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Gaius Petreius Ruso #4
Caveat Emptor: A Novel of the Roman Empire
Ruso and Tilla, now newlyweds, have moved back to Britannia, where Ruso's old friend and colleague Valens has promised to help him find work. But it isn't the kind of work he'd had in mind - Ruso is tasked with hunting down a missing tax man named Julius Asper. Of course, there's also something else money. And the council of the town of Verulamium is bickering over what's become of it. Compelled to delve deeper by a threat from his old sparring partner, Metellus, Ruso discovers that the good townsfolk may not be as loyal to Rome as they like to appear.
While Tilla tries to comfort Asper's wife, an anonymous well-wisher is busy warning the couple to get away from the case before they get hurt. Despite our hero's best efforts to get himself fired as investigator, he and his bride find themselves trapped at the heart of an increasingly treacherous conspiracy involving theft, forgery, buried treasure, and the legacy of Boudica, the Rebel Queen.
While Tilla tries to comfort Asper's wife, an anonymous well-wisher is busy warning the couple to get away from the case before they get hurt. Despite our hero's best efforts to get himself fired as investigator, he and his bride find themselves trapped at the heart of an increasingly treacherous conspiracy involving theft, forgery, buried treasure, and the legacy of Boudica, the Rebel Queen.
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First published January 1, 2010
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About the author
Ruth Downie
17 books763 followersRuth is the author of nine mysteries* featuring Roman Army medic Gaius Petreius Ruso and his British partner Tilla. The latest is a novella, PRIMA FACIE. She lives in Devon, England. A combination of nosiness and a childish fascination with mud means she is never happier than when wielding an archaeological trowel.
She is sometimes called R.S. Downie, but she isn't the person with the same name who writes medical textbooks, and recommends that readers should never, ever take health advice from a two thousand year old man who prescribes mouse droppings.
*The first four books have all had two titles. Ruth is still wondering how this ever seemed like a good idea. Since she is unable to wind back time, British readers may find it useful to know that:
Medicus was Ruso and the Disappearing Dancing Girls,
Terra Incognita was Ruso and the Demented Doctor,
Persona Non Grata was Ruso and the Root of All Evils,
Caveat Emptor was Ruso and the River of Darkness -
but SEMPER FIDELIS, TABULA RASA, VITA BREVIS, MEMENTO MORI and PRIMA FACIE only have one title each - hooray!
She is sometimes called R.S. Downie, but she isn't the person with the same name who writes medical textbooks, and recommends that readers should never, ever take health advice from a two thousand year old man who prescribes mouse droppings.
*The first four books have all had two titles. Ruth is still wondering how this ever seemed like a good idea. Since she is unable to wind back time, British readers may find it useful to know that:
Medicus was Ruso and the Disappearing Dancing Girls,
Terra Incognita was Ruso and the Demented Doctor,
Persona Non Grata was Ruso and the Root of All Evils,
Caveat Emptor was Ruso and the River of Darkness -
but SEMPER FIDELIS, TABULA RASA, VITA BREVIS, MEMENTO MORI and PRIMA FACIE only have one title each - hooray!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
September 29, 2016
I suspect Ruso was my favourite investigator of crimes by the time I’d finished the first book in Ruth Downie’s Medicus series. The second book expanded this world to include darker themes and the wild north. And by the time Ruso went home to Gaul in the third book he was not only my favourite investigator, but one of my favourite characters in any book series. Left with something of an uncertain future at the end of that book, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the fourth book, other than being sure it would be highly entertaining.
Caveat Emptor takes us back to Britain, where Ruso and Tilla (now man and wife) find themselves dragged into problems galore. Tilla becomes a friend and helper to a native woman who has got herself into disastrous trouble, her man the tax collector having disappeared with the money. Ruso finds himself appointed by the province’s assistant procurator to investigate the disappearance of the tax collector and his money.
What follows is a complex and thoroughly engrossing investigation taking us from the docksides of Londinium (London) to the finance offices of Verulamium (St Albans). A plot that involves a fascinating and shady cast of characters from lurking town guards to power-hungry councillors to weaselly clerks to half-blind noblemen and so on. A plot that, I might add, while I grasped parts of the solution half way through, parts kept me guessing to the end. A plot that is not all it seems at any given point.
But once more, the major wins of the book are the main characters and Ruth’s writing. Having met Ruth now, and discovered what a truly nice lady she is, it amazes me how she seems to be able to get into the mindset of hen-pecked males or vicious mysogenists or the like so well that they read as truly authentic. Ruso is at times hapless, at times heroic, mostly beleaguered and often confused. He is a man who tries to do the right thing, even though at times he’d like nothing more than to do the wrong one. Tilla is no barbarian, nor is she a Roman matron. She is not a charicature but a person, with all the complexity that implies. And as always with Ruth’s writing, the threads of gentle quirky humour that run throughout add counterpoint to the seriousness of the situations in which they find themselves and make the books something special and a delight to read.
As a last treat, here’s just a taster of the sort of writing that makes me love Ruth’s work:
As the ostler had promised, the ginger mare was keen to go – but not necessarily forward. After winning the argument over which of them was steering, Ruso urged it out under the archway and onto the wide expanse of the North road.
If that kind of writing doesn’t make you want to read, then I reckon nothing will.
Caveat Emptor. A beautifully constructed mystery. And now I go on to read the next book – Semper Fidelis.
Caveat Emptor takes us back to Britain, where Ruso and Tilla (now man and wife) find themselves dragged into problems galore. Tilla becomes a friend and helper to a native woman who has got herself into disastrous trouble, her man the tax collector having disappeared with the money. Ruso finds himself appointed by the province’s assistant procurator to investigate the disappearance of the tax collector and his money.
