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Product Description
Product Description
Caius Julius Caesar, now dictator of Rome, has decided to revise the Roman calendar, which has become out of sync with the seasons. As if this weren’t already an unpopular move, Caesar has brought in astronomers and astrologers from abroad, including Egyptians, Greeks, Indians, and Persians. Decius is appointed to oversee this project, which he knows rankles the Roman public: “To be told by a pack of Chaldeans and Egyptians how to conduct their duties towards the gods was intolerable.”
Not long after the new calendar project begins, two of the foreigners are murdered. Decius begins his investigations, and, as the body count increases, it seems that an Indian fortune-teller popular with patrician Roman ladies is also involved. Decius figures out the fortune-teller’s scam and also exposes the foreign astrologer who carried out these murders—almost losing his life in the process.
This latest in the acclaimed series is sure to please historical mystery fans.
About the Author
John Maddox Roberts is the author of numerous works of science fiction and fantasy in addition to his SPQR series set in ancient Rome. He and his wife live in New Mexico.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Caesar & Cleo - not like Shakespeare,
By
This review is from: SPQR XIII: The Year of Confusion: A Mystery (Paperback)
Another excellent entry in the SPQR series. It helps if you've read previous books, so that you know more about the lead characters, but it's easy to follow the main plot, of murdered astronomers, strange goings on around Cleopatra's Roman mansion, and the everlasting politics of Rome's Senate. The parallels between Rome's failing Republic and the ability of a charismatic and ruthless man to gain supreme power and current world situations can't help but be in the reader's mind. But the author smartly doesn't go there, and keeps the commentary by the narrator firmly within ancient Roman perspectives. The only thing I could wish for is a better list of the cast of characters to remind me of just how our narrator/investigator, Decius, has ended up with Julia, Caesar's niece, as his wife, etc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews) 20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Who is murdering Caesar's astronomers?,
By Graham - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: SPQR XIII: The Year of Confusion: A Mystery (Hardcover)
It is 45 BC and an increasingly regal Caesar is busily reorganizing Rome, including summoning a conclave of astronomers to reform the Roman calendar. When one of these astronomers is mysteriously murdered, Caesar assigns our hero, Decius Caecilius Metellus, to investigate. As always, Decius is a wide ranging and thorough investigator, traveling throughout Rome, interviewing everyone from Cleopatra to racing touts, turning up many overlapping mysteries and minor crimes until he succeeds in resolving the main mystery.As usual in the series, Decius sets a light tone, bantering casually through Rome's highest social circles. However, behind the light mood, there are many darker notes. For example, it slowly becomes clear that Decius is now the last survivor of his formerly powerful family and he needs to move with more care than before. Decius gently touches on the various ambitious politicians orbiting around Caesar amidst hints of emerging conspiracies. The murder mystery is adequate but the real fun comes from touring Rome with Decius, seeing its sights and studying its ways. A good four stars. Quick historical note: Although Decius is fictional, the Caecilii Metelli were real. In their day they were one of the greatest of the plebian families, with at least ten "Quintus Caecilius Metellus"es becoming consul, but they vanished from history after siding against Caesar in the Civil War. Our fictional Decius may owe his survival to his happy marriage to Julia, a (fictional) niece of Caesar. 13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Welcome Book in the SPQR Series,
By Terry Weiss "Mystery Lover" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: SPQR XIII: The Year of Confusion: A Mystery (Hardcover)
I enjoy this series as much as any I've found. I like the mysteries themselves and the characters are interesting and well drawn - no cartoon-ish shortcuts. There is an underlying wry sense of humor that I find irresistible as well. As to the history, I have checked and double checked and Roberts knows his stuff. To the extent we have documentation, he's spot on. Where there's room for interpretation, he goes for it. His view of Caesar - the main character is married to Caesar's niece and has been part of the Senatorial class with Caesar all along the way - is pretty great. And I'd bet pretty darned accurate, if truth be told. I recommend this entire series to any mystery lover. If you like historical mysteries, you'll be delighted. and if you have a sense of humor, they are even better. I've found the SPQR series an interesting contrast with Steven Saylor's more serious books set in the same era. Frequently they have taken an opposite view of an historical character - but, while I enjoy the Saylor books - I more than enjoy SPQR. I buy them new, in hard cover when they come out and I can't give higher praise than that to any writer. Try them, you'll like them. I own them all and can't wait for more to come.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
fantastic Ancient Roman mystery,
By Harriet Klausner - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: SPQR XIII: The Year of Confusion: A Mystery (Hardcover)
In the year 46 BC in Rome, Caius Julius Caesar is now the Director of Rome. He plans to rebuild the city making it grander as expected of the capital of a great empire. One of his pet projects is to create a new calendar using astronomers and astrologers from around the world. Thus he appoints Senator Decius Caecilius to oversee the project alongside of Cleopatra's head astronomer Sosigenes.At first Decius is more concerned with Cleopatra being in the city than he is of a bunch of scientists creating a new calendar. However the situation turns dangerous when an astronomer Denades is murdered with his neck broken. He has strange markings on his neck but the doctor feels it it hard to judge how the killer made them. Even the Chief Physician in Rome does not how the killer was able to extinguish is prey. Caesar orders Decius to find the killer, which proves difficult to accomplish because all suspects are lying about something or concealing something. As always John Maddox Roberts writes a fantastic Ancient Roman mystery that gives the reader a sense of the era and the culture during the time of Caesar. This enables the audience to envision the City-State Empire warped inside a whodunit. Decius is a great detective, whose investigation is all the more remarkable because of the limitations of sleuthing in the first century BC. Sub-genre fans will enjoy joining him on his inquiry. Harriet Klausner |
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