Back after not writing anything for who knows how long. yay! go me.
This time, we are in Rome, the last days of the Republic, when figures larger than life such as Sulla, Crassus, Caesar, Catilina and Mark Anthony hop around the not-quite-safe streets of the city with the 7 hills.
The books deal with the adventures of Gordianus the Finder, a well traveled Roman that is now living in Rome with his spirited good looking Egyptian slave/concubine. He happens to be the only private investigator in Rome, most likely because on one hand this profession of prying into peoples’ businesses is not very acceptable to society, but also because it’s also downright dangerous. Gordianus also seems to be a rare beast in those days, namely completely apolitical, without any great interest in any of the happenings in the forum.
As far as the books, they are not the greatest murder mysteries by any means. If you want that, go for the Cadfael series by Ellis Peters, or Agatha Christie. Where these books shine is in the depth of the historical research, combined with the rich, detailed way Rome is portrayed. Take them as historical novels, and you’ll be much happier. The pacing can get slow from time to time, but if you like the period and want to read more about it, these books can help. Oh, and the best part: no slave-turned-gladiator-turned-hero of the people/emperor/BS. The books actually make sense.