A compelling new mystery for Libertus, set against the backdrop of
the Roman Empire in turmoil . . .
An astonishing new order has usurped power in Rome and the
reverberations are reaching even to Glevum, where the legion is
preparing to depart. Libertus's wealthy patron, until recently one of
the most influential men in the Empire, finds himself not only deprived
of the privilege and protection he had previously enjoyed, but under
actual threat both from the political establishment in Rome and from an
anonymous and vindictive enemy much closer to home.
The murder of another councillor, similarly placed, makes the matter
urgent. Libertus, whose humbler status affords obscurity, is charged
with spiriting Marcus's young family away to a place of safety. But his
task will bring problems of its own, as Libertus uncovers a grisly
secret and an ancient crime - with ramifications stretching to the
present day.