Ides of June, The: A mystery set in Roman Britain

By Rosemary Rowe

A compelling new mystery for Libertus, set against the backdrop of the Roman Empire in turmoil . . .

An astonishing new order has usurped power in Rome and the reverberations are reaching even to Glevum, where the legion is preparing to depart. Libertus’s wealthy patron, until recently one of the most influential men in the Empire, finds himself not only deprived of the privilege and protection he had previously enjoyed, but under actual threat both from the political establishment in Rome and from an anonymous and vindictive enemy much closer to home.

The murder of another councillor, similarly placed, makes the matter urgent. Libertus, whose humbler status affords obscurity, is charged with spiriting Marcus’s young family away to a place of safety. But his task will bring problems of its own, as Libertus uncovers a grisly secret and an ancient crime – with ramifications stretching to the present day.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers
• Release date: May 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9781780107547

Rosemary Rowe

Rosemary Rowe also writes historical romances under her married name Rosemary Aitken. She has now resettled in her native Cornwall after having lived first in New Zealand for twenty years, and then for even longer in Gloucestershire where this series is set.

Reviews for Ides of June, The

[vivienner_3 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Libertus is a mosaic pavement maker in ancient Roman Britain. In this story (and the series) he solves mysteries for his patron, Marcus. There is a fair amount of detail about the times but for obvious reasons a mystery novel is not an ideal source of historical information. Rowe's story may be plausible in some measure, but made a slow, dull read.