Persona Non Grata: A Novel of the Roman Empire

By Ruth Downie

At long last, Gaius Petreius Ruso and his companion, Tilla, are headed home-to Gaul. Having received a note consisting only of the words "COME HOME!" Ruso has (reluctantly, of course) pulled up stakes and brought Tilla to meet his family.

But the reception there is not what Ruso has hoped for: no one will admit to sending for him, and his brother Lucius is hoping he'll leave. With Tilla getting icy greetings from his relatives, Lucius' brother-in-law mysteriously drowned at sea, and the whole Ruso family being sued for bankruptcy, it's hard to imagine an unhappier reunion. That is, until Severus, the plaintiff in the bankruptcy suit, winds up dead, and the real trouble begins...

Engrossing, intricate, and-as always-wonderfully comic, Ruth Downie's latest is a brilliant new installment in this irresistible series. This is everything we've come to expect from our charming, luckless hero.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
• Release date: Jul 14, 2009
• ISBN: 9781608191116

Ruth Downie

Ruth Downie is the author of the New York Times bestselling Medicus, Terra Incognita, Persona Non Grata, and Caveat Emptor. She is married with two sons and lives in Devon, England.

Book preview

To the excavators of Whitehall Roman Villa

Do not heap up upon poverty, which has many attendant evils, the perplexities which arise from borrowing and owing.

—Plutarch, Moralia

The love of money is the root of all evils.

—The Bible, 1 Timothy 6:10

Contents

Map

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Chapter 69

Chapter 70

Chapter 71

Chapter 72

Chapter 73

Chapter 74

Chapter 75

Chapter 76

Chapter 77

Chapter 78

Chapter 79

Chapter 80

Chapter 81

Chapter 82

Chapter 83

Chapter 84

Chapter 85

Chapter 86

Chapter 87

Author’s Note

Acknowledgments

A Note on the Author

By the Same Author

Also Available by Ruth Downie

A Novel

IN WHICH Gaius Petreius Ruso, our hero, will be . . .

Lied for by

Valens, a fellow medic

Harassed by

Marcia and

Flora, his half sisters

Organized by

Arria, his stepmother

Put straight by

Cassiana, his sister-in-law

a cook

Complained at by

Lucius Petreius, his brother

Intrigued by

Lollia Saturnina, a neighbor

Puzzled by

Justinus, his brother-in-law (missing feared drowned)

A very short letter

Insulted by

Claudia, his former wife, daughter of Probus (see thrown out by)

Informed by

A security guard whose name he cannot remember

Flaccus, a kitchen boy

Galla, a servant

Valgius, a snake charmer

Attalus, an undertaker

Solicited by

Gabinius Fuscus, a politician and cousin of a senator

Tertius, a gladiator

Diphilus, a builder

Confused by

Polla

Sosia

Little Lucius

Little Publius, and

Little Gaius—his nephews and nieces

Pursued by

Calvus, an investigator

Stilo, his sidekick

Annoyed by

Brother Solemnis, a follower of Christos

Threatened by

Severus, the agent in charge of the senator’s estate (see in debt to)

Copreus, a sea captain

Ponticus, a shipping agent

Thrown out by

Ennia, sister of Severus

Zosimus, a house steward

Probus, a banker, Ruso’s former father-in-law

Employed by

Gnostus, an old colleague with a new name

Almost poisoned by

A stable lad

In debt to

Many people, including:

Probus (see thrown out by)

Gabinius Fuscus (see solicited by)

The senator, a character frequently mentioned but never appearing

Assorted tradesmen

Argued with, slept with, and abandoned (again) by

Tilla, otherwise known as Darlughdacha of the Corionotatae among the Brigantes

Map

Chapter 1

Justinus was lying in the stinking dark of the ship’s hold, bruised and beaten, feeling every breath twist hot knives in his chest.

The light that trickled in through the worrying gaps in the hull showed the angle of the ladder above him. Beyond it, thin bright lines betrayed the position of the hatch. He remembered the slam, and the rattle of the bolts. Now he heard the sharp yell of a reprimand over the thumps and footfalls up on the deck of the Pride of the South, a ship that could hardly have been less appropriately named.

Whatever they were up to, it seemed he didn’t need to die for it. If they planned to kill him, they could simply have thrown him overboard. Perhaps they would maroon him on a remote island somewhere while they sailed off to enjoy spending his master’s money. He would eat berries, spear fish, and wait to be rescued. Sooner or later he would return home, thinner and browner and with a well-rehearsed apology to his master.

He forced himself into a sitting position just as the ship heeled to starboard. Cold bilge that should not have been near the cargo sloshed over his legs. Beneath him, he felt the stacked amphorae slide out of position and begin to tip and roll with the movement of the ship. Dark shapes swarmed out from among them and ran squealing along the sides of the hold.

Hey! he shouted, grasping at the ladder to steady himself and wincing at the pain in his chest. Captain!

No response.

Copreus! He banged on the ladder with his fist before he shouted the words that should bring the crew running. The cargo’s shifting!

There was a muffled shout from above, then something thudding against the side of the ship, scurrying feet, and the bark of orders. Between the other sounds, he was almost certain he could hear waves breaking on a shore near enough to swim to.

Hey!

Struggling over the rolling necks of the amphorae, he pressed his face against a gap in the planking of the hull. Outside, he could see nothing but brilliant blue. He crawled back and smashed two of the loose amphorae against each other. Nothing happened. He heaved one up—thank God, for some reason this one was empty and relatively light—and swung it against the other. The heavy pottery cracked. Praying he could make a gap big enough to escape from before the sea started pouring in, he began using a broken handle to batter ineffectually at the worm-eaten hull.

Let me out! When he stopped to catch his breath he heard footsteps retreating across the deck. There was a series of small bumps against the hull before the shout of an order and the irregular splash of rowers getting into rhythm. After that there was nothing but the creaking of wood and the slop of water.

Moments later, he smelled the burning.

For a moment he could make no sense of it. Then, ignoring the pain in his chest, he took a deep breath and shouted through the gap, You bastards! Get me out!

Only the sound of water. The scuffle of a rat.

Fire! Don’t leave me here!

Still no reply. The Pride lurched violently, rolling him up the inside of the hull and drenching him with more cold water as the amphorae crashed and tumbled around him.

Don’t leave me!

