From Publishers Weekly
In Finnis's lively debut, a Roman historical set in northern Britain in 91 A.D., ill-fated legionnaires contend with a ruthless band of guerrillas seeking to rid their homeland of unwanted occupiers. Tensions run high as headless bodies begin appearing along the roadways of remote Brigantia, the adopted home of plucky Aurelia Marcella and her sister Albia, who are keepers of the Oak Tree Mansio, an inn catering to the elite of the empire's "raw new province." Crudely carved discs bearing the title's ominous words are hung on each new corpse, and the same menacing phrase mysteriously appears on Aurelia's barn shortly before a savage nighttime attack by the "Shadow-men," a rebel group believed to be led by a Roman turncoat. Suspenseful and at times comical, the story rambles on to a somewhat predictable conclusion, yet Aurelia is engaging as the resourceful narrator-turned-detective who almost single-handedly identifies the traitor in their midst. A surfeit of characters with names both Roman and Druid can be confusing, but the plot is timely as conquerors seek to impose civilization on a barbarian culture that doesn't appreciate the new roads and government or the increase in commerce. Lots of sacrifices, both human and animal, make this one for the strong of stomach.
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Review
There are several successful mystery series about the world of ancient Rome, but what gives Jane Finnis' first novel a special edge of interest is that it's set in 91 A.D. in the Roman province of Britannia.
It has been 30 years since the first Roman civilians arrived in the wake of the conquering legions, and they have been living and working alongside the
natives. A sharp young woman named Aurelia Marcella, who came to what is now the city of York in northern England with her family after the disaster at Pompeii, runs a popular inn, the Oak Tree Mansio, where until recently all was relatively quiet.
But some of the natives are becoming restless, and the headless bodies of Roman soldiers are being found beside local roads, decorated with discs of bone bearing an ominous message: "All Romans Will Be Killed. Get Out Or Die."
This gives Finnis the chance to mix history, mystery and mayhem--always a lively brew in good hands--with flashes of wit about local customs. (" `How are things in the kitchen? Did you manage to liven up that cow's meat stew?' " Aurelia asks her sister, Albia. " `Yes,' " she answers, " `Cook added some extra herbs and it's quite tasty now. I don't think cow's meat will ever be anyone's idea of a delicacy, but the natives seem to like it' "--thus setting the stage for the roast beef of Old England and mad cow hysteria.)
Behind the killings and the threats seems to be a band of native activists who still practice Druid rituals, drink mead rather than wine and tend to dress somewhat ostentatiously as old-style Brigantian warriors: blue skin paint, hair whitened with lime, leather kilts, lots of gold and silver jewelry. But their leader, the Shadow of Death, always wears a mask, and is suspected of being a Roman officer or official.
Aurelia, latest in a long line of capable women who brighten historical fiction, joins forces with a Roman soldier/spy named Quintus to find and expose this high-level traitor. And anyone who--like author Finnis--has ever marveled at how straight and well-built many of the Roman roads of England still are should enjoy this entertaining look back. -- Dick Adler, Chicago Tribune
Highly recommended by Dean James of Houston's Murder by the Book
Get Out or Die (by Jane Finnis; Poisoned Pen Press; $24.95) This is the first in a new series set in Roman Britain ca. 91 A.D. The main character is an opinionated Roman woman, and the plot is fun (a bit of a thriller, rather than a whodunit). Excellent period detail!
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