Margaret H. (ExPeruanista) - , reviewed on 11/22/2013 + 68 more book reviews

A good addition to the various series of Roman historical murder mysteries. In this first book, Marcus Valerius Messala Corvinus, a young Roman aristocratic smartass slacker with no political or other ambitions beyond having another cup (or jug) of wine, is persuaded by a beautiful young woman to help solve a mystery. The problem is why are she and her mother not allowed to bring home the ashes of her stepfather, Ovid, a poet exiled for (as far as anyone seems to know) saying politically incorrect things in verse. Now that he's died in exile, why is there any difficulty? Much revelation of conniving and double-dealing ensues, and as a bonus, we have an encounter with Livia, widow of the late Divine Emperor Augustus, and she's just as scary as you may remember from "I, Claudius" on PBS.

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