The Case of Mercury: A Murder Mystery of Ancient Rome

by Francis M Mulhern

Theft, murder, deception and the threat of war! Another day in Ancient Rome

During the Festival of Consualia, a precious staff of office and the King's beloved racehorse are stolen. TO add to the confusion a Sabine guard is killed and the Roman soldier who was his counterpart goes missing. The situation becomes even more complicated when the family of our hero, Secundus, comes under suspicion, and he and his sidekick Graccus are banned from the investigation.

Determined to prove their innocence and solve the crime, Secundus and Graccus set out to retrieve the stolen family heirloom and racehorse, all while navigating the treacherous world of political intrigue and personal danger. With the threat of war hanging over Rome, Secundus must use his wits and bravery to uncover the truth and avoid the wrath of the Sabine King.

Filled with mystery, adventure, and rich historical detail, "The Case of Mercury" is the fifth book in the series and will transport you to ancient Rome and keep you on the edge of your seat with every twist and turn. Join Secundus and Graccus on their quest to solve the crime and save the day.

201 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 5, 2023

Reviews

[Kathy]

Wanted to try new author covering ancient Rome but I did not make it very far into the book when the "f" word appeared along with other swear words unnecessary and probably incorrect usage for that time period. So little time, so many books...giving this author a pass for now.
(I did look it up - supposedly 1310 may have been first usage of the f-word.

Kindle Unlimited

[Mary Heron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series gets harder and harder to put down, the main character Secundus Merinda has matured so much from our first meeting. He is now head priest of Minerva but he still works at the temple of Jupiter working to solve mysteries. His talent for divining through of a crime is perceived to be a gift bestowed on him by the Goddess Minerva and with each subsequent investigation he seems to enjoy the divine blessing of another God. Secundus now spends most of his time and money visiting God's shrines and offering gifts for continued blessings as he does actually investigating. The mystery I this book is a doozy, a very valuable spear has been stolen and a soldier guarding it killed, the other soldier (there were two on guard) has disappeared and the.consequences for the Merindia family could be devastating as the man was hired by Secundus ' father so by association if he is guilty so are they. That's not all a valuable horse has been stolen and both these things are owned by the Sabine King who is in Rome for a festival. Secundus is expressly forbidden from having anything to do with the investigation as any evidence he found would.not be admissible due to the familys culpability so things are looking bad all.around.............. This series has really but it's stride and.all the supporting characters are starting to play stronger roles and Graccus has finally conquered his bad habit so yay.....

[suzanne stasiak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellence story. The complex plot is exactly what Roman society was about. But…the typos and incorrect grammar lost it a star. Needs a new typist and a translation dictionary.

[Francis Mulhern · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book that I wrote 5 different endings for as the story had so many plots that the narrative changed week by week.
It is the Consualia, the oldest festival in Rome and one where the relations with the Sabine's is tested to the absolute limit as the King's favourite racehorse and his golden staff, given by the god Mercury himself, are stolen and the Sabine's demand payment with the threat of war looming in the background if Rome do not comply.
Driven by the need to feel involved, Secundus ignores his father's order to stay away from the investigation despite the fact that he can see gaps that Scavolo and the Sabine leader Rania have not closed in their searches, and inadvertently causes fingers to be pointed at his families involvement in this crime. Albinus Fusus uses the growing divide between Scavolo and Secundus to further his own opportunities to secure a brighter future within the Roman hierarchy, which casts a doubt on Secundus and his special goddess-given skills. With continued twists and turns in the plot, our hero must make a decision as to whether to continue his secret investigation or face the wrath of Scavolo and his father as the finger of suspicion points firmly at his involvement in the death and thefts of The Case of Mercury.
I hope you enjoy it... do leave me some feedback

[Robert Mahoney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too long?

I enjoyed the build up very gripping , but kinda got lost in the long winded nature of the detection of the evidence and the De nouement . Seemed to drag on a little and I wondered if it wasn't time for Graccus to do some of the main plot development, not just the odd sub plot?
The Fabia and Secondus romance is getting a bit stereotypical `will they , won't they ` get on with it Francis!

[Jim Shirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! - Ms. Mulhern's stories of the early Republic are fascinating with her protagonist Secundus receiving divine assistance through his own mind and a direct link with the politics of the early Republic with its tension between the plebs, the patricians, and the intraclass rivalries echoing down through the centuries to the late Republic and Empire (and to the present). Solid history and entertainment combined.