Catilina's Riddle (St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries) (original 1993; edition 2002)

by Steven Saylor

Series: Roma Sub Rosa {Publication Order} (3), Roma Sub Rosa {Chronological Order} (5)

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
955	22	22,123	(3.8)	26
The year is 63 BC, and Gordianus the Finder unexpectedly achieves the dream of every Roman: owning a farm in the Etruscan countryside. Vowing to leave behind the corruption of Rome, he abandons the city, taking his family with him. This bucolic life, however, is disrupted by the machinations and murderous plots of two politicians. When Gordianus' longtime patron Cicero attains his lifelong dream of a coveted consulship, he urgently requests a favor of Gordianus: his help in keeping watch on a radical populist senator, Catilina-Cicero's political rival and a candidate to replace him in the annual elections. Against his will, Gordianus finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a maelstrom of deceit and intrigue, uncertain of the dangers and even more uncertain of where his true allegiance lies. When his six-year-old daughter Diana finds a headless corpse in their stable, Gordianus is confronted with the deadliest mystery of his career. Shrewdly depicting deadly political maneuverings, this addictive mystery also displays the author's firm grasp of history and human character.… (more)

▾Book information

Member:	tinkersmell
Title:	Catilina's Riddle (St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries)
Authors:	Steven Saylor
Info:	St. Martin's Press (2002), Mass Market Paperback
Collections:	Your library
Rating:
Tags:	None

Work Information

Catilina's Riddle by Steven Saylor (1993)

all members

▾Members

Recently added by

kwhbooks, alareth1976, GeoffreyDDunn, OzzieJello, HCouto, ZacharyConnelly, MAD1209, EnarE55, djambruso

▾Tags

▾LibraryThing Recommendations

▾Lists

Historical Fiction (535)

▾Will you like it?

▾Conversations (About links)

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 26 mentions

▾Member reviews

English (14) Spanish (3) Swedish (3) French (2) All languages (22)

date ▼ | votes

Showing 1-5 of 14 (next | show all)

My least favorite of the Gordianus books so far. I really felt like I was plodding through it. I still enjoyed but I think that it was a just barely enjoyed it. I thought the first two books were plotted tighter with a more engaging central mystery. I will still be buying the 4th book but I hope that it returns to a faster pace. (

)

cdaley | Nov 2, 2023 |

A slow starter but finished strong. Saylor brings his characters to life, whether they are actual historical figures (Catalina) or products of his imagination (Gordanius). I just wish the books didn't have so much time in between stories...this one took place about 10 years after book #2. I'd like to see it year by year, as Gordanius is 47 years old in this one. He's getting OLD! (

)

kwskultety | Jul 4, 2023 |

Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa novels are a mix I find difficult to rate. They are mystery novels, but not quite, and they are historical novels, but without a strong local story. And they are history books, but not in a meaningful way since it is a hard to know what is novel and what is history.

Catilina's Riddle is better than some other books, but it suffers heavily from the authors need to include page after page of translated speeches from old sources. Those speeches don't add anything and instead really act as detractor. The interesting part is what the world was like, what people did, had and believed and the mystery story which means that book parts without speeches are quite interesting.

For myself, I think I'm done with this book series now after 4 books (this is book number 3 if read in the order they were written), unless someone can tell me one of the other books is much better.

(

)

bratell | Dec 25, 2020 |

Interminably wrong. Lots of themes, plots, and subplots, and Saylor's usual dexterity, but I think I lost a whole month on what I thought would be another charming, thrilling Roman mystery. (

)

mrsmarch | Nov 28, 2018 |

Gordianus the Finder is relishing living in semi retirement in the countryside, or so he thinks! It seems you can never be too far away from the political intrigue of the Forum. Gordianus is at his curmudgeonly best accompanied by a delightfully varied cast of characters. (

)

cathymoore | Oct 14, 2013 |

date ▼ | votes

Showing 1-5 of 14 (next | show all)

▾Published reviews

no reviews | add a review

▾Other authors

» Add other authors (7 possible)

Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Saylor, Steven	—	primary author	all editions	confirmed
Hjukström, Charlotte	Translator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

▾Series and work relationships

Belongs to Series

Roma Sub Rosa {Chronological Order} (5)

Roma Sub Rosa {Publication Order} (3)

Belongs to Publisher Series

St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries

Is contained in

Roman Blood, Catilina's Riddle, The Venus Throw, A Murder on the Appian Way, Last Seen in Massilia, Arms of Nemesis, Rubicon, and The House of the Vestals by Steven Saylor

▾Awards and Honors

Awards

Dilys Award (Nominee – 1994)

Hammett Prize (Nominee – 1993)

Lambda Literary Award (Winner – Gay Men's Mystery – 1993)

view history

▾Common Knowledge

You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.

For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.

Canonical title

Catilina's Riddle

Original title

Catilina's riddle

Alternative titles

Original publication date

1993

People/Characters

Gordianus the Finder

Lucius Sergius Catilina

Marcus Tullius Cicero

Important places

Important events

Conspiracy of Catiline

Related movies

Epigraph

Embossed upon the shield Aeneas saw

The stony halls of the netherworld, the domain of the damned

And the punishments they suffer. There Catilina clings to the edge of a sheer

Precipice, cringing in terror while the Furies beat their wings about him . . .

VIRGIL, The Aeneid,
VIII: 666-669

How haue we chang'd and come about

in every doome,

Since wicked CATILINE went out,

And quitted Rome?

One while, we thought him innocent;

And, then w'accus'd

The Consul, for his malice spent;

And power abus'd.

Since, that we heare, he is in armes

We thinke not so:

Yet charge the Consul, with our harmes

That let him goe:

So, in our censure of the state,

We still do wander;

And make the careful magistrate

The marke of slander.

Ben Jonson, Catiline his Conspiracy,
ACT IV: 863-878

What is truth?

PONTIUS PILATUS

Dedication

To the Shade of My Mother

First words

"According to Cato . . ." I said, and paused, squinting at the scroll.

Quotations

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English (1)

Catilina's Riddle

▾Book descriptions

The year is 63 BC, and Gordianus the Finder unexpectedly achieves the dream of every Roman: owning a farm in the Etruscan countryside. Vowing to leave behind the corruption of Rome, he abandons the city, taking his family with him. This bucolic life, however, is disrupted by the machinations and murderous plots of two politicians. When Gordianus' longtime patron Cicero attains his lifelong dream of a coveted consulship, he urgently requests a favor of Gordianus: his help in keeping watch on a radical populist senator, Catilina-Cicero's political rival and a candidate to replace him in the annual elections. Against his will, Gordianus finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a maelstrom of deceit and intrigue, uncertain of the dangers and even more uncertain of where his true allegiance lies. When his six-year-old daughter Diana finds a headless corpse in their stable, Gordianus is confronted with the deadliest mystery of his career. Shrewdly depicting deadly political maneuverings, this addictive mystery also displays the author's firm grasp of history and human character.

▾Library descriptions

No library descriptions found.

▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

Haiku summary