Rosemary Rowe, Headline,
2005, £18.99
hb, 308pp, 0-7553-0518-3
Libertus the mosaicist
arrested for murder? Surely not! But in 2nd century Britannia,
anything is possible. Libertus finds himself in deep trouble in Venta, a town
in Silurian territory, when he sees a man whom he thought was dead. Ever curious, Libertus tries to pursue the
fellow, only to find himself on the wrong side of town. From there he is
plunged into a deftly woven tale of patriots and intrigue.
Rowe is very good on the
realities of Roman life, not shirking some of the less pleasant aspects, and
there is a pleasing attention to detail, which lends the story an authentic
feel. Libertus seems to be rather less pompous (and more likeable) than in the
last tale I read - perhaps the return of his wife has mellowed him.