Ruth Downie

Ruth Downie’s Followers (725)

member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
Camilla...
328 books | 162 friends

Tom
Tom
6,609 books | 33 friends

Bloomsb...
656 books | 1,006 friends

Carolyn
3,927 books | 872 friends

Joseph-...
149,446 books | 4,671 friends

Marcia
1,823 books | 2 friends

Eric_W
6,083 books | 460 friends

Michael...
233 books | 2,371 friends

More friends…

Ruth Downie

Goodreads Author


Website

Twitter

Genre

Member Since
February 2009


Ruth is the author of nine mysteries* featuring Roman Army medic Gaius Petreius Ruso and his British partner Tilla. The latest is a novella, PRIMA FACIE. She lives in Devon, England. A combination of nosiness and a childish fascination with mud means she is never happier than when wielding an archaeological trowel.

She is sometimes called R.S. Downie, but she isn't the person with the same name who writes medical textbooks, and recommends that readers should never, ever take health advice from a two thousand year old man who prescribes mouse droppings.

*The first four books have all had two titles. Ruth is still wondering how this ever seemed like a good idea. Since she is unable to wind back time, British readers may find it useful to kno
...more

To ask Ruth Downie questions, please sign up.

Popular Answered Questions

Ruth Downie The seventh book in the Ruso series, which will probably be called "Habeas Corpus" but is called lots of less printable things whenever I get stuck wi…moreThe seventh book in the Ruso series, which will probably be called "Habeas Corpus" but is called lots of less printable things whenever I get stuck with the plot. *UPDATE!* All the things I called it turned out to be wrong. It's now VITA BREVIS, and it'll be published in July 2016 in the USA/Canada and here in the UK in September.(less)
Ruth Downie I can see the possibilities too, Marilee, but sadly nobody in TV seems to have noticed! Still, I'm confident that my agent will seize upon anyone infl…moreI can see the possibilities too, Marilee, but sadly nobody in TV seems to have noticed! Still, I'm confident that my agent will seize upon anyone influential who shows the least sign of interest, so you never know - and thanks for asking.(less)
Average rating: 3.95 · 25,984 ratings · 2,700 reviews · 19 distinct worksSimilar authors
Medicus (Gaius Petreius Rus...

3.75 avg rating — 8,719 ratings — published 2006 — 16 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Terra Incognita (Gaius Petr...

3.92 avg rating — 3,941 ratings — published 2008
Rate this book
Clear rating
Persona Non Grata (Gaius Pe...

4.02 avg rating — 3,255 ratings — published 2008 — 30 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Caveat Emptor (Gaius Petrei...

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2,549 ratings — published 2010 — 27 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Semper Fidelis (Gaius Petre...

4.09 avg rating — 1,960 ratings — published 2013 — 19 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Tabula Rasa (Gaius Petreius...

4.16 avg rating — 1,625 ratings — published 2014 — 16 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Vita Brevis (Gaius Petreius...

4.12 avg rating — 1,280 ratings — published 2016 — 10 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Memento Mori (Gaius Petreiu...

4.18 avg rating — 1,085 ratings — published 2018 — 8 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
A Year of Ravens

by
4.16 avg rating — 739 ratings — published 2015 — 9 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
Prima Facie (Gaius Petreius...

4.21 avg rating — 575 ratings — published 2019 — 6 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating
More books by Ruth Downie…

Eboracum Roman Festival 2023

Leather tent, leather-covered shield with feather-crested helmet on top.

Romans, Ancient Britons and modern barbarians gathered in the gardens of the Yorkshire Museum last weekend in the annual celebration of York’s Roman history.

Astute readers of “Semper Fidelis” may remember that this is where most of the story is set.

Notice saying Plenty of family-friendly action took place in the Circus Maximus, including the wild racing of cardboard hobby-horses around the lawns in the sun Read more of this blog post »
 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on July 12, 2023 14:47
Medicus Terra Incognita Persona Non Grata Caveat Emptor Semper Fidelis Tabula Rasa Vita Brevis
(8 books)
by
3.94 avg rating — 24,987 ratings

Food for Life: Th...
Rate this book
Clear rating

 
Bring Them Home
Ruth Downie is currently reading
by D.S. Butler (Goodreads Author)
bookshelves: currently-reading
Rate this book
Clear rating

 

Ruth’s Recent Updates

Ruth Downie is currently reading
Food for Life by Tim Spector
Rate this book
Clear rating
Ruth Downie rated a book really liked it
Memories of the Cottage by the Sea by Rebecca Alexander
Rate this book
Clear rating
Ruth Downie made a comment in the group Devon Book ClubRecommendations topic
" I think we should request it! "
" Yes it was a grand weekend, Ken! All legions now safely returned to base and hoping to meet up again next year. "
Ruth Downie made a comment in the group Devon Book ClubGiveaways 2022 topic
" This sounds great! Please could you enter me in the draw, Ian? Thank you!
Ruth
"
Ruth Downie made a comment on Season’s Greetings
" Thank you Ken! Both for the good wishes and for spreading the word about Ruso and Tilla.
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Ruth
😊
"
Ruth Downie is currently reading
Bring Them Home by D.S. Butler
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
More of Ruth's books…
Quotes by Ruth Downie  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“One of the many difficult things about women was that they tended to pick the most unsuitable times to tell you something they considered to be important, and then became irrationally upset when you failed to remember it.”
Ruth Downie, Terra Incognita

“I seem to remember sitting on a golden bench, and she started chattering about the sunset, or something. She seemed quite happy so I let her get on with it. Then she got hold of my hand and asked me what I was thinking about. So I said, "The treatment of anal fistulae".”
Ruth Downie, Terra Incognita

