Steven Saylor: Roman blood

Metrobius's song in chapter 26 is original. The anonymous ditty about sundials (chapter 9) and the passage from Euripides (chapter 33) are my own adaptations.

'Every detective story writer makes mistakes, of course, and none will ever know so much as he should.' Raymond Chandler's dictum is doubly true when the setting is historical. I want to thank all those who helped to eliminate anachronisms from the original manuscript, including my brother Ronald Saylor, an expert on ancient glassware; a certain classicist who prefers to be anonymous; and the attentive copy editors at St Martin's Press. My thanks also to Pat Urquhart, who gave technical advice on the map; Scott Winnett, for his practical advice on pubushing in the mystery genre; John Preston, who appeared like a deus ex machina when the manuscript was finished and literally whisked it into the right hands; Terri Odom, who helped batten the hatches on the Roman galleys; and my erudite editor, Michael Denneny.

A final acknowledgment: to my friend Penni Kimmel, a perceptive student of mysteries modern, not ancient, who meticulously studied my first draft and delivered invaluable oracles in the form of yellow Post-its. Without her sybilline interventions, a wretched girl might have needlessly suffered, a wicked man might have gone unpunished, and a lost boy might have wandered silent and lonely forever in the dark, dingy alleys ofthe Subura. Culpam poena premit comes; but also, miseris succurere disco. Or in plain English: punishment follows hard on crime, yet I learn to comfort the wretched.

Steven Saylor's fascination with Ancient Rome began at the age of eight, when he saw a censored print of Cleopatra at a drive-in theatre outside Goldthwaite, Texas. He studied history at the University of Texas at Austin before becoming a newspaper and magazine editor in San Francisco. His stories and essays have appeared in The Threepenny Review, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Roman Blood is his first novel.

In order of original publication:

Arms of Nemesis £6.99 []

Gordianus investigates a murder that involves the household of Rome's wealthiest citizen. Catillna's Riddle £6.99 []

At Cicero's urgent request, Gordianus leaves his comfortable country estate to resolve a dangerous political mystery.

The Venus Throw £6.99 []

Following the violent death of the philosopher Dio, Gordianus is hired to investigate — by a beautiful woman with a most scandalous reputation.

A Murder on theAppian Way £6.99 []

Amidst a city torn with riots and arson, Gordianus is charged by Pompey the Great with finding out what really happened to a murdered politician.

Rubicon £6.99 [}

A mysterious murder leaves Gordianus and his family caught between the mighty rivals Caesar and Pompey.

The House of the Vestals £6.99 [}

An engrossing collection of finely wrought mystery tales featuring Gordanius the Finder.