The sudden suicide of a young man prompts his family to ask veteran sleuth Marcus Corvinus to investigate. As usual, Marcus needs Perilla’s agile brain to untangle the case, which grows more complex by the minute. Eventually the pair realizes that the suicide was actually a murder with political dimensions. Corvinus finds his investigations hampered, however, by his new role as reluctant dog sitter to the misnamed Placida, a Gallic boarhound with a gargantuan appetite and minimal hygiene.
In at the Death (Marcus Corvinus Mysteries)
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Editorial Reviews
Review
'David Wishart's historical crime fiction is always adroitly written. This latest Marcus Corvinus mystery has all the hallmarks of Wishart's best work ... This is delightful stuff, with all the requisite historical detail set against the sardonic humour that has long been one of Wishart's specialities. In At the Death is both one for long-time Wishart admirers and for those deciding to sample his work.' -- Barry Forshaw, Amazon Praise for A VOTE FOR MURDER: 'Drawn with great dash, and the one-liners are as good as ever. Genius.' -- Good Book Guide Praise for SEJANUS: 'Like Chandler's Marlowe, Corvinus wisecracks his way through a weary world of murder and intrigue until he hunts down the truth. A taut thriller in which ancient Rome springs to life' -- The Times Praise for THE LYDIAN BAKER: 'Innate humour and pace carry one through to the tragi-comic climax' -- Irish Times
About the Author
David Wishart is the author of the Marcus Cornivus Mystery series.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great Charaacters, mystery so-so,
By
This review is from: In at the Death (Marcus Corvinus Mysteries) (Paperback)
I'm a mystery buff, not necessarily historical mysteries, although those folks who really know the period make them worth the read - particularly the authors who specialize in ancient Rome. I also appreciate a little humor and an effort to break the unrelenting misery that (in real life) was the lot of most people. I like Lindsey Davis, John Maddox Roberts, Steven Saylor (when he isn't being too serious,) and have become fond of David Wishart. All know the period and the information is accurate - which matters to me. His books haven't been available in the U.S. until recently, so I've purchased most of the ones I've read from England.
Unlike a previous reviewer, I like having the people talk in modern syntax in books set in historical times. Frankly, we have no clue how people spoke to each other outside of literature - and until the 20th century, literary language and spoken language were not the same thing. On a daily basis, people spoke to each other pretty much the way we do - given language differences and phrasing, and so forth. Writing the spoken word as if it were translated straight from ancient Latin would be tedious at best! The hardest part about Wishart books is keeping track of the characters - the names are so different from ours and there are so many characters that I find myself referring to the list of characters frequently. I like his use of characters and descriptions of people in terms that show that folks were folks and politicians were politicians and greedy grubbers were greedy grubbers, no matter how many centuries separate us. This is Wishart's strength and I appreciate it. The one thing I've noticed is that I normally don't need to reread Wishart's books. For a good mystery, this is unusual for me - I own all of Lindsey Davis and John Maddox Roberts for example. However, I would definitley recommend reading his books - they are enjoyable. I've bought a number of them from England, and paid the (gasp) high exchange and postage - so did think it was worthwhile.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Fun Read,
By hrhm7 (Miami, Fl) - See all my reviews
This review is from: In at the Death (Marcus Corvinus Mysteries) (Hardcover)
An entertaining ancient Rome mystery. One of Wishart's better ones. The characters are humorous, the plot had twists, and the story goes by quickly. Once you get used to the main character's use of slang and curses, it's fun.
4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not Worth The Effort to Read It,
By
This review is from: In at the Death (Marcus Corvinus Mysteries) (Hardcover)
I tried very hard to plow through this book, but the mediocre plot is not worth having to suffer through the annoying writing. The author makes his ancient Roman protagonist sound like a contemporary London tough. This book reads more like a script for a '40s film noir, complete with choppy dialogue full of corny, stilted phrases. I finally gave up about half-way through the book; the "mystery" was not compelling enough for me to bother continuing with it. Anyone who has read a really excellent Roman mystery - such as the series about Gordianus the Finder by Steven Saylor - will be greatly disappointed by this talentless copycat.
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