From Publishers Weekly
Taking a break from her Roman historical mystery series (
Scorpion Rising, etc.), British author Todd shifts to Sparta in 466 B.C. for this undistinguished whodunit. Lysander, commander of the Spartan secret police known as Krypteia, has coerced Iliona, high priestess of the river deity Eurotas, into gathering intelligence for him. Soon several disappearances, coupled with vague eyewitness reports, awaken fears that the legendary one-eyed giant Cyclops has returned to the area to prey on its inhabitants. The bodies pile up as Iliona searches for the culprit and develops an ambiguous relationship with Lysander. Todd's prose and dialogue are practiced and smooth, but she overuses the gimmick of ending many chapters with a brief passage from the gloating killer's perspective. Modern slang (Monsters are always so
gross) makes the suspension of disbelief a challenge for all but Todd's most die-hard fans.
(Dec.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an alternate
Hardcover
edition.
Review
"Todd's prose and dialogue are practiced and smooth" Publishers Weekly on Blind Eye "Smart-mouthed Claudia... is a naughty delight. Recommend this strongly to readers of other ancient Rome mystery series by Steven Saylor and Lindsay Davis" Booklist on Scorpion Rising "Oozes authentic period detail, and Todd adds further spice with a combination of a skillfully tangled plot, smart dialogue, and hilarious badinage between the main characters" Booklist on Stone Cold"
