Ovid

Marcus Corvinus #1

by David Wishart

This book is a complex and intriguing mystery set in Roman times. Banished by the Emperor Augustus, the great poet Ovid was to die in exile. Years after Ovid’s death, Marcus Corvinus, grandson of the poet’s patron, tries to arrange for the return of his ashes to Rome for burial. When official permission is refused, Corvinus makes the dangerous mistake of asking why the Emperor has forbid it.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Roman, Crime

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Historical crime writer David Wishart was born in Arbroath, Scotland. He studied Classics - Latin and Greek - at Edinburgh University and after graduation taught for four years in a secondary school.

He then retrained as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language and worked abroad for eleven years, in Kuwait, Greece and Saudi Arabia. He returned to Scotland in 1990 and now lives with his family in Carnoustie, mixing writing with teaching EFL and study skills at Dundee University.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Should Read as 4.5 Stars!**

Read this book in 2008, and its the 1st volume of the exciting "Marcus Corvinus" series.

This tale is set AD 19, when our main protagonist Marcus Corvinus, is asked to investigate the death of the poet Ovid the year before, AD 18.

Banished from Rome and sent into exile to Tomi on the Black Sea in the year AD 8 by the Emperor Augustus for supposedly be involved with Julia, the Emperor's granddaughter.

This exile of Ovid, does remind me of the death of poet Virgil, in that in my mind Emperor Tiberius treats people, just like his predecessor Emperor Augustus, when not convenient as disposable, and to get rid of somehow and far away.

Although several people appealed to Ovid's banishment, but he remained there until his death, even tough Marcus Corvinus tries to get bones to Italy for burial.

This will come to the attention of Emperor Tiberius and Marcus Corvinus will soon be in trouble, but although scared for repercussions by the Emperor, Marcus Corvinus will get through with this case and soon will find out the true reason for the hostility towards Ovid and his ancestors.

What is to follow is an intriguing and thrilling first Roman mystery featuring Marcus Corvinus, with all its dangers, betrayal, backstabbing and death, and all this is brought to us by the author in a very exciting and suspenseful fashion.

Highly recommended, for this is a wonderful start to this very enjoyable Marcus Corvinus series, and that's why I like to call this first episode: "An Excellent Marcus Corvinus Mystery Begin"!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly fresh from the enjoyable Food for the Fishes, a later Marcus Corvinus mystery, I was curious about how this series began. Whoever reads any novels in this series has to accept Wishart's Roman world as is, also his deliberately anachronistic dialogue, narration, and inner monologues of Marcus, the Senatorial protagonist and narrator--a "broad-striper". Marcus is a party animal. He is not interested in pursuing the politics and promotions of the 'cursus honorem'. I liked Marcus, a wine-quaffing Mickey Spillane or Sam Spade in the Rome of Tiberius. The emperor is irreverently nicknamed "The Wart" by Marcus.

The poet Ovid's stepdaughter, the Lady Perilla, asks Marcus to help bring the deceased Ovid's ashes back to Rome from Tomi on the Black Sea, the place of the poet's exile. She wants to give them a proper internment on Roman soil. From that simple request, the plot becomes more and more convoluted. Marcus agrees to help, is stonewalled by bureaucracy, and uncovers a plot involving the imperial family. Marcus escapes death several times as the mystery deepens. Marcus also finds links connecting the intrigue, the Teutoberg Forest Massacre, and the Roman commander of the three legions in Germany, Quinctilius Varus. There are the usual clues, red herrings, and dead bodies. With so many disparate plot strands, I wondered how the author would pull everything together to make sense. He created a logical plot from the few simple facts that are known historically, filling in gaps fictionally.

I liked Marcus's thinking things out and trying to put two and two together. He wasn't afraid to express any uncertainties. The Lady Perilla was no slouch, either. I got a good picture of the Roman patron-client relationship.

I highly recommend this to those wanting to read good escapist historical mystery fiction.

[Nora Barnacle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Istorijski momenat u koji Višart smešta radnju svog romana je među najuzbudljivijim momentima istorije čovečanstva. I pitanje koje postavlja je prilično uzbudljivo, misteriozno i bez tačnog odgovora već dve hiljade godina.
U takvoj postavci, šanse da mi bude dosadan nije imao. I nije dosadan, pa bih trojčicom za dosetljivost zažmurila na gomilu propusta, da sam sebi nije iskopao onu jarugu besmislenog navlačenja u raspletu.
Ne mogu klasičaru da dam keca, zaista.

