The Eyes Of Aurora
Albert A. Bell, Jr.
Perseverance: Sep 9 2014 $15.95
ISBN: 9781564745491
At the Centumviral Court, Gaius Pliny successfully prosecutes the
case for his future mother-in-law Pompeia Celerina against rival defense Marcus
Regulus who represented Quintus Vibius. Pliny’s
martinet mother and Pompeia host a victory celebration that includes toasting
the upcoming wedding between their children though Pliny loves his slave Aurora
instead of his wealthy beautiful fiancée Livilla.
Aurora recently met impoverished Crispina and her ailing son. She persuades Pliny and his friend Tacitus to
accompany her in order to help Crispina.
When they arrive at Crispina’s home, they find neither her nor her son
in residence; left behind is an enigmatic word square. The trio soon finds out that raging Regulus arrived
before them and a further search of the grounds reveals a decapitated female
body. Horrified by the gruesome sight of
a headless corpse, Aurora and Pliny find comfort with each.
The fifth Notebooks of Pliny the Younger (see The
Corpus Conundrum and Death in the Ashes) is a twisting complicated Ancient Rome revenge
thriller with additional stunning spins in the protagonist’s personal
relationships. Although the case turns
overly byzantine, readers will relish traveling the Ostian Way; escorted by
Pliny and Aurora.
Harriet Klausner
No comments:
Post a Comment