Another good one! The ending was definitely a surprise as I never thought Gordianus would do that, but then again, Meto was being pretty thoughtless. While I wasn't thrilled about the fact that this book does not take place in Rome, it still was a great read. Again, the ending really did it for me. I love shocking endings. ( )

As for Rubicon, I did not find this as diverting as earlier novels in the series, I think perhaps because of the absence of the normal Roman background. A bit of a shock in the end when Gordianus repudiates Meto. ( )

This is a later book in the series, and this review may include spoilers for earlier books.

In this book in the Roma Sub Rosa series, Gordianus and his son-in-law Davus go to Massilia in search of his missing, possibly dead, son Meto. After finding a way into the beseiged city, Gordianus is drawn into the investigation of the death of a woman who either committed suicide or was pushed to her death from the city's Sacrifice Rock. In some of the later volumes in the series, the mystery feels rather squeezed-in and unnecessary. For most of the book, this seems to be the case here, but the "real plot" and the mystery are tied rather neatly together at the end. This book is rather an improvement on most of the books since Gordianus' official retirement, in that his older son Eco, who took over the family business, is back home in Rome. For once, Gordianus doesn't have to be forced into taking the case himself rather than handing it over to his son. I had wondered if somewhere down the line, Eco was going to take over as narrator of the story, thereby allowing the series to deal with events that take place when Gordianus is too old to continue investigating, or dead. However, if that were going to happen, I suspect Eco would have become a more major character by now. We can only hope that Gordianus outlives Cicero, and that Saylor finds reasons for him to come out of retirement more like this one than in previous books. ( )

This is another in the series of books about the Roman first century bc "finder" Gordianus. He is searching for his adopted son Meto in Massilia, currently besieged by Caesar's forces. The mystery surrounds a murder or suicide of a woman, dimly glimpsed after Gordianus and his son in law are rescued by the official "Scapegoat" of the town. I enjoy the details of the Roman customs and characters, but this was not as well written as some of his books. I read most of it on a cold Sunday afternoon, while cooking soup ( )