Why Mermaids Sing

Sir Henry Lovejoy, magistrate for London, has called Viscount Devlin to the scene of a brutally butchered body of a young man.  It is similar to another body found a few months earlier.  Devlin want his friend, Paul Gibson to do the autopsy.

What did the two victims have in common, other than wealth and aristocracy?  Another thing in common was that something had been stuffed in their mouth, but not the same thing.

Devlin is at first reluctant to become involved, but after the victim’s father tells him to keep his nose out, he decides to go ahead and investigate.  What he and Gibson discover reminds them of a captain in the army they had served with in Portugal.  Devlin sends his tiger, Tom, in search of the captain, who now serves as a member of the Horse Guards.

A few days later Lovejoy requests Devlin join him on a trip out of town to investigate a brutal murder that had occurred earlier.  The young victim was the son of a rector and had no connection to the other two victims.  Once again, the victim had had something stuffed into his mouth.

Devlin is reminded of a poem that seems to tie the victims together.  Then another killing happens; it seems to follow in the steps of the previous killings, but not the brutality. 

Author C. S. Harris has written a fast paced thriller, that has Devlin in more trouble than out of it.  How many more deaths will he have on his plate to solve before he can get his hands on the killer?  Can he withstand the shock that the author has in place for him, and be able to carry on?  A thoroughly enjoyable, quick read.