Softcover

ISBN 10: 0312320183 ISBN 13: 9780312320188

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, 2003

Every culture has its wild entertainment, but the Roman Saturnalia is looked upon as the granddaddy of them all.

Roberts's vivid fictional account of the annual event takes place in first century Rome is a historically correct picture of excess, with the city's ordinary life shut down, all rules and most laws inoperative, and even slaves permitted to celebrate without restraint. At the same time, the noted family of Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger have reluctantly summoned the young playboy, banished to the island of Rhodes for his wild ways, to seek his help in solving a crime that touches them directly and dangerously. They need him to use his investigative talents to look into the poison death of a politically powerful relative and the suspicion that it is the man's wife who administered the dose. Decius, convinced she is innocent (of this murder, at any rate) looks further for the killer---a quest that leads him to a secret, banned cult of witchcraft being practiced by highborn Romans of both sexes. With the witches at his heels, Decius plunges into the maelstrom of Rome at the height of Saturnalia, and barely escapes with his life.

About the Author:

John Maddox Roberts is the author of several works of science fiction and some modern mysteries. There are eight books already published in hardcover in the series featuring the Roman Decius Metellus, and they are being reissued in this paperback format. The author and his wife have recently moved from Virginia to a home in New Mexico.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

"Tonight's one of their most important festivals, isn't it? The eve of Saturnalia is when they dance and sacrifice and perform their rites, out on the Vatican field."

This was the first I had heard of such a thing. "Why the Vatican?"

"There's a plot of sacred ground out there," he said. "It's said to have a mundus and the witches can call up the dead through it or contact the gods of the underworld. Mark me, sir, at midnight tonight you won't find a striga in the city. They'll all be out there."

"You've been very helpful, Marcus Urgulus," I said, handing him a few denarii. "Here. Have a fine holiday."

"He thanked me and hurried off, leaving me to sit and ponder. Rome contains worlds within worlds. This world of the witches was a new one to me. It was a part of the world of the peasants and the small country towns, as the politics of the Senate and the rites of the great temples were parts of my own world. Witches and spells and poisons; the thought made my cut palm throb.

"Why all this talk of witches and their rites?" Hermes asked, the hot wine working on him as well. He looked uncomfortable with the subject.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I thought this would be a straightforward murder investigation, just a simple poisoning for sound personal or political reasons. Now we're off into the realms of the occult and the supernatural."

"Like most educated people I was sharply skeptical of all superstitions and persons claiming supernatural powers. On the other hand, I knew better than to take chances. And the woman Furia had unnerved me. I couldn't help but wonder: Just what did they do out there on the Vatican field?

I just knew that my curiosity was leading me into something incredibly foolish.