What follows is a complex and thoroughly engrossing investigation taking us from the docksides of Londinium (London) to the finance offices of Verulamium (St Albans). A plot that involves a fascinating and shady cast of characters from lurking town guards to power-hungry councillors to weaselly clerks to half-blind noblemen and so on. A plot that, I might add, while I grasped parts of the solution half way through, parts kept me guessing to the end. A plot that is not all it seems at any given point.
But once more, the major wins of the book are the main characters and Ruth’s writing. Having met Ruth now, and discovered what a truly nice lady she is, it amazes me how she seems to be able to get into the mindset of hen-pecked males or vicious mysogenists or the like so well that they read as truly authentic. Ruso is at times hapless, at times heroic, mostly beleaguered and often confused. He is a man who tries to do the right thing, even though at times he’d like nothing more than to do the wrong one. Tilla is no barbarian, nor is she a Roman matron. She is not a charicature but a person, with all the complexity that implies. And as always with Ruth’s writing, the threads of gentle quirky humour that run throughout add counterpoint to the seriousness of the situations in which they find themselves and make the books something special and a delight to read.
As a last treat, here’s just a taster of the sort of writing that makes me love Ruth’s work:
As the ostler had promised, the ginger mare was keen to go – but not necessarily forward. After winning the argument over which of them was steering, Ruso urged it out under the archway and onto the wide expanse of the North road.
If that kind of writing doesn’t make you want to read, then I reckon nothing will.
Caveat Emptor. A beautifully constructed mystery. And now I go on to read the next book – Semper Fidelis.
January 31, 2019
I would have rated this novel higher but I felt like the ending was very unfulfilling. I know there are more books to read in the series but I still like a novel to have a strong ending. In this one Ruso is an investigator and is trying to solve the murder of a tax man. It delves more into his and Tilla's relationship. It was good and I enjoyed reading it but not my favorite in the series.
July 29, 2011
The fourth book in Ruth Downie’s mystery series about Gaius Petreius Ruso, erstwhile medicus of the XX Legion, finds him and his new bride Tilla (aka Darlughdacha) back in Britain. Wanting to get as far away from his family as possible, Ruso has returned to Londinium looking for a job. His friend Valens, another former legionary doctor, helpfully “volunteers” him for an assignment with the Procurator’s office. An assignment that has nothing to do with medicine: Julius Asper, Verulamium’s tax collector, and his brother have disappeared, as have the taxes, and the Procurator wants to know where the money went. Without an immediate means of support, Ruso reluctantly takes up the case.
In addition to Valens, we again meet up with Albanus, Ruso’s clerk when they both were stationed in Deva, who is now getting by as a tutor. He leaps at the chance to help his old officer. Less happily, Ruso also crosses paths with Metellus, the provincial governor’s spymaster. He’s got Tilla’s name on a list of possible insurgents and blackmails Ruso to supply him information regarding the investigation.
This volume felt more “intense” than the first three. The mystery’s a bit more complex than the earlier ones, and the antagonists more ruthless, and there was less humor that I noticed (that may have been an artifact of listening to it on CD rather than reading it, however). There was also Ruso and Tilla’s developing relationship. Neither is an ideal spouse (one of the things I like about Ruso is that I see a lot of me in him).
Overall, this was a fine addition to the series, and I’ll keep my eye out for the sure-to-come sequels.
Audiobook quality: Simon Vance, who reads the book, is OK but a lot of his voices didn’t synch with my conceptions of the characters, most gratingly with Valens. He is of an age with Ruso but Vance makes him sound like an asthmatic old man. His “Metellus” had an annoying nasal twang, and his female voices were “adequate” at best.
In addition to Valens, we again meet up with Albanus, Ruso’s clerk when they both were stationed in Deva, who is now getting by as a tutor. He leaps at the chance to help his old officer. Less happily, Ruso also crosses paths with Metellus, the provincial governor’s spymaster. He’s got Tilla’s name on a list of possible insurgents and blackmails Ruso to supply him information regarding the investigation.
This volume felt more “intense” than the first three. The mystery’s a bit more complex than the earlier ones, and the antagonists more ruthless, and there was less humor that I noticed (that may have been an artifact of listening to it on CD rather than reading it, however). There was also Ruso and Tilla’s developing relationship. Neither is an ideal spouse (one of the things I like about Ruso is that I see a lot of me in him).
Overall, this was a fine addition to the series, and I’ll keep my eye out for the sure-to-come sequels.
Audiobook quality: Simon Vance, who reads the book, is OK but a lot of his voices didn’t synch with my conceptions of the characters, most gratingly with Valens. He is of an age with Ruso but Vance makes him sound like an asthmatic old man. His “Metellus” had an annoying nasal twang, and his female voices were “adequate” at best.
December 15, 2019
2019 book 408. Ruth Downie continues to delight me with her storylines, plot devices, and knowledge of Roman Britain. She is an excellent storyteller and it shines in this tale of missing tax collectors, adultery, the administration of Britain by the Romans, and the issues that befall men and women as they relate to the institution of marriage. I never know what I'll learn - and learn I do in Ruth Downie's books.
January 11, 2018
Returning to the familiar and homey (albeit soggy) ground of Britain, Ruso's next adventure is not on the frontiers but rather closer to the centre of administration of the emerging province.
What to Expect
Charming and complex characters, well-researched details about Roman life in Roman Britain under Hadrian, murders and other nefarious deeds, a plot and sub-plots that twist and build up - all for a great read overall.
We get a look at the bureaucratic machinations of governance - how the Roman province was run in terms of organisation, money, relations with local chieftains, and the common life. As Ruso is out of the legions in this volume, we don't get a view into the legions.
What I liked
This goes for the whole series.
The absolute charm of the writing. All characters are fully fleshed, believable, with their own motivations. The writing is witty, the setting is rich, the plot thought-out, and the mysteries engaging.