[Assaph Mehr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been on my TBR for a long while, and my only regret is that it took me so long to get to it.

What to Expect

A tale of treachery and intrigue, as Wishart examines two of the worst scandals of the first decade CE in Rome. In the year 18, what starts as a simple requests to bring the ashes of a dead man back from exile sends the protagonist Corvinus to unravelling backroom deals, treachery, betrayals, false accusations, and the worst military debacle of the century running at the very top of the empire.

What I liked

Wishart's writing is exceedingly well researched, and he presents all the personas of the period - from the very top to those lesser known figures who made the city and the empire work - as living characters. He goes beyond the 'bare facts' as they are known from (nearly) contemporary reports, and weaves them together into a plausible tale of intrigue that places people and events in a logical causal chain. I personally love going down the rabbit hole of historical research (as broader understanding increases my enjoyment), but it's not needed to follow and enjoy the story.

Stylistically, Wishart uses a modern language to bring the characters to life. He's also using a time-honoured trope of representing the Roman patriarchy similar to British aristocracy. The result is a novel that reads as a cross between Sam Spade and Downton Abbey, on a backdrop of ancient Rome. And it works! It works beautifully, to the point that I had a grin on my face from the sheer enjoyment of reading.

What to be aware of

Though Wishart's prose is excellent, he avoids all Latin terms to the point where it's a bit much (like referring to a toga as a mantle, or to the Forum as Market Square). While I understand the reasoning, this is still ancient Rome - I find this affectation a bit diluting his otherwise excellent prose.

Summary

The novel was an absolute pleasure to read. If you liked works by Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor, Ruth Downie and the like, you really need to read Wishart as well. I am now planning to binge-read the rest of the series.
--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jus a short review for Ovid as ive got to go n practice some for my book winner review which has just landed Spring Tide.... sorry... did I mention that already.... :)

Marcus Corvinus, a great character, brilliant one-liners throughout as he portrays some where between a Jack-the-lad meets arrogant playboy, think Russel Crowe on a wild day & yer somewhere close perhaps. Entertaining, good mystery that sometimes is overtly complex, if yer having an off-day, but it all comes back into play with a rounded ending, plenny of humour, some black as well which suits my palette.

Historical crime is a genre im growing to like a lot by following the likes of C.J. Sansom & Boris Akunin to name a favoured couple, David Wishart's Marcus Corvinus will be another series to follow for sure.

[Ozymandias · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first book of the Marcus Corvinus series (I have to wonder if that name has any connection to Matthias Corvinus, the 15th-century Hungarian king?). I have mixed feelings. Marcus himself seems like a great idea for a murder mystery protagonist. He’s a wealthy dilettante aristocrat who investigates in his spare time. That description could fit pretty much any Agatha Christie detective. What Christie doubtless would not have done would be make him such a scoundrel. Marcus is delightfully low character and has no respect for absolutely anyone. His narration is full of cynical asides and snide remarks. I’m reminded of the sort of person everyone thinks Decius Metellus from SPQR is. While I enjoyed the cheerful insouciance it does make Marcus rather difficult as a detective. While his blithe disregard for danger is in character, his obsession with The Truth fits more poorly. And sometimes you do just have to take these things seriously.

I’ve got to say: the story is pretty absurd even for a sword-and-sandal murder mystery. Apparently, the reason for Ovid’s exile is a massive conspiracy that everyone important over a certain age knows the reason for but none will tell Marcus because it’s forbidden. This includes family members and friends. So despite being such a well-known conspiracy, Marcus has to investigate from the beginning. Kaaaaay. And as he very publicly reopens old wounds nobody ever thinks ‘Hmm, maybe I should just tell him so he doesn’t bring all of this to public light.’ After all, if the entire aristocracy pretty much knows already why is it so important that he never does?

