What do you think?
Rate this book
Death Stalks Glevum
"A mastery of period detail matches the engrossing plot . . . Brilliant " Publishers Weekly Starred Review of The Rewards of Treachery
On his way to see the Emperor's spy, Junio is distracted by something even more unpleasant . . .
Glevum, Britannia, 200 AD.
Britannia is still reeling from the brutal Succession Wars. After the defeat and execution of Britannia’s governor, Clodius Albinus, Emperor Severus is determined to seek out his enemies in the Roman Empire’s northernmost outpost.
In such troubled times, the arrival of the plague and the activities of Appius Limpnus, a suspected spy for Emperor Severus, are the last thing Glevum needs. Senior magistrate Marcus Septimus asks Libertus’s adopted son Junio to keep an eye on Appius by creating a mosaic outside his property.
But when Junio discovers two bodies near the road on his way to Appius’s townhouse, he is reluctantly diverted to investigating another mystery. Suddenly Junio must navigate a deadly trail of spying, scheming and betrayal that leads to a killer . . .
This smartly plotted, evocative and engaging historical mystery set in Roman Britain at the start of the 3rd century will appeal to fans of LINDSEY DAVIS, STEVEN SAYLOR and DAVID WISHART.
On his way to see the Emperor's spy, Junio is distracted by something even more unpleasant . . .
Glevum, Britannia, 200 AD.
Britannia is still reeling from the brutal Succession Wars. After the defeat and execution of Britannia’s governor, Clodius Albinus, Emperor Severus is determined to seek out his enemies in the Roman Empire’s northernmost outpost.
In such troubled times, the arrival of the plague and the activities of Appius Limpnus, a suspected spy for Emperor Severus, are the last thing Glevum needs. Senior magistrate Marcus Septimus asks Libertus’s adopted son Junio to keep an eye on Appius by creating a mosaic outside his property.
But when Junio discovers two bodies near the road on his way to Appius’s townhouse, he is reluctantly diverted to investigating another mystery. Suddenly Junio must navigate a deadly trail of spying, scheming and betrayal that leads to a killer . . .
This smartly plotted, evocative and engaging historical mystery set in Roman Britain at the start of the 3rd century will appeal to fans of LINDSEY DAVIS, STEVEN SAYLOR and DAVID WISHART.
228 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2026
13 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 25, 2026
Always a pleasure to return to Glevum.
I must admit I miss Libertus not that Junio is not well equipped to solve murders given his training he recieved from his foster father. But Junio has a different view of people and things than his father did which affects his you view this series..........though I am glad to see it continue. Junio is young blood, married with four (I think) children, a freedman partner and one or two slaves. He manages to eke out a living laying mosaics as his father Libertus taught him. Unfortunately Junio and his family fall on very hard times when a plague breaks out and decimated the town of Glenvum. Unable to work Junio and his family quickly run short of food and when their money runs out they have to start bartering their possessions for whatever they can get, which isn't much. The plague lingers in the town for months before it finally shows signs of ending. Marcus, the richest (and the meanest) man in town (who used to be Libertus sponsor) returns from his home down south, he helps Junio by supplying him with much needed food supplies although he does expect Junio to one day pay for them. To this end Marcus sends for Junio next day he wants him to go to town and present himself to Albinus who is going to sponsor a tiled shrine to be built in honor of the town having survived the plague. Marcus then expects Junio to spy on Albinus and report back on whatever he sees and manages to overhear. Junior sets off for town seeing no way of refusing Marcus but on the way he finds two bodies in a ditch ............................... Who they are and how they ended up in that ditch will consume Junio over the next few days...............
I must admit I miss Libertus not that Junio is not well equipped to solve murders given his training he recieved from his foster father. But Junio has a different view of people and things than his father did which affects his you view this series..........though I am glad to see it continue. Junio is young blood, married with four (I think) children, a freedman partner and one or two slaves. He manages to eke out a living laying mosaics as his father Libertus taught him. Unfortunately Junio and his family fall on very hard times when a plague breaks out and decimated the town of Glenvum. Unable to work Junio and his family quickly run short of food and when their money runs out they have to start bartering their possessions for whatever they can get, which isn't much. The plague lingers in the town for months before it finally shows signs of ending. Marcus, the richest (and the meanest) man in town (who used to be Libertus sponsor) returns from his home down south, he helps Junio by supplying him with much needed food supplies although he does expect Junio to one day pay for them. To this end Marcus sends for Junio next day he wants him to go to town and present himself to Albinus who is going to sponsor a tiled shrine to be built in honor of the town having survived the plague. Marcus then expects Junio to spy on Albinus and report back on whatever he sees and manages to overhear. Junior sets off for town seeing no way of refusing Marcus but on the way he finds two bodies in a ditch ............................... Who they are and how they ended up in that ditch will consume Junio over the next few days...............
