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Marcus Corvinus #16
Finished Business
Ancient Roman sleuth Marcus Corvinus uncovers a treasonous plot in this witty and intriguing new mystery
November, AD 40. When a wealthy consul’s wife asks Corvinus to investigate the death of her uncle, killed by a block of falling masonry during renovations on his estate in the Vatican Hills, a sceptical Corvinus is inclined to agree with the general verdict of accidental death. But his investigations reveal clear evidence of foul play, as well as unearthing several skeletons among the closets of this well-to-do but highly dysfunctional family. Who could have wanted Lucius Surdinus dead? His vengeful ex-wife? His ambitious mistress? His disillusioned elder, or his estranged younger, son? Or does the key to the mystery lie in the dead man’s political past? But when Corvinus’s investigations draw him to the attention of the emperor, a dangerously unpredictable Caligula, his prospects of surviving long enough to solve the mystery look slim to say the least.
November, AD 40. When a wealthy consul’s wife asks Corvinus to investigate the death of her uncle, killed by a block of falling masonry during renovations on his estate in the Vatican Hills, a sceptical Corvinus is inclined to agree with the general verdict of accidental death. But his investigations reveal clear evidence of foul play, as well as unearthing several skeletons among the closets of this well-to-do but highly dysfunctional family. Who could have wanted Lucius Surdinus dead? His vengeful ex-wife? His ambitious mistress? His disillusioned elder, or his estranged younger, son? Or does the key to the mystery lie in the dead man’s political past? But when Corvinus’s investigations draw him to the attention of the emperor, a dangerously unpredictable Caligula, his prospects of surviving long enough to solve the mystery look slim to say the least.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2014
13 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
David Wishart
57 books95 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Historical crime writer David Wishart was born in Arbroath, Scotland. He studied Classics - Latin and Greek - at Edinburgh University and after graduation taught for four years in a secondary school.
He then retrained as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language and worked abroad for eleven years, in Kuwait, Greece and Saudi Arabia. He returned to Scotland in 1990 and now lives with his family in Carnoustie, mixing writing with teaching EFL and study skills at Dundee University.
Historical crime writer David Wishart was born in Arbroath, Scotland. He studied Classics - Latin and Greek - at Edinburgh University and after graduation taught for four years in a secondary school.
He then retrained as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language and worked abroad for eleven years, in Kuwait, Greece and Saudi Arabia. He returned to Scotland in 1990 and now lives with his family in Carnoustie, mixing writing with teaching EFL and study skills at Dundee University.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 14, 2015
One of Wishart's "political" historical mysteries; this one involves Gaius aka Caligula. It gripped me from start to finish, but Wishart still has such a labyrinthine story I could not figure out the perpetrator. Marcus Corvinus is visited by the eccentric wife of a consul, who insists Alexander the Great has spoken to her from the spirit world and told her the accident to her uncle on his estate is really a murder. So naturally, Marcus has to investigate. Checking the construction site where the estate is being renovated, he concludes a murder WAS committed. Marcus, with the help of his sharp-as-a-tack wife, Perilla, does uncover the murderer and also TWO conspiracies--one failed and the other carried through. I'm glad the second conspiracy seemed to be the Finished Business. I was afraid it was the author's code for "end of the series." I figured out Marcus's age from statements in the book: early 40s. How could he get around as quickly without huffing and puffing and with reflexes as sharp as the young fellow he was at the beginning of the series?
He and Perilla are still as delightful as ever. The mysteries keep getting better and better. I liked the section at the end where Wishart explained the Roman way of keeping time and figuring out dates. As he says, even though the systems are complicated, now the readers can have fun figuring out birthdates of their family, friends, and pets.
Highly recommended.
He and Perilla are still as delightful as ever. The mysteries keep getting better and better. I liked the section at the end where Wishart explained the Roman way of keeping time and figuring out dates. As he says, even though the systems are complicated, now the readers can have fun figuring out birthdates of their family, friends, and pets.
Highly recommended.
July 11, 2023
Well anyone who knows their Roman history this book will hold no surprises but even so it is suspenseful and mysterious as are all in this series. Corvinus is.contacted by one.of the top Roman matrons. A relative of here has just died in A terrible.accident, only as she tells Corvinus.it.was.no accident but a murder. How does she know this? Because her familiar Alexander the Great told her.......how else....... Corvinus wants to tell her.to.go.to.hell, ghosts coming back from the dead to identify a murder, yea sure, but she's an acquaintance of Perillas and he likes his home life to stay calm and peaceful. So off he goes to find.out if Alexander was right and a murder was commited. After embarrassing himself by telling the dead mans family why he's come they allow him to inspect the scene of the accident................ And what do you know old Alexander was right, the man was murdered, but he can't use "a ghost told me" as evidence so he starts asking questions.hoping someone will let something slip as to why an elderly stoic was targeted for murder...........................
December 29, 2018
Part 16 of the exciting Marcus Corvinus series is set during the period of November until January in the years AD 40/41.
The book has been historically very well researched, the author has certainly achieved to stay as close to the real historical events as much as possible and again the storytelling is really excellent.
This Roman murder mystery by David Wishart is another thrilling book and from start to finish an absolute joy to read.
The tale itself is about when Corvinus is asked by Naevia Postuma to investigate the death of her uncle, who went by the name of Lucius Naevius Surdinus, because the lady suspects foul play, and when at some point during Corvinus's investigations the evidence reveals that real serious foul play has been committed, the skeletons start to unearth themselves among the closets.
While investigating the death of this same Lucius Naevius Surdinus, Corvinus draws the attention of the Emperor Caligula himself and so to solve this mystery Corvinus has to use every trick he can use to get to the truth with the most valuable help of his intelligent, literal and knowledgeable wife, Rufia Perilla.
What unfolds is a superb and thrilling story with a lot of suspense, and thus certainly one I would like to call "A cracking Roman mystery"!
The book has been historically very well researched, the author has certainly achieved to stay as close to the real historical events as much as possible and again the storytelling is really excellent.
This Roman murder mystery by David Wishart is another thrilling book and from start to finish an absolute joy to read.
The tale itself is about when Corvinus is asked by Naevia Postuma to investigate the death of her uncle, who went by the name of Lucius Naevius Surdinus, because the lady suspects foul play, and when at some point during Corvinus's investigations the evidence reveals that real serious foul play has been committed, the skeletons start to unearth themselves among the closets.
While investigating the death of this same Lucius Naevius Surdinus, Corvinus draws the attention of the Emperor Caligula himself and so to solve this mystery Corvinus has to use every trick he can use to get to the truth with the most valuable help of his intelligent, literal and knowledgeable wife, Rufia Perilla.
What unfolds is a superb and thrilling story with a lot of suspense, and thus certainly one I would like to call "A cracking Roman mystery"!
January 3, 2018
I've loved this series so much and yet this could be the best of them all so far. What starts out as a 'straightforward' Roman murder mystery becomes something else entirely and it is brilliantly done. Best to have your wits about you. There are stings in the tail.
October 7, 2014
This is the latest book in the Marcus Corvinus Mystery Series, authored by David Wishart. It is set in Ancient Rome in the first century A.D. If you are new to the series, it is a good idea to read the books in order. There are recurring characters, and Corvinus's private life develops over time, and the historical events proceed chronologically, too, naturally.
Be warned that the series is a joyously vulgar impersonation of a Roman era novel, full of foul asides and mocking of persons in power, just like what appears in Roman era poetry and scraps of novels that remain, not to mention all the graffiti that remains, too! His slangy descriptions of his dealings with historical figures is always entertaining. The fictional conceit is that we are reading a contemporary account in translation from Latin.
I must admit that the joyousness seems to have disappeared by this book in the series, while the vulgarity remains. Instead of laugh-out-loud expressions referencing people's privates, there are more four-letter vulgarities. If you are sensitive to this sort of language, then I would suggest you avoid this series. Here is an tame example, a description of a respectable citizen of Rome's upper class: "a poker-rectumed pillar of the establishment".
Caligula is emperor of Rome in Finished Business, and he plays a central part in the mystery. We get to spend some time with the psychopathic emperor, up close and personal, through Corvinus, who judges Caligula thus: "...the guy might be a cold-blooded amoral sadistic killer and a cartload of tiles short of a watertight roof, but there was nothing wrong with his intelligence."
