The Corpus Conundrum: A Third Case from the Notebooks of Pliny the Younger

Pliny the Younger #3

by Albert A. Bell Jr.

While out hunting, Pliny discovers a man's body. He appears lifeless, but Pliny cannot find a cause of death. Even though he locks it in a stable, in the morning the body is gone. Strangers appear at Pliny's door, claiming to be the man's children. One sings siren songs and claims his -father- is immortal. Another may be an empusa, a shape-shifting, blood-drinking monster. Bodies pile up: a fifteen year old murder, a faceless man floating in the bay, and the -lifeless immortal, - this time with his throat cut. Was he killed for his blood? Clues include a whore's status as a -friend- of Pliny's family and an acrostic in Hebrew. Pliny and Tacitus must discover how the murders are connected to each other and to Pliny's nemesis Marcus Aquilius Regulus. Praise for the books of the series: Outstandingly researched and laden with suspense ... one of the masterpieces of the historical mystery genre. ... Highly recommended for all collections.-Library Journal starred review Brings to the reader the many cultures that were yoked under the politics and power of ancient Rome. ... to reveal the sordid web of money, greed and ruthlessness hidden behind the facade of civilization. -Suzanne Crane, The Historical Novels Review Superbly crafted, wonderfully written murder mystery ... a thrilling detective story meticulously back-grounded with accurate historical detail. -Midwest Book Review Wonderful historical mystery set in the Roman Empire ... helps the reader experience what it was like to live during Roman times. Historical figures come alive in his expert hands. - Bob Spear, Heartland Reviews: Five Hearts Superlative job of leading the reader into his Roman world ... The plot -worked-, and the dialogue seemed just right.A winner all around! - Margaret F. Baker, Past Tense, of the Historical Mystery Appreciation Society

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Roman

284 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2011

About the author

Dr. Alfred A. Bell has taught at Hope College in Holland, Michigan since 1978, and, from 1994 through 2004, served as chair of the History Department. He holds a PhD from UNC-Chapel Hill, as well as an MA from Duke and an MDiv from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His published works include the contemporary mysteries Death Goes Dutch and Kill Her Again, nonfiction works Exploring the New Testament World, and Perfect Game: Imperfect Lives. His articles and stories have appeared in magazines and newspapers from Jack and Jill and True Experience to the Detroit Free Press and Christian Century.

Series:
* Pliny the Younger
* Steve and Kendra Mystery

Reviews

[Jane]

The third in the delightful, highly recommended "Notebooks of Pliny the Younger" mystery series. In this one, the author stirred up a tasty stew involving an apparent murder [after which the man's body disappears the next morning from Pliny's stables: how?]; a really brutal murder; arson; and an unsolved murder from fifteen years previously about which the villagers of Laurentum are closemouthed and secretive. The village lies near Pliny's country villa, 17 miles from Rome, where he and his mother are staying. The story involves a money-making scam and an acrostic in Hebrew. Pliny's presented with this question: is the young woman, Daphne, who is looking for her father really an empusa, a blood-sucking shapeshifter figure in Roman folklore, as she claims to be? A bat and a dolphin are important figures in the story; can this be she in other guises? The father is purportedly a 700-year old man. Pliny and Tacitus piece this together from a reading of Herodotus.

The whole story was most original and smoothly written. I liked how the author dropped in bits of literature, folklore, mythology, and facts about Roman culture. Pliny and his friend Tacitus are growing on me as characters; they are very engaging and make good foils to each other. What one overlooks or misses as clues or explanations, the other picks up. Their personalities complement each other. Pliny's mother, Lady Plinia, is a dear soul but a bit meddlesome. I was impressed by the author's own translation of one of the real-life Pliny's Letters: 2.17, in which he describes in great detail his Laurentian villa, invites a friend to visit and gives directions. Certain elements of the layout of the villa were incorporated into the story and influenced certain actions.