Smoke was seeping down into the hold, forming ghostly fingers in the thin shafts of light. The water was rising. The Pride was listing badly now, as if she was settling down on her side to sleep.

Help me! he screamed, the pain stabbing his chest with every movement as he struggled to get upright. He cried out in panic as he felt himself slip down toward the water. Seconds later he came to rest against a fallen amphora. An expanse of long pale cylinders was shifting about in front of him.

He realized suddenly that every one of them was empty. That was why they were all bobbing about on the surface of the bilge. The cargo he had authorized, and seen loaded, had vanished—probably while Copreus had been buying him drinks back in Arelate the night before they sailed.

One of the amphorae gurgled and sank out of sight. The others rolled in and closed over the gap. Justinus shut his eyes. He prayed for strength. Then he edged along the ladder, which was now lying sideways, and aimed a kick at the hatch. Nothing happened.

He kicked at it again. Let me out! he screamed. I won’t say anything!

A rat swam past him, scrabbled to get a grip, and finally managed to hook a paw over a handle and pull its dripping body out of the water.

Justinus closed his eyes again. You can forgive them if you like, he growled to his god. But they don’t deserve it.

He said a prayer for his sister and his many nephews and nieces in case he did not see them again in this life. Then he began to give a last account of his sins and stupidities, all the time kicking at the locked hatch, because anything was better than listening to the creaking and splintering of old wood and the crash as something else gave way out there. Anything was better than noticing the way the cold was creeping up around him, and seeing the fingers of light in the smoky air being extinguished one by one by the rising flood, and coughing, and knowing that, drowning or burning, the end would be the same.

He was still praying and kicking the hatch when the Pride of the South vanished below the surface of the sunlit water, its passing marked only by a thin drift of smoke and a swell that was barely noticed by the men hastening away in a distant rowboat.

Chapter 2

The legionaries were still in full kit but presumably off duty, since they were swaggering down the street outside the fort with the belligerent cheer of men who had been sampling the local brew. Ruso, never keen to meet one loud drunk in possession of a sword, let alone five, walked past and ignored them. The light was fading and there was hardly anyone else about. The trumpet would sound the curfew in a minute. If this bunch didn’t get themselves in through the fort gates soon, their centurion would be out to round them up.

He was halfway up the wooden steps to his lodgings when he heard the cry. He paused. The raucous laughter told him some silly girl hadn’t had the sense to steer clear. The gang had found a victim.

The night guards who patrolled the streets to frighten off scavenging wolves and marauding Britons would not be on duty yet, and none of the civilians living out here would want to tackle a gang of legionaries bent on mischief. Ruso didn’t want to tackle them either, but he supposed it was his duty to go and take a look. He clattered up the steps, assured Tilla, who was waiting for him, that he would be back to eat in a minute, and left before she could ask where he was going or—worse—insist on joining him.

The soldiers were not difficult to find: He only had to follow the sound of overexcited young men urging one another to do stupid things. Instead of making their way back to barracks, they had drifted down toward the river. Despite the noise—or perhaps because of it—Ruso seemed to be the only other person on the streets. The snack bar had put up its shutters for the night. The tenants of the nearby houses had chosen to bar their doors and mind their own business.

The men had their victim pinned against the wooden parapet of the bridge. None of them seemed to notice the army medical officer making his way toward them through the rough grass of the riverbank. As he drew closer he was surprised to see that the small figure was not a woman, but a native boy of about nine or ten. His captors, jostling around him like crows squabbling over a corpse, were accusing him variously of thieving, of spying, and of being a sniveling little British bastard.

Ruso strode up onto the bridge and adopted a friendly tone for Where did you find this one? just as a couple of the men hoisted the boy up onto the parapet, seized his ankles, and tipped him backward. The boy’s shrieks of terror provoked more laughter as they dangled him headfirst above the rocky bed of the river. Someone shouted above the din, Shut up or we’ll drop you!

Ruso vaguely recalled a couple of the faces but could not name them. Perhaps they had been patients. There were thousands of troops in the north of Britannia and there had been so many casualties at the height of the rebellion that he could remember only a blurred succession of mangled bodies. He raised his voice. What’s going on here?

The shrieking stopped. There was some confused shuffling as the men realized they were being addressed by an officer. One of them attempted a salute, with limited success.

Finally the man holding the nearest foot announced, We caught a spy.

The man’s upper lip was distorted by a fresh red scar that reached to the corner of his eye. Ruso recalled stitching one very much like it. Probably neither of them had been in a fit state to remember the other.

He glanced over the parapet. The captive was a skinny creature whose ragged tunic had fallen over his face. Tails of mousy hair were dangling just clear of the water. That’s a spy?

What’s he doing snooping around at this hour, then? demanded the scarred one.

Let’s get him up and ask him.

The man looked askance at Ruso, as if he was wary of being tricked. A voice behind him hissed, Let him up, mate. You’ll get us all in trouble.

Ruso said, He’s only a child.

They use kids, said the man.

And women, chipped in somebody else.

Yeah, kids and women. Don’t ya? The man gave the bare foot a shake, as if its owner was responsible for the unsporting practices of the British rebels.

The child responded with a howl.

He’s frightened enough now, said Ruso. Get him back up.

From somewhere behind the man came, Come on, mate, that’s enough! to which he hissed, Shut up, I’m dealing with it! He turned back to Ruso. We’re not finished yet. It’s no good being soft on ’em. You think he’s scared? This is nothing. If you knew what his lot did to our lads on the pay wagon—

I saw exactly what they did to the lads on the pay wagon, said Ruso, not wanting to be reminded of it. He had ridden out with the rescue expedition in the forlorn hope that some of the victims of the ambush would still be able to use medical help.

You’d best stay out of this, sir, suggested one of the men Ruso had seen before somewhere.

He can’t, prompted the man holding the other foot. He’s got a native girlfriend.

Ruso squared his shoulders. My name is Gaius Petreius Ruso, senior medical officer with the Twentieth Legion, and I’m taking that Briton into custody. Lift him back onto the bridge. That’s an order.

We already got him where we want him, growled the man.

Now, said Ruso. At that moment the blare of the trumpet from the fort announced the curfew.

It was never clear whether they dropped the boy on purpose or by accident. One second his arms were dangling above the water, the next there was a scream and a splash and the thin body began to slide downstream between the rocks while his captors shouted at him to swim and quarreled about whose fault it was and who should rescue him.