These are the kind of books where you care for the characters. Downie has a knack to depict the world-views of the characters realistically, switching viewpoints from a Roman medical officer to a British peasant woman. It is clear that each character - from main to support cast - is a fully realised person, with their own agendas and biases.
The plot of the stories grips you till can't put the book down. Downie is masterfully weaving the investigations through sub-plots, distractions, daily lives, grand events - till you just have to know what happens next. Ruso may be a reluctant investigator, but he has that nagging voice in his head when things don't quite fit well, and it keeps him following and digging for the truth. Tilla has her own sense of fairness, and views on what makes the world tick.
Downie locates each book in a different town, mostly around Roman Britain
(with only two exceptions). She has clearly done her research for each location and they all come alive, with the latest modern archaeological understanding of life there seeping through her writing.
What to be aware of
These aren't the noir mysteries I normally read and recommend. While there are certainly some gruesome bits (did I mention gladiatorial combats?), these aren't your typical first-person hard-boiled detective. Rather, the stories are told in a lighter vein, in third person perspective from either Ruso or Tilla's POV. Happily, Tilla gets more page-time as the series progresses.
Ms Downie has experience with archaeology and Latin history, and it shows in her writing. She has elected to translate most Latin terms into modern English (e.g. calling a master 'my lord' rather then 'domine', or using 'doctor' for physician), which may sound a tad weird to those used to Latin terms from similar series.
Be aware that while it's not strictly necessary to read the books in order, it certainly helps.
Summary
I absolutely love this series. I have no idea why it took me so long to get back to it, but I am glad I did. If you've read the previous books, this is a great continuation. If not, go back to book one (Medicus) and start reading today!
--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
What to Expect
Charming and complex characters, well-researched details about Roman life in Roman Britain under Hadrian, murders and other nefarious deeds, a plot and sub-plots that twist and build up - all for a great read overall.
We get a look at the bureaucratic machinations of governance - how the Roman province was run in terms of organisation, money, relations with local chieftains, and the common life. As Ruso is out of the legions in this volume, we don't get a view into the legions.
What I liked
This goes for the whole series.
The absolute charm of the writing. All characters are fully fleshed, believable, with their own motivations. The writing is witty, the setting is rich, the plot thought-out, and the mysteries engaging.
These are the kind of books where you care for the characters. Downie has a knack to depict the world-views of the characters realistically, switching viewpoints from a Roman medical officer to a British peasant woman. It is clear that each character - from main to support cast - is a fully realised person, with their own agendas and biases.
The plot of the stories grips you till can't put the book down. Downie is masterfully weaving the investigations through sub-plots, distractions, daily lives, grand events - till you just have to know what happens next. Ruso may be a reluctant investigator, but he has that nagging voice in his head when things don't quite fit well, and it keeps him following and digging for the truth. Tilla has her own sense of fairness, and views on what makes the world tick.
Downie locates each book in a different town, mostly around Roman Britain
(with only two exceptions). She has clearly done her research for each location and they all come alive, with the latest modern archaeological understanding of life there seeping through her writing.
What to be aware of
These aren't the noir mysteries I normally read and recommend. While there are certainly some gruesome bits (did I mention gladiatorial combats?), these aren't your typical first-person hard-boiled detective. Rather, the stories are told in a lighter vein, in third person perspective from either Ruso or Tilla's POV. Happily, Tilla gets more page-time as the series progresses.
Ms Downie has experience with archaeology and Latin history, and it shows in her writing. She has elected to translate most Latin terms into modern English (e.g. calling a master 'my lord' rather then 'domine', or using 'doctor' for physician), which may sound a tad weird to those used to Latin terms from similar series.
Be aware that while it's not strictly necessary to read the books in order, it certainly helps.
Summary
I absolutely love this series. I have no idea why it took me so long to get back to it, but I am glad I did. If you've read the previous books, this is a great continuation. If not, go back to book one (Medicus) and start reading today!
--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
January 10, 2014
This book is set in second century A.D. In this book of the series Ruso and Tila have returned to Britannia from their visit to Ruso’s family in Gael. Gaius Petreius Ruso, medic is now retired from the Roman Army and starting off his married life with Tila. He obtains an assignment as an investigator by the procurator’s finances office. Ruso is hired to trace the nearby city of Verulamium’s tax collector, who has disappeared with the city’s tax money. The book is more complex than prior books in the series but is balanced with some humor, murder, babies, missing money, and a great deal of information about the making of money in the second century Rome and in Britannia. I found that most interesting part of the book. Simon Vance does a great job narrating the book. If you enjoy historical fiction about the Roman age this book would interest you.
August 25, 2015
Good story & narration.
January 22, 2022
Ruso has returned to Britain with Tilla, now his wife, and is staying with his friend and fellow doctor Valens while looking for work. Rather than medical work, he has been offered a role as investigator for the Procurator and is asked to find a tax collector, Julius Asper, who has disappeared with the money. He heads to Verulamium to begin his search, but before long Asper is found murdered and Ruso begins to uncover a dangerous conspiracy.
This is an intelligent and intriguing mystery with likeable rounded characters. The relationship between Ruso and Tilla is well developed without overshadowing the mystery, and the historical background complements the story. The tensions between different British tribes is interesting and the memory of Boudicca and the Iceni revolt still influences these relationships, even though we are now in the reign of Hadrian and Rome has tightened its grip.
I enjoy the warmth and humour of this series, its human relationships and clever plots, and this was one of my favourites.
This is an intelligent and intriguing mystery with likeable rounded characters. The relationship between Ruso and Tilla is well developed without overshadowing the mystery, and the historical background complements the story. The tensions between different British tribes is interesting and the memory of Boudicca and the Iceni revolt still influences these relationships, even though we are now in the reign of Hadrian and Rome has tightened its grip.
