Philocles Series

"Historical crime writing that virtually reinvents the genre. Ancient Athens is recreated with a masterly touch . . . Philocles is the perfect protagonist." —Financial Times 443 BC, and, after decades of war with Persia, peace has finally come to Athens. The city is being rebuilt, and commerce and culture are flourishing.   Aspiring playwright Philocles has come home to find a man with his throat cut slumped against his front gate. Is it just a robbery gone wrong? But, if so, why didn't the thieves take the dead man's valuables? With the play that could make his name just days away, he must find out who this man is, why he has been murdered—and why the corpse was left in his doorway.   But Philocles soon realises he has been caught up in something far bigger, and there are those who don't want him looking any further . . .   "Historical writing at its best. Riveting." —Manda Scott, author of the Boudica series   "Superb . . . A fabulous read." —The Irish Times   "If you like C. J. Sansom's Tudor sleuth Matthew Shardlake, you'll love this." —James Wilde, author of Hereward and Pendragon "Great sense of place, terrific characters and a cracking plot." —Joanne Harris, The New York Times–bestselling author of Chocolat "As vivid and lively as a Greek wedding--but with rather more blood!" —Val McDermid, author of the Kate Brannigan Mysteries "It's about time someone did for ancient Athens what Lindsey Davis' Falco novels do for Ancient Rome." —Jack Grimwood, author of Moskva "An enjoyable debut with a strong historical setting." —The Times

  In the second mystery of a series set in ancient Greece, "the perfect protagonist," a playwright turned amateur sleuth, searches for a murderer (Financial Times).   Popular playwright Philocles and his actors are hired to take his latest play to Corinth to promote goodwill between the two cities. But on arrival, their guide and fixer Eumelos drops dead—poisoned. Philocles is convinced someone is out to sabotage the play. To find out who—and why—he must first uncover the murderer. But in Corinth the ruling oligarchs seem more interested in commerce than justice. And with the city's religious brotherhoods pursuing their own vicious rivalries, asking the wrong questions could get an outsider like Philocles killed. Praise for the writing of J. M. Alvey:   "Historical writing at its best. Riveting." —Manda Scott, author of the Boudica series   "Superb . . . A fabulous read." —The Irish Times   "If you like C J Sansom's Tudor sleuth Matthew Shardlake, you'll love this." —James Wilde, author of Hereward and Pendragon "Great sense of place, terrific characters and a cracking plot." —Joanne Harris, New York Times–bestselling author of Chocolat "As vivid and lively as a Greek wedding—but with rather more blood!" —Val McDermid, author of the Kate Brannigan Mysteries "It's about time someone did for ancient Athens what Lindsey Davis' Falco novels do for Ancient Rome." —Jack Grimwood, author of Moskva   "An enjoyable debut with a strong historical setting." —The Times

A playwright turned amateur sleuth who is "the perfect protagonist" solves a murder at a celebration in this historical mystery set in ancient Greece (Financial Times).   It's festival time in Athens, and Philocles is looking forward to the holiday. Visitors are coming from across the Hellenic world for eight days of sporting competitions, musical contests, and sacred rites to honor Athena, the city's patron goddess. Thousands will flock to the Pnyx to be enthralled by the dramatic three-day performance of Homer's Iliad, an entertainment unique to the Great Panathenaea. Taking part is the highest honor and greatest challenge for an epic poet. Then one of the poets is brutally murdered. Is this random misfortune, an old score being settled, or is someone trying to sabotage the festival? The authorities want this cleared up quickly and quietly. Philocles finds himself on the trail of a killer once more . . . Longlisted for the 2021 CWA Sapere Books Historical Dagger Praise for the writing of J. M. Alvey:   "Historical writing at its best. Riveting." —Manda Scott, author of the Boudica series   "Superb . . . A fabulous read." —The Irish Times   "If you like C J Sansom's Tudor sleuth Matthew Shardlake, you'll love this." —James Wilde, author of Hereward and Pendragon "Great sense of place, terrific characters and a cracking plot." —Joanne Harris, New York Times–bestselling author of Chocolat "As vivid and lively as a Greek wedding—but with rather more blood!" —Val McDermid, author of the Kate Brannigan Mysteries "It's about time someone did for ancient Athens what Lindsey Davis' Falco novels do for Ancient Rome." —Jack Grimwood, author of Moskva