Eight for Eternity

Reed and Mayer's excellent eighth John the Chamberlain mystery (after 2008's Seven for a Secret) centers on the real-life Nika riots, which nearly destroyed Constantinople in A.D. 532. When two prisoners escape police custody, each a member of "the two main factions who supported the opposing chariot teams at the races in the Hippodrome," Emperor Justinian sends John, his trusted chamberlain, to investigate. John soon finds the young men's bodies in the chilly waters of a cistern. Meanwhile, two nephews of a former ruler may provide a rallying point for General Belisarius should he opt to stage a coup as rival political factions wreak havoc throughout the city. Subtle, well-drawn characters, from the ascetic John to the capricious and enigmatic Justinian; deft descriptive detail revealing life in the late Roman Empire; and sharp dialogue make this another winner in this outstanding historical series. (Apr.)

--Booklist

John, Lord Chamberlain to Emperor Justinian in 532 Constantinople, investigates when followers of two opposing chariot teams (the Green and the Blue) are murdered after their executions are botched, and they are rescued by monks. Constantinople is in flames as the masses riot in the streets hoping to depose the emperor, making John's task exceedingly difficult. John is also charged with protecting two brothers, nephews of the former emperor, and the daughter of one of them. Who murdered the two men, and who is inciting the rioters? Is it one of the nephews (who would like to be emperor himself), or revered charioteer Porphyrius, or John's good friend Haik? Reed and Mayer bring the time of the Nika Riots in Constantinople to vivid life in this eighth installment in their series, capturing the burning city, the mob mentality, the panic in the castle as the rioters come ever closer, and the effort to convince Justinian to use whatever methods are necessary to keep his throne. A must for followers of the series.