I enjoy the warmth and humour of this series, its human relationships and clever plots, and this was one of my favourites.
September 5, 2020
I don't know what is different about this book compared to the one before it in the series, but I just never could get into it. It took a long, long time to get going and even by about halfway, I was still bored. Nothing ever seemed to happen. And I never thought reading a book set in this time and place that I'd have to do with that proselytizing feeling you get from Christian literature. Whenever Tilla narrated, it was Christos this and Christos that. "Christos says love thy neighbor so I guess I should help these people...." It was just too much religion, and not even the cool Roman gods or the interesting Celtic gods of pre-Roman Britain, but the boring God of Christianity we've all heard about so many times before. A real wasted opportunity.
November 20, 2021
I struggled so much getting through the first half of it. Poor Ruso had no idea what was going on plot-wise and neither did I. However, I persevered, and Downie managed to pull it together in the end. Entrenched powers are just the worst to convict. I think Ruso and Tilla’s relationship is growing, though.
Downie set this book in Verulamium. It’s one of those situations where I can see how she was inspired by the setting but she didn’t manage to pass the inspiration on to me.
Downie set this book in Verulamium. It’s one of those situations where I can see how she was inspired by the setting but she didn’t manage to pass the inspiration on to me.
May 9, 2023
This series keeps getting better and better, the characters and now very familiar. Ruso, so desperate to do the right thing Tilla, headstrong but loyal and rather find of Ruso.......though she'd never tell him. There's Albanus, Ruso's old scribe from when he was in the army who's now teacher and Valens, Ruso's friend and another surgeon. There are also several ancillary characters like Valens wife and children. The thing I find myself enjoying most about the books based on Roman detectives (there's several series) is the complexity of the plots, the casual.disregard for human life and the casual cruelty poor people and slaves faced every day. ............For example did you know if a master was murdered and his slaves failed to prevent it they were tortured then executed in the arena by being torn apart and eaten by wild animals. ................. The other thing all these series have in common is there's never a happy ending, the murderer is identified but this doesn't mean he or they get punished, more often than not no-one cares enough about the victim (what's one more death) or the killer/s is too powerful to be brought to justice. Roman society was a very cruel place unless you were one of the elite and even then watch your back. Ruso has no work in this book so is forced to take work as an investigator looking into the disappearance for one of the procurator tax men along with over seven thousand denari. It's a job he doesn't want but is forced to take and it will leave him and Tilla severely emotionally be used and battered by the end of it.....................
November 30, 2017
another good one. The previous book had the couple in Gaul at his family's farm. They're back in Britain and on home ground. Twisty plot, a little confusing at times but it all comes together.
You need to read the series in order.
You need to read the series in order.
September 10, 2020
This series has reached that lofty plane where I miss Ruso and Tilla between books.
July 22, 2024
Ruso and Tilla are back in Britannia and Ruso gets roped into an investigation concerning lost taxes and corruption.
Another good read in this series.
Another good read in this series.
March 1, 2011
Fourth in the Gaius Petreius Ruso Roman mystery series---the series keeps changing with more of a government and politics air than military in this installment.
Caveat Emptor begins oddly. I feel as though I've missed a story as, previously in Persona Non Grata, we're left believing Ruso and Tilla are off to Rome to track down stolen money instead, it's two years later and Ruso and Tilla are married, Ruso is unemployed, and, for some reason, they're sailing back to Britain (mostly for Tilla's sake I think as both are fed up with people's prejudiced reactions to Tilla the Barbarian). It does make for some fascinating asides from Tilla as she comments on the differences between living in Britain and Gaul.
Well, the two of them end up in Londinium crashing with Valens who is no longer martially employed but is having marital problems. Ruso's investigative side is called upon with some blackmail from Metellus and Ruso is off to Verulamium (today's St. Albans) to investigate the death of a tax collector and the missing taxes. This particular story includes an interesting bit of how coins are devalued and there is a personal look at a Roman funeral.
I'm hoping that one day Ruso and Tilla will get their act together and realize they would do so much better if they cooperated. They are on the way---at least, Tilla has flashes of "oops" and I think Ruso is starting to see her as a partner...I think...
There are several aspects of this series which I am enjoying: the stubborn, intelligent, going-off-half-cocked barbarian woman with a heart with her amazingly (for the times), tolerant, well-meaning, intelligent yet naive, Roman doctor as they stagger through a well-written depiction of life in Roman times trying to do good and save lives.
Caveat Emptor begins oddly. I feel as though I've missed a story as, previously in Persona Non Grata, we're left believing Ruso and Tilla are off to Rome to track down stolen money instead, it's two years later and Ruso and Tilla are married, Ruso is unemployed, and, for some reason, they're sailing back to Britain (mostly for Tilla's sake I think as both are fed up with people's prejudiced reactions to Tilla the Barbarian). It does make for some fascinating asides from Tilla as she comments on the differences between living in Britain and Gaul.
Well, the two of them end up in Londinium crashing with Valens who is no longer martially employed but is having marital problems. Ruso's investigative side is called upon with some blackmail from Metellus and Ruso is off to Verulamium (today's St. Albans) to investigate the death of a tax collector and the missing taxes. This particular story includes an interesting bit of how coins are devalued and there is a personal look at a Roman funeral.
I'm hoping that one day Ruso and Tilla will get their act together and realize they would do so much better if they cooperated. They are on the way---at least, Tilla has flashes of "oops" and I think Ruso is starting to see her as a partner...I think...
There are several aspects of this series which I am enjoying: the stubborn, intelligent, going-off-half-cocked barbarian woman with a heart with her amazingly (for the times), tolerant, well-meaning, intelligent yet naive, Roman doctor as they stagger through a well-written depiction of life in Roman times trying to do good and save lives.
