John Maddox Roberts is the pseudonym of Mark Ramsay, author of numerous works of science fiction and fantasy, in addition to his successful historical SPQR mystery series. He lives in New Mexico with his wife.
Anyone who is a fan of Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor or David Wishart will love the SPQR series of books by the author. Once again we have an addition to the ever growing number of amateur detectives patrolling the streets of ancient Rome, solving mysteries and crimes. Not all at the same time, I may add, in fact not even in the same centuries. Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger, a high-born bad boy, is the offering of the author and he is just as interesting, likeable and believable as the leading characters from the author's contemporaries.
It had been one of the best summer's in the long history of the might that was the Roman Republic. Her legions had, as they always did swept all before them. Rome's enemies were either on their knees in supplication or their bones had been ground into the dust. But in Rome itself there was great unrest. The streets ran red with the blood of Rome's own citizen's. Decius Caecilius Metellus the younger was convinced that there was a conspiracy afoot to overthrow the senate. A sinister group who would stop at nothing to achieve their own ends. A group that could only be infiltrated from within. But admission into this group of people carried a grim price. The life of Decius's closest friend and possibly his own as well.