March 3, 2026
Two Persons Who Wouldn't Meet In Life Die Together
When Junio returns after working on a house while the owner is away, the next-door tanner's wife warns Junio about people dying. A full-blown plague is breaking out in Britannica, including Glevum. He closes his shop and writes a notice on the door saying they are closed until further notice. With his slaves, he heads for home. The novel's start continues with Junio's family isolated, living off the meager supplies they have and whatever they can forage. The novel continues with this thread for several chapters.
This novel has two threads. The first describes how Junio and his family survive a plague outbreak. While the rate of deaths declines to zero reported, the possibility of people having the plague overshadows most interactions between people. The second thread starts when Marcus Aurelius Septimus, Junio's neighbor and Glevum's senior magistrate, returns. He has a job for Junio. He wants to know what a retired politician, favored by the new emperor and the new governor, is up to. He believes that he may be a target for denunciation by this man, who is running for the Glevum's Curia and wants to build a shrine outside his home. He will need to hire a pavement maker to complete the job. Marcus wants Junio to apply.
On the way to Glevum, Junio discovers two bodies beside the road. They are dressed in tunics of slaves or peasants. He knew one. He was a miller from Glevum. When he checked the other, he thought he recognized it as a patrician he was going to see about the paving job. Junio could not understand how a patrician and a trademan, who never would be seen together when alive, would end up just off an isolated spot in the road. He quickly runs afoul of the fort commander. As he interviews some patricians who knew the victim, he often found himself being told to leave their homes. Since catching a criminal at this time depended on gathering information from all involved and eventually working through the lies to find the murderer. This novel is more about thinking than action. Junio is not threatened, but he almost inadvertently kills himself. Junio, trying to solve two murders of people who would never interact in Roman society, captured my interest.
The background on Junio was very deep. Many of his decisions are shaped by his thoughts and previous actions, which in turn shape what he will do. While technically there is no patron-client relationship between Marcus and Junio, as there was between Marcus and Junio's father, Marcus listens carefully to Junio's thoughts and often takes his advice. Seeing the Junio character mature, especially in his relationship with Marcus, added to my enjoyment of this novel.
There are no aspects of this novel that should cause any reader to stop reading. There are no intimate scenes or objectionable language. In the murder scene, when it is described, there is no sign of violence used to kill them. There is no dependence on previous novels, so that it can be read first. I found reading this novel on my ereader to be highly valuable because of its seamless access to a dictionary and the Internet. To give the novel an ancient feel, the author used many archaic or uncommon words. Also, some British words were unfamiliar to me.
This novel is the 21st in this series that I have read. I enjoy reading this series, so I may be wearing rose-colored glasses that have prevented me from seeing any issues. One of the major aspects I liked about this novel is that, while unlikely in Roman society, elevating the Marcus/Junio relationship above the patron-client relationship gave Junio a more active role in shaping even Marcus's actions. I enjoyed seeing this happen. All the loose ends are tied up by the end, including one that I had not realized was a loose end. This novel is the second with Junio as the protagonist, so you can jump into this series with only one other novel to read. You do not need to read the previous 19 novels. I highly recommend reading this novel. If you are interested in ancient gumshoe novels, I am sure you will enjoy this one as much as I did. The novels used to be published once a year. The last two were published three years after the previous novel. I still will be scouring the Internet to discover when her next novel will appear. I rate this novel with five stars.
I received the free, pre-publication e-book version of this novel from Severn House through NetGalley. My review is based solely on my own reading experience. Thank you, Severn House, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
When Junio returns after working on a house while the owner is away, the next-door tanner's wife warns Junio about people dying. A full-blown plague is breaking out in Britannica, including Glevum. He closes his shop and writes a notice on the door saying they are closed until further notice. With his slaves, he heads for home. The novel's start continues with Junio's family isolated, living off the meager supplies they have and whatever they can forage. The novel continues with this thread for several chapters.
This novel has two threads. The first describes how Junio and his family survive a plague outbreak. While the rate of deaths declines to zero reported, the possibility of people having the plague overshadows most interactions between people. The second thread starts when Marcus Aurelius Septimus, Junio's neighbor and Glevum's senior magistrate, returns. He has a job for Junio. He wants to know what a retired politician, favored by the new emperor and the new governor, is up to. He believes that he may be a target for denunciation by this man, who is running for the Glevum's Curia and wants to build a shrine outside his home. He will need to hire a pavement maker to complete the job. Marcus wants Junio to apply.
