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Blood of Rome #1
Rivals of the Republic: The Blood of Rome series
The body of a Vestal Virgin is dragged out of the River Tiber. A senator bleeds to death in his bath. As the authorities turn a blind eye, Hortensia, daughter of the capital’s most celebrated orator, feels compelled to investigate a trail of murders that lead to the dark heart of Rome.
Flying in the face of her husband’s and father’s attempts to protect her, rebelling against the constraints imposed upon her sex, she is drawn ever deeper into the corrupt underworld that lurks in the shadows cast by the city’s all-powerful elite. When fires begin to rage in the slums and more key witnesses are silenced, only one man can save Hortensia from becoming the next victim of a conspiracy to destroy the Republic: Lucrio, the damaged ex-gladiator to whom she already owes her life. But will the secrets of his own tragic past threaten to subsume them both…
Flying in the face of her husband’s and father’s attempts to protect her, rebelling against the constraints imposed upon her sex, she is drawn ever deeper into the corrupt underworld that lurks in the shadows cast by the city’s all-powerful elite. When fires begin to rage in the slums and more key witnesses are silenced, only one man can save Hortensia from becoming the next victim of a conspiracy to destroy the Republic: Lucrio, the damaged ex-gladiator to whom she already owes her life. But will the secrets of his own tragic past threaten to subsume them both…
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 22, 2014
9 people are currently reading
419 people want to read
About the author
Annelise Freisenbruch
2 books29 followersAnnelise Freisenbruch was born in 1977 in Paget, Bermuda, and moved to the UK at the age of eight. She studied Classics to postgraduate level at Cambridge University, receiving a PhD in 2004 for her thesis on the correspondence between the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and his tutor Cornelius Fronto. During that time, she also taught Classics at a private school in Cambridge. She has worked as a research assistant on a number of popular books and films about the ancient world, and regularly gives talks to schools about Classics in popular culture. Annelise Freisenbruch was the researcher to Bettany Hughes on her critically acclaimed book Helen of Troy (Vintage). She was also a specialist series researcher on the BBC1 docu-drama series Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire, and is currently working on films on Attila the Hun and Spartacus for the BBC. Annelise holds a PhD in Classics from Cambridge University and has worked as a freelance history researcher in the media for the last four years. She lives in Cambridge, where she teaches Latin to middle-school children. Caesars' Wives is her first book.
(from http://authors.simonandschuster.com/A...)
(from http://authors.simonandschuster.com/A...)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 24, 2017
This was a very interesting and enjoyable read. The setting is in Ancient Rome and Freisenbruch gives excellent descriptions of life, the characters and historical detail. An easy read as the storyline flows very well.
A man in grey delivers a letter to Senator Lucilius Albinus. The letter is asking the senator to pay his debts, but unfortunately the Senator does not have the money. The man in grey tells the Senator that the letter outlines an alternative solution, but the Senator does not wish to go down that route. Instead he hands the man a small box of coins and says that be will pay the balance of his debt as soon as he is able. After the man in grey leaves, the Senator composes a letter to Pompey, seals it with his ring and gives instructions for the letter to be delivered. He then goes to his bath, undresses, gets in the bath and cuts his wrists.
Hortensia and her brother Quintus are in danger of being attacked by a crocodile. Fortunately, Lucrio, a Lusitanian gladiator, sees their plight and saves them. Lucrio is later injured in a gladiator fight and Hortensia asks her father to buy Lucrio, as a debt of gratitude.
After Hortensia's wedding to Caepio, Lucrio asks her if the family will be moving to Rome. If so, he would like to go with them and tells Hortensia that he is searching for his family, but in reality Lucrio has an ulterior motive.
Meanwhile in Rome, a Vestal witnesses a man stealing documents, but he sees her and strangles her with his hands. However, he has not succeeded and she manages to crawl away, but unfortunately he finds her again and finishes her off. Her body is later found floating in the Tiber river.
Hortensia is now in Rome and bored. As Caepio's wife she has nothing to do. She comes across Drusilla, who is looking for her ex husband. Drusilla is very agitated, Hortensia asks her what is wrong and Drusilla explains. Hortensia decides to help Drusilla in court the following day, to get back her dowry and children. The court proceedings are an entertaining and amusing read.
After leaving court, Hortensia and Lucrio see her father in the distance. Lucrio enquires who the man is that is stood next to her father. Hortensia gives the man's name to Lucrio, then she notices that Lucrio has disappeared into the crowd.
The following day a boy named Felix comes to see Hortensia. He tells her that Cornelia, the Chief Vestal wishes to see her. Hortensia goes to the house of Vestals and Cornelia tell her that the death of Helena, the vestal, could not be from suicide. Cornelia says that a man has entered the inner sanctum of the temple where all the important documents are kept, and a message has been found that Helena must have written before she died. Cornelia asks Hortensia if she will investigate to discover what has actually happened.