July 3, 2015
Gaius Petreius Ruso is a soldier, medic and investigator in Roman Britain. This story takes place in the time when Hadrian was Emperor. This is several decades after the Iceni tribe's revolt which was barely put down by the Roman legions. Rome has given self-government to certain cities that have shown their willingness to adopt Roman culture and pay their taxes to the Empire.
In this fourth novel in the series, Ruso has remarried and, having taken some time with his family in Gaul, has returned to restart his career in Britain. His second wife, and former housekeeper, comes from one of Britain's "barbarian" tribes, the Corionotatae. Her name is Darlughdacha, but she is known as Tilla.
Almost as soon as they arrive back in London, and before Ruso can find work as a doctor, he is pressed into service by the procurator (tax collector) to help determine where the taxes from Verulamium have gone. They were allegedly being brought to London, but the man who was to do so, has gone missing.
There is a very complex plot that plays out over the first 300 pages. There is a large cast of characters, some from previous books, that are woven into the story. (My copy had a list of those characters tucked in the last pages where it did me no good.) The final 60 pages are filled with action that rushes on to a surprising conclusion.
Downie provides a rich mixture of cultures and politics in this novel and for those interested in how life was lived in Roman Britain, this would enhance the experience. For those simply interested in a good historical mystery, the pace may be a bit slow to delight.
In this fourth novel in the series, Ruso has remarried and, having taken some time with his family in Gaul, has returned to restart his career in Britain. His second wife, and former housekeeper, comes from one of Britain's "barbarian" tribes, the Corionotatae. Her name is Darlughdacha, but she is known as Tilla.
Almost as soon as they arrive back in London, and before Ruso can find work as a doctor, he is pressed into service by the procurator (tax collector) to help determine where the taxes from Verulamium have gone. They were allegedly being brought to London, but the man who was to do so, has gone missing.
There is a very complex plot that plays out over the first 300 pages. There is a large cast of characters, some from previous books, that are woven into the story. (My copy had a list of those characters tucked in the last pages where it did me no good.) The final 60 pages are filled with action that rushes on to a surprising conclusion.
Downie provides a rich mixture of cultures and politics in this novel and for those interested in how life was lived in Roman Britain, this would enhance the experience. For those simply interested in a good historical mystery, the pace may be a bit slow to delight.
May 4, 2012
To me this one was really a letdown in the series, which is sad because I spent more on this one than I really wanted to, and it was the shortest installment.
Ruso and Tilla have returned to Britannia where Valens has promised to find Ruso a job. When Ruso arrives, however, he learns the job is as an investigator rather than a doctor. By this time it should be no surprise that a mystery is afoot and bodies are piling up. And even though Tilla and Ruso are married, their relationship is still not solidified enough to feel as though it will stand the test of time.
There were so many twists and turns in this mystery that I had trouble keeping up, and the leaps of logic that Ruso was able to make often lost me. I'm still not completely sure how he arrived at his final conclusion, especially since he seemed to distrust one of his suspects just based on the man's hair and handsome face.
Overall, the writing was good and kept me reading despite the confusing plotline. And these are characters I've grown to love so I wanted to find out what happened to them of course. There's still enough strife there to suggest a potential book 5, which I will most likely buy. Any fan of this series should continue reading, but don't expect big things from this book.
Ruso and Tilla have returned to Britannia where Valens has promised to find Ruso a job. When Ruso arrives, however, he learns the job is as an investigator rather than a doctor. By this time it should be no surprise that a mystery is afoot and bodies are piling up. And even though Tilla and Ruso are married, their relationship is still not solidified enough to feel as though it will stand the test of time.
There were so many twists and turns in this mystery that I had trouble keeping up, and the leaps of logic that Ruso was able to make often lost me. I'm still not completely sure how he arrived at his final conclusion, especially since he seemed to distrust one of his suspects just based on the man's hair and handsome face.
Overall, the writing was good and kept me reading despite the confusing plotline. And these are characters I've grown to love so I wanted to find out what happened to them of course. There's still enough strife there to suggest a potential book 5, which I will most likely buy. Any fan of this series should continue reading, but don't expect big things from this book.
April 25, 2011
Wow! I really enjoyed this book. It's apparently the fourth in the Medicus series, but this is the first one I've read. I will now go back and read the first three. The book's main character is a Roman doctor, recently discharged from the army. He has married a Scottish woman named Tilla, and the book takes place in the environs of London in the year AD 120. I loved how you could just dig into the historical details in the book- I felt like a time traveler. Tilla and Ruso, her husband, both have distinct personalities, goals, and points of view- well done by the author.
The plot has to do with counterfeit coins, but also has much to do with the era's British culture and politics, and the difficulties of working while detached from one's source of authority and protection. There is a wry, very British sense of humor throughout the book, as well as empathetic characters. I will recommend this series to our mystery book club without reservation.
The plot has to do with counterfeit coins, but also has much to do with the era's British culture and politics, and the difficulties of working while detached from one's source of authority and protection. There is a wry, very British sense of humor throughout the book, as well as empathetic characters. I will recommend this series to our mystery book club without reservation.
July 23, 2013
In this, the fourth book in the Gaius Petreius Ruso novels, Ruso and his bride Tilla have returned to Britannia to start their lives as a married couple. However, it's not going to be as easy as it seems, as Ruso finds himself dragged into an investigation to find a missing tax-collector and more importantly, the money he was transporting. Along with that, there's rival native tribes, a very pregnant Iceni woman, native councils ready to betray each other for a denarii, and all sorts of mayhem. As with Ruth Downie's novels, the historical research is top notch, the humour borders on slapstick, and there's plenty of tragedy to balance out things. I do recommend that the previous three novels be read before taking on this one. This was published as Ruso and the River of Darkness in the UK. Four stars overall, recommended.