On the way to Glevum, Junio discovers two bodies beside the road. They are dressed in tunics of slaves or peasants. He knew one. He was a miller from Glevum. When he checked the other, he thought he recognized it as a patrician he was going to see about the paving job. Junio could not understand how a patrician and a trademan, who never would be seen together when alive, would end up just off an isolated spot in the road. He quickly runs afoul of the fort commander. As he interviews some patricians who knew the victim, he often found himself being told to leave their homes. Since catching a criminal at this time depended on gathering information from all involved and eventually working through the lies to find the murderer. This novel is more about thinking than action. Junio is not threatened, but he almost inadvertently kills himself. Junio, trying to solve two murders of people who would never interact in Roman society, captured my interest.
The background on Junio was very deep. Many of his decisions are shaped by his thoughts and previous actions, which in turn shape what he will do. While technically there is no patron-client relationship between Marcus and Junio, as there was between Marcus and Junio's father, Marcus listens carefully to Junio's thoughts and often takes his advice. Seeing the Junio character mature, especially in his relationship with Marcus, added to my enjoyment of this novel.
There are no aspects of this novel that should cause any reader to stop reading. There are no intimate scenes or objectionable language. In the murder scene, when it is described, there is no sign of violence used to kill them. There is no dependence on previous novels, so that it can be read first. I found reading this novel on my ereader to be highly valuable because of its seamless access to a dictionary and the Internet. To give the novel an ancient feel, the author used many archaic or uncommon words. Also, some British words were unfamiliar to me.
This novel is the 21st in this series that I have read. I enjoy reading this series, so I may be wearing rose-colored glasses that have prevented me from seeing any issues. One of the major aspects I liked about this novel is that, while unlikely in Roman society, elevating the Marcus/Junio relationship above the patron-client relationship gave Junio a more active role in shaping even Marcus's actions. I enjoyed seeing this happen. All the loose ends are tied up by the end, including one that I had not realized was a loose end. This novel is the second with Junio as the protagonist, so you can jump into this series with only one other novel to read. You do not need to read the previous 19 novels. I highly recommend reading this novel. If you are interested in ancient gumshoe novels, I am sure you will enjoy this one as much as I did. The novels used to be published once a year. The last two were published three years after the previous novel. I still will be scouring the Internet to discover when her next novel will appear. I rate this novel with five stars.
I received the free, pre-publication e-book version of this novel from Severn House through NetGalley. My review is based solely on my own reading experience. Thank you, Severn House, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I haven't read any other books in this series but it was easy to understand the characters and follow the story.
A good part of the story deals with a plague that befalls Glevum (Gloucester) and how the characters deal with it. Wealthier people retire to the country or another house that they own. Junio, our main character, and his family are fortunate in that their house is out of town. But because they fear to go into the city for supplies they must barter with a farmer on his way into town with things like sandals or pottery that they own, hunt and forage in the forest. Eventually they are out of oil and flour and in a bad way when a wealthy acquaintance returns to his home near theirs and has his wife send over some provisions.
In return, Junio is asked to make a mosaic for a political enemy of his benefactor's (Marcus). However, on the way to this person's home Junio runs across a couple of dead bodies in the ditch next to the road. Knowing his civic duty is to inform Roman soldiers of the bodies so that they can be moved, he looks more closely and deduces that these bodies are not poor unfortunates (the way they were dressed) but actually of the patrician class and one turns out to be the very person that he had been sent to make a mosaic for.
Junio is pushed to investigate because Marcus does not want blame to fall on him as a known enemy of the victim. Junio tramps around town talking to many different people, finding out little bits of information, and eventually begins to put a picture together. Also, Junio can't seem to help himself. He has a strong sense of duty and curiosity.
The best part of this book for me was that the author had clearly researched Roman history and culture and meticulously put all she knew into her setting and characters. The mystery itself felt a bit plodding and her characters didn't always feel lifelike but I enjoyed my time travel trip back to Roman Britain.
A good part of the story deals with a plague that befalls Glevum (Gloucester) and how the characters deal with it. Wealthier people retire to the country or another house that they own. Junio, our main character, and his family are fortunate in that their house is out of town. But because they fear to go into the city for supplies they must barter with a farmer on his way into town with things like sandals or pottery that they own, hunt and forage in the forest. Eventually they are out of oil and flour and in a bad way when a wealthy acquaintance returns to his home near theirs and has his wife send over some provisions.
In return, Junio is asked to make a mosaic for a political enemy of his benefactor's (Marcus). However, on the way to this person's home Junio runs across a couple of dead bodies in the ditch next to the road. Knowing his civic duty is to inform Roman soldiers of the bodies so that they can be moved, he looks more closely and deduces that these bodies are not poor unfortunates (the way they were dressed) but actually of the patrician class and one turns out to be the very person that he had been sent to make a mosaic for.