The problem with all this is that I really have no time for conspiracy theory nonsense. I don’t mean I can’t stand stories about powerful men engaged in conspiracies (that does happen) but the unscientific mindset where everything is one huge, all-encompassing conspiracy irritates me no end. This one stops just short of accusing the legionaries lost in the Teutoburg Forest of being “crisis actors”. Varus conspiring with Arminius to betray the Roman legions in Germania? Really? (No, that’s not a spoiler. In another bizarre decision we know this by chapter 3, though Marcus finds out much later) As such, I couldn’t care less about its solution. Any work of fiction is going to require the suspension of disbelief, but this goes well beyond what is plausible even in a fictionalized British version of Rome. And if nothing you read has believable consequences and the big mystery is going to be ridiculous anyway then why get involved?

The book is also ridiculously full of obvious modernisms. Peached, Sunshine Boys, walkies, punters, bum-on-the-bench, etc. “Putting people up against the wall” is particularly grating since it’s an expression that only makes sense with firing squads. English translations of Roman terms we’ve already incorporated into English is also odd. Why say Augustus Square instead of the Forum of Augustus? And I have no idea why he keeps using the word “clogs”. It stands out as weird but neither makes Rome feel more modern or more authentic. Bizarre. Obviously, any book (unless written in Latin) is going to face a problem of vocabulary. And while I don’t have a problem with colloquialisms or casual language in historical fiction this seems just too much. It constantly pulled me out of the world he was building.

For a mystery to work it needs to be believable, or at least have believable enough rules that we can follow. This book doesn’t. Not always. “Circular logic. Everybody says she was there so she was there. QED.” That’s not what circular logic means and it’s not the dialogue of a man who believes in facts. While the conclusion isn’t quite as mad as it first appears it is still utterly mad. It takes the most extreme bits from I, Claudius and runs even further with them. And why is Marcus even investigating? From near the beginning there’s obviously no point, no reason to think it will get Ovid’s ashes back to Rome (his only goal). I did find Marcus entertaining as a character (although as he got more serious later on I struggled a bit) and his relationship with his stick-in-the-mud father has potential for exploration. Other characters were a bit bland, but again there’s room to work with.

I will give this series another go at some point. I remember the early Falco books and how they didn’t quite work right (whereas SPQR hit it right out of the ballpark on the first swing) so perhaps the series just takes a while to get on its right feet. And boy are there enough books in this series to choose from! But for a debut novel I found it pretty underwhelming.


Plot: 3 (Utterly unbelievable and full of modernisms)
Characters: 5 (Marcus is fun but others could use some work)
Accuracy: 3 (Feels nothing like Rome and strains credulity)

[Aisling · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot of potential and I really enjoyed parts of it. But there is too much bogging down with conspiracy theories and name after name of actual historical figure who could have been involved where it honestly feels like an academic just wanting to throw in everything he knows. With some serious editing this could have been much more readable. But I would definitely read another to see if the series improved. The settings and characters are all hugely likable.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Lindsey Davis, read this series. 'Posher' central character than Falco but equally as entertaining. Also love the fact that he is a wine snob who does his best thinking in winebars

[Mary Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

It all starts with a request. Perillia visits Marcus Corvinius asking for a.boon as he is her family's patron. Her stepfather has recently died, he was a poet in life, his name Ovid and ten years previously he had been exiled from Rome to a small island in the Mediterranean by the Emperor Augustus. Perellia had gone.to.see the new Emperor Tiberius to as for permission to bring Ovid's ashes back for burial in Rome, she considered the Emperors permission to be a formality and is shocked when he denies the request with no explanation given. So, she has come to Marcus Corvinius to ask him to intercede with the Emperor on the family's behalf. Marcus agrees he actually promises to have the ashes brought back. He should never have made that promise, when he goes to the state buildings he is given short shrift. Him Marcus Corvinius son of a well.respected noble Roman patrician family, it's not to be borne. So Marcus digs in his heels he made a promise, gave his word he will.not break it. He starts making inquiries as to what Ovid could.possibly have done that was so bad his.punishment extends.beyond death. Things quickly get out of.his control there are secrets here, everyone seems to be aware of them but no-one will share them, the advice is always the same. Let it be, don't do anything to rock the boat. But Marcus cannot stop it's a matter of honour his personal.honour added to which he has quickly become enamoured of Perellia and does not want to.disappoint her.................I did.enjoy this book but had just one.or two.niggles, first Marcus drinks too much...... seriously, the wine was drunk with water added to it during these times in history but not Marcus he drinks it straight and by the jugful from early in the morning, second he has all the sayings (some vulgar) which cover every situation, in other words he has a bit of a foul mouth and can be rude. Now some of this makes sense when late on in the book we find.out Marcus is only twenty one, so he is still quite young, here's hoping he matures a bit in future books and gets his drinking under control.....................