The last thing Ruso wanted to do was haul several none-too-sober men out of the river. Ordering two to fetch help and the rest to stay where they were, he placed one hand on the parapet and vaulted down onto the bank.

The river god was kinder to the boy than the army had been: His body had wedged against a boulder and was being held there by the force of the flow. Ruso stepped into the rush of peat brown water that, even in late July, still carried the cold of northern hills. It was not deep but it was moving swiftly and he felt the tug against his legs. The only way to reach the boy was to wade out to where he was marooned. Ruso slithered and splashed, trying not to lose his footing on the slippery rocks, occasionally bending to grab at the top of a boulder to keep his balance. Yells of encouragement and advice came from the bridge. Ahead of him, the boy lifted his head and began to move.

Stay where you are! Ruso shouted over the sound of the water, afraid the child would dislodge himself and be swept farther down. There was a channel at least four feet wide between him and the boy. Now that he was closer, he could see that the river, thwarted in other directions by the boulders, flowed through the gap fast and smooth and deep. A tentative step told him that as soon as he let go, the force of the water would sweep him off to be battered against the rocks downstream.

He should have told those men to fetch a rope. He turned to call to the others, but they were so busy shouting suggestions, bawling, Man in the river! and warning him to be careful that nobody was listening. The boy called out something in British and tried to pull himself up. The only effect was to shift him closer to the deep channel.

Don’t move! called Ruso, holding up one hand in a stop! gesture. He added, I’ll come and get you, with more confidence than he felt. He could make his way back to the bank, cross the bridge, and try from the other side, but the boy might be swept away in the meantime. He could try to get a grip in a crack in the rock this side, and reach across . . .

It almost ended in disaster. He managed to haul himself back and clung to the nearest boulder, gasping with the effort and the cold, vaguely aware of more cries from the bridge as the boy’s body slid closer to the channel. He dragged himself upright and struggled to unfasten his belt with stiff fingers. It was not the form of rescue he would have chosen, but it was the boy’s only chance. He pulled the belt tight around his wrist, prayed the buckle would hold, gripped the rock behind him again, and flung the loose end of the belt toward the boy.

The child managed to grab it on the third attempt. Wrap it around your wrist! yelled Ruso, hoping the boy was stronger than he looked and waiting for him to get a good hold with both hands. He was about to shout, Ready? when the boy launched himself into the flood and was instantly swept down the gap. Ruso felt the jerk as the belt tightened. The force of the water on the child’s body dragged at his arm. His grip on the rock began to slide, and he felt himself being pulled into the flow.

Suddenly there was a hand clamped around his arm. Someone else was dragging at his tunic, wrenching him back up and out of the power of the water. He felt the blessed scrape of dry rock beneath him.

Miraculously, the child had managed to keep hold. He scrabbled up onto the boulder, then got to his feet and fled across the exposed rocks while Ruso’s rescuers were still congratulating one another and telling him he didn’t want to go in the river by himself like that, sir—what was he thinking?

If they had left him to recover at his own pace, the accident would never have happened. But his rescuers seemed determined to make up for their earlier misdemeanors. Having pulled him to safety, they now decided to form a human chain across the rocks and hustle him to dry land as fast as possible. The moment he attempted to stand on feet numb with cold, the nearest man grabbed him and pushed him toward the bank. The movement pulled Ruso off balance. His foot caught an uneven ledge of rock, bent sideways, and gave way beneath him in an explosion of pain.

Chapter 3

Broken metatarsal? suggested Valens, leaning farther over his colleague’s misshapen foot to view it from a different angle.

I think I felt it go. Ruso, whose rescuers had carried him up to the fort hospital as if they were heroes, shifted himself to a more comfortable position. The movement sent fresh waves of pain crashing up the outside of his leg.

Interesting. You’ve probably done a lot of other damage as well. What happens if you try to put weight on it?

I don’t want to find out.

Well, you know the drill. Ruso sighed. This can’t be happening.

No food tonight, fluid diet till the swelling goes down, and you’ll have to go easy on it for a good six weeks. No wine, of course.

Ruso eyed the vanishing dimple that had recently been his ankle.

Could you try and sound a bit less cheerful about it?

Well there’s no point in both of us being miserable, is there? Want me to help you hop down to the dressing station?

Who’s on duty?

Hearing the name, Ruso winced. Bring me the stuff and I’ll do it myself.

Poppy? offered Valens.

Lots. There was no point in bothering with bravery.

Valens returned a few minutes later with a tray bearing a large bowl of cheap wine mixed with oil, and a smaller cup. Reaching for a wad of linen from the shelf, he said, So tell me. How exactly did you manage to fall in the river and break your foot at the same time?

Ruso took a drink of bitter poppy from the cup. Long story, he explained. But I’ll be making a full report, believe me. There are five men who are going to be very— He stopped. Oh, gods. I told Tilla I’d be back in a minute. She won’t know where I am.

Ah, yes, said Valens, dipping the linen in the bowl. The lovely Tilla. I should have said. She came to the gate a while ago. Your dinner’s gone cold. Valens wrung out the compress. And she’s been called out on midwifery duty and she’s not best pleased that some of our boys threw the messenger in the river before he got to her. So you might as well find a bed here tonight because there’s nobody at home to kiss it better.

Ruso reached forward and grabbed the compress. Let me do that, he insisted, draping it gingerly over the swollen foot and wrapping it around. So that was why the boy had been lurking around the houses at dusk.

One more thing, said Valens, reaching for a bandage. She left a letter for you.

Since Tilla could neither read nor write, this seemed unlikely.

From your brother, explained Valens, nodding toward a sealed writing tablet behind Ruso on the desk.

The word urgent scrawled across the outside of the letter suggested that the latest financial crisis at home was even worse than usual. Ruso snapped the twine, flipped open the folded wooden leaves, and braced himself to face the details.

To his surprise, the letter said very little. On the inside of one leaf, in his brother’s writing, was the date on which it had been composed: the Kalends of June. On the other, the briefest of messages:

Lucius to Gaius.

Come home, brother.

Ruso frowned over it for a moment, then passed it to Valens. What do you make of that?

Valens studied the carefully inscribed letters and observed, Your brother is a man of few words.

But what am I supposed to do about them?

Go home, I suppose.

Ruso grunted. Hardly convenient, is it?

Valens stepped back to admire his bandaging. It could be arranged, he said.