[Ozymandias]

If anyone’s been following my reviews of the last couple novels in this series they’ll know I’ve been struggling a bit with their implausibilities. The books are very realistic but feature such ludicrous denouements that the ending can’t help but be a massive letdown. Who would have thought that embracing the bizarre would actually aid the story?

This book has so many implausibilities it’s difficult to even keep track. The easiest way to describe the mystery is that a dead man shows up and then escapes, turns out to be an immortal wizard from Proconnessus, and then dies again. His son shows up searching for him, seduces the whole household, and explains how drinking his father’s blood can make one immortal. And that’s before his sister the vampire shows up and explains that everything I’ve just said is a lie. I have to confess, even by the end I don’t know what to make of most of this. But somehow that feels less like a flaw than a feature.

The book is also good at keeping us guessing. With all the strange stuff going on this is a little easier, but I confess I had no idea who the killer was (or even what crime was being investigated) until nearish the end. Every time you have a chance to consider one event you are thrown onto the next. As such, the book should feel like a hot mess, but it somehow manages to hold together. The ending is about as disappointing as previous ones have been, although this time from an opposite cause. After a whole book of crazy, to be given something mundane is bizarre. And the typical scene where the villain monologues his entire motivation feels even more out of place.

I enjoyed this book. I still don’t know what to make of it, but it has engaging characters, a nice rural setting, and some batshit crazy spooky murder(?) mysteries going on. A lot of fun.

[Rob Phillips]

For a book that challenges a reader's beliefs as much as this does, and with the very serious and realistic and Pliny, for this to diverge into mumbo jumbo and fantasy as much as this does is aggravating. I do not appreciate the combination of the one on top of the other. It strikes me the author gets somewhat diverted about halfway through the plot. I grant these books are written to a more high school thru 'wholesome/sheltered college' freshman level of maturity, but even so, or perhaps Especially as such, they should treat such serious topics in a serious fashion without messed up DaVinci code analogies(except for those who already watched it perhaps?).
It's one and ONLY REAL highlight is it's discussing Roman and Jewish burial practices. I would have given 4.5 stars easily to a book that just discussed the subjective mental effects of funeral pier, as with his father/uncle, and Jewish en-humation. But they can keep their vampire stories out of this. The author seems taken with the idea of thought experiments, but has a rough time keeping things on course.

[Vicki Cline]

This was a really interesting mystery, with possible occult explanations. Pliny doesn't believe in the occult - a 400 year old man who can die and come back to life, a woman who's also a bat. He demands a reasonable explanation and with Tacitus' help, he finds it. The two town whores are great characters, and Pliny's mother sticks in her oar, as usual. Pliny is a very sympathetic character, logical but a tad stiff. His friend Tacitus injects needed humor and cynicism.

[Elisabeth]

Ok

A little slow but a good read. Outstanding recreation of Roman life. With an extraordinary protagonist. Mr Bell strives for a mystery which is not your run of the mill murder. He succeeds

[Devadeep Gupta]

Great read. I enjoyed the fast pace, constant addition of suspense whenever the story threatened to slow down, and overall enjoyable storyline for any fans of thrillers or murder mysteries. The setting was interesting and added a slightly different touch to a typical detective storyline.

[Argum]

The third book in Pliny the Younger series, explores Ancient Roman superstitions as they intersect with several dead bodies that crop up at Pliny's country place. I find it interesting to see the Christian foreshadowing Prof Bell tucks in here and there - here it is blood making you live forever most prominently. I do hope that there is more catch up with the next books - what happened to Naomi's son in this one, what happened to the untrustworthy slave Regulus wanted killed last time? I enjoy the plotting of the mysteries and the characters.

[Judith Geary]

Albert Bell's Pliny mysteries are just some of the best Roman-era historical fiction around -- just as reviewers for Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Historical Novel Review. It's more than great history, the suspense, humor and great characters truly lead you into the Roman world.

[Bryan]

A good book. As the autho states in the preface he needs to start coming out with books more quickly.

[Georgia]

I'm a little disappointed in this third book of the series. It was a little too sci-fi and not up to the first 2 books.

[Scott]

Very fun!