[Simon Mcleish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog here in June 2002.

This novel introduces Corvinus, who became the central character in Wishart's series of Roman detective stories. He is based on a real person, though Wishart has cut his age by about a decade and invented most of the details of his life and character. The setting is the early first century AD, during the reign of Tiberius (disrespectfully referred to by Corvinus as "the Wart").

Much of the plot is based on actual events, too; in fact, it centres around some of the best known parts of the history of the Empire. It seems to have a small beginning, when rich young patrician Corvinus is approached by the stepdaughter of poet Ovid; exiled by Augustus for immorality, Ovid has died abroad and his family want permission to bring his ashes back to Rome for burial. They approach Corvinus because his family have long been their patrons, and this exertion of influence on their behalf is precisely what a client got out of their relationship with a patron. It seems a reasonable request, but when Corvinus meets with a heavy handed flat refusal for no good reason, he begins an investigation into what is behind it, despite warnings that this is likely to prove extremely dangerous. These predictions are justified as Corvinus begins to dig into plots and treason among the Imperial family and into what really happened in the Teutoburger Forest, when the destruction of three legions commanded by Varus marked the end of Roman expansion into Germany and the natural boundary of the Elbe. Each new discovery made by Corvinus leads to a more outrageous interpretation of events and of how they might be connected to the exile of an apolitical poet.

The story itself is told in a camp and outrageous way, more like Wishart's novel about Petronius, Nero, than his later Corvinus tales. It's an entertaining read, though not to be relied upon as a guide to the history of the period unless you're into conspiracy theories. (From a historical point of view, it's most interesting for highlighting the patron-client relationship, which is quite different from the way that our own society claims to operate and which is rarely emphasised by historical novelists dealing with the period.) Its central characters (Corvinus and Ovid's stepdaughter Perilla) are convincing and easy to identify with, even for those of us who haven't lived the life of a pampered aristocrat. The background conveys a sense of the period despite inaccuracies introduced for the sake of the plot. In short, Ovid succeeds admirably as an escapist piece of light reading.

[Maggie Secara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, ancient Rome in modern vernacular. As someone said, curious people don't sound curious to each other, so the author has eschewed not only loft diction but doesn't worry about whether a word/concept would have been known to the Rome of Tiberius. He knows they would have had *something* to say about a person's behavior, and just chooses to put it in modern terms. Once you get used to it, it's okay. At the same time, his ancient Rome is really ancient Rome, with the realities of slavery, marriage or funeral customs, and family relationships thoroughly researched and presented. You can think of this Marcus as kind of a Patrician Marcius Didius Falco. The plot was a little thin, but since the author was trying to sort out a 2000 year old mystery that has never been explained, he was kind of limited.

My only trouble through most of it was the main character's motivation, which seems to be nothing more than simple idle curiosity. "I just have to know". Sure, there's a girl involved, but Marcus is very up front in showing us what a footloose, pleasure loving, rich kid he's always been. You wouldn't expect a guy like that to even have enough curiosity to pursue a puzzle in the face of severe parental, social, and even Imperial displeasure. Frankly, I'd expect him to get bored even before the first threat and call for another bottle of wine. But Wishart makes it work. I'm moving on to the next one.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reads like a modern mystery - very good grasp of historical facts- enjoyable - buying the 2nd book in the series - that will give me a better idea of how this compares to other ancient Roman detectives

[Marquise]

Another case of just not my taste, I thought Ovid would feature more but he's dead by the time this starts, and I usually don't enjoy this subgenre of Rome noir.

[Michal · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.7 stars

[Italo Italophiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first person narrator of the series is Marcus Corvinus himself, a fictionalize version of the real man. Purporting to be the vulgar, slangy Latin that we know from Ancient Roman poetry and from the scraps of novels that have survived, Corvinus's narration is joyously vulgar. The fictional conceit is that we are reading Latin that appears as English. All the English equivalents of the Roman's bawdy, rough language are used to convey that effect.

