Rubies of the Viper [Kindle Edition]

Martha Marks (Author)

Book Description

SYNOPSIS
When her brother is murdered in first-century Rome, Theodosia Varro inherits the family estate, going from poverty and isolation to great wealth and a prestigious position in society. Unfortunately, she lives in a time and a place that deny women of her class the very things she most desires: personal freedom and self-determination. Only by identifying her brother's killer can she feel safe, yet her efforts take her in quite the opposite direction. After her own actions and the scheming of others lead to catastrophe, Theodosia struggles to survive and recover what matters most in her life.


PRAISE FROM AMAZON READERS IN THE US, UK, and Canada:

“If I were to select a book of the year to read, Rubies of the Viper would be in the running for top choice. Yes, it is that good.” —Rhonda Esakov for Story Circle Book Reviews

“I ordered this book after seeing all the five star reviews. Now I see they are well deserved. Impossible to put this book down. I HIGHLY recommend this book.” Patricia Goodspeed, Amazon Vine Voice

“Rubies of the Viper is a fast-paced, suspenseful and romantic historical novel, and a totally satisfying read. Buy this book, you will not be disappointed!” —M. Louisa Locke, author of Maids of Misfortune

“Rubies of the Viper presents an excellent read and several hours of pure escapist enjoyment. Enthusiastically recommended.” —Robert Davidson, UK, author of The Tuzla Run

“Full of action, plot twists and romance, it gripped me to the very end. The author recreates ancient Rome and beyond with authenticity in a book full of strong characters and vivid settings, from palaces to prisons.” Wendy Bertsch, Canada, author of Once More from the Beginning

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Martha Marks earned her Ph.D. in Spanish literature and linguistics at Northwestern University and subsequently served on the faculties of Northwestern University and Kalamazoo College. She enjoyed studying and teaching the novels, plays, and poetry of great Spanish and Latin American authors, and she believes that Rubies of the Viper is a better novel because of her in-depth exposure to their work. Please visit Martha's website: marthamarks.com

Product Details

• File Size: 520 KB
• Print Length: 338 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0979519349
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B001VNCB34
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #62,600 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #50 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > History > Ancient > Rome

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 55 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gem of a Roman Thriller June 27, 2012

By Judith Starkston

Format:Paperback

Rubies of the Viper is a genuine gem of a mystery set in Rome during the reigns of the Emperors Claudius and Nero. It's full of exciting suspense and beautifully developed characters. Marks's rich portrayal of Roman life is delightful and gruesome in turns--just as a good Roman mystery ought to be. We get the grace, the violence and the perversion that was imperial society revealed through a spell-binding tale.

The heroine is a fictional woman named Theodosia Varro, who at the opening of the novel has inherited a vast fortune, including the beautiful villa where she spent her happy childhood--only she hasn't seen the villa in years because she's been stuck in poverty in the Subura, a Roman slum, banished there by a villainous brother. She isn't sad her brother was stabbed through the heart outside a brothel, but she doesn't want to suffer the same fate, and she suspects there's more to her brother's murder than the official line that it was a robbery, especially since he wasn't robbed.

Her brother's close friend Otho warns her to beware the slaves at the villa--they are probably out to murder her. But Theodosia has had an unusual life, and she discovers her slaves are more likely to be her friends than her killers. The sons of the best Roman families want to marry her, although Otho and Vespasian's son, Titus, are her favorite suitors. She's the richest catch around even if she had a Greek mother and displays some decidedly inappropriate behavior for a patrician lady. She's lonely with only slaves for company, but taking a husband means handing over her fortune and her freedom to a man. Does she want to? Otho keeps reminding her she isn't safe without a husband to protect her. And he certainly turns out to be right. But figuring out where the danger arises from and keeping the people she loves safe will turn out to be much harder than picking a husband.

And those rubies of the viper? They first appear on a beautiful but sinister set of goblets in her villa, a recent acquisition of her brother's--an odd decorative choice that you'll want to keep your eye on. You know how politicians and wealthy businessmen sometimes get so power hungry that it spills over into sexual power plays and other forms of violence? Well, the Romans were especially prone to such carryings on and Marks is a master at weaving in the evil in surprising and unexpected ways.

While you're gobbling up the story, you'll especially enjoy vivid life in the villa, lusciously described to an extent that you'll feel you've been there. Marks has also depicted the grimmest side of Roman life--the thousands of slaves that subsisted on each of the big "corporate" farms that grew up once Roman senators bought out all the small independent peasants up and down Italy. I've never seen anyone try to bring this side of Roman history to life in fiction before. Here again, Marks does an outstanding job.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars An Ancient Roman Bodice Ripper April 6, 2011

By jim reilly

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was about 10 percent into this novel before I realized it was a "Heaving breasts - Bodice Ripper - Bare chested hero tale" set in first century A.D. Roman empire.
Try as I might, I couldn't put it down. Parts are predictable and of course the heroine is in "love" with more than one loveable hero. Tragedy and injustice abound.
An enjoyable, fast, light read well grounded in ancient Roman culture, where class conflicts abound.

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Rubies of the Viper August 23, 2010

By Scoop

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Martha Marks hit a homerun with this novel. It incorporates everything that one could wish for in a novel. You simply can't put it down. Mystery, history, power, lust, love and every human emotion imaginable. The vivid descriptions of the people and locations were some of the best I've ever read. The movie directors should be knocking at Martha's door.

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