Murder in Megara

By Mary Reed and Eric Mayer

John, former Lord Chamberlain to Emperor Justinian, has been exiled from Constantinople to a rustic estate John has long owned in Greece, not far from where he grew up. But exile proves no escape from mystery and mayhem. The residents of nearby Megara make it plain John and his family are unwelcome intruders. His overseer proves corrupt. What of the other staff—and his neighbors?

Before long, John finds himself accused of blasphemy and murder. Now a powerless outsider, he's on his own, investigating and annoyingly hampered by the ruthless and antagonistic City Defender who serves Megara as both law enforcer and judge. Plus there's that corrupt estate overseer, a shady pig farmer, a servant's unwelcome suitor, a wealthy merchant who spends part of his time as a cave-dwelling hermit, and the criminals and cutthroats populating such a seedy port as Megara.

Complicating matters further are two childhood friends whose lives have taken very different paths, plus the stepfather John hated. John realizes that in Megara, the solution to murder does not lie in the dark alleys where previous investigations have taken him, but in a far more dangerous place—his own past. Can he find his way out of the labyrinth of lies and danger into which he has been thrust before disaster strikes and exile turns into execution?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Release date: Oct 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781464204098

Reviews for Murder in Megara

[quondame · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not riveting. Peter and Hypatia’s problems weren’t amusing or interesting and his lady’s pro-forma complaints about his behavior don’t seem to lead anywhere - she can up and leave, but he doesn’t seem clued in. I still don’t believe that Reed/Mayer is anything but psuedonomic.

[janerawoof · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

John has been dismissed from his high office and is exiled to his estate in Greece, bringing along Cornelia and his servants. He has lost his power and influence, which will have a bearing on this case; his stepfather is murdered and John is accused of the murder. He sets out to prove his innocence, running up against people's intransigence and hatred of these "foreigners". He meets up with two boyhood friends, Alexis--now an abbot of the monastery near John--and Leonidas, a clerk in the tax office whose hobby is building miniature architectural wonders, such as the Great Church. We find out more about John's earlier life, prior to leaving the area and becoming a mercenary. He inadvertently uncovers an illegal conspiracy among his stepfather, tenants, and estate employees, as well as solving the murder after many unexpected twists and turns. This was one of the better entries in the series.Highly recommended.