Arms of Nemesis (A Mystery of Ancient Rome) (Library Edition)

About the book

Review ''Saylor impeccably recreates life in Imperial Rome. . . and intriguing mix of historical accuracy and tense drama.'' --St. Louis Post-Dispatch''A compulsively entertaining whodunit.'' -- New York Times Book Review ''Entertaining. . . Saylor's sense of style and elegantly witty writing make the most of this genre transference.'' --Boston GuidePraise for Steven Saylor's A Murder on the Appian Way (A Mystery of Ancient Rome): ''Gordinaus (the Finder) has wisdom and prudence; Saylor has intelligence, wit, and insight. . . Saylor has aquired the information of a historian but he enjoys the gifts of a born novelist. --The Boston Globe Product Description South of Rome on the Gulf of Puteoli stands the splendid villa of Marcus Crassus, Rome's wealthiest citizen. When the estate overseer is murdered, Crassus concludes that the deed was done by two missing slaves, who have probably run off to join the Spartacan Slave Revolt. Unless they are found within five days, Crassus vows to massacre his remaining ninety-nine slaves. To Gordianus the Finder falls the fateful task of resolving this riddle from Hades. In a house filled with secrets, the truth is slow to emerge. And as the hour of the massacre approaches, Gordianus realizes that the labyrinthine path he has chosen may just lead to his own destruction. About the Author STEVEN SAYLOR is a freelance writer, editor, and the author of novels set in ancient Rome. He studied history at the University of Texas at Austin. His writing has appeared in the Threepenny Review, San Francisco Bay Guardian, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, and the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. He lives in San Francisco. From AudioFile Gordianus the Finder, detective par excellence of the Roman world, narrates the story of his attempts to find the murderer of a Roman patrician, cousin to Marcus Crassus; find the two missing slaves accused of the patrician's murder; and avert the slaughter of the remaining 99 slaves in the household. Harrison differentiates among the characters by using slight changes in inflection and by reading the narrative in a loud, matter-of-fact tone, which reflects the caustic nature of Gordianus. Saylor's elaborate description of Roman villas and countryside illustrates the tale, while Gordianus's use of logic and deduction brings the mystery to its inevitable conclusion. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine