Four For A Boy

By Mary Reed and Eric Mayer

In 525 Constantinople nothing is as it should be. The winter is unnaturally cold, and the palace has fallen under the sway of both the shade of the wife of the dying Emperor Justin and Theodora, the former actress his gravely ill successor Justinian intends to marry. The streets are terrorized alternately by elegantly dressed young thugs who style themselves the Blues and forces under the orders of the City Prefect nicknamed The Gourd, a man notoriously adept at slaughter and magick. Thus, when a wealthy philanthropist is killed in broad daylight in the Great Church, it isn’t entirely surprising that the future ruler Justinian engages an anonymous young slave called John to investigate what many believe could be part of a succession conspiracy. In this series prequel, John the Eunuch takes his first dangerous steps along the path that will lead him to hold office as Lord Chamberlain. Among the suspects are many whose lives might be touched by an emperor, from senators, churchman, and wealthy businessmen to laborers, beggars, and prostitutes. Before he can track down the murderer, John must first win the respect of Felix, the excubitor reluctantly assisting him, discourage the advances of the romantic but naove Lady Anna, and make peace with his own fate.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Release date: May 27, 2010
• ISBN: 9781615951710

Reviews for Four For A Boy

[porlocklt · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoy John the Eunuch series. John is such an interesting character, the plot is well developed, and the setting and historical background are first rate.

[mdtlibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The John the Eunuch mystery series is set in the sixth century Byzantine Empire. This fourth entry in the series actually goes back in time and precedes chronologically the other three novels. This novel explains how John begins his rise from slave to the high position of Lord Chamberlain at the imperial court that he holds in the other books. To some degree the mystery takes a back seat to the exploration of John's past as he meets up with characters that are his friends and colleagues in the series.The book is filled with period detail from the Byzantine (Late Roman) Empire with descriptions of Constantinople and the imperial family (Emperor Justin, his nephew Justinian, and Theodora). A nice combination of historical fact and mystery fiction.