'Set in 72 B.C., during the slave revolt led by Spartacus, Saylor's second historical mystery follows Roman PI Gordianus the Finder to the resort of Baiae on the Bay of Naples. A marvelously authentic slice of antiquity that will serve as a savory treat for fans of both mystery and historical fiction.'- Booklist 'Saylor interweaves history and suspense into another seamless thriller. and intriguing mix of historical accuracy and tense drama.'- St. 'Saylor impeccably recreates life in Imperial Rome. 'Captivating descriptions of Roman customs and mythologies, and interesting characters, enlivened from the pages of history.'- San Francisco Sentinel Media Issues, Communication & Journalism.Computer Science & Information Technology.'About this title' may belong to another edition of this title. Margaret Sanborn, Senior Publicity Copywriter Marcus Tullius Cicero, for one, appears in CATILINA'S RIDDLE not as a statesman but as an underhanded schemer obsessed with destroying Lucius Sergius Catilina, who has gone down in history, rightly or wrongly, as a man who attempted to bring down the Roman Republic. The noble Romans do appear in his books, of course, but they're a far cry from the bloodless statues who watch serenely from the covers of Latin books as students painstakingly translate their dry speeches. His detective, Gordianus the Finder, seems a scruffy sort, not a noble Roman from the history books by any means, and his Rome is a rough-and-tumble place full of noisy street vendors and con artists as well as more well-to-do, upstanding citizens, a city full of gossip and intrigue and nasty politics as vicious as anything we see today. Set in ancient Rome before the rise of Julius Caesar, these are not your usual cozy reads. With Steven Saylor's mysteries, we have that Roman behind the door. I heard an echo of her words many years later when I read THE FAR ARENA, in which the protagonist wished earnestly to be able to turn a doorknob in time and find the Roman behind the door. It was her hope, as she said, not only to teach us this beautiful language but to be able to bring to life for us the people who formed the vibrant culture that was Rome's. My high school Latin teacher - Sister Ethelreda, are you out there in cyberspace? - enthralled her class for four years with her tales of ancient Rome, from culinary trivia to the deeds of the noble generals and the great Roman patriots.

Arms of Nemesis by Steven Saylor