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Ruth_D...
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Ruth_D...
April 23, 2021
The fourth book of the series - Ruso, a former medicus for the Roman army, and his British wife Tilla return to Britain looking for work and opportunities. When he's unable to find a job doctoring, he takes a temporary job investigating the murder of a tax-collector.
This turned into a long story, often depressing, with not a lot of closure. As always, the two main characters were a real pleasure, but story wise, maybe the weakest of the series. Worth reading if you've been following along since the first, but definitely a bad place to pick up the series.
This turned into a long story, often depressing, with not a lot of closure. As always, the two main characters were a real pleasure, but story wise, maybe the weakest of the series. Worth reading if you've been following along since the first, but definitely a bad place to pick up the series.
February 20, 2016
I'm thankful that Ruso and Tilla have returned to Britiannia and was glad to see a few familiar characters return. The mystery was a bit more tense and the bad guys were more cutthroat than in previous books. This is possibly to do with the underlying motivation (greed) being more cold-hearted and the fact that there are infants and baby-making conversations going around. The mix feels dangerous and ominous.
February 5, 2011
It was good but did not feel as interesting as previous books in the series and I'm not sure why. Maybe there was too much about the politics or maybe the whole storyline was just a downer or just maybe I'm so sick of the snow and ice that nothing can penetrate the winter blahs. Was not happy with the way the Ruso/Tilla relationship is going. I liked it better when Ruso was with the legion.
November 19, 2012
Antoher writer using the Roman empire as a setting. This is the latest book in a 4-book series and I have not read the other 3 yet. It is set in 2nd-century CE southern Britain, which was interesting. I found the plot to be complicated but I enjoyed the main character, although I don't find him as humorously cynical as Falco.
December 7, 2013
A tangled political intrigue in Roman Britain. A bit too much of Russo bumbling around, and way too little of the sweet and awkward love affair with his barbarian wife, Tilla. Still, I will read the next in the series hoping for a correction in this.
January 27, 2012
Ah, sadly I have now finished the last book in this series that has been written so far ..... I am hoping that there are further adventures of Ruso and Tilla in the near future.
April 18, 2019
This is the first book in the series where Ruso is in the role of pure investigator, as opposed to doctor who somehow gets involved in mysteries. The book is a nice development of the series and I would highly recommend reading these books in order to get the most enjoyment from the book. This instalment had the best humour and also some of the most tenderest moments found in the entire series so far.
The humour, as usual, is gentle (although at several points I did laugh out loud) and almost hidden but is evident throughout and is a real highlight of the book. Personal favourites were the descriptions of two apprentice doctors, the character of Firmus and illiterate Tilla’s use of letters.
Tilla and Ruso are both back and I’m really coming to love these characters for different reasons. Tilla is a great strong and independent character and her role as an outsider in most of the books is very interesting. Ruso is starting to become a little more confident in his own ability and is starting to trust Tilla a little more yet is till the very tolerant and moral person that made me love him as the min character in this series. There are still points in their relationship where as a reader you become cross with the pair of them for how they are communicating with each other, however this just means I love them more because it keeps their relationship very real.
The character development of the two main characters is done very well over the series and in this book, we meet them at the point where they are trying to expand their family. This resulted in some of the most beautiful and more heartfelt descriptions in the book. And I though Downie handled and portrayed this part of the story really well. Like the humour these sections are infrequent and almost hidden in the text, but that makes them more powerful. The spoiler is a quoted example of this from the book that was very poignant and relatable
There is also the return of many of the characters from the first book with bigger roles than in the rest of the series, including Albanus, Valens and Serena which I loved; however I was less impressed with the return of Mettllus.
What really lets the book down is the mystery element. Whilst some reviewers have commented that it feels darker, I don’t think it’s necessarily darker (under the surface the first book is pretty dark in its descriptions of slavery) but just more complex with a lot more characters and deaths involved. The actual story is engaging, but in short needed some serious streamlining. In particular the ending/ reveal seemed to go on forever, albeit did eventually come to a satisfying conclusion. This has something that I thought about other books in the series, however in this book the mystery is more complex and there are more side characters than in the others.
As the book is essentially a mystery book and I didn’t love that element of the book I have rated the book three stars but the characters, the writing and the humour is mostly a four or even five-star rating. I would recommend this book if you are enjoying the series so far and I look forward to reading the next in the series.
The humour, as usual, is gentle (although at several points I did laugh out loud) and almost hidden but is evident throughout and is a real highlight of the book. Personal favourites were the descriptions of two apprentice doctors, the character of Firmus and illiterate Tilla’s use of letters.
Tilla and Ruso are both back and I’m really coming to love these characters for different reasons. Tilla is a great strong and independent character and her role as an outsider in most of the books is very interesting. Ruso is starting to become a little more confident in his own ability and is starting to trust Tilla a little more yet is till the very tolerant and moral person that made me love him as the min character in this series. There are still points in their relationship where as a reader you become cross with the pair of them for how they are communicating with each other, however this just means I love them more because it keeps their relationship very real.
The character development of the two main characters is done very well over the series and in this book, we meet them at the point where they are trying to expand their family. This resulted in some of the most beautiful and more heartfelt descriptions in the book. And I though Downie handled and portrayed this part of the story really well. Like the humour these sections are infrequent and almost hidden in the text, but that makes them more powerful. The spoiler is a quoted example of this from the book that was very poignant and relatable
There is also the return of many of the characters from the first book with bigger roles than in the rest of the series, including Albanus, Valens and Serena which I loved; however I was less impressed with the return of Mettllus.