This is a mystery, and it follows the standard Private Investigator genre: he gets a case, talks to those involved, forms theories, identifies suspects, investigates, meets opposition and danger, resolves the mystery. The novelty of these books is that the P.I. is roaming the streets of first-century Rome. The author includes many trips for Corvinus through Rome's teaming streets and markets. He even lets him enter shops, homes and various other places, where we tag along and vicariously live in Rome for the duration of the story.
The author includes end notes to explain a bit about the actual history of the era covered in Finished Business, and he points out where he took artistic license. There is also an explanation of the Roman times of day and dates, since they were very different from our clock-determined era. But be warned: this is not a series for Roman history neophytes! You must know your history to understand and appreciate the story, characters, and the many references and asides. I enjoy these sorts of books, which is why I requested a review-copy.
Please read my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
Be warned that the series is a joyously vulgar impersonation of a Roman era novel, full of foul asides and mocking of persons in power, just like what appears in Roman era poetry and scraps of novels that remain, not to mention all the graffiti that remains, too! His slangy descriptions of his dealings with historical figures is always entertaining. The fictional conceit is that we are reading a contemporary account in translation from Latin.
I must admit that the joyousness seems to have disappeared by this book in the series, while the vulgarity remains. Instead of laugh-out-loud expressions referencing people's privates, there are more four-letter vulgarities. If you are sensitive to this sort of language, then I would suggest you avoid this series. Here is an tame example, a description of a respectable citizen of Rome's upper class: "a poker-rectumed pillar of the establishment".
Caligula is emperor of Rome in Finished Business, and he plays a central part in the mystery. We get to spend some time with the psychopathic emperor, up close and personal, through Corvinus, who judges Caligula thus: "...the guy might be a cold-blooded amoral sadistic killer and a cartload of tiles short of a watertight roof, but there was nothing wrong with his intelligence."
This is a mystery, and it follows the standard Private Investigator genre: he gets a case, talks to those involved, forms theories, identifies suspects, investigates, meets opposition and danger, resolves the mystery. The novelty of these books is that the P.I. is roaming the streets of first-century Rome. The author includes many trips for Corvinus through Rome's teaming streets and markets. He even lets him enter shops, homes and various other places, where we tag along and vicariously live in Rome for the duration of the story.
The author includes end notes to explain a bit about the actual history of the era covered in Finished Business, and he points out where he took artistic license. There is also an explanation of the Roman times of day and dates, since they were very different from our clock-determined era. But be warned: this is not a series for Roman history neophytes! You must know your history to understand and appreciate the story, characters, and the many references and asides. I enjoy these sorts of books, which is why I requested a review-copy.
Please read my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews.
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
July 5, 2015
A few loose ends in this one, nothing dramatic just random pieces that bug me, but loose ends isnt really fair because they are in fact written off to luck or the spirits. Always difficult to read stories where the end is literally history and unmovable. Here we know that Caligula is killed by his guards leaving the games in the end and Claudius becomes emperor. Can't say the specific games or date was in my head but ending was obvious. Wishart does do a good job of making it still have dramatic tension. I will miss Caligula though he was a crazy mean man but he was always a fun interaction. As usual the plot is simple murder uncovers nasty pile of woe/treason and tada Marcus uncovers the lot at great personal danger. This though took that formula to new heights.
February 2, 2015
I think this is only the first or second Wishart novel that I've read. I found the "yeah, pal" routine a little off-putting, and the rest of the east-end slang. But this was a really good mystery and, once I got past the overdone contemporary language, an engaging novel.
August 12, 2019
Finished Business is another of the "political" mysteries. Though it starts with what looks like an accident, Corvinus is soon embroiled in high-level conspiracies.
What to Expect
Corvinus is asked - without the option to refuse - to look into what for everybody else appears to be an accident. He soon discovers that it was undeniably a murder, and starts his usual poking into family affairs.
While the victim's family is suitably dysfunctional, the man himself was a-political with not an enemy in sight. What's unusual is that the investigation, for reasons Corvinus can't quite place, keep running into political machinations that everyone tells him to stay away from. As he unmasks conspiracies he also runs into the decidedly-unhinged emperor and his very survival is at stake.
This is book 16 of the series, and though it's not part of the "political" novels it helps if you know the existing characters.
