Francis Mulhern

I write historical fiction and Roman murder mysteries set in the fascinating and turbulent world of the early Roman Republic.

My Dictator of Rome series follows the life and struggles of Marcus Furius Camillus, one of the greatest generals of the early Roman Republic. From the long siege and eventual fall of the powerful Etruscan city of Veii to his bitter exile, Camillus's story unfolds against a Rome divided by political ambition, class conflict and war. When the Gauls invade and Rome itself falls, Camillus must return to fight for the city that has cast him out. The series follows his remarkable career as he rises repeatedly to Rome's highest military command, DICTATOR OF ROME, as he battles Rome's enemies and struggles with the political forces within the Republic itself.

My Secundus Mystery series takes a different approach, combining murder, investigation, Roman religion and intrigue. Set in the Republican period over 200 years before Julius Caesar, the stories follow Secundus as he becomes involved in increasingly dangerous cases amid the temples, markets, families and political factions of the early Republic. Each book of the series is based on a Roman god or goddess and explores the intricate world in which gods ruled people's lives. I have planned a series of twelve books, with each mystery exploring another aspect of this fascinating period of Roman history.

I am particularly interested in bringing the lesser-known world of early Rome to life—the people who lived there, the gods they worshipped, the politics they navigated and the dangers they faced.

The case of Orcus (Book 8 of the series) is progressing well (August 2026) and Secundus will face his most difficult challenge yet as he deals with a series of gruesome deaths in the Forum Boarium.