What really lets the book down is the mystery element. Whilst some reviewers have commented that it feels darker, I don’t think it’s necessarily darker (under the surface the first book is pretty dark in its descriptions of slavery) but just more complex with a lot more characters and deaths involved. The actual story is engaging, but in short needed some serious streamlining. In particular the ending/ reveal seemed to go on forever, albeit did eventually come to a satisfying conclusion. This has something that I thought about other books in the series, however in this book the mystery is more complex and there are more side characters than in the others.
As the book is essentially a mystery book and I didn’t love that element of the book I have rated the book three stars but the characters, the writing and the humour is mostly a four or even five-star rating. I would recommend this book if you are enjoying the series so far and I look forward to reading the next in the series.
March 5, 2021
These books just keep getting better!
Ruso and Tilla (aka Darludacha of the Connnotatae of the Brigantes) are back in Brittania. Valens had promised to find him a job...as a doctor. Valens married the firl of his dreams, they jave toddler aged tw8ns now, and he seems to believe she is the wowman od his (bad) dreams at times. Like always, Valens nods his head as if he's kistening and them does as he pleases, which doesn't go over well with Serena (or anyone else, for that matter). Just before Ruso arrived, she had taken off for parts unknown (since he neither found nor read her letter to him, left in their room), taking the majority of the household help (and apparently enough luggage to fill several wagons) to go visit her cousin, although Valens has no idea where she went because it was in the letter he never looked for, found, or read. The job is to investigate a missing tax man and thenmissing taxes he supposedly had on hand. Ruso's confrontation with Valens about wanting a job as a doctor, not an investigator, tale the usual route into one ear and out the other, never bothering to snag on a single neuron in passing. Needing money, amd knowing that Valens is right about his itch to solve mysteries, he goes to the procurator's office to see what's involved. Meanwhile, as Tilla is cleaning up, she discovers the letter Serena left for Valens, and confronts him about it...did he never even look for a note from her?
When he's out and about, asking questions, he finds one of the mossong taxmen, Asper, dead of a jead injury that actually took several days to kill him. His brother is dund later, closer to home, dead by a much more cruel method than his brother.
What started all of this was a VERY pregnant Iceni woman wanting her husband found. During the interchange with the assistant procurator (the procurator's nephew, a very young man in the job 2 weeks), her water nreaks. Thus, Tilla comes into contact with the case indirectly...with the messiest part of the case literally and figuratively...in her role as midwife.
The game, as Sherlock would say, is now afoot...sometimes with 2 left feet and others with a foot in the mouth (sometomes 2 feet), or the best foot backwards when it was intended to be forwards, and the plot thickens, often to the point oxf obtuseness.
Tilla's biological clock is ticking, but although they keep practicing, they never seem to end up with a missed cycle and the chance at an heir.
That's a lot of threads thrown into the weaving of this adventure, enough for an exctremely colorful plaid cloth for amy Briton. The weaving includes finding out the place where Serena's cousins live and thus wheree she is.
Spattered with laugh out loud and chuckle moments throughjout the serious bits, this is an enjoyable read from start to finish.
Ruso and Tilla (aka Darludacha of the Connnotatae of the Brigantes) are back in Brittania. Valens had promised to find him a job...as a doctor. Valens married the firl of his dreams, they jave toddler aged tw8ns now, and he seems to believe she is the wowman od his (bad) dreams at times. Like always, Valens nods his head as if he's kistening and them does as he pleases, which doesn't go over well with Serena (or anyone else, for that matter). Just before Ruso arrived, she had taken off for parts unknown (since he neither found nor read her letter to him, left in their room), taking the majority of the household help (and apparently enough luggage to fill several wagons) to go visit her cousin, although Valens has no idea where she went because it was in the letter he never looked for, found, or read. The job is to investigate a missing tax man and thenmissing taxes he supposedly had on hand. Ruso's confrontation with Valens about wanting a job as a doctor, not an investigator, tale the usual route into one ear and out the other, never bothering to snag on a single neuron in passing. Needing money, amd knowing that Valens is right about his itch to solve mysteries, he goes to the procurator's office to see what's involved. Meanwhile, as Tilla is cleaning up, she discovers the letter Serena left for Valens, and confronts him about it...did he never even look for a note from her?
When he's out and about, asking questions, he finds one of the mossong taxmen, Asper, dead of a jead injury that actually took several days to kill him. His brother is dund later, closer to home, dead by a much more cruel method than his brother.
What started all of this was a VERY pregnant Iceni woman wanting her husband found. During the interchange with the assistant procurator (the procurator's nephew, a very young man in the job 2 weeks), her water nreaks. Thus, Tilla comes into contact with the case indirectly...with the messiest part of the case literally and figuratively...in her role as midwife.
The game, as Sherlock would say, is now afoot...sometimes with 2 left feet and others with a foot in the mouth (sometomes 2 feet), or the best foot backwards when it was intended to be forwards, and the plot thickens, often to the point oxf obtuseness.
Tilla's biological clock is ticking, but although they keep practicing, they never seem to end up with a missed cycle and the chance at an heir.
That's a lot of threads thrown into the weaving of this adventure, enough for an exctremely colorful plaid cloth for amy Briton. The weaving includes finding out the place where Serena's cousins live and thus wheree she is.
Spattered with laugh out loud and chuckle moments throughjout the serious bits, this is an enjoyable read from start to finish.
October 6, 2020
The first two books in this series took place in Roman Britain (circa 117 AD), and much as I liked the setting, they dragged a bit for me and the stories were never quite as engaging as I wished them to be. The third book was much more successful, as Gaius Petreius Ruso and his slave/love interest Tilla visited his ancestral lands in Nimes (Southern France) and there was a lot more energy to the proceedings.
