Author: Rosemary Rowe
Publisher: Headline, 2006
ISBN: 9780755327416
Genre: Historical Mystery
337p
Rating: 3 Crowns
A Roman-Briton Whodunnit!
A Roman Ransom is the eighth in the Libertus Mystery series which are set in the second century AD when Britain had been for two hundred years the most northerly outpost of the Roman Empire. Libertus is a former slave, turned mosaic maker and part-time sleuth, working under the patronage of an influential Roman , Marcus Aurelius Septimus.
Synopsis: Libertus is lying in his sickbed after a dangerous fever when he receives a visit from a distraught Marcus Septimus and knows something is terribly wrong. Marcus's beloved wife, Julia, and their baby son have disappeared without a trace. A ransom note has been delivered wrapped in a piece of Julia's stola: unless Marcus uses his power to release a certain political prisoner, he will never see his family again.
Struggling with his illness and the accusations of a sly Greek physician who has wheedled his way into Marcus's confidence, Libertus must try to find the criminals and save Julia and the baby.
My thoughts: These historical mysteries are perfect for those times when you only want to put your feet up and read for pure entertainment. The plot in A Roman Ransom is a little slower than in others in the series but it still has enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the end.
I enjoy the historical background. It is filled with small details of everyday life and characters representing different social and occupational groups which give an interesting and informative picture of what life may have like in the second century.
A good read for those who like to combine history and mystery.
Visit Cat @ Tell Me a Story
1 comment:
Interesting, I hadn't heard of this book. Thanks for the recc.
Post a Comment