From Publishers Weekly
Set in 72 B.C., during the slave revolt led by Spartacus, Saylor's ( Roman Blood ) second historical mystery follows Roman PI Gordianus the Finder to the resort of Baiae on the Bay of Naples. The cousin and factotum of Marcus Licinius Crassus, the wealthiest man in Rome, has been bludgeoned to death, apparently by two slaves who have run away. An ancient Roman law decrees that when a master is killed by a slave, the remainder of the household's slaves must be slaughtered. Gordianus and his adopted son Eco have three days to find the real murderer and save the villa's other 99 slaves. A convoluted plot reveals fraud, embezzlement and arms smuggling (spears and swords traded for silver and jewels); sensuously written subplots hinge on arcanic poisons and clandestine love affairs among a cast that includes a Crassus's second-rate philosopher-in-residence and a retired actor who doubles as a female impersonator. Richly detailed bacchanalian feasts and mesmerizing visits to the Sybil at Cumae lead to the spellbinding conclusion, reached during fierce gladiatorial combat.

Read this on a ring organised by Mastulela, and liked it even more than Roman Blood, which I've read before. I started getting my own copies of the series in time, starting with this book. As I read on "Roman Blood"'s JE that rainbow3 would like to read the others in the series, I am mailing this today to Edinburgh for her. It can be passed on at the Edinburgh meetups and returned to me by the last reader, if there is an interest.

Happy reading!

What a treat to receive this as a rare act of bookcrossing kindness (RABCK), it arrived on Tue 18 Jul 06. I do so adore surprise RABCK’s and am delighted! This was apparently prompted by my enthusiastic review of the book that precedes it, Steven Saylor’s detailed and dynamic ‘Roman Blood’. Thank you YowlYY I am so thrilled, and I blush to say I have read it! Blushing as I keep telling people I am on a mission to read as many books as I can on a theme I have set myself - Scottish or Edinburgh based; authors or settings. Books I am planning releasing during the Edinburgh Festivals Season this August. However I managed to mislay my current read on going to bed recently and so picked up the Arms of Nemesis which was fortuitously on top of a pile beside my bed. So oops a deviation from my Scottish theme. But what a treat!

Setting these events against the terror felt by Roman citizens and every other slave owner in Italy to the threat of massive revolt engineered by the escaped slave Spartacus and his followers was fascinating. Intriguingly this book is set eight years after the first but pleasurable to find out that fortune has smiled on Gordianus his house is well attended by slaves, Bethesda is still with him and the enterprising boy Eco was adopted as his son. The sights and sounds of early Italy seem so close, the settings are so vivid. The human stench of the men chained in the depths of the trireme slaves to the oars to their deaths, lush blues, oranges and yellows of the bathing room paintings, the exquisite fragrance of cooked seafood, the blush of the early morning sun glancing in through open windows which show views of a sparkling turquoise sea, the heady sulphurous fumes that threaten to knock out Gordianus as he struggles to find the Sibyl’s cave and get some answers from the oracle, all these images were cast up before me as I sped along side Gordianus and Eco as they hurtled through the days desperate to find the truth before the funeral and it’s following event, the execution of a host of innocents in retribution for the murder. The people here are moved by all the emotions that are still easily recognised and the events, though straightforward ultimately, are only revealed slowly and delicately teased out till the tension has escalated dangerously. I was trapped in the reading unable to put the book down. So the sequel is called Catalina’s Riddle… that sounds interesting - grin!

Wonderful Sardinian post card YowlYY, my eyes keep stealing to it and in this current heat wave it’s very easy to imagine I am in that twilight scene as peach highlights glow and purple shadows gather.

Thanks very much for this RABCK rainbow3. Very kind to think of me.
I'll see about organising a ring or ray when I've read it.

Really good Roman whodunnit. I must admit I chickened out of reading the bit about the galley slaves. It's a gritty & realistic story about Ancient Rome.
Gordianus keeps on taking in the poor souls, he'll have to get a bigger house!

I'm going to see if anyone would be interested in joining a ray for it.

Going to:
kizmiaz, Portugal
KatieLindsay, North Carolina, USA

Posted to kizmiaz on 13th Feb.

Just got it, thanks ReetPetite. I still have one to finish and then I'll get to this, shouldn't take long.

This is the second book I’ve read from this author, and once again I’m impressed by his ability to write well researched historical novels that are also well driven mysteries.
A great plot and strong characters make this book a worthwhile experience.
The action takes place in 72 B.C., during the famous slave rebellion led by Spartacus. Marcus Licinius Crassus, the man who eventually defeated Spartacus, features prominently in this novel, he’s not a pleasant character and has actually gone down in history as the greedy manipulator that the author portraits.
Gordianus, the finder is brilliant without being a genius, he’s also a vicious critic of the upper classes, not without reason, let it be noted.
I’ll be on the lookout for more books with Gordianus.
I'll be mailing it today to the US (surface mail).

Recevied! Thank you. I am looking forward to reading it.

I enjoyed this book. The fascinating history and culture of Ancient Rome is the only thing that saved me in my high school latin class since I turned out to be completely incompetant at the reading and writing the language. I appreciated what I think is a well-researched historical mystery (my favorite genre).

Thanks for the loan. Would you like it back ReetPetite, or may I pass it along?

The book was universally liked and my bookshelves are bursting at the seams so lets do it again! Arms of Nemesis Book Ring #2. PM me to join.
No interest from the Ray Forum so I will make this a RABCK

wow...what a great surprise...THANK YOU...looks like Xmas came a little early to Brooklyn...