Here, the couple has returned to Britain, where Ruso hopes to sign back on as an army doctor. However, he somewhat implausibly gets dragooned into investigating the disappearance and murder of a tax collector in Verulamium (roughly 30 miles north of London). This then gets him into the deep waters of the tangled relationship of the Iceni and Catuvellanni tribes to each other and Roman rule. Add in a pregnant woman descended from Boudica, the missing tax money, some counterfeit coins, and a sinister figure from one of earlier books, and it all gets rather jumbled.
The well-established dynamics of Ruso as the reluctant and frazzled investigator, and Tilla as the headstrong agent of chaos still don't really work that well for me. And in this instance, I just wasn't particularly engaged in the murder mystery, the stakes just weren't that compelling. It's never good when within ten minutes of finishing a book, you can barely recall who the villain was, and have no idea how the hero figured it all out. I'm giving this series one more book, and if it's not much better, I'm done with it.
Here, the couple has returned to Britain, where Ruso hopes to sign back on as an army doctor. However, he somewhat implausibly gets dragooned into investigating the disappearance and murder of a tax collector in Verulamium (roughly 30 miles north of London). This then gets him into the deep waters of the tangled relationship of the Iceni and Catuvellanni tribes to each other and Roman rule. Add in a pregnant woman descended from Boudica, the missing tax money, some counterfeit coins, and a sinister figure from one of earlier books, and it all gets rather jumbled.
The well-established dynamics of Ruso as the reluctant and frazzled investigator, and Tilla as the headstrong agent of chaos still don't really work that well for me. And in this instance, I just wasn't particularly engaged in the murder mystery, the stakes just weren't that compelling. It's never good when within ten minutes of finishing a book, you can barely recall who the villain was, and have no idea how the hero figured it all out. I'm giving this series one more book, and if it's not much better, I'm done with it.
November 27, 2021
( Format : ebook )
"Honour the Gods, obey the law and pay the Emperor."
This is the fourth in Ruth Downie's series about Ruso, a msdicus, and is set in Britannia, rules over by the Roman Empire. With Tilla, his new wife, Ruso arrives in Londinium to stay with his old friend and fellow doctor, Valens, whilst looking for work and a home of their own. Temporarily assigned the task of investigator, he become involved in the search for missing tax money, the disappearance of two brothers and the birth of a baby to a distraught I've no woman.
The book is atmospheric and the characters mostly well drawn and substantial. The description of the first funeral mystery was atmospheric and felt realistic, as was the mud and filth in parts of story - some nice touches which brought the book to life. The mystery itself, which always felt secondary to the various domestic arrangements, was intriguing but the ending seemed rushed, not that this really mattered.
A useful list of players in the book precedes the story and helps remind the reader of the numerous protagonists mentioned. There is also a map of Britannia, AD 120.
This is a good, stand alone instalment from the life series of Ruso. Not as charismatic as Falco, nor as much fun, but still a must read for all lovers of fictional character stories set in the more civilian background of the Roman Empire.
"Honour the Gods, obey the law and pay the Emperor."
This is the fourth in Ruth Downie's series about Ruso, a msdicus, and is set in Britannia, rules over by the Roman Empire. With Tilla, his new wife, Ruso arrives in Londinium to stay with his old friend and fellow doctor, Valens, whilst looking for work and a home of their own. Temporarily assigned the task of investigator, he become involved in the search for missing tax money, the disappearance of two brothers and the birth of a baby to a distraught I've no woman.
The book is atmospheric and the characters mostly well drawn and substantial. The description of the first funeral mystery was atmospheric and felt realistic, as was the mud and filth in parts of story - some nice touches which brought the book to life. The mystery itself, which always felt secondary to the various domestic arrangements, was intriguing but the ending seemed rushed, not that this really mattered.
A useful list of players in the book precedes the story and helps remind the reader of the numerous protagonists mentioned. There is also a map of Britannia, AD 120.
This is a good, stand alone instalment from the life series of Ruso. Not as charismatic as Falco, nor as much fun, but still a must read for all lovers of fictional character stories set in the more civilian background of the Roman Empire.
April 16, 2024
Another outing for Ruso and Tila back in Britannia from Gaul, where the Medicus reluctantly accepts a job as an Investigator, thanks to 'help' from longtime friend fellow physician Valens (whose main talent seems to be always to land on his feet uncaring of those he steps over).
Ruso uncovers a nest of financial wrongdoing, murder, political cover-up and failings in Roman rule. As always highlights are the ongoing relationship between Ruso and Tila, seriously tested by developments in this story, representing differing mindsets and values of Roman vs Briton. To be fair to Ruso he's a decent chap, well-meaning, caring, fair and loving though naive and open to manipulation (even Tila does it), a natural detective who puts justice above all. When they work together they make a great team.
There's just enough historical background and detail to set the story in context, believable as different times, with escalating tensions between native tribes and a far away Imperial Rome, with intertribal rivalries too, the Divide and Rule doctrine. Some humour though not as much as in previous books, so this novel has a more serious feel.
Undemanding however and still my current go-to relief reading, for Ruso & Tila. On to the next one...
Ruso uncovers a nest of financial wrongdoing, murder, political cover-up and failings in Roman rule. As always highlights are the ongoing relationship between Ruso and Tila, seriously tested by developments in this story, representing differing mindsets and values of Roman vs Briton. To be fair to Ruso he's a decent chap, well-meaning, caring, fair and loving though naive and open to manipulation (even Tila does it), a natural detective who puts justice above all. When they work together they make a great team.
There's just enough historical background and detail to set the story in context, believable as different times, with escalating tensions between native tribes and a far away Imperial Rome, with intertribal rivalries too, the Divide and Rule doctrine. Some humour though not as much as in previous books, so this novel has a more serious feel.
Undemanding however and still my current go-to relief reading, for Ruso & Tila. On to the next one...
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