If you are a fan of the Didius Falco Series by Linday Davis (reviewed on this site), you might recognize the tonal references to hard-boiled P.I. novels from the '30s and '40s . The first Falco novel was published before the first Corvinus novel.

Did one copy the other? Did they come up with their ideas separately? That is possible. Both writers rely heavily on writing tropes and cliches for character relationships and plotlines.

How do they differ? The Corvinus novels are much more vulgar, and they require a greater knowledge of Roman history to appreciate the complex storylines and wealth of historical characters. The Falco books read like dumbed-down and cleaned-up versions of Corvinus's books.

The author knows his Roman history and seems to thoroughly enjoy thrashing it about in the cause of pure entertainment. That is what the Corvinus books are: pure entertainment. Don't expect literature. Just sit back, read, and revel in the joyous nonsense and historical frolicking that the author concocts.

For readers such as myself, who dislike seeing slavery, misogyny, bigotry and sadism portrayed as run-of-mill stuff, then you will cringe often, as I did. The author does not raise his protagonist above his peers. And for those not schooled in British mystery fiction, the time spent on theorizing the solution to the mystery will make your head spin.

For American readers, the British English text may read as if it needs a few hundred more commas to improve the readability, but it is not a huge problem. I must admit that I forgave all the missing commas when the author used "there're" instead of the amazingly ridiculous singular form that America has suddenly decided is just fine for plural: "there's". Lovely!

Please read my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...

[Dorothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marcus Corvinus is a "purple striper" in the Rome of the emperor Tiberius, but he doesn't practice the profession of his class, politics. Indeed, Corvinus seems to have no particular profession except that of party-boy. That changes, though, when he meets the Lady Perilla and she engages him to bring her stepfather Ovid's ashes back from the place to which Augustus (or was it really Livia?) had exiled him and where he had spent his last days. It seems a simple enough task, but Corvinus finds that the disfavor of the emperor lives on and even in death Ovid is not to be allowed back into Rome. Why?

That is the mystery that Corvinus must solve in order to complete the task he has agreed to perform. It proves to be complicated and dangerous and death seems never far away as he doggedly follows the clues even as they lead to the imperial family itself.

The main characters in this tale, Corvinus and Perilla, reminded me a great deal of Lindsay Davis' Marcus Didius Falco and his beloved Helena. Even Corvinus' relationship with his father seemed derivative of Falco and his dad. Nevertheless, it was an engrossing tale, well-written, and it kept my interest throughout.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book actually, has 368 pages, rather than (201 pages).

A Roman sleuth Marcus Corvinus, was requested, upon service by Lady Rufia Perilla to transfer her grandfather Ovid the (poet) ashes who was exiled for ten years at Tomi in the Black Sea for ten years. Upon, Ovid's death Lady Perilla wishes Marcus to appeal to the Emperor of Rome to bring the ashes back home.

However, there's an immense complication that Marcus did not foresee, and made him the biggest threat beyond the authority of the realm, and it may jeopardize his life. Since, Corvinus find himself powerless to refuse the Lady Rufia, an unexpectedly drawn deep-rooted into a fabric of betrayal, dishonesty, and criminality......that will, somehow lead to Ovid's justice.

[Felix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember everything you have read/seen in I, Claudius about how beneath the pacific surface of Augustan Rome there lied a horrible swamp of bloody intrigure, treachery and violence?

Well, that was nothing.

Turns out there is a yet another, even deeper and more sinister layer of conspiracy and double-cross that even the perspicacious Mr. Graves had missed. Fortunately for us, Mr. Wishart did manage to uncover this layer and serves it up with a salad of delicious street-fighting and gore all over the less salubrious parts of Rome and its environs.

It's marvellously done and very convincing. I am off to order the next book in the series.

[Truls Ljungström · Rating 1 out of 5]

Denna var horribelt dålig.

Av flera skäl:
1) Boken är skriven med 1900-tals-morer, med ett tonläge och förväntningar som under åren innan 1a världskriget.
2) Boken har rena juridiska felaktigheter, och en respektlöshet mellan personer och de som har laglig rätt att döda dem (tex. huvudpersonen och hans far, huvudpersonen och kejsarinnan Livia, slavar och huvudpersonen etc.) som är vansinnig.
3) Bokens krux är patetiskt.

