DO YOU LIKE CLASSIC MURDER-MYSTERIES WITH A BIT OF HUMOUR? ARE YOU READY TO MEET THE RICH MATRIARCH OF A SLIGHTLY DYSFUNCTIONAL CELTIC FAMILY IN 2ND CENTURY SOUTH WESTERN BRITANNIA?
Greetings from Lucretia Siluriensis, a mature woman with simple needs: wealth, good food, money-making plans, useful men and fancy wigs. She’s wasted in an obscure town so far off the beaten track that half the locals don’t even know there is a track. Why is it that every time her plans are about to pay off, people drop dead so that childhood adversary Tryssa starts sticking her nose into other people’s business? It’s enough to make a woman give up on getting even richer and maybe finding love. Almost.
Just when you thought it was safe to go for a nice bath
190 AD Pecunia: an insignificant town in west Britain. Romano-Briton Lucretia is determined that her get-rich-quick scheme will not be undermined by minor things like her husband’s death, dubious imposters or her married daughter’s fascination with a celebrity gladiator. But when the bodies start to mount up, wise-woman Tryssa starts to ask questions. Certain that a forgotten goddess cannot be blamed, Tryssa needs to uncover the truth before another life is lost.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back…
AD 191. An ancient grove, broken promises, a lost keepsake.
Rich Lucretia is on the way to the town of Durnovaria. The last time she saw it she’d just rejected an arranged teenage marriage, but now she’s back to claim an inheritance, taking the local wise-woman Tryssa as a companion.
Unknown to anyone, two hapless grave-robbers have been seeking ancient treasures in a stone circle nearby, without any idea that what they’ve found will open up old wounds from a more recent past.
With Lucretia’s family busy arguing about money, any possibility that an old ring bought in the forum might be important is pushed aside until Lucretia’s cousin is poisoned and the local magistrate Amicus starts to raise questions.
As the past starts to catch up with the present, Tryssa must help Amicus discover who would kill rather than reveal long-buried truths… and what those truths actually are.
Just when you thought it was safe to celebrate…
December AD 192 The oldest bonds are the hardest severed.
When Fabio’s aunt Lucretia flexes her match-making muscles, he seeks escape from a marriage to shy, bored Adriane. Luckily, his friend Petros needs help investigating a possible rebellion in Vademlutra. All Fabio has to do is pretend to be poor and keep his wits about him. Certain there’s nothing to investigate, Fabio settles down for a week in the tavern until a lost young woman in the woods captivates him. Where is she from and why is she so keen to die?
Unaware of Fabio’s whereabouts, Lucretia has her own reasons for being in Vademlutra. Hoping to enjoy a little flirting and a lot of money-making, she’s about to meet her match on both fronts and must scheme more than ever if she has any chance of keeping what’s rightfully hers.
As the town is cut off by snow, Dun the erstwhile grave-robber becomes convinced that diversifying was a bad idea. But it takes an unexpected death to reveal a decades-old web of deceit and manipulation which threatens to engulf the whole town and make Adriane find enough courage to become involved.
Who is behind the rebellion? And if they have blood on their hands, who is the next victim?
As Roman Saturnalia passes and the darker traditions of winter solstice approach, Fabio, Petros, Adriane and Dun must put aside their differences and work together to save not only another life but the whole town from Roman retribution.
Just when you thought it was safe to visit Roman Britain…
And if you’d prefer to read all three in an omnibus…