What I liked
As with the other political novels in the series (unlike the "plain" mysteries), Wishart does an amazing job of keeping to the known facts and presenting a very plausible "it could have been that way" to delight historical aficionados.
Wishart keeps an excellent balance of humour and suspense, of Roman trivia and mystery writing which make this series a pleasure to read. He breathes life into all his characters, and you can just see their realistic interactions. I love how he portrays the emperor Gaius (Caligula) in particular.
Corvinus himself has a most unique voice that is a joy to read, though throughout the series Wishart uses a modern language to bring the characters to life. He's also using a time-honoured trope of representing the Roman patriarchy similar to British aristocracy. The result is a novel that reads as a cross between Sam Spade and Downton Abbey, on a backdrop of ancient Rome. It makes for very enjoyable experience for lovers of those genres - we're not reading in Latin, after all, so taking a purist view is in itself a untenable proposition.
What to be aware of
Though Wishart's prose is excellent, he avoids all Latin terms to the point where it's a bit much (like referring to a toga as a mantle, or to Saturnalia as winter Festival). Interestingly, as the series progresses Wishart slowly includes more of them.
Summary
This is an another important political novel in the series, which fans of the colourful Julio-Claudian period would no doubt enjoy. If you like cosy mysteries and Roman-era detectives (e.g. by the likes of Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor, and Ruth Downie), you really need to read the Corvinus series as well.
--
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
Corvinus is asked - without the option to refuse - to look into what for everybody else appears to be an accident. He soon discovers that it was undeniably a murder, and starts his usual poking into family affairs.
While the victim's family is suitably dysfunctional, the man himself was a-political with not an enemy in sight. What's unusual is that the investigation, for reasons Corvinus can't quite place, keep running into political machinations that everyone tells him to stay away from. As he unmasks conspiracies he also runs into the decidedly-unhinged emperor and his very survival is at stake.
This is book 16 of the series, and though it's not part of the "political" novels it helps if you know the existing characters.
What I liked
As with the other political novels in the series (unlike the "plain" mysteries), Wishart does an amazing job of keeping to the known facts and presenting a very plausible "it could have been that way" to delight historical aficionados.
Wishart keeps an excellent balance of humour and suspense, of Roman trivia and mystery writing which make this series a pleasure to read. He breathes life into all his characters, and you can just see their realistic interactions. I love how he portrays the emperor Gaius (Caligula) in particular.
Corvinus himself has a most unique voice that is a joy to read, though throughout the series Wishart uses a modern language to bring the characters to life. He's also using a time-honoured trope of representing the Roman patriarchy similar to British aristocracy. The result is a novel that reads as a cross between Sam Spade and Downton Abbey, on a backdrop of ancient Rome. It makes for very enjoyable experience for lovers of those genres - we're not reading in Latin, after all, so taking a purist view is in itself a untenable proposition.
What to be aware of
Though Wishart's prose is excellent, he avoids all Latin terms to the point where it's a bit much (like referring to a toga as a mantle, or to Saturnalia as winter Festival). Interestingly, as the series progresses Wishart slowly includes more of them.
Summary
This is an another important political novel in the series, which fans of the colourful Julio-Claudian period would no doubt enjoy. If you like cosy mysteries and Roman-era detectives (e.g. by the likes of Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor, and Ruth Downie), you really need to read the Corvinus series as well.
--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
May 28, 2021
David Wishart’s Finished Business, is another in the Marcus Corvinus mysteries, this one set against the reign of Emperor Caligula.
Marcus is called upon by a lady of high standing who believes that the spirit of Alexander the Great has deemed her relative’s death a murder. When a letter comes to Marcus’ wife, Perilla, from the deceased, Marcus has to take it seriously.
Who is friend, who, foe? As always, the plot is meticulously twisted and the grand flavor of the Roman Empire stands out at every turn.
Marcus is called upon by a lady of high standing who believes that the spirit of Alexander the Great has deemed her relative’s death a murder. When a letter comes to Marcus’ wife, Perilla, from the deceased, Marcus has to take it seriously.
Who is friend, who, foe? As always, the plot is meticulously twisted and the grand flavor of the Roman Empire stands out at every turn.
September 14, 2021
Investigating what everyone thought was an accident leads to too much information about a psychotic emperor. Lots of twists and turns.
