Libertus has an important meeting with Quintus Severus, and hurrying back to his workshop to meet this esteemed client to discuss a new mosaic, he is annoyed to see yet again the greasy tray of pie-seller Lucius propped against his precious stock. He berates himself for being soft and buying one of Lucius's pies which even the starving dogs won't eat. He prays that Quintus Severus has not yet arrived and calls for his private slave Minimus to eject the pie-seller, but on entering his workshop he finds no sign of Minimus just a dead body. Unfortunately, at that moment Quintus Severus arrives and matters go from bad to worse.
Quintus Severus places the blame at the door of the poor little slave Minimus, who Libertus is sure has been kidnapped. When Libertus denies that Minumus has done such a thing Quintus says then maybe Libertus has done it himself, and climbing back into his litter cancels his pavement order.
There is even more mystery for Libertus when he finally returns home. And his detecting skills are severely tested as he seeks the truth about the killing of the pie-seller. And who is `The Green Man'?
I like Libertus and his wife Gwellia, who has a fund of good sense. An excellent entry in this most enjoyable series.
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Lizzie Hayes