Chapter 4

This is ridiculous, growled Ruso, eyeing the cup of milk he had just insisted on pouring for himself and wondering how he was going to carry it across to the bed so he could sit down and enjoy his late breakfast. He had already discovered this morning that since the lodgings he shared with Tilla were upstairs, the only safe way to reach them was to hook the crutches over one arm and hitch himself upward on his bottom.

She stepped forward and took the cup. Go and sit.

Ruso adjusted his grip on the crutches, assessed the distance to the bed, and swung across to stand in front of it. Then he hopped and clumped until he had turned around, stuck his bandaged foot out in front of him, and collapsed backward onto the blankets.

Gods and fishes! he muttered, dropping the crutches on the floor and swiveling to swing his feet up onto the bed, What am I supposed to do for six weeks like this?

Tilla handed him the cup and retrieved the crutches. Go home.

It’s too far, he explained, realizing a Briton would have no concept of that sort of distance. The south of Gaul’s over a thousand miles away, Tilla. Imagine how long it takes to get back down to Deva from here. Then imagine you’ve only done about a tenth of the trip.

Tilla yawned and sat beside him on the bed with her back propped against the wall. He realized she must have slept even less than he had last night. I know how to do adding up, she said. What I do not know is why your brother says to come home.

Ruso retrieved the letter from beneath the pillow and examined the leaves on both sides. The outsides bore nothing beyond the usual to-and-from addresses and the alarming URGENT inked in large letters thickened with several strokes of the pen.

Lucius’s letters usually held either a desperate request for money, or a fresh announcement of a happy arrival for him and his wife, Cassiana. Sometimes both. There were times when Ruso had wondered whether the family fortunes—precarious at the best of times—would finally be ruined not by demands to repay his late father’s massive borrowings, but by the need to feed and clothe all his nephews and nieces.

Lucius’s requests for cash were always couched in careful terms, lest they should fall into the wrong hands: the sort of hands whose owner would blab about one creditor to another. He usually gave just enough clues about the latest crisis to spur Ruso into doing something about it. But this latest message was exceptionally cryptic.

Was the date a code? Was there something significant about the Kalends of June? If so, he could not think what it was. He turned the leaves upside down to see if there was some message concealed in the script that was only visible from the opposite direction. He tried warming the letter over a lamp flame in search of secret ink. He succeeded only in scorching the wood.

It’s no good, he conceded. I don’t know what it means.

It means, said Tilla, come home.

I wouldn’t get there before mid-September, he pointed out. By the time I wanted to come back I’d be lucky to find a captain willing to take a ship out. I might not get back till the seas open again. He lifted his foot in the air. This isn’t going to earn me that much leave.

It is a very big bandage. Valens can tell lies about what is underneath.

But I’ve got patients to see, men to train . . .

Other doctors can see the patients and train the men. There is not so much for you to do now, and you have a broken leg.

Foot.

She did not reply. There is not so much for you to do now was one of the rare occasions on which either of them had mentioned the army’s apparent success in crushing a native rebellion far more ferocious than anyone had expected. The casualty figures had been kept secret, but while Ruso was on duty behind the battlefront she must have seen the wagonloads of Roman wounded arriving back at the fort. More than once during the worst of the fighting she had disappeared for days at a time and returned with sunken eyes and dried blood beneath her fingernails. He had asked no questions. That way, she did not have to pretend she had been away delivering babies and he did not have to pretend he believed her.

As if to reassure him, she said, The baby was a girl. Born at first light. She is very small, but I think she will live.

What did this lot pay you with?

Tilla’s smile was triumphant. Guess.

He glanced around the bare little room. Tilla’s skills as a midwife had been less in demand since the start of the rebellion. Most of the sensible locals had fled at the height of the troubles last year, dragging their wide-eyed children by the hand, burdened with cooking pots and blankets and hens in baskets. Those who remained paid her in whatever way they could manage. Eggs and apples were always useful. The first smelly fleece had been bartered for a new pair of boots; the second was still stashed away in a sack under the bed. There were no new offerings on display.

It’s not another goat, is it?

No, but I can buy a goat if I want. Look! She untied her purse. Shiny copper coins cascaded onto the bed. All earned by working! she added.

He was pleased. Tilla had never fully subscribed to his own view that it was wrong to help oneself to other people’s property, but at least she seemed to have learned to respect it. The money was only small change, but he picked up one of the coins to admire it all the same. Within seconds all thoughts of congratulation had gone. He said, Oh, hell.

No, they are real.

I don’t doubt they’re real. He passed her the coin. Look at the back of it. Not Hadrian’s head, the other side.

Is that supposed to be a woman?

It says ‘Britannia.’ Have you ever seen a coin like that before?

No.

Neither had he. It was very obviously fresh from the mint, and the only way it could have reached here was on the ambushed wagon.

He cleared his throat. It’s my duty to ask who gave you this money, Tilla.

There was no need to explain: The news of the stolen pay chest had been impossible to suppress. Finally she said, What if I do not tell you?

He had to say it. If you refuse to tell me, it will be my duty to report this to HQ.

A cart with a squeaking wheel was passing outside the window. When the sound had faded down the street she said, I will not tell you.

I never thought you would. He reached for the crutches. I’m going to talk to Valens. When I get back, either you or that money will have to be gone. If you’re still here, we’ll start packing to go home.

Chapter 5

Ruso stretched out his legs, leaned his back against the rail of the ship, and gazed up at a seagull perched on the mast. He felt queasy. The roll of the vessel did not combine well with the smell of the fleece Tilla had insisted on bringing with her, and which she was now contentedly spinning beside him in the afternoon sunshine.

How, he wondered, did seagulls keep themselves so clean? Compared with the bird, the white bandage that encased his leg from hip to toe was disgustingly grimy. It was also much bigger than necessary, and Ruso had wondered as it went on whether Valens was going too far. What he wanted was convalescent leave, not an irrevocable medical discharge from the army. Valens, however, had been confident.

Three months to recuperate, two months’ winter leave, that takes you to . . . sometime in December. And don’t worry about leaving us in the lurch: I’ve said I’ll do extra nights if they need the cover.

Ruso blinked. Really? He could remember only one occasion on which Valens had offered to do extra night duty, and that was because he was trying

Reviews for Persona Non Grata

[cuicocha · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the third in Ruth Downie's series about Gaius Petreius Ruso, a doctor with the Roman legions, and his slave/ lover, Tilla, the barbarian from Brittania. After a disappointing second novel in the series, Terra Incognita, I had feared that the series would continue a downward spiral but was pleased to see that the author has made a strong return to success with this release.Characters which had been introduced in previous works were shaped and grew noticeably during the course of the story. New characters, especially Lucius and Arria, proved to be well developed and enhanced and helped carry the story immeasureably.Tilla once again proved to be the stabilizing character and with Ruso providing the muscle, the story moves from the chase through the Gallic countryside to a pursuit through the gladiatorial arena and neighboing farmstead to corner conmen and poisoner. The plot is well-crafted though somewhat slow in the first half of the novel, but this leisurely pace seems to be one of the author's goals in providing a story which entertains.

[thecriticaltimes · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Medicus Ruso, attached to a legion of soldiers stationed in Brittain in ancient Roman times, is called back to his family through a strangely brief letter. Arriving home he finds his family estate in disorder. From there his world falls apart even further when he's accused of murder. Through the help of his British female companion and various fortunate and mostly unfortunate events he eventually solves the mystery and saves his family.I read this book over the span of a few weeks and kept asking myself why I didn't read it in a few days. The writing style is fluid and the historical details feel accurate and realistic. But there were things missing, vital ingredients that make a novel work. Characters in this book are either very stupid, very clever, or clueless and that starts getting on your nerves fairly early on. Frequently characters make very strange decisions designed to keep the plot moving forward but at the same time give the book an odd surreal feeling. Overall the plot seems both basic and overbuilt, although I did enjoy seeing its development. Persona Nongrata was all in all a good read and I'm sure the writer will produce better and better novels after this one.

[cweller_19 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Persona Non Grata is a historical murder mystery. The story itself seemed interesting but I found that the writing failed to grab my attention and hold it. For me the dialogue seemed a little weak and I wish the author had been more descriptive of the Roman world and Roman life, as this may have served to draw me into the story.

[koboldninja85 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Ruth Downie has created a world which is well rooted in the historical provincial life under Rome and her characters are relatively sympathetic, and even the story is a very readable, if not remarkably novel mystery plot. Despite all of this, the story came across as unbearably vapid and the plotting of this readable novel a grave weakness. The single most troubling point for me was the use of short chapters to artificially simulate plot movement and action, instead of plotting the story so that action could occur through the actual storytelling.

[dougwood57 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ruth Downie returns with the third book in her Ruso the Medicus series. Ruso is a military doctor in the Roman army who was introduced to readers a couple years ago while serving Brittania in Medicus: A Novel of the Roman Empire. In this volume, fans get to meet the family we have heard about from a distance as it were. Ruso is recalled by an urgent letter from his brother - or so it seems.Ruso arrives (with his `barbarian' lover Tilla in tow) to find his family fortune in shambles. When their chief creditor drops dead (apparently from poisoning) during a visit to Ruso's home, suspicion quickly focuses on Ruso. The rest of the book is spent unraveling that mystery and reinstating the family fortunes.Along the way the reader learns a bit about Roman life, law, politics, and entertainment. Tilla pointedly questions who are the real barbarians, when part of the `games' sponsored by a local politician include the standard execution of criminal by tying the thief to post and letting wild animals eat them for dinner. Tilla also has a brush with the group of Christos and her attempts to understand this god who is everywhere and knows everything are fun.As with the first two books, Downie uses light touch to combine a mystery with some history. Fans of historical mysteries, especially Roman ones like Steven Saylor's The Triumph of Caesar: A Novel of Ancient Rome (Roma Sub Rosa), will enjoy Persona Non Grata: A Novel of the Roman Empire. Recommended.

[damy_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good murder mystery set in the late Roman Empire. 3rd of a series, I haven't read the other two but I don't think you have to. Short chapters with hooks at the end of each to keep you going. Would definitely recommend.

[jmchshannon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I find that in order to best write most of these reviews, I have to give myself a few days to process what I've read. This book falls into this category. My initial impression was that I was unsatisfied with Ruso and Tilla and the entire setting. All of the characters' actions seemed too...modern - sitting at a desk, receiving mail, looking over the bills, and so forth. The language, however, is what really bothered me. It was as if our current vernacular was taken and put into a Roman or Gaulish setting, which to me is not a true accurate historical picture. In fact, I would find myself utterly disgusted by some of the phraseology.In addition, I was disappointed in the characterization of the women. Other than Tilla, most of the women in the book are silly, trite, and utterly obsessed with shopping and appearances. I have no use for women of this nature, and when Ruso expresses a desire that he could find a way to force the women to listen to him, I found myself wishing he could too.However, I say that and know that I had a very difficult time putting down the book. I stayed up late, read through lunch, and so forth. I was genuinely interested in solving the murder mystery and understand how Ruso was going to solve his credit problems. The book couldn't have been that bad if I read it obsessively over the course of a few days!!I was fascinated by descriptions of Gaulish/Roman medicine and even of the events at the amphitheatre. I wish Ms. Downie would have gone into greater detail because, to me, it appeared to be the most authentic historical portions of the book.My feelings about Persona Non Grata remain mixed. I still remain fairly turned off by the language and some of the situations described in the book. And yet, I really enjoyed getting to know Ruso, his family, and especially Tilla. As I mentioned, I truly cared about what happened to him, how he was going to get out of trouble and how the book was going to resolve itself. Therefore, in spite of its apparent flaws, I would have to recommend this book to others. I may even have to hit the library and pick up the first two books to read the first few adventures of Ruso and Tilla.Thank you to Bloomsbury Marketing for the opportunity to review this ARC!

[amerigous · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ruso takes leave from the army in Britannia after receiving an oblique note from his brother in Gaul to return home. When he and his "barbarian" lover, Tilla, arrive, it's to find the Ruso family in chaos: a brother-in-law mysteriously drowned at sea, the family estate deep in debt and under threat of seizure, and their main creditor, Severus, suddenly dead from poisoning. There are many suspects in this historical mystery and Ms. Downie does a fine job of juggling all the characters, making the most of some of their eccentricities. In fact, the light, wry humor the author injects into her dialogue gives the feel of a cozy mystery set during the Roman Empire. She manages to touch on various aspects of Roman life, including the budding Christian movement still in its infancy, delightfully and amusingly drawn.Persona Non Grata is an enjoyable read. The writing in skillful and the historical background interesting. The mystery in not one of page-turning suspense, but entertaining nonetheless, as the medicus Ruso tries to clear his name, solve familial disputes, and reclaim his patrimony from shysters, all the while trying to solve a murder.

[cmbohn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Roman Gaul, 4th century AD, I thinkMedicus Ruso gets an urgent call to come home from Britannicus to Gaul. He and his lover Tilla arrive to find bankruptcy looming, family drama, and soon, a dead creditor in the house. Great timing, right? The dead guy was poisoned, and Ruso's family are all suspects. And there's a gladiator, a bunch of Christians, an ex-wife, and a broken foot. I really like this series. Can't wait to see what happens next.

[lmedgerton_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Downie's third installment in her Ruso series has Ruso returning to Gaul to "finish" unfinished business from the first two books. Downie has her characterization spot on. As other reviewers have mentioned, Ruso's stepsisters seem vapid and trite, and I believe that Downie was going for just that. The stepmother is totally clueless but it adds to the story. Downie again delivers a different view on the Roman empire by sending us to Roman Gaul, an area that the general public is virtually unaware.

[tag100 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ms. Downie continues the adventures of her protagonist, begun in the book Medicus, as he lives his life in the first-century Roman empire and solves murder mysteries along the way. While I enjoyed reading this book, it was not as well-written as the previous two in the series.

[bobcatnshn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was fortunate enough to receive this book from the early reviewers program. I found the book quite enjoyable and entertaining. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I did not find the plot so predictable. However, I think Ms. Downie's best writing attribute is her interesting characters.The story has our protagonist, Ruso, going home to Gaul to take care of his family situation. How he deals with his extremely disfunctional family and their situation is guite humorous. His interaction with his signifigant other, Tilla, is also quite entertaining.While the story is not jam packed with historical detail, in my opinion there is enough to give us some insight in to Roman life at the time. I (unlike other reviewers) particularly enjoyed the discussion of early Christianity, largely through the eyes of the "barbarian" Tilla, who provided some naive and interesting observations.In sum, I would recommend this book. I have read her other Medicus books and find this one as good as, if not better, than the first two. Thanks for the book LT.Bob in Chicago

[quondame · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting characters, decently done local, this tale of a new off the boat medical officer with the Roman army in Britain who almost immediately gets tangled with young slave women living and dead and maintains his professional distance at least technically. Gaius Petreius Ruso has left behind a debt ridden family and is trying to send them enough to keep their deceased father's debts from being called due. The broken-armed slave girl he purchased could be sold for a large profit and the hard-assed administrator is into him for expenses inured for her care, no one seems interested in looking into the deaths of two slaves from the same whore-house bar where he has stashed Tilla while she heals. A pretty good read which could have used a good deal of tightening up as it was getting a bit same-old same-old 2/3 of the way through although the climax pulled together nicely.

[storeetllr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the third in the series of mysteries set in the Roman Empire during Hadrian's reign featuring Medicus Gaius Petraeus Ruso and his slave/girlfriend/partner-in-detecting Tilla (who's real name is unpronounceable and translates to "Daughter of Lugh"). In the first two, the action takes place in Roman Britain, but in this one Ruso had brought Tilla to his home in Gaul where he has to sort out some family problems, most of it having to do with money ~ or rather the lack thereof. The first third of the novel was a bit long and consisted mostly of introducing the cast of characters and highlighting their unpleasant idiosyncracies. Then someone dies right in front of Ruso, and it looks like it was poison. The fact that the dead guy was a creditor who was set to ruin Ruso and cause the family to become homeless and destitute makes Ruso look pretty good for the murderer. From there the story gets really good, and I ended up liking it far more than the first two. In fact, I found it quite amusing in places, and I also liked the way the author developes even the unlikeable characters so that in the end I had begun to understand them, if not outright like them. Oh, and the mystery? Pretty good, if just a tad too facile. But I just love Downie's evocation of the ancient Roman world, so the mystery is secondary for me.

[ficusfan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was an ER read, and it is the 3rd in the Medicus series. The series is set in Roman Britain during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. The main character is a Roman doctor/surgeon. Ruso, who is with the Legion stationed there.In this book he breaks his foot which makes him useless for work. Ruso also gets a letter from his younger brother in Gaul, asking him to come home immediately. Although Ruso is older than Lucius and head of the family, it is Lucius who has been dealing with the family farm/vineyard and the family's debts.Ruso heads home, and brings his British (barbarian) 'housekeeper' and lover Tilla with him. He has never told the family about her, so they are unprepared for her arrival. He makes a mess of it and they think she is a servant/slave.Once home Ruso finds out Lucius didn't send for him, and that Ruso's return endangers the family because now that he is not 'away serving the empire', the bankruptcy case in court against them can proceed. Lucius is accused of a short payment on a loan, which he denies.In an attempt to smooth over the disagreement over whether or not Lucius paid the full amount owed, Ruso goes to visit his father's old friend Fuscus. He is supervising the steward who brought the suit. Getting a semi-positive response from Fuscus, Ruso returns home to find the steward, Severus there waiting for him.They are working out a new agreement to avoid court, when Severus begins to twitch, complain, and vomit. He collapses and dies. His last words are "The Bitch Poisoned Me.". Ruso is alone with him in his study. He rushes off to send for the Steward's family, and to find out if the Steward has eaten or had anything to drink in their house. While gone, his stepmother has the maids clean the floor and strip the corpse. Ruso returns and is furious because now it looks like he is covering up something about Sevrus' death.Ruso has always had problems with his stepmother and she doesn't listen to him. She spends beyond their means and has been treating Tilla badly.Ruso now finds that Severus was married to his ex-wife, Claudia, and she and her father, the banker Probus, are blaming him for the death, and Fuscus has asked for investigators from the capital. Ruso has to solve the murder before the investigators from Rome arrive. They can torture witnesses they are questioning.Another thread that seems to be part of the murder is the sinking of a trading vessel that was sponsored by both Probus and Severus. Probus had his steward, Justinius, on the ship to supervise. He died and his sister Cassiana is married to Lucius and determined to find the truth of what happened to the ship.Cass and Tilla sneak off the question people about the incident after Tilla finds someone who can give her information. She and one of the servants are attending a private meeting of Christians when she hears the news. Tilla also finds a man who can take her to the port town. Cass unexpectedly joins her on the journey at the last minute.Tilla is happy to be away from Ruso's stepmother who is also trying to fix Ruso up with a rich widow who is their neighbor. She thinks the woman's money will solve their financial woes.The book goes on to show the family lives of various characters, including the demands of Ruso's sisters who want dowries so they can marry while still young. Cass and Lucius have 5 small children and they romp through the story, since no one can control them. We meet Claudius' ex wife, and get glimpses of her new life, and what Severus' death means to her status.Ruso is investigating the death, dealing with the various family crises and also takes a job with the local gladiator company. There are big games coming up and they will need a Medicus, with combat-wound experience.The characters are mostly fun, though a bit cliched, and the story is interesting if a bit too full of positive situations to move the plot along. It is not what I would call meaty, but also not empty fluff. I enjoyed it and cared about the characters. The setting is done well, and Tilla and her forthright outlook is a gem.