Om något är detta ett antiexempel på vad bra historiska romaner skall vara.

[McCraddock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and lighthearted transcription of the noir detective genre onto Ancient Rome. Really fun to read with a passing knowledge of Rome in the early days of empire.

[Lisabet Sarai · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very contemporary-seeming take on early Imperial Rome, featuring a large number of historical characters. I found the book lively and funny at times, with vivid characterization, but the plot was simply too convoluted for me to follow.

Corvinus, the "hero", is hilarious and a bit ridiculous. He does, however, manage to redeem himself.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first of the Corvinus books is a very good effort from Wishart and one that places both the writer and the central character well within the niche pecking order of ancient Roman detective novels. I would argue that Wishart's Corvinus is only surpassed by Lindsey Davis's Falco, who is in my opinion the most successful character in and paradigm for the sub-genre. Admittedly there are some moments when Wishart sails perhaps too close to Davis's style and invention, and some may accuse him of being a copyist in that regard. I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and suggest one can appreciate both authors' works (though I am still far more of a Falco fan-boy than a Corvinus addict).

In terms of a good old-fashioned mystery/detective novel with an interesting historical setting 'Ovid' does quite nicely thank you. It must be said that the debt owed by Wishart to Robert Graves's 'I, Claudius' and by association the (probable) myths about the Augusta Livia are a bit too obvious at times, but that's fine for the most part, if not a welcome familiar literary construct. Of course this isn't a textbook, so forget most of what is written about the Roman history that provides the background for Corvinus's travails. The anachronistic aspects of the book are acceptable because they are 'true' to the genre. I was quite taken with Wishart's idea of creating a detective story based on the fate of Ovid and the massacre in the Teutobergerwald; to hang a conspiracy plot on the famous 'carmen et error' that sent Ovid into exile is quite original.

There's plenty of enjoyment to be had from Wishart's cast of characters in this book, though they rarely if ever go beyond being just types. Clever slaves, dissolute Romans, tough guys with good hearts; they're all here. Perilla, Corvinus's female companion through the novel, is almost a photo copy of every woman who plays the detective's girlfriend in any gumshoe story. Again, this isn't a bad thing; she is an engaging, pleasant character. However, and this is where Wishart definitely falls behind Lindsey Davis, she has none of the depth of character that Helena Justina is endowed with in the Falco books.

This is a very enjoyable read for anyone who enjoys detective books and/or Roman history. I have no problems recommending it to anyone who wants to give it a go.

[Michael Rhode · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfectly pleasant series, but overshadowed by Lindsay Davis' more successful one.

[Dani Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently discovered Wishart and his incomparable Ancient Roman tales. I really enjoy his story writing and his attention to historical detail. In the Author's Note, he references Ancient Roman writings themselves, even if just to accurately develop his characters. The research and dedication is obvious and a fantastic prerequisite for a great historical fiction. I would note that this plot was much more complicated than I was expecting and struggled from time to time to follow the plot line. One must be persistent and patient to make it through.

Marcus Corvinus is a wealthy patrician playboy. He has no interest in the political life of his class and spends his days drinking and fighting with his straight laced father. One particular morning, Corvinus is met by the step-daughter of a former patron; Perilla is requesting the return of her exiled step-father, Ovid's ashes. Taken by the haughty Perilla, Corvinus attempts to honor her request but is immediately shut down. Corvinus begins to make inquiries into the original reason for Ovid's exile, tripping into a deadly conspiracy that he was never expecting.

Corvinus actually stumbles into two conspiracies working towards the same goal. Wishart also includes a personal narrative from time to time revealing a part of one of the conspiracies, although interesting, it is rather confusing and seems completely unrelated to the story for quite awhile. These conspiracies are very complex and Wishart spends much of the novel having Corvinus think out the clues as he comes across them. I would strongly suggest using the cast of characters that Wishart provides, it would have made my read much simpler had I utilized that. Despite my sporadic confusion and the complexity of the conspiracies, I enjoyed the read and unique characters.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

The description for this book caught my eye, and I was able to borrow it through Kindle Unlimited, so I took a chance. Now that I've read it, I can say that I'm glad I didn't pay money for it, and didn't "spend" an Audible or Hoopla credit on it.

