When Falcons Fall (Sebastian St. Cyr #11) by C.S. Harris

Sebastian has only come to this village to deliver a gift from a dead man.  Jamie's grandmother lives in the village and he wants to deliver the mechanical hummingbird Jamie bought her.  He feels a bit beholden because Jamie was killed because he looked like Sebastian.  Sebastian finds several people who look a bit like him but he still doesn't know who his father was...

This is an Obsidian Mystery and I received a copy to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

I like Sebastian as a character.  He's stalwart, protects his own, and he's inquisitive.  He came with his wife and baby but had no intent to get caught up in murder.  But when the young new magistrate asks for help, he complies.  After all, the constable says it's suicide but that's not the opinion of the magistrate.  It takes Sebastian's eyes to pick up the faint marks to show she was smothered to death.

Trying to find her murderer is a challenge because she's traveling with a false identity.  It's also a problem when there are so many secrets in the village.  It seems any man with power takes whatever young woman he desires.  It doesn't matter if they go willingly or not.  And with illegitimate babies all over the place, it's hard to trace bloodlines and look for reasons for murder.

Then the murders in the present time seem to mimic some "suicides" from the past.  It appears the killer in the village has been around for a long time.

It was sad to read about all the young women who died but Sebastian and his wife manage to solve the case.  Ms. Harris writes a good mystery, fills it with facts about the era she's setting the story in, and it makes a very good read.  I'll be watching for the next book.  Sebastian is just coming into his prime.