Finished Business

A convoluted mystery for Marcus Corvinus

There are many Roman crime series out there but Wishart’s is my favourite. For one, he does actually have an understanding of ancient Rome and the sources though he wears his learning very lightly and we never get the kind of info-dumps that Saylor, for example, has a tendency to give us. For another, his books are wonderfully characterised and plotted so that Rome is the setting, not the driver, for the story. Marcus Valerius Corvinus and the wonderful Perilla have taken on a life of their own, and opening a new book is now like re-meeting old friends.

This is one of the most complex of Wishart’s book with a nicely convoluted plot – it starts off in an almost domestic way, but the trail leads Corvinus all the way up the Palatine...

For anyone new to the series, Wishart gives Corvinus the voice of a ‘50s American gumshoe detective – and our enjoyment of the book is as much from Corvinus’ semi-cynical takes on Rome and Roman society as from the plot itself. Places are modernised so that the Forum becomes the Market Square, and Corvinus’ chief slave has more than a tinge of Jeeves about him as he ‘buttles’ around.

This is a convoluted story which takes an unexpected twist about halfway through: anyone who knows their Roman history will know the outcome before Corvinus – but part of our enjoyment of the book is seeing events from a different angle.

Highly recommended.

Up to the usual good standard and sent me back to the history books to refresh my knowledge of Roman politics and assassinatiions.