While The Emperor Slept

Decimus Julius Virilis #2

by B.R. Stateham

It is 9 A.D and the Roman Empire, finally cured from the years of murderous civil war, lies in peace under the rule of Caesar Augustus. In the midst of this tranquil peace, Decimus Julius Virilis has retired from the Roman legions.

After years of slugging around in the mud and fighting in one legion or the other, he has seen most of the Roman Empire, and commanded men in battle numerous times. Retiring as a Tribune, Julius and his servants move to Rome to begin their retirement in relative luxury.

He soon finds himself immensely bored with the soft riches of the elite. His active mind needs a stimulus; a reason to exist. So when his distant cousin, Caesar Augustus comes to him in the night with a request, he jumps at the chance. There's a plot from within to tear apart the empire; rumors are circulating about a letter that would reveal the true identity of the mastermind behind the death of Julius Caesar.

Surrounded by danger, can Decimus finds the scurrilous liars and conspirators before it's too late?

Set in the time of the Roman Empire, While The Emperor Slept is the second book in B.R. Stateham's 'Decimus Julius Virilis' series of historical mystery novels.

277 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 9, 2023

About the author

I am a soon to be a seventy five year old writer of genre fiction. And yes, my portrait was used in 1931 for the original design of Boris Karloff's Frankenstein (well, maybe I'm stretching the truth just an itsy-bitsy bit).

I write hardboiled/noir. And fantasy. And someday . . . someday I plan to make a buck two ninety-five doing it. But I'm not holding my breath.

Reviews

[Mary Heron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book but it's still find read.

It's almost like Sherlock Holmes has been transported to Ancient Rome, Decimus Julius Virillis.distantly related to Augustus Ceasar has recently retired after twenty five years in the Roman Leigons, he Is now a man of leisure living in the city of Rome and trying to keep himself occupied. One day he's summoned by Augustus, there's been a very of some potentially incriminating documents from Ceasar's office. If made public these documents could reignite the civil war (which Augustus ended by defeating Mark Anthony forty years prior) he charges Decimus with hunting down those who stole the documents and retrieving them................. Before Decimus can even begin investigating one of the possible main conspirators is murdered.........................while I enjoyed it greatly the book do frustrate me slightly, Decimus explains his.deductive reasoning all through the book till the end when we are just presented with a shock revelation .........with no idea how Decimus came to find the answer. But that's the only flaw in an otherwise very enjoyable book...........

[Michele Martell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried. I tried several times. I like historical mysteries, and I love mysteries set in Ancient Rome, but I could not get into this book. The writing style kept me at a distance from the characters and the plot. Maybe it’s my pet peeve but any time an author uses the word “smirk” as a descriptor, I instantly hate that character. Author B. R. Stateham spends a lot of time describing, as in “Decimus Julius Virillis chuckled bemusedly…and smiled fondly…while Gnaeus [had] a wide grin of brash amusement on his face…” That’s ONE SENTENCE. Or, “there was a panache, an arrogant joviality and confidence in the man’s gait he found satisfying and familiar…” Or, “that flash of an arrogant grin as a breeze ruffled the young man’s hair roguishly…”

Lots of internal monologue, equally laded with overwrought adjectives, very little action. And worst of all, I didn’t care – didn’t care who “did it,” didn’t care about the protagonists, didn’t care to finish it…

This blunt review in exchange for an advanced reader’s copy from Netgalley.