Customer Reviews

A Coin for the Ferryman (Libertus Mystery Series)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Libertus, the mosaic maker of Glevum, Britannia, must solve a murder on the property of his patron Marcus Aurelius Septimus before the Lemuria, the festival for the souls of the departed, takes place. Mystery builds on mystery. Complicating the matter, the daughter of an an irascible tribal farmer has disappeared at about the same time. As Libertus sets to work, he is constantly belittled by the haughty guest, strange things happen, more bodies are discovered, and Marcus' gatekeeper is murdered, and there seems to be obstruction all around.

As all the novels in this series, this book is written in a rather serious vein. Nonetheless, there is quite a bit to smile about, mostly about the young slaves in both households, especially the eager to please Maximus and Minimus, who are signed over to Libertus while Marcus travels to Rome and tend to finish each others sentences. Life in the villa, town life in Glevum, Libertus' little household, and the hostile British farmers whom Libertus encounters, are believably portrayed. All in all a good book by a dependable author.

Rosemary Rowe's exhaustive scholarship on Roman Britain is admirable, but doesn't really make up for a story that is unnecessarily dense and convoluted, overly burdened with mundane dialogue and generally lacking in punch and mystery. This book did not compare favorably with any of the Marcus Didius Falco series by Lindsey Davis or "The Water Thief" by Ben Pastor.

Well-written. informative on life in Roman Britain in the later days of R oman occupatiion. Not of the quality of books by Stephen Saylot which to me are the best of this genre.

The master of the mystery set in Roman Britain. A scholar with a sense of humor