A dreadful destiny

Glevum, Britain, 149 CE. Freed slave Libertus, now a Roman citizen and town councilor, is tasked with another difficult mission by his patron, Marcus. Roman Senator Hortius, Emperor Severus' representative, is coming to Glevum, ostensibly for an important festival honoring the emperor, but in truth to find Druscilla Livia, an attractive widow promised to Hortius in marriage. But she's backed out of the marriage agreement and fled Rome. Hortius is furious, especially when he learns she's hiding in Glevum and claiming safe haven at Marcus' villa. This puts Marcus in a terrible position. Severus is already antagonistic toward Glevum, which supported his rival, so it's extremely important to keep his representative, Hortius, happy, lest he add to the emperor's anti-Glevum sentiments. But Hortius is an odious man with a vicious temper, so keeping him happy is impossible. Marcus wants Libertus to help him work out how to handle this thorny problem, but neither Marcus nor Libertus has any idea what is in store: that Hortius will rain down death and destruction in senseless acts of revenge. Perhaps the finest installment yet in Rowe's excellent historical-mystery series, A Dreadful Destiny boasts colorful characters, rich historical detail, taut suspense, and a deeply moving conclusion.

Political tensions are high in Rowe's exceptional 19th mystery set in Roman Britain (after 2019's A Prisoner of Privilege) after the assassination of Emperor Pertinax in 194 CE and the succession of Septimus Severus, whose wife is a powerful force in ruling the empire. Anonymous denunciations of public officials as traitors to Septimus are rampant in Glevum (today's Gloucester), where Libertus, a Celtic nobleman who has become a Roman citizen, serves on the city council. Against this fraught background, Libertus and his patron, Marcus, are put in a tight spot after Druscilla Livia appears in Glevum. Claiming to be a relative of the empress, Druscilla seeks help in avoiding marriage to a sadistic but influential senator, who has followed his runaway fiancée from Rome to Glevum. Several murders follow, providing considerable challenges for Libertus in his pursuit of justice. Rowe's mastery of the period, including the Roman laws governing marriage, enable her to provide a vivid backdrop, and the riveting plot delivers more than one emotional gut punch. Readers who miss Steven Saylor's Gordianus whodunits will be pleased. Agent: Juliet Burton, Juliet Burton Literary (U.K.). (Oct.)

Freeman Libertus, now a Roman citizen and councilor in Roman Britain, once more displays his talent for solving mysteries. The year 194 C.E. brings problems to Glevum in the persons of a Roman senator and his reluctant bride-to-be. The Roman Empire has been roiled by a deadly fight over a new emperor, and followers of the losing candidates are in dire trouble. Senator Hortius Lollius Valens is eager to marry, but his fearful, headstrong bride, Druscilla Livia, flees Rome to escape him. Libertus is worried about his own wife, Gwellia, who has a badly infected foot, but she insists he go into town for a festival lest he face arrest and damage his patron Marcus Septimus Aurelius' reputation. Marcus' wife is about to give birth, but that's the least of his problems once Drusilla seeks sanctuary in his house. He fears to offend her because she's related to the new emperor's wife, but he's even more fearful of the newly arrived Hortius, who proves to be a cruel and calculating man who'll let nothing stand in the way of his schemes. Libertus tries to figure out a way to rescue Marcus from his dilemma, but his plans are upended when Hortius pays the ultimate price for his misdeeds and Libertus is forced to produce the killer or risk ruining his patron's life. This installment in Rowe's long-running series produces a major surprise that promises an interesting future for her hero. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.