[lisanicholas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

On the face of it, Ruth Downie's Medicus series (of which this is apparently the third, but the first of my reading) seems to be trying to cash in on Lindsey Davis's success with her Falco novels, and in fact the two series have a number of things in common: the sleuth is a Roman of the early(ish) Empire, outside the ruling elite but with a view into both the upper echelons and the lower social elements, able to move about the sprawling Roman empire (lots of different locales for different stories); each investigator has an unconventional girlfriend/wife who tags along on his adventures, and the family of each occasionally provides color and humor to the story.That said, I must admit that I enjoyed this novel more than many of Davis's Falco stories (they often seem so intent on humorous and unlikely characters that the story itself gets lost in the yucks). I like Ruso, the army physician who, in this novel, must solve a murder in order to save his family (and perhaps himself) from ruin; I like his paramour, the British Tilla, who is able to look at provincial Roman life with the eyes of a stranger; I enjoyed the family relations who have realistic faults and foibles, and help us to see Ruso as more than a detective. I enjoyed the setting, a small city of southern Gaul during the rein of the emperor Hadrian, which is both familiar and exotic to anyone familiar with the south of France today. And most of all, I like the fact that this novel actually has an interesting mystery at the heart of it, one which is not overwhelmed by the personal backstory of Ruso's family life but, in the end, entwined in it. I acquired this novel through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program, and I'll be looking forward to reading more of Downie's Medicus Ruso series.

[jreinhart_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one of my favorite books in this series (which is second only to the Falco series as enjoyable reads). It is a fun and engaging read. The dynamic between Ruso and Tilla is great. The author does a great job portraying the Ancient Roman Empire and life in it. I wait with baited breath for more Ruso books!

[larxol_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Persona Non Grata is the third book in Ruth Downie’s series about Ruso, a physician with the Roman legions stationed in Britain in the 2nd Century. I haven’t read the earlier books, but this one stands nicely on its own. The plot brings him back to his family home in southern Gaul (modern Nice), where he faces a series of financial, moral, and family disasters. He bumbles through with the help of his British companion, Tilla, but really doesn’t overcome his problems until she bails him out in the last few pages.The local and historical setting is well and lightly handled, remaining incidental to the plot. The main characters are well fleshed out, but the many, perhaps too many, others are pretty thin. There’s lots of action, though, and you have to keep turning the pages to see what else can go wrong for Ruso. I recently read Robert Harris’ Imperium and Lustrum novels about Cicero. Downie’s story is a little less serious and doesn’t have the historical figures worked in as Harris does. It’s an enjoyable read, and I’m sure I will read the others in the series.

[varielle_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ruth Downie's Medicus series follows the adventures of ancient Roman army doctor Ruso, who frequently finds himself embroiled in a mystery he feels compelled to solve. It is similar to the Falco and Gordius ancient mystery series. Without looking too closely at the historic details, Downie's depiction of ancient Roman army and social life feels reasonable. His concerns with his job, his patients, his family and his lovelife all flesh out a cosy read.

[bwightman_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When I first learned I was receiving this book through the LIbraryThing Early Reviewers program, I rushed out to read the previous two books in the series.Persona Non Grata is a continuation of the story of a medicus in the Roman army, Gaius Petreius Russo, who is on a leave from his post in Britain and returns to his family Gaul just in time to help solve a murder. The action in the story is fast-paced and keeps you guessing thoughout with many unexpected plot twists. I found the book to be entertaining and engaging and a quick read. Perfect for summertime or for anyone who loves reading mystery novels set in the ancient world.

[jmulick_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This review is tardy, by a year in fact. The book is a story about the adventures of a military surgeon, a medicus, who has recently left service in northern Britania in the time when it was a Roam province. I have now had the pleasure of finishing the fourth novel in the series about this character, and can safely report that this novel is the least interesting, slowest moving of the books so far. In this book, the medicus must travel to his home province of Gaul to deal with a family matter. As Head of his family it is his responsibility to handle a serious financial matter that could see his entire family lose everything. We meet his sour brother, his spendthrift stepmother, and others, including local politicians and crooks, while at the same time they all meet his British barbarian wife. Although a mystery, if made into a movie (which it won't be) it would be a comic mystery. Obviously, things resolve adequately for there to be a next volume in the series. The first two volumes, also written with a sense of humor, are better and more interesting for taking place in the context of a military post. I feel I have to express my hope that the medicus finds his way back into the army.

[liscarey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ruso has just injured his foot attempting to rescue a boy from the river (the boy manages to save himself) when an uncharacteristically brief and urgent letter arrives from his brother Lucius: Come home immediately. In a panic about what new disaster is so awful Lucius won't even hint at it, he wangles extended medical leave, and he and Tilla pack up and head for southern Gaul.

Their arrival is a complete surprise, and not a welcome one. One of their major creditors is threatening a bankruptcy action against them, and the absence of the real property owner--Ruso--on public service had been legal protection against a seizure order. Lucius vehemently denies having sent the letter; if he'd thought his elder brother might be contemplating a return home, he'd have sent word not to come. Ruso's return makes them vulnerable to real financial disaster and disgrace.

Things only get worse when that same creditor drops dead during a private conversation with Ruso, poisoned.

Along with putting his investigation skills to work clearing himself and the other prime suspect, his ex-wife Claudia (now the widow of the dead man) of murder, Ruso has to figure out what happened to Lucius' brother-in-law Justinian, steward to Claudia's father, Probus. Justinian had been sent along on a merchant ship to watch over Probus' investment, but the ship has vanished. Ruso and Lucius' stepmother Aria wants to do new, expensive "improvements" to the house, and is certain Lucius is just being stingy and unreasonable in not letting her. And Ruso's half-sister Marcia wants her dowry settled so that she can marry.