The storyline continues and Lucrio has been found. He has some very interesting information for Hortensia that may help her investigations. Does Hortensia manage to discover who the murderer is and find out what the motive is? Can Lucrio assist or is his own agenda far more important?
Freisenbruch has taken history figures and intertwined them with other characters to create a very good storyline containing history, murder and mystery. This is book #1 in the Blood of Rome series and I'll be keeping an eye out for #2 in the series.
This was a Goodreads giveaway - many thanks to Duckworth Overlook for providing me with a copy.
A man in grey delivers a letter to Senator Lucilius Albinus. The letter is asking the senator to pay his debts, but unfortunately the Senator does not have the money. The man in grey tells the Senator that the letter outlines an alternative solution, but the Senator does not wish to go down that route. Instead he hands the man a small box of coins and says that be will pay the balance of his debt as soon as he is able. After the man in grey leaves, the Senator composes a letter to Pompey, seals it with his ring and gives instructions for the letter to be delivered. He then goes to his bath, undresses, gets in the bath and cuts his wrists.
Hortensia and her brother Quintus are in danger of being attacked by a crocodile. Fortunately, Lucrio, a Lusitanian gladiator, sees their plight and saves them. Lucrio is later injured in a gladiator fight and Hortensia asks her father to buy Lucrio, as a debt of gratitude.
After Hortensia's wedding to Caepio, Lucrio asks her if the family will be moving to Rome. If so, he would like to go with them and tells Hortensia that he is searching for his family, but in reality Lucrio has an ulterior motive.
Meanwhile in Rome, a Vestal witnesses a man stealing documents, but he sees her and strangles her with his hands. However, he has not succeeded and she manages to crawl away, but unfortunately he finds her again and finishes her off. Her body is later found floating in the Tiber river.
Hortensia is now in Rome and bored. As Caepio's wife she has nothing to do. She comes across Drusilla, who is looking for her ex husband. Drusilla is very agitated, Hortensia asks her what is wrong and Drusilla explains. Hortensia decides to help Drusilla in court the following day, to get back her dowry and children. The court proceedings are an entertaining and amusing read.
After leaving court, Hortensia and Lucrio see her father in the distance. Lucrio enquires who the man is that is stood next to her father. Hortensia gives the man's name to Lucrio, then she notices that Lucrio has disappeared into the crowd.
The following day a boy named Felix comes to see Hortensia. He tells her that Cornelia, the Chief Vestal wishes to see her. Hortensia goes to the house of Vestals and Cornelia tell her that the death of Helena, the vestal, could not be from suicide. Cornelia says that a man has entered the inner sanctum of the temple where all the important documents are kept, and a message has been found that Helena must have written before she died. Cornelia asks Hortensia if she will investigate to discover what has actually happened.
The storyline continues and Lucrio has been found. He has some very interesting information for Hortensia that may help her investigations. Does Hortensia manage to discover who the murderer is and find out what the motive is? Can Lucrio assist or is his own agenda far more important?
Freisenbruch has taken history figures and intertwined them with other characters to create a very good storyline containing history, murder and mystery. This is book #1 in the Blood of Rome series and I'll be keeping an eye out for #2 in the series.
This was a Goodreads giveaway - many thanks to Duckworth Overlook for providing me with a copy.
March 14, 2017
Hortensia, the heroine, was based on a real woman living in the Roman Republic. The story was mediocre, but the author showed a flair in her writing. A Senator slits his wrists in suicide, then a Vestal is killed and thrown into the Tiber. Hortensia , along with her indulgent husband, Caepio, and the ex-gladiator, Lucrio, unravel the mystery. Everything was neatly wrapped up at the end.
Use of nicknames was foolish. Sometimes Hortensia annoyed me going beyond curious to "nosy parker." Would her husband have really been that forbearing in real life?
Use of nicknames was foolish. Sometimes Hortensia annoyed me going beyond curious to "nosy parker." Would her husband have really been that forbearing in real life?
June 28, 2017
Surprisingly good debut novel. The author clearly knows her Roman history and the writing was well done. A couple of other reviewers mentioned the irritating use of diminutive names such as "Horty" and "Crassy", but I found none of that in the copy I had from the library, so maybe it was edited since then.
Looking forward to her next book.
Recommended for historical fans.
Looking forward to her next book.
Recommended for historical fans.
August 13, 2018
This seems to be the start of a new Roman mystery series. The sleuth is Hortensia (a real person), the daughter of the famous orator Hortensius Hortalus. She's just been married to Caepio (another historical