Londinium, 1st century AD. Must every slave die?Fabius Gentilius Scorteus is a Britannic Celt, the richest man in Londinium. But he desperately wants to become a Roman citizen. He calls upon his Greek slave Ikaros of Apollonius. Ikaros was once a soldier, nobleman and engineer, but, after his country was invaded by the Romans, he was forced into a life of servitude. Known for his mind-reading … his mind-reading abilities, Ikaros is believed by some to have magical powers. Londinium is in need of a method to raise the water for the Imperial Baths. So Scorteus calls upon Ikaros’ talents to design such a structure.
If this project is accepted, Scorteus will finance the project for Londinium in the hope of winning citizenship. And once he becomes a Roman citizen, Scorteus promises to make Ikaros a free man. But, things do not go as planned… A member of the Scorteus household is discovered murdered. Everyone believes that it must be the work of a servant. Under a vicious Roman law Senatus Consultum Silanianum, if any slave killed the master, then every slave in the house was put to death, meaning hundreds of innocent people. Ikaros is sure no-one in the household is to blame. With his mind-reading powers, it is suggested that he may be able to solve the murder. With the support of Morganus, First Javelin of the Twentieth Legion and his men, Ikaros sets out to solve the mystery.
Will Ikaros unmask the culprit before innocent blood is shed?
Death in Londinium is a gripping historical mystery set in Roman Britain.
John Drake trained as a biochemist to post-doctorate research level before realizing he was no good at science. His working career was in the television department of ICI until 1999 when he became a full-time writer. John’s hobby is muzzle-loading shooting, and his interests are British history and British politics (as a spectator), plus newspapers, TV news, and current affairs. He is married with a son and two grandchildren.
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Vivid historical whodunit and more
As a lover of historical fiction, I jumped on Death in Londinium. Brittania in the Roman Empire? yeah! Celtic fingers poking into Imperial politics, plots, plans and piles of gold? Oooh, even better! A well educated Greek nobleman whose descent into slavery places him at the crossroads of all the above? Hmmmm… Add a chain of murders, a supposedly suppressed druidic priesthood, a decorated and venerated Roman Legion commander, and a miserable harsh sentence of execution hanging over the heads of innocent slaves…. WOW! The plot boileth over., ending in the most astonishing dramatic resolution! NO SPOILERS! Fans of true crime, classic detective fiction, readers of historical novels – all will enjoy this deliciously intricate historical detective drama.
As a fan of procedural police work I found this to be a wonderful look at how crimes might have been solved without all of the bells and whistles our current law enforcement branches have at their disposal. It all comes down to the human element and the ability to discern reality in the face of politics and social pressures.
I loved the two main characters and how their relationship grew through the process of solving the original crime. I would read more like this.
Outstanding depiction of Roman life in Britannia coupled with a twisting and suspenseful murder mystery. Loved it!
I enjoyed the daily life detail
Enjoyed the story and the setting descriptions in Roman Britain. Excellent author.
A little ponderous towards the middle, but good characters and a fine ending.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and when I finish it I immediately bought the next in the series!
It has what seemed to a compelling and unique basis for a great mystery. London in the times of’s the Roman occupation and everything about the roles of the Romans, the Greeks and the Celts. The architecture, the attire, the political system, governance, cultural norms, languages, etc, Even the plot-line moved along in a fairly procedural manner, but then it got so every half page it was bogged down with details that described the dress and rank of every single person accompanying them and those they visited, which happened every few pages.Right down to the color and shapes of the crest on the helms of their swords , ectc. I began to glaze over and lose interest. I gave up. Knowing they would be doing this in order to unmask the murderer, going from destination to destination in pursuit of more clues and information. No thank you.
Good whodunit set in the ancient Roman world!
It was entertaining and delves into a period of history largely ignored. The characters are interesting although the main character is rather overbearing. The writing and editing left something to be desired in my opinion but it held my attention well enough to entice me to read its sequel.
Well-drawn, interesting characters, clever plotting, and a wealth of intriguing historical detail makes this mystery set in Roman Britain a first class read. The ending suggests that a sequel is contemplated and I will be watching for it.
An unlikely detective pair in Roman-occupied first-century Britannia. Ikaros, a former Greek soldier, senator, and engineer, now a slave facing death. Morganus, First Javelin in the famed Roman army is tasked with helping Ikaros find the murderer of one of Londinium’s wealthiest men. The dead man once promised Ikaros freedom. Politics, corruption, religion, and a blind legalism obstruct the killer’s identity. Ikaros won’t go free, but he will save 400 slaves in the murdered man’s household if he can prove his suspicions. Time is running out. Finding proof is losing ground. Ikaros and Morganus persevere. The resolution is bittersweet.