When the decadent tribune Clodius is caught infiltrating the city's most sacred women's rite, who else but Decius Caecilius Metellus should be called upon to investigate the sacrilege that has all of Rome talking. As Decius begins to uncover a dangerous web of intrigues, four brutal murders occur. Decius knows his own survival is at stake, if he can't find the perpetrators soon. But readers familiar with the SPQR series know, this has never damped his irreverent sense of humor, which makes "Decius" stand out. During the past 2000 years, many explanations have been given as to what Clodius up to on the night of the sacrilege. John Maddox Roberts's story is definitely the most entertaining one. The level of historical accuracy is astonishing. The plot and the characters are utterly convincing. One can only hope that more of the series will soon be re-printed in English...