Or rather, he discovers, so that she can buy the freedom of a gladiator so that he can marry her.

Oh, and Ruso had never mentioned Tilla in his letters home, and Aria, determined to marry him off to the rich widow next door, is not pleased and does her best to make sure Tilla knows it.

This is, like its predecessors, and excellent mystery, with wonderful characters and nicely twisty plotting. As always, both Tilla and Ruso show real talent for getting themselves into trouble in their attempts to do the right thing, and confuse each other thoroughly trying to communicate across the barriers of their cultural differences.

Recommended.

[dwwilkin_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ruso grows on you. Like I mentioned in the Medicus review he is an unlikely protagonist, but thoroughly enjoyable. Called home to find that his life is really spinning out of control. Beset by forces from every end. And then of course there was a body at the beginning again. Well a death anyway.A death that does not really impact on things to mid way through the tale as Ruso has so much on his plate including finding why he was called home since no one wants to fess up. This leaves us wondering was that body important. Yes and no.It leads us to wonder are these mysteries? Or does our hero always have bad days. That seems to really be the theme of these books. Ruso's charm is that he is in a foreign world to us, that of Rome at the height of empire, where he is just a low citizen who ends up with the world twisting around him and thrown into far more than any one man should have to deal with.So all that makes this series very good. But then we have the downfall. Sure Christianity was coming into play. But it is introduced so gratuitously, and then our Heroine, the slave turned girlfriend, adopts it that it is irrelevant. There are scenes which should just not have been written and we had to suffer reading.What could have been a better read, and even a repeated read is let down by some proselytizing. I don't want to sound anti-western since I am western, but the author needed to be deft and subtle. Instead she clobbered us over the head. Hopefully this habit will disappear in later books.

[baroquem_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is another of those books where I didn't know quite what to expect going in. I've never read anything by Ruth Downie before, and I requested the title through Early Reviewers primarily because of the "historical detective story" hook.It proved to be an enjoyable enough read for the most part. There were a few places where the story dragged; and having finished it, I'm still not sure I fully comprehend the full motive and logic behind the crimes. (I'm quite willing to chalk that up to my own thickheadedness, however, if they should prove to be perfectly lucid to everyone else.)I appreciated the light humor scattered throughout the story. I suppose that my biggest disappointment with the book was that I very seldom really felt as if the events were taking place in the ancient Roman empire. That may be a tall order, but that's what I look for in historical fiction: an immersive experience. In this case, something about the premise didn't quite click; perhaps it was the use of contemporary speech? I'm not sure.Still, this is a pleasantly light story for the many times when that's what's needed.

[amanda4242_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Persona Non Grata isn’t a riveting read, but it is enjoyable. The mystery element of the story is more fully developed that in the first two books in the series and I look forward to reading more of Russo’s and Tilla’s adventures (even if I do think their personal relationship is severely underwritten).

[wdwilson3 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is the third installment of Gaius Ruso’s (mis)adventures as a medic in the Roman legion. I’ve read all of them, but doubt if I’ll read another. My reservations are the same as after reading the first two installments. Ruso is an honest, moral, but ineffectual character. He’s often rather slow on the uptake, and gets to the truth less by brain power than plodding diligence. There is also an absence of real sense of place in these books – more description about the surroundings would be beneficial. In this book, we are introduced to Ruso’s family, and they are all, in their own ways, unpleasant and stupid. Some readers have found these books to be humorous, but I’ve never been amused by silly people acting dumb. About the only thing you can be assured of in one of these books is that no one will be fully truthful, even when it might be in their own interest. While that makes a fine web of deceit for Ruso to untangle, it doesn’t say much for Ruso that many of the liars are his relatives. I was also puzzled by why Ruso, returning to his long-time home, didn’t seem to have any friends in the area – except for his immediate family, a few family retainers, his ex-wife and her father, everyone seems to be a stranger to him. And no one, it seems, is particularly happy to see him. Not much of an endorsement for a protagonist.

[besina_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Persona Non Grata is an excellent mystery set in early Rome. An enthralling read with a plot that just keeps you turning the pages! Fans of Steven Saylor's "Roma sub Rosa" series are sure to find this an entertaining read, as will anyone with an interest in the Roman era, or those who just enjoy a good character-driven story.

[janerawoof · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another delightful light mystery with Ruso of the XX Legion and his British housekeeper, Tilla. On a mission of mercy, Ruso breaks his foot and he and Tilla go to Gaul to his family for recuperation. Murder in Ruso's family home, Ruso and Tilla must investigate. What a quirky family he has!! Same great dry humor.

[ecw0647 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Goodreads freebie (Thanks!) This is the third book in a series about Gaius Ruso. I have not read the others - normally I prefer to read a series in order -- but this one can be read without having read the others.

Gaius Ruso is a medical officer with the Roman Legion serving in Britain when he receives an obscure message ostensibly from his brother, Lucius, demanding that he return to Roma at once. Easier said than done, since the voyage home required more than a month of sea and overland travel. Stranger yet, when he arrives home, his brother denies having sent the message and in fact regrets his arrival since Roman law prohibited seizing the land and property of anyone serving in the army. Lucius had imprudently made some loan and repayment agreements with Serverus who now declares the repayment had never been made and is foreclosing on their property. Ruso, attempts to set things right, but during a meeting with Serverus, the latter falls over dead from poison, claiming "the bitch" has killed him.

Tilla, the barbarian and Ruso's lover, tends to steal the show on occasion, and she is certainly the most interesting character. She appears the more enlightened, hardly the "barbarian," given the Roman predilection for tying people to posts for entertainment and watching wild animals eat them. Nevertheless, we don't see Tilla much -- at least in this book -- in her native surroundings so it's hard to judge.

If I have one complaint, it's that the book did not have enough period detail, something I really like in historical fiction. Many people find it tedious; I do not. On the other hand, little tidbits like, shoving one's feet into "indoor sandals," and "by law, all the household slaves who had been under the same roof as a murdered master should be put to death for failing to save him, even if they could not possibly have helped," and one way to keep a household under control was by executing the relatives. Hmmm, that one has possibilities.

[starwolvie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like the fact that Ruso stumbles over things accidentally, and things just happen to him. whether he likes it or not.

His family is absolutely atrocious. I wanted to slap them all!