Blackmail, corruption, treachery, murder–the glory that was Rome.In this Edgar Award-nominated mystery, John Maddox Roberts takes readers back to a Rome filled with violence and evil. Vicious gangs ruled the streets of Crassus and Pompey, routinely preying on plebeian and patrician alike, so the garroting of a lowly ex-slaved and the disembowelment of a foreign merchant in the dangerous Subura … dangerous Subura district seemed of little consequence to the Roman hierarchy. But Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger–highborn commander of the local vigiles–was determined to investigate. Despite official apathy, brazen bribes, and sinister threates, Decius uncovers a world of corruption at the highest levels of his government that threatens to destroy him and the government he serves.
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I’ve long had Maddox Roberts’ SPQR series on my TBR list (ever since I started reading Roman whodunits – Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor, et al), but it took some time to get to them.
*** What to Expect
A political mystery set in 70 BCE, as a young official is looking into the murders of nobodies and slowly unravelling the machinations and conspiracies of those holding the highest power. The story is told as a first-person detective, common to the whodunit genre, though written as memoirs of an old man about his younger days.
Expect the top names of the period, from Cicero winning his first important court case and Caesar entering his quaestorship, Lucullus fighting Mithridates in the east, and Crassus and Pompey in their first consulship. Politics, perfidy, and pirates abound.
*** What I liked
As a connoisseur of whodunits and the period, I liked that Roberts took a non-standard association, with Decius in league with Milo and against Clodius Pulcher. (In honesty, both were gang leaders and likely charismatic yet nasty characters at the same time; it’s usually that Milo is portrayed as the baser of the two, with Pulcher as the more flamboyantly charming). It is certainly interesting to see a story told from that perspective, as the optimates and their circle often get vilified in fiction along with the adoration of Caesar and the populares.
*** What to be aware of
There were a few choices by Maddox Robberts that left me puzzled. While using the name ‘Decius’ – a name that didn’t exist in ancient Rome – can be taken as a nod to how the character is fictional and inserted into events, some other historical inaccuracies are less so. For example, the vigiles – who report to Decius – were established by Augustus in 6 CE (at 70 BCE, firefighting was firmly in the hands of individuals – eg this is how Crassus made his fortunes).
One also has to wonder at how old Decius was when writing his memoirs – if he was a military tribune during the revolt of Sertorius and yet lived to know Germanicus in his glory, we would have been well over 105.
Lastly, Decius himself occasionally comes across as a bit pompous. While his heart’s in the right place and he’s relentlessly pursuing justice for everyone, he’s a somewhat harder person to like than the easy-going Marcus Corvinus (David Wishart) or the hard-bitten Falco (Lindsey Davis).
*** Felix’s Review
Felix was less fussed than me about the added bureaucracy – it’s part of what kept his Roman-esque republic more stable. And though he admires Decius’ commitment to solving the murders, no matter how low-born the victim, he said that getting the stick out of his butt would improve the story no end. The mystery aspect in itself and its resolution left him wanting.
*** Summary
It’s a classic Roman-Republic detective, with a lot of potential for a first work. I will be continuing with the series, expecting growth and novel outlooks.
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Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck is that Felix fellow? Glad you asked! He’s the protagonist of the Toags, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome.
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A Story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic – for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
With a mild addiction to the history of Ancient Rome, this book was like my own literary version of crack. The author has clearly done his research and loves to show it without bogging down the story. The mystery takes a while to unfold, but once it does, it keeps you guessing with plenty of political intrigue.