September 10, 2014
As Marcus Corvinus would say, this book was easy-peasy to read and I absolutely enjoyed it from start to finish. This is my first excursion into the world of Corvinus and his lovely wife Perilla in the days of ancient Rome so coming across modern language usage in a novel set during Roman times was a slight bit startling at first. Once I settled into it, though, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Naevia Postuma has come to tell Corvinus that her uncle, Nevius Surdinus, did not die from an accident, but was in fact murdered. She knows this because her control, Alexander the Great, was very emphatic in bringing it to her attention. Now she wants Marcus to get busy and find out who the murderer is and bring someone to justice. With Alexander pulling the strings, how can Corvinus possibly refuse this request.
This was simply a fun book to read. The character of Marcus Valerius Corvinus is written so he never takes himself too seriously, especially if there is the chance of a cup of wine (good wine would be best, but any will do) and his wife Perilla to help him sort out the tangles of all the political intrigue swirling around Rome. Surely he hasn't just uncovered a treasonous plot to assassinate the Emperor, or has he? And who is the mysterious man who saved him from the three attackers who wanted him dead? This story has plots within plots and twists that come thick and fast. Just when I thought I was on the right track I found that the road went nowhere and I had to back up and start again. And I didn't even get upset with the author for leading me down that blind alley. Since reading this novel I've learned there are many others in the series and I'm very grateful for that. I'm certainly hoping they are all as easy-peasy and OTT as this one was.
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
This was simply a fun book to read. The character of Marcus Valerius Corvinus is written so he never takes himself too seriously, especially if there is the chance of a cup of wine (good wine would be best, but any will do) and his wife Perilla to help him sort out the tangles of all the political intrigue swirling around Rome. Surely he hasn't just uncovered a treasonous plot to assassinate the Emperor, or has he? And who is the mysterious man who saved him from the three attackers who wanted him dead? This story has plots within plots and twists that come thick and fast. Just when I thought I was on the right track I found that the road went nowhere and I had to back up and start again. And I didn't even get upset with the author for leading me down that blind alley. Since reading this novel I've learned there are many others in the series and I'm very grateful for that. I'm certainly hoping they are all as easy-peasy and OTT as this one was.
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
August 29, 2014
Marcus Corvinus is aging a bit now, and becomes a grandfather when his adopted daughter and her husband have their first child. But he doesn’t quite have time to be the doting grandpa with all the mysteries, murder, and kidnapping going on around him.
Finished Business is another really great Marcus Corvinus mystery, set at the end of Caligula’s reign. The story’s on a larger Roman scale, a bit like Germanicus, because Marcus Corvinus stumbles upon a conspiracy against Caligula. This time period will be familiar to fans of Robert Graves and Suetonius. (Oh! Did I tell you that I tried to watch I, Claudius with Harold? He said he liked it, but then he wandered into the kitchen for a soda during “don’t touch the figs”, so I’m thinking he was just pretending to follow it.) Without revealing too much, Marcus Corvinus has to decide just how loyal he is to a notably unstable emperor.
Full review is here
Finished Business is another really great Marcus Corvinus mystery, set at the end of Caligula’s reign. The story’s on a larger Roman scale, a bit like Germanicus, because Marcus Corvinus stumbles upon a conspiracy against Caligula. This time period will be familiar to fans of Robert Graves and Suetonius. (Oh! Did I tell you that I tried to watch I, Claudius with Harold? He said he liked it, but then he wandered into the kitchen for a soda during “don’t touch the figs”, so I’m thinking he was just pretending to follow it.) Without revealing too much, Marcus Corvinus has to decide just how loyal he is to a notably unstable emperor.
Full review is here
April 28, 2016
I must reread Robert Graves and Suetonius.
April 9, 2017
Another excellent entry in this fine series. This time around, Marcus Corvinus is hired to determine if a death is accidental or murder, and, if murder, determine the culprit. He starts investigating, but quickly realizes that he is is very deep ... uh, stuff, with the trail reaching into the Imperial Palace, and he attracts some unwanted attention.
A complex plot (in more ways than one), in keeping with historical facts.
A complex plot (in more ways than one), in keeping with historical facts.
January 26, 2018
Well up with Wishart's best! The interactions with Caligula were especially chilling, but also convincing.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews