The year is 63 BC, and Gordianus the Finder unexpectedly achieves the dream of every Roman: owning a farm in the Etruscan countryside. Vowing to leave behind the corruption of Rome, he abandons the city, taking his family with him. This bucolic life, however, is disrupted by the machinations and murderous plots of two politicians.
When Gordianus' longtime patron Cicero attains his lifelong dream of a coveted consulship, he urgently requests a favor of Gordianus: his help in keeping watch on a radical populist senator, Catilina—Cicero's political rival and a candidate to replace him in the annual elections. Against his will, Gordianus finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a maelstrom of deceit and intrigue, uncertain of the dangers and even more uncertain of where his true allegiance lies. When his six-year-old daughter Diana finds a headless corpse in their stable, Gordianus is confronted with the deadliest mystery of his career.
Shrewdly depicting deadly political maneuverings, this addictive mystery also displays the author's firm grasp of history and human character.
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"I liked this book a lot, but not as well as his first two books in the Gordianus the Finder series, "Roman Blood" and "The Arms of Nemesis". One of the things that makes this series interesting is that the mysteries are based on real happenings of the time, near the end of the Roman Republic." — Bonnie (4 out of 5 stars)
"I liked this book a lot, but not as well as his first two books in the Gordianus the Finder series, "Roman Blood" and "The Arms of Nemesis". One of the things that makes this series interesting is that the mysteries are based on real happenings of the time, near the end of the Roman Republic."
“Engrossing…Ironic and satisfying.”
“Saylor rivals Robert Graves in his knack for making the classical world come alive.”
“Saylor has written another gripping and entertaining historical whodunit…Shrewdly depicting deadly political maneuverings, this addictive mystery also displays the author’s firm grasp of history and human character.”
“Saylor carefully plots this novel and accurately depicts Roman society; his attentive study of Roman history and culture is evident throughout. The characters are believable and well delineated.”
“Saylor has written a sweeping and marvelously evocative story, with page after page of authentic detail and meticulous descriptions of the people, places, and politics of early Rome.”
“Saylor’s fashionably inconclusive reading of the conspiracy throws both antagonists, Cicero and Catilina, into bold relief. The result is a spacious, provocative portrait of a fictional detective confronted with a historical mystery finally beyond his powers.”
“Harrison has an emphatic delivery, appropriate to the emotions of the characters, from the frustrated Gordianus to the raging Cicero. His full-voiced reading includes believable female characters. The novel is recommended to history buffs and fans of the series.”
" Out of all of the Sub Rosa series, this was my favorite! "
" perhaps a good insight to roman life as it became a great empire; but there are a few passages that are useless - do we really need more discussions on intercourse/sex as opposed to cultural setting discussion of roman sexual mores as we currently understand them. would not recommend for a young reader at any time. "
" Awesome explanation of the Catilinian rebellion in an historical mystery novel! "
" I have an only slightly-secret love for the mysteries of Steven Saylor set in ancient Rome. They're always fun, and often a little educational as well. Saylor's take on the Catilinarian conspiracy is worth reading. "
" Interminably wrong. Lots of themes, plots, and subplots, and Saylor's usual dexterity, but I think I lost a whole month on what I thought would be another charming, thrilling Roman mystery. "
" In which Gordi gets some hot man on man action. "
" Catilina was an engaging character to center the story around, but there were too many details of Roman history for my taste, and not enough focus on the mystery at hand. "
" Loving this Sub Rosa series! "
" This wonderful mystery was a joy to read. It had great local mystery along with a history lesson relating to Cicero and the Catalinian conspiracy. "
" The first of Saylor's books that I read. Good page turning stuff, with well researched historical detail, but basically a believable plot about extraordinary people (as were many of the leaders of Ancient Rome). "
" It was OK, a decent story, just not the style of writing I enjoy. "
" Great addition in the Roma Sub Rosa series. Give great examples of Cicero's reign as consul and his paranoia over revolution. "
" c1998 Very verbose, this one. "Intrigue is an intoxicant more powerful than the headiest wine. Secrecy casts a spell over the workaday world and turns common,drab existence into the stuff of plays and epics." "
" Novel #3 in the Roma Sub Rosa series. "
Steven Saylor is a freelance writer, editor, and the author of novels set in ancient Rome. He studied history at the University of Texas at Austin. Saylor’s writing has appeared in the Threepenny Review, San Francisco Bay Guardian, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, and the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. He lives in Berkeley, California, and Austin, Texas.
Scott Harrison is a graduate of the American Repertory Theater Institute in Massachusetts and founder of Ironweed Productions, a theater company in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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