and I think the series will grow on me.