Rec'd via Bookmooch.com.

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Amazon Editorial Review

"Entertaining...Saylor's sense of style and elegantly witty writing make the most of this genre transference." --THE BOSTON GLOBE

South of Rome on the Gulf of Puteoli stands the splendid villa of Marcus Crassus, Rome's wealthiest citizen. When the estate overseer is murdered, Crassus concludes that the deed was done by two missing slaves, who have probably run off to join the Spartacan Slave Revolt. Unless they are found within five days, Crassus vows to massacre his remaining ninety-nine slaves.

To Gordianus the Finder falls the fateful task of resolving this riddle from Hades. In a house filled with secrets, the truth is slow to emerge. And as the hour of the massacre approaches, Gordianus realizes that the labyrinthine path he has chosen just may lead to his own destruction...

adding to my Ancient World Bookbox!

I really enjoy Saylor's "Roma Sub Rosa" series, so I'm taking this one from the Ancient World bookbox. [I'll be adding a copy of Roman Blood, the first book in the series, so another participant can start at the beginning - though most of the books stand on their own pretty well.]

One of the earlier books in Saylor's "Roma Sub Rosa" series about pseudo-detective Gordianus the Finder, this one's a suspenseful story with (as usual) lots of historical background and period detail scattered around, along with some wit and several romances. [And some gory details!] In this tale, set during the slave revolt of Spartacus, a murder is committed and some missing slaves are suspected. The wealthy owner of the villa (and the slaves) announces that if the fugitives aren't found within five days, he will have all 99 of his remaining slaves killed. Gordianus is called in to help find the missing slaves and/or figure out who actually committed the murder, but he soon learns that there are many more secrets at the villa, and that many people will kill to keep them safe. The gruff soldier Marcus Mummius seems to be an ally; at least, he appears to be very much interested in saving the lives of the slaves - especially the handsome singer Apollonius - but Gordianus doesn't know whether he can be trusted...

There are some very harsh sequences having to do with galley slaves, and some disconcerting ones about oracles, along with a fair amount of intrigue - a nice mystery and good storytelling. Oh, and for those who have read other of Saylor's books, this is the one in which Eco comes of age, and in which we first encounter Meto.

[There's a brief but interesting TV Tropes page on the series as well.]

I left this book on the book-swap shelf in the Tyngsboro post office lobby at about 1:30. Hope the finder enjoys it!

*** Released as part of the Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes Challenge for the word "arm" in the title. ***

*** Released for the 2012 LGBT History Month challenge. ***

I was surprised to find this book on the book-swap shelf in the Tyngsboro post office today - I'd left it there more than 11 years ago and hadn't seen it since, so I assumed it was long gone! I hope whoever took it enjoyed it, even if they didn't opt to journal it. I decided to reclaim it for release elsewhere.

I'm adding this book to the DUETS bookbox (bookbox journal here), as part of a "body part in the title" duet.

** Released for the 2023 Keep Them Moving challenge. **

Releasing for now into a local Little Free Library. I'm generally enamored of all things Classical including ancient Greece and Rome, but I couldn't get into this mystery set in classical times. It's a cool concept though.