Libertus and Septimus come face to face with the criminal underworld of Roman Britain…
Curiosity leads amateur sleuth Libertus into the dangerous world of fearless criminals in Enemies of the Empire, the seventh novel of Rosemary Rowe’s Libertus series. The perfect read for fans of David Wishart and Lindsey Davis.
‘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’ – Historical Novels Review
It’s AD 188, and the wild, forested outskirts of the Empire is the last place Libertus, freedman and pavement-maker, wants to visit. But he’d rather face a wolf or bear than an angry patron, so he agrees to accompany Marcus Septimus to the garrison town of Isca (now Caerleon in South Wales). Pausing at Venta, the two men realise they’ve stepped into a simmering cauldron of social unrest, where the Silures tribe, loyal to former chief Caractacus, seethes under Roman occupation. When Libertus spots a familiar figure, who seems desperate not to be recognised, curiosity gets the better of him. But his pursuit leads him down a dangerous path and into a murky world of racketeering, treason and murder…
What readers are saying about Enemies of the Empire:
‘Another first class Libertus yarn’
‘She [Rowe] has managed to get so firmly into the mentality of this long ago period with such a vivid sense of humanity despite all the cultural differences’
‘Fascinating details of Romano-British life and an intriguing mystery, tied firmly to its times’
Curiosity leads amateur sleuth Libertus into the dangerous world of fearless criminals in Enemies of the Empire, the seventh novel of Rosemary Rowe’s Libertus series. The perfect read for fans of David Wishart and Lindsey Davis.
‘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’ – Historical Novels Review
It’s AD 188, and the wild, forested outskirts of the Empire is the last place Libertus, freedman and pavement-maker, wants to visit. But he’d rather face a wolf or bear than an angry patron, so he agrees to accompany Marcus Septimus to the garrison town of Isca (now Caerleon in South Wales). Pausing at Venta, the two men realise they’ve stepped into a simmering cauldron of social unrest, where the Silures tribe, loyal to former chief Caractacus, seethes under Roman occupation. When Libertus spots a familiar figure, who seems desperate not to be recognised, curiosity gets the better of him. But his pursuit leads him down a dangerous path and into a murky world of racketeering, treason and murder…
What readers are saying about Enemies of the Empire:
‘Another first class Libertus yarn’
‘She [Rowe] has managed to get so firmly into the mentality of this long ago period with such a vivid sense of humanity despite all the cultural differences’
‘Fascinating details of Romano-British life and an intriguing mystery, tied firmly to its times’
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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