Ovid (1995)

The first in the Marcus Valerius Corvinus series of Roman mysteries, and the best. The book introduces our hero -- an aristocrat who is much more interested in having fun than in doing his civic duty, which puts him at odds with his father and family. He is asked by the (extremely attractive) Lady Perilla to help her get the ashes of her uncle, the poet Ovid, back from his place of exile on the Black Sea. Marcus efforts lead him deep into political plot and counterplot, and into danger of death.
Wishart, a classics professor, gives us yet another brilliant recreation of ancient Rome, and is particularly good at weaving his fiction around actual historical events. And he is a very funny writer -- Marcus is a reprehensible hero, but one with a distinctive voice and a very sharp tongue. Very enjoyable book. ( )

A thumbs up to FicusFan for an insightful review. If you think it would be fun to superimpose bad old detective fiction on even badder and older imperial Rome, you might enjoy this. I don't regret the time spent, but I won't be reading more in the series. ( )

FF: In this Roman mystery, Ovid's grandson attempts to return his banished grandfather's ashes to Rome.

This is the first book in the Marcus Corvinus mystery series set in ancient Rome. Tiberius is the Emperor and Marcus is a 21 year old, patrician who is at odds with his politically wired father, and is rich, lazy and devoted to drinking. He is also a wise-ass.

The story revolves around the family of the poet Ovid, trying to get imperial permission to return Ovid's ashes to Rome for burial. Ovid was exiled to a hamlet on the Black Sea by the former Emperor Augustus for unspecified crimes. The family of Ovid are clients of Marcus' family, and he is therefore required to present their request to the bureaucracy.

Eventually Marcus is also investigating the banishment of the Julian line of Augustus's family: Posthumous, and the two Julias, as well as the loss of 3 legions in the German forest by Varus.

Anyone who has read I,Claudius by Robert Graves, or seen the TV series will have an understanding of what ground Wishart is covering, albeit poorly.

The problem with the book is that Marcus talks like a tough from modern day NYC or London. He is constantly using modern words, slang and ideas.

The other issue is that there is a lot going on in terms of plot. It starts out trying to find out why Ovid is still hated, then he starts investigating the banishment of Posthumous and Julia and her daughter Julia. Then it wanders into Varus and the 3 lost legions. It is too convoluted, and not really connected well enough. There are a cast of thousands and its hard to keep track of who is who, even though I have read both Graves books, and seen the TV series.

The writing is good, the characters are OK, and the settings are done well. It just doesn't hold your interest all the way through, and Marcus is annoying and anachronistic. Not sure if I will continue reading this series.

Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor, and John Maddox Roberts also write mysteries set in Ancient Rome. Davis is the best. Also Colleen McCullough's First Man in Rome series is excellent.

I also recommend both the Graves' books and the TV series. I can still hear Augustus screaming: 'Varus, I want my Eagles'. ( )