“Back from where? you're not going out again and leaving me here are you?? Holy Hercules I sound like somebody's wife”
Ruth Downie, Terra Incognita

Polls

91591
Who's the best writer of Roman historical-fiction?
Feel free to add your own options.

 
  86 votes, 7.8%

 
  81 votes, 7.4%

 
  73 votes, 6.6%

 
  73 votes, 6.6%

I'm sorry. I haven't read much if any on the subject (write-in)
 
  68 votes, 6.2%

Steven Saylor (write-in)
 
  46 votes, 4.2%

 
  44 votes, 4.0%

 
  41 votes, 3.7%

Robert Graves (write-in)
 
  35 votes, 3.2%

Kate Quinn (write-in)
 
  34 votes, 3.1%

 
  32 votes, 2.9%

conn iggulden (write-in)
 
  28 votes, 2.5%

Bernard Cornwell (write-in)
 
  27 votes, 2.5%

Marc Alan Edelheit (write-in)
 
  27 votes, 2.5%

 
  25 votes, 2.3%

 
  24 votes, 2.2%

Santiago Posteguillo (write-in)
 
  23 votes, 2.1%

Simon Scarrow (write-in)
 
  21 votes, 1.9%

Colleen McCullough (write-in)
 
  21 votes, 1.9%

 
  19 votes, 1.7%

Steven Pressfield (write-in)
 
  18 votes, 1.6%

 
  17 votes, 1.5%

 
  16 votes, 1.5%

Ruth Downie (write-in)
 
  16 votes, 1.5%

Ben Kane (write-in)
 
  16 votes, 1.5%

Robert Fabbri (write-in)
 
  15 votes, 1.4%

Rosemary Sutcliffe (write-in)
 
  14 votes, 1.3%

 
  12 votes, 1.1%

Christian Cameron (write-in)
 
  11 votes, 1.0%

Chuck Norris
 
  10 votes, 0.9%

 
  9 votes, 0.8%

 
  9 votes, 0.8%

Robert Fabri (write-in)
 
  9 votes, 0.8%

C J Sansom (write-in)
 
  9 votes, 0.8%

John Maddox Roberts (write-in)
 
  9 votes, 0.8%

Robert Graves (write-in)
 
  9 votes, 0.8%

 
  8 votes, 0.7%

Rick Riordan (write-in)
 
  8 votes, 0.7%

Paul Doherty (write-in)
 
  7 votes, 0.6%

Robert Harris (write-in)
 
  7 votes, 0.6%

Russell Whitfield (write-in)
 
  6 votes, 0.5%

Massimo manfredi (write-in)
 
  6 votes, 0.5%

Nick Brown (write-in)
 
  3 votes, 0.3%

Karen Cushman (write-in)
 
  3 votes, 0.3%

Jennifer A. Nielsen (write-in)
 
  3 votes, 0.3%

Marilyn Todd (write-in)
 
  3 votes, 0.3%

Steven Saylor (write-in)
 
  3 votes, 0.3%

Ken Follett (write-in)
 
  3 votes, 0.3%

Ian James Ross (write-in)
 
  2 votes, 0.2%

Harry Turtledove (write-in)
 
  2 votes, 0.2%

Henryk Sienkiewicz (write-in)
 
  2 votes, 0.2%

Kate Sedley (write-in)
 
  2 votes, 0.2%

Robert harris (write-in)
 
  2 votes, 0.2%

Marguerite Yourcenar (write-in)
 
  2 votes, 0.2%

Juliette Benzoni (write-in)
 
  2 votes, 0.2%

James A. Michener (write-in)
 
  1 vote, 0.1%

More...

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics posts views last activity  
Readers and Reading: This topic has been closed to new comments. July 2010 reads 30 108 Aug 21, 2010 02:49PM  
Mystery/Thriller ...: july 2010 - sandi 6 36 Aug 22, 2010 08:15PM  
The Mystery, Crim...: This topic has been closed to new comments. Winner Chosen: Dec 2010-Jan 2011 Group Read 45 322 Dec 02, 2010 07:40PM  
The Seasonal Read...: 15.1 - The Land Down Under 26 109 Mar 28, 2011 05:19PM  
The History Book ...: STEVEN'S 50 BOOKS READ IN 2011 10 64 Jun 21, 2011 06:36AM  
The Seasonal Read...: This topic has been closed to new comments. Fall Challenge 2011 Completed Tasks - DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC! 2264 772 Nov 30, 2011 09:05PM  
Challenge: 50 Books: Vicki's 2011 Books 13 61 Dec 10, 2011 06:01AM  
Readers and Reading: This topic has been closed to new comments. December 2011 reads 16 17 Jan 02, 2012 02:50PM  
“If you don't get what you want, you suffer; if you get what you don't want, you suffer; even when you get exactly what you want, you still suffer because you can't hold on to it forever. Your mind is your predicament. It wants to be free of change. Free of pain, free of the obligations of life and death. But change is law and no amount of pretending will alter that reality.”
Socrates

“Running a close second [as a writing lesson] was the realization that stopping a piece of work just because it's hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea. Sometimes you have to go on when you don't feel like it, and sometimes you're doing good work when it feels like all you're managing is to shovel shit from a sitting position.”
Stephen King

148434 Devon Book Club — 561 members — last activity Sep 20, 2023 11:51PM
For book lovers of all kinds who live in, work in or just love Devon and want to be part of this community.



No comments have been added yet.