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Juvenalia: A Valerius Mystery
Rome, 58 AD.
Aemilius Valerius is on the up and up. His reputation has been rehabilitated, he has established a fledgling career, and he has new friends in very powerful places. When one of those new friends, the poet Lucan, is attacked, Valerius is given an offer he can’t find the culprits before they strike again. But when every man in Lucan’s circle of poets and playwrights and artists is potentially a suspect, each one of them competing for the emperor’s favour, how is Valerius supposed to tell the difference between petty jealousy and murderous rage?
Meanwhile, the Vigile Junius Atreus has his own violent crime to investigate, and the more he and Valerius dig around, the murkier and more dangerous things become.
Can Valerius and Atreus solve the crimes and save their reputations—and their lives—before the Juvenalia, Nero’s birthday extravaganza of poetry, plays, musical performances and dance? On the plus side, if they get murdered, at least they won’t have to sit through that.
Aemilius Valerius is on the up and up. His reputation has been rehabilitated, he has established a fledgling career, and he has new friends in very powerful places. When one of those new friends, the poet Lucan, is attacked, Valerius is given an offer he can’t find the culprits before they strike again. But when every man in Lucan’s circle of poets and playwrights and artists is potentially a suspect, each one of them competing for the emperor’s favour, how is Valerius supposed to tell the difference between petty jealousy and murderous rage?
Meanwhile, the Vigile Junius Atreus has his own violent crime to investigate, and the more he and Valerius dig around, the murkier and more dangerous things become.
Can Valerius and Atreus solve the crimes and save their reputations—and their lives—before the Juvenalia, Nero’s birthday extravaganza of poetry, plays, musical performances and dance? On the plus side, if they get murdered, at least they won’t have to sit through that.
- GenresHistoricalMystery
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 14, 2024
1 person is currently reading
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 27, 2024
I adored Sub Rosa, the first book in the series and couldn't wait to dive into book 2.
With the central characters and setting firmly established, in Juvenalia we are plunged into the vivid and often dangerous world of Ancient Rome through the point of view of MC Valerius, a young aristocrat, attempting to build a reputation in public life.
He's a wonderful guide. Valerius might be a privileged posh boy, but he's witty, self-aware and all too conscious of the political pitfalls that surround him, especially given the potential scandal of his romantic relationship with Atreus the vigile.
I loved how the twists and turns of the mystery encompassed the highest and lowest ranks in Roman society, as Valerius and Atreus join forces to solve a series of murders that threaten to ruin Emperor Nero's upcoming Juvenalia celebrations. No pressure then!
The worldbuilding is fabulous and Jennifer Burke effortlessly depicts the perilous complexities of life in Rome, with the growing bond between Atreus and Valerius at its heart. Witty, entertaining and a hugely involving read. I can't wait for more from these two!
With the central characters and setting firmly established, in Juvenalia we are plunged into the vivid and often dangerous world of Ancient Rome through the point of view of MC Valerius, a young aristocrat, attempting to build a reputation in public life.
He's a wonderful guide. Valerius might be a privileged posh boy, but he's witty, self-aware and all too conscious of the political pitfalls that surround him, especially given the potential scandal of his romantic relationship with Atreus the vigile.
I loved how the twists and turns of the mystery encompassed the highest and lowest ranks in Roman society, as Valerius and Atreus join forces to solve a series of murders that threaten to ruin Emperor Nero's upcoming Juvenalia celebrations. No pressure then!
The worldbuilding is fabulous and Jennifer Burke effortlessly depicts the perilous complexities of life in Rome, with the growing bond between Atreus and Valerius at its heart. Witty, entertaining and a hugely involving read. I can't wait for more from these two!
December 19, 2025
Aemilius Valerius is enjoying his new reputation as a friend of Nero, which brings him powerful new allies, but also plenty of problems. When Seneca approaches him asking for help, he knows his newly raising star may fall at once if he does not deliver according to the expectation… But having to deal with actors, poets and playwrights may just be too much for him and Atreus
I am fastly becoming a fan of this series. Not only the setting, in Classic Rome, but also the characters are fascinating. The mysteries are solid, and the pace fast and entertaining. There are hidden depths in Aemilius and his relationship with his womenfolk and servants that gives us a hint at a society which was unfair in a way not that distant from the one we have nowadays. And I do love the subplot of the relationship between Aemilius and Atreus, which feels unobtrusive and simply right.
If you like a historical mystery, with a hint of romance and plenty of humour, this is certainly the right seires for you
I am fastly becoming a fan of this series. Not only the setting, in Classic Rome, but also the characters are fascinating. The mysteries are solid, and the pace fast and entertaining. There are hidden depths in Aemilius and his relationship with his womenfolk and servants that gives us a hint at a society which was unfair in a way not that distant from the one we have nowadays. And I do love the subplot of the relationship between Aemilius and Atreus, which feels unobtrusive and simply right.
If you like a historical mystery, with a hint of romance and plenty of humour, this is certainly the right seires for you
January 19, 2025
I was immediately swept into this book once again by Burke's amazing talent at making the alien world of ancient Rome so incredibly relatable to a modern perspective. Valerius falls headfirst into another combination of mysteries, doing his "non" job at the side of Atreus, the competent commoner he nominally leads. As the bodies stack up and Nero's eye falls more and more on him, Valerius is swept into a world of artists as political and backstabbing as actual politics. The twists and reveals are both shocking and heartbreaking, and Valerius comes close to examining the morals of slavery without ever making me feel like Burke is forcing twenty-first-century ideals on a historical setting. And though the mystery is very much the story's focus, the subtle relationship hints between Valerius and Atreus are sweeter than honeycakes.
December 31, 2024
An excellent sequel
Everything I hope for in the sequel to Sub Rosa, with more character growth, more mystery and more Roman intrigue and backstabbing.
I adore the character of Valerius, who has grown from a wastrel I could just tolerate into a compassionate and (reluctant) philosophical investigator, paterfamilias and friend; and I can tell there's so much more for him to grow.
I was as lost as Valerius and Atreus as to how to solve this mystery, but it never felt like the author was being deliberately obscure.
Just a really well written book.
Everything I hope for in the sequel to Sub Rosa, with more character growth, more mystery and more Roman intrigue and backstabbing.
I adore the character of Valerius, who has grown from a wastrel I could just tolerate into a compassionate and (reluctant) philosophical investigator, paterfamilias and friend; and I can tell there's so much more for him to grow.
I was as lost as Valerius and Atreus as to how to solve this mystery, but it never felt like the author was being deliberately obscure.
Just a really well written book.
August 15, 2025
I enjoyed both Sub Rosa and Juvenalia so much! The unique Roman setting was handled so beautifully that I understood it all in context, and every character sparkled so well. I loved the banter and the wit (Juba for the win <3 ) and the gently-evolving romance was perfectly pitched. And I know as an author what a 2-edged sword this kind of feedback is! but I really hope there will be more books from this series.
December 19, 2024
great book!
I hope there are more books in the series. The characters are well fleshed out, and the plot is good.
I hope there are more books in the series. The characters are well fleshed out, and the plot is good.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews