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Six for Gold (John the Eunuch Mysteries) (Hardcover)

~ Mary Reed (Author), Eric Mayer (Author) "John fled up steep tiers of marble benches..." (more)
Key Phrases: pilgrim flasks, pilgrim camp, flying demon, Lord Chamberlain, Senator Symacchus, Bishop Crispin (more...)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in plague-ridden sixth-century Constantinople, Reed and Mayer's captivating sixth John the Eunuch novel (after 2004's Five for Silver) opens dramatically as John, lord chamberlain to Emperor Justinian, flees "excubitors" (i.e., palace guards) in the Hippodrome. Justinian's not-so-nice wife, Theodora, wants John prosecuted for a senator's murder, but the emperor has other ideas and spirits him away to the oasis town of Mehenopolis, Egypt, to look into a strange case of suicidal sheep. John soon suspects a link with another investigation for the emperor involving a valuable religious artifact. Filled with quirky characters, including a bee seller and a magician, this fresh entry with its intriguing details of Egyptian culture reveals further depths to the most clever John and his family members. A helpful glossary rounds out the book. (Nov.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist

John the Eunuch, Lord Chamberlain to the Emperor Justinian, is facing his oddest case yet: in a secluded Egyptian village, sheep are apparently committing suicide. Charged with solving this oddball mystery, John is distracted by his own problems: he has been accused of murdering a senator, and if he doesn't clear his name, very bad things will happen to him. This is the sixth John the Eunuch novel, and the series shows no signs of slowing down. As usual the authors write precisely and gracefully, maintaining a perfect balance between historical atmosphere and old-fashioned mystery. The setting, sixth-century Byzantium, is still fresh, still full of wonders and weirdness. And, like Lindsey Davis' Falco series, there's an agreeable mixture of drama and comedy. Fans of the series will be overjoyed. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 267 pages
  • Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press (November 1, 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1590581458
  • ISBN-13: 978-1590581452
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,169,403 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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John fled up steep tiers of marble benches. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
pilgrim flasks, pilgrim camp, flying demon, court pages, imperial couple, wall mosaic, snake god
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Lord Chamberlain, Senator Symacchus, Bishop Crispin, Rock of the Snake, Great Church, Captain Felix, Little Nero, Emperor Justinian, Hormisdas Palace, Golden Horn, Madam Isis
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Another Terrific John the Eunuch Mystery, January 30, 2006
Another terrific installment in the John the Eunuch series. Accused of murdering a senator , John is saved from torture and execution by being banished by Emperor Justinian. Justinian sends him to Egypt to solve the mystery of why sheep in an Egyptian village are slitting their own throats. John finds the local landowner locked in battle with a magician who both want control of the land and the mysterious maze/shrine that is on it. And back in Constantinople John's friends and family desperately try to prove his innocence.

A fascinating look into the historical time of Emperor Justinian, a time of plague and the conflict between the Christians and pagans. Loaded with wonderful historic detail and a terrific mystery. John is a likeable hero and the supporting characters are quirky and wonderful. Historical mystery lovers will want to be sure to read all the books in this series as will everyone else. It's well written, with great characters, a lively mystery and lots of well researched historical detail.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great John the Eunuch story, January 6, 2006
In plague-infested Constantinople, Justinian's Lord Chamberlain, John the Eunuch, is suspected of murdering a Senator. Exiled to Egypt where, supposedly, sheep are committing suicide by cutting their own throats, John must somehow stay alive--a task made more difficult by the assassin Empress Theodora is certain to have sent after him, and by the insistance by his wife Cornelia, and his servant, Peter, that they accompany him.

John knows that Justinian always works more than one angle. Suicidal sheep, while interesting, would hardly be enough to motivate the great Roman Emperor to send his trusted servant to Egypt. Something else must have attracted his attention--something so dangerous he couldn't even trust John with what he feared. Yet the Egyptian oasis seems to contain nothing but a tax-evading landlord, a gameplaying priest, superstitious peasants, and a magician whose magic tricks are as old as the Pharaohs. Justinian could have been wrong--but if he was, John is the one who's likely to pay the price.

Back in Constantinople, John's friend Anatolius investigates the mystery of the murdered Senator. Clearly John didn't do it. Whether John's dodgy son-in-law might have been involved is less clear. But the murder seems to involve the religious schism between the orthodox, championed by Justinian, and the monophysites, championed by Theodora. That the monophysites were dominant in Egypt, and that John was exiled to that province didn't sound like coincidence. Still, what could it mean.

Authors Mary Reed and Eric Mayer continue their charming John the Eunuch series with a story that takes John far from Constantinople, returning him to Egypt--the land where he and Cornelia first met. Egypt has always been a land of magic and mystery and it certainly is in SIX FOR GOLD--starting with Peter's discovery of the cat-mummy industry and the monkey-headed giant snake. The religious disputes between orthodox and monophysites was a huge part of the history of this time and Reed and Meyer do a good job presenting it in the context of a historical mystery. John's own worship of Mithra, the Persian sun-god, adds richness to the story.

SIX FOR GOLD is filled with comic touches--I especially like the bumbling but effective Peter, as well as his part in solving the mystery of the suicidal sheep. The mysterious maze in the Egyptian oasis might not be historical, but it should be.

Fans of historical mystery will definitely want to grab this latest in the John the Eunuch series. I have no hesitation in recommending SIX FOR GOLD.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Suspense and plenty of local 6th century color, November 30, 2005
By Lynn Harnett (Marathon, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This review is from: Six for Gold (John the Eunuch Mysteries (Paperback)) (Paperback)
This sixth John the Eunuch mystery opens with a chase through 6th-century Constantinople's Hippodrome and dockside grain stores as John, lord chamberlain to Emperor Justinian, dodges the spears of palace guards only to be undone by a rat, literally.

Charged with the murder of a senator and brought before the Emperor (thwarting the Empress Theodora of a savored chance to torture her nemesis), John is sent to Egypt, ostensibly banished, but actually charged with investigating a local mystery of suicidal sheep and furthering the Emperor's search for a powerful religious relic.

His irreverent wife, Cornelia and devout Christian servant Peter join John, making their own unique contributions to figuring out why sheep would slash their own throats and what lies at the heart of the rivalry between the local headman and the interloper magician. The magician's powers range from blatantly fake to spectacular, and the headman, while less dazzling, is equally devious.

Wry and observant, John, who has seen much of the worst the world has to offer, stays a step ahead of the reader, while back in Constantinople his friend Anatolius, daughter Europa and brash, rash son-in-law Thomas work to unravel the senator's murder. From brothels, magical shrines and plague fears to palace intrigues and everyday details, the authors seamlessly work historical atmosphere into the cleverly plotted mystery and leaven it with just the right amount of humor. Fans will enjoy the latest chapter in John's tumultuous life and newcomers will be drawn to earlier adventures.

--Portsmouth Herald
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A pilgrim destination, an ancient shrine, and a battle with a magician
Mary Reed and Eric Mayer's SIX FOR GOLD: A JOHN THE EUNUCH MYSTERY tells of sheep killings and the accusation of political murder. Read more
Published on April 20, 2006 by D. Donovan, Editor/Sr. Reviewer

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous historical mystery
In Constantinople, the Lord Chamberlain John the Eunuch is arrested for the murder of Senator Symacchus in the Hippodrome. Read more
Published on December 6, 2005 by Harriet Klausner

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