This mystery is set in Constantinople during the reign of Justinian, when people still vividly remember earlier riots and our facing waves of plague outbreaks. The story starts when John the Lord Chamberlain is approached by a woman who introduces herself using the name of a woman in a mosaic in John's house. When John attempts to meet her, he finds a body and then of course he proceeds to investigate her death. While I found parts of the plot overly contrived and confusing when I finished the book my overall feeling for the book was positive. ( )