Author: ruthdownie

The eighth gripping novel in the bestselling Medicus series, in which Ruso and Tilla investigate the death of the wife of Ruso’s friend in the sacred hot spring of Aquae Sulis.A scandal is threatening to engulf the popular spa town of Aquae Sulis (modern-day Bath). The wife of Ruso’s best friend, Valens, has been found dead in the sacred hot spring, stabbed through the heart. Fearing the wrath of … Fearing the wrath of the goddess and the ruin of the tourist trade, the temple officials are keen to cover up what’s happened. But the dead woman’s father is demanding…

“Clever and suspenseful” (Publishers Weekly): In second-century Gaul, army doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso returns to his ancestral home — and soon finds himself embroiled in a murder investigation… “Enormous fun” (Kirkus Reviews starred review) from a New York Times bestselling author.

Ruso and Tilla’s excitement at arriving in Rome with their new baby daughter is soon dulled by their discovery that the grand facades of polished marble mask an underworld of corrupt landlords and vermin-infested tenements. There are also far too many doctors–some skilled–but others positively dangerous. Ruso thinks he has been offered a reputable medical practice only to find that his … predecessor Doctor Kleitos has fled, leaving a dead man in a barrel on the doorstep and the warning, “Be careful who you trust.” Distracted by the body and his efforts to help a friend win the hand of…

A “charming” New York Times bestseller (Kirkus Reviews starred review): In Roman-occupied Britain, army doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso sets out to track down a serial killer — before he becomes the next victim. “Wonderfully entertaining… Ruso is too good a character for just one book” (Newsweek).