Junio is pushed to investigate because Marcus does not want blame to fall on him as a known enemy of the victim. Junio tramps around town talking to many different people, finding out little bits of information, and eventually begins to put a picture together. Also, Junio can't seem to help himself. He has a strong sense of duty and curiosity.
The best part of this book for me was that the author had clearly researched Roman history and culture and meticulously put all she knew into her setting and characters. The mystery itself felt a bit plodding and her characters didn't always feel lifelike but I enjoyed my time travel trip back to Roman Britain.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I've read some of the earlier books in the series and enjoyed them. This one is just as good as the early books, and I don't think you'd need to read the earlier ones (though I would recommend them!) because the author catches you up with who the main characters are and their backstories. The main 'detective' in this one is Libertus's adopted son, Junio.
The characterisation is excellent, and the setting is fabulously detailed - really takes you back to Roman Britain, the time of the plague and the political upheaval after the Succession Wars (and how it plays out between the upper and lower classes locally, too).
The plot's good, too - Junio is doing a favour to his local senior magistrate (he doesn't have a lot of choice in the matter!) to try to get a commission for a mosaic and keep an eye on the emperor's spy, but on the way he discovers two dead bodies and has to investigate. Every time he thinks he's getting closer to solving the puzzle, there's another twist. Very satisfying and thoroughly recommended.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
The characterisation is excellent, and the setting is fabulously detailed - really takes you back to Roman Britain, the time of the plague and the political upheaval after the Succession Wars (and how it plays out between the upper and lower classes locally, too).
The plot's good, too - Junio is doing a favour to his local senior magistrate (he doesn't have a lot of choice in the matter!) to try to get a commission for a mosaic and keep an eye on the emperor's spy, but on the way he discovers two dead bodies and has to investigate. Every time he thinks he's getting closer to solving the puzzle, there's another twist. Very satisfying and thoroughly recommended.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
March 2, 2026
I thank NetGalley and Severn House for an advance reader copy of Death Stalks Glevum. All opinions and comments are my own.
Plague has come to Glevum. And with that comes death. But not all the deaths are the result of the contagion. Following in the footsteps of his father Libertus, who long trod the dusty streets of Glevum “investigating,” Junio the mosaic-maker has proven to be just as good at ferreting out the secrets and lies of the city’s inhabitants. In Death Stalks Glevum, the murder of a Roman citizen (a real bad ‘un) and a lowly city miller will task his deductive skills to the fullest.
‘Tis a cleverly constructed crime that Junio uncovers. Luckily, it means that he remains in the good graces of Marcus Aurelius Septimus, Glevum’s senior magistrate and altogether important person in town. Deaths by the plague are also decreasing. Business will return. Life goes on in Glevum, until the next problem needs pondering by a very talented resident with a mind for (solving) murders.
Plague has come to Glevum. And with that comes death. But not all the deaths are the result of the contagion. Following in the footsteps of his father Libertus, who long trod the dusty streets of Glevum “investigating,” Junio the mosaic-maker has proven to be just as good at ferreting out the secrets and lies of the city’s inhabitants. In Death Stalks Glevum, the murder of a Roman citizen (a real bad ‘un) and a lowly city miller will task his deductive skills to the fullest.
‘Tis a cleverly constructed crime that Junio uncovers. Luckily, it means that he remains in the good graces of Marcus Aurelius Septimus, Glevum’s senior magistrate and altogether important person in town. Deaths by the plague are also decreasing. Business will return. Life goes on in Glevum, until the next problem needs pondering by a very talented resident with a mind for (solving) murders.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I loved reading this,I have never read this author before but I have since reading this bought the first in the series to start.
The characters are strong and determined and the details about Roman life were fantastic.
I have read similar types by other authors but this one is as good.
I was hooked but did not work out the culprits so it kept the suspense to the end
Thanks to Netgalley and Severn House publishing for my arc copy
The characters are strong and determined and the details about Roman life were fantastic.
I have read similar types by other authors but this one is as good.
I was hooked but did not work out the culprits so it kept the suspense to the end
Thanks to Netgalley and Severn House publishing for my arc copy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
really interesting historical fiction set in Britain under Roman rule. the mystery is fantastic and quite intriguingly borne out, and builds up towards a hyper-dramatic end as it keeps going. would recommend. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
If you want to get honest reviews of some of the most exciting books coming out every week from a top-5 Goodreads Reviewer, sign up for my mailing list here!
If you want to get honest reviews of some of the most exciting books coming out every week from a top-5 Goodreads Reviewer, sign up for my mailing list here!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A new Libertus mystery- this time featuring Libertus' adopted son, Junio. An engaging mixture of Roman politics and murder with an array of characters from all walks of Roman life. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews