Britain is under Roman rule and a killer is at large…
A Pattern of Blood, the second novel in Rosemary Rowe’s highly acclaimed Libertus series, investigates multiple murders. Libertus must solve the mystery before the killer strikes again. The perfect read for fans of David Wishart and Lindsey Davis.
‘Demonstrates Rowe’s pithy command of the Roman sleuth genre… A considerable achievement’ – The Times
Pavement-maker Libertus, a former slave who is now a Roman citizen, is not entirely surprised to witness a stabbing near the chariot race ground in bustling Corinium (modern Cirencester). Luckily the victim, the wealthy decurion Quintus Ulpius, has a personal physician on hand and tragedy is averted. Commanded by his patron Marcus Septimus to investigate the attack, Libertus arrives at Quintus’s mansion only moments before the decurion is knifed again, this time fatally. When one of Quintus’s enemies is found with bloodstains on his toga, for Marcus the case is closed. But Libertus is not at all convinced the solution is that simple. When a second body is found, he knows he must act fast before other lives are threatened – including his own.
What readers are saying about A Pattern of Blood:
‘Enjoyed the humour, great puzzle and evocative details of Romano-British life’
‘Well researched and the storytelling is excellent‘
‘Another fine piece of work and an entertaining journey with Libertus’
A Pattern of Blood, the second novel in Rosemary Rowe’s highly acclaimed Libertus series, investigates multiple murders. Libertus must solve the mystery before the killer strikes again. The perfect read for fans of David Wishart and Lindsey Davis.
‘Demonstrates Rowe’s pithy command of the Roman sleuth genre… A considerable achievement’ – The Times
Pavement-maker Libertus, a former slave who is now a Roman citizen, is not entirely surprised to witness a stabbing near the chariot race ground in bustling Corinium (modern Cirencester). Luckily the victim, the wealthy decurion Quintus Ulpius, has a personal physician on hand and tragedy is averted. Commanded by his patron Marcus Septimus to investigate the attack, Libertus arrives at Quintus’s mansion only moments before the decurion is knifed again, this time fatally. When one of Quintus’s enemies is found with bloodstains on his toga, for Marcus the case is closed. But Libertus is not at all convinced the solution is that simple. When a second body is found, he knows he must act fast before other lives are threatened – including his own.
What readers are saying about A Pattern of Blood:
‘Enjoyed the humour, great puzzle and evocative details of Romano-British life’
‘Well researched and the storytelling is excellent‘
‘Another fine piece of work and an entertaining journey with Libertus’
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Reviews
Praise for the Libertus series: 'Demonstrates Rowe's pity command of the Roman sleuth genre
A traditional country-house mystery translated to the Roman world - even featuring the mandatory body in the bibliotheca... There are charming details about innocent life on the fringes of empire
A considerable achievement
Well-researched and eminently readable... Readers can enjoy the plot and soak up facts about Roman life and Language
Cunningly drawn and the very devil to fathom until the final pages
Rowe is very good on the realities of Roman life... and there is a pleasing attention to detail... A deftly woven tale of patriots and intrigue
It's a humdinger of a plot with more twists and turns than a spiral staircase
A brilliantly realised historical setting dovetails perfectly with a sharp plot in this history-cum-whodunnit
This exciting and adventurous historical...will appeal to Stephen Saylor fans
Rowe...an outstanding Roman historical mystery writer...excels at drawing the reader into second-century Roman Britain. Her sympathetic hero will engage mystery fans and readers of the classics alike