Why Kings Confess

 

Why Kings Confess (#9 of Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery)

Author: C S Harris

Genre: historical mystery

Number of pages: 349

First published: 2014

Setting: London

Rating: 4 stars

First sentence: Paul Gibson lurched down the dak, narrow lane, his face raw from the cold, his fingers numb.

One sentence comment: It told a fascinating story about the outcast French royalty whose absurdity is unfathomable.

 

The book's focus on the Bourbon family in exile is an unusual topic. It paints a desperate picture of their lives, particularly the obese, wheelchair-bound uncrowned king and other stubborn royals, who were forced to endure their plight in a run-down corner of Britain. I quite like the author's attempt to present the unorthodox resistance to a modern audience, especially since the French royalty normally receives little sympathy from people due to their ruthless attitude toward widespread poverty.

 

I ‘m also taken by Gibson’s love story in this installment. The one-legged surgeon was so completely overwhelmed by the tough Frenchwoman he had rescued. I expect to read more about them.