The Year of Confusion (SPQR) [Paperback]

Another in the series of mystery novels set in ancient Rome, in the first century BC, with the main protagonist being Decius Caecilius Metellus. On this occasion he is called in to investigate a murder, or rather by the time the book is finished, murders, of Julius Caesar's, now dictator, pet astronomers who have been working on 'his' calendar (the Julian calendar). Of course he is baffled until the end, despite lots of evidence which leads him this way and that...

This series can be compared to Lindsay Davies' (spelling ?) Falco novels, but to my mind our hero is more sympathetic, less arrogant, and displays more humour, in a wry sort of way, while being utterly serious in his 'snoopings'. I could hardly stop reading util I had finished it (again !)

I've always liked JMR ever since "The King's Gambit" all those years ago. Even the seven year gap between the first two and the subsequent eleven did not deter. Here was an author thousands of miles away from the likes of Lindsey Davis with a similar brilliant idea for a series. Decius Caecilius Metellus, the cynical, neutral senator in republican Rome has proven as enduring a sleuth as Marcus Didius Falco.
Episode XIII arrives and the inevitable retelling of events preceding Caesar's murder comes to the author. It is unavoidable for any writer who features Gaius Julius Caesar. Saylor, McCullough and more - all have had to navigate the retelling of a story best immortalised by Shakespeare. The events are not what matter, simply how the author handles the delicate nature of writing what has been written so many times before. JMR chooses to focus on astronomy and astrology, delving deep into the Roman senatorial fear of soothsayers, fortune tellers and occult charlatanry. The nobles ladies of Rome - Servilia and Fulvia heading the list - are spending their bored pseudo-political lives seeking the future and they are ripe for bamboozling by the exotic, eastern temptress, Ashthuva. Throw in Cleopatra with her arrow-firing pygmies and there's bound to be a murder or three.
So there is...Polasser, Postumius, Demades all end up meeting Hades/Pluto in a manner that has poor old Asklepiodes muttering into his beard. A new method of unarmed killing has arrived in Rome and it is uncertain if it is due to a cross country runner not seen since the likes of Pheidippides - at least, according to the badly winded Hermes whom Decius encourages to engage the suspect in hot pursuit. Constant in the background of the narration is Caesar's ascent into neo-imperialism, his grandstanding in the Senate in front of the Parthian ambassador, Archelaus, and a pointed opening directive to Decius to find out who has been murdering astrologers.
Off he trots, claiming to be independent - really Decius is as much of a Caesarian lackey as the rest of them - with Hermes at his side to unravel the exotic enigma of a serial murderer in the twisted streets of Rome. As usual we end up in a cracking denouement at a party that Trimalchio would have been proud of.
JMR is erudite, his prose style effortless flowing with enough engagement to keep the pages turning. Decius and Julia calmly tease and puzzle out facts whilst all around them descend into madness. There is a touch of buffoonery amongst the assorted cast, or perhaps JMR is stressing the Cynic attitude of our sleuth. Compared to Davis, JMR lacks the descriptive finesse of Rome - there is little in the way of scene setting in the city other than dark strolls into the tawdry underlife of the Roman mob - but his ability to build a growing sense of mystery is expertly delivered. The only oddity about the book is actually the jacket. Whilst no one wants to give out a spoiler I find it extremely strange that Minotaur Books choose to say "Decius figures out the fortune-teller's scam and also exposes the foreign astrologer who carried out these murders..." on the rear.

Oh, so the killer is one of the foreign astrologers in the book then? Well that narrows it down to about..er..two people then.

Indeed most odd. Still, let that not detract. As Callista or Julia might say, why would the stars predict our future? After all, what have we ever done for them?
I look forward to JMR's firmament glittering for many years to come.

It is Caesar's last full year as Dictator of Rome and Cleopatra is there with him. In the background there are rumblings of discontent. Caesar is determined to rationalise the eccentric Roman calendar with the aid of imported astronomers and astrologers. It proves an unpopular project and Decius (the pivotal figure of all the SPQR novels) is given the thankless task of ensuring its success. However two of the astronomers are murdered and as more killings follow, Decius needs all his deductive skills to uncover the culprits in a complex web of deceit.

I have read all the SPQR novels - which vary from good to excellent - and would class this among the best. My only reservation is that the very large cast of colourful characters can at times become rather confusing: a list of dramatis personae - as in the Lindsay Davis books - would have been a positive asset. Nevertheless an excellent, entertaining and absorbing read.