I've come to expect historical fiction books to be written in (more or less) the vernacular of the day, so it was quite unpleasant when the author used contemporary slang/phrases in this book. She's married to an unpleasant bugger ... and bouncing the punters between them... are just two examples, but the book is littered with them. Every time one of these came up, it was jarring enough to make me lose track of the story.

The mystery, however, was good, with plenty of twists and turns that seemed to emphasize that sometimes asking questions *can put a person in harm's way. It wasn't until the end of the book that I was able to follow the convoluted trail to the guilty party, whose identity took me by surprise. This saved the book from a two-star rating, so it wasn't a total waste of my time.

I would gladly read more from this series if the language was more appropriate for the time period. As it is, though, I won't be eager to pick up the next book.

[margaret chalmers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A front runner.

Like so many folk I count Lindsey Davis as the queen of fiction set in ancient Rome. However, David Wishart is a front runner amongst the many in the same field. For a start his hero, Marcus Corvinus is a well drawn character and very likable, as is his lady love. Our very young aristocratic hero is asked to help return the ashes of an exiled poet to rest in Roman soil. Our young hero is promoted by list to help and then by dogged curiosity because the powers that be refuse the request. Why? Out spills a ragtag of conspiracies to unravel and here I have to confess my mind went into meltdown with all the theories and names that sounded like other names. Oh, dear. But...and it is an important 'but' the main character was strongly enough written and exciting enough to keep me following after him even though I did not have his jugs of fine wine to help smooth the chase. I look forward to his next adventure and his tour of the districts of Ancient Rome. Now I know where to go (as a time traveller) if I want fish or a blacksmith or a fruit market. Thoroughly recommended.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you loved the Falco series by Lindsey Davis or the I, Claudius series, you'll love this. A combination of a wise-cracking trouble-making main character trying to help a lady in distress like Falco and the imperial intrigue and violence of Livia and Tiberius Caesar after the death of Augustus that is reminiscent of I, Claudius. Lots of real characters, lots of history but told in a way that makes it seem as if you are there. Unlike Falco, our hero is a part of the Roman nobility and acts like a spoiled playboy but is underneath is sharp and keeps to his own set of rules and standards. I don't want to call this a "coming of age" episode because, although young, our hero isn't a boy. His mettle is certainly tested on every side with at least 3 serious attempts on his life he manages to wiggle and fight out of. Exciting and intriguing this was a really good book to listen to on my Kindle.

[Joy]

Why is Ovid so hated by the Roman government that his ashes can't be buried in Rome, years after his death? Marcus Corvinus promises Ovid's stepdaughter to get the ashes back for the family, and is stonewalled. Seemingly the entire senatorial class is afraid to tell Marcus why. We know that it is connected in some way to the disastrous defeat of General Varus's army in the forests of Germany, arranged by an unknown traitor.

Marcus is initially a playboy youngster. Amazing himself as well as those who know him, he pursues these dangerous secrets with the determination of a bulldog. Just because he doesn't like politics doesn't mean he isn't serious when the chips are down.

It took me two months to reread this, 22 years after the first reading. I think it is the slapdash, anachronistic voice that puts me off. It was aimed at young males, whether the author intended it to be or not.

Read twice

[Leila Anani · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of the Marcus Corvinus mysteries this one cleverly tries to tie together two famous mysteries of 1st century Rome: the mystery of Ovid's exile (all we know is the phrase 'carmen et error' - A mistake and a song/poem) and Varus' defeat and loss of three legions in Germany.

The writing style is punchy and accessible, making this easy to read with likeable characters, most of which have some basis in real historical people. In terms of style and time frame it's sort of the bridge between Lindsey Davis and Steven Saylor (both of whom I'm big fans of).

Without giving away spoilers I was fascinated by the portrayal of Livia in this and she's someone I'd really like to read more about after this.

Great evocation of Rome in the reign of Tiberius and a clever plot with a real historical basis. I'll definitely be continuing with the series.

[Ann Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad start for an excellent series

The story is interesting and for the most part keeps the readers attention. Wishart does a good job explaining his theory of the events surrounding
Tiberius's accession to power while introducing Marcus Corvinus.

Too many repetitions break up the flow of the story making it stilted. Integrating the history and the characters could be improved.

I am rereading the books in this because I enjoyed them the first time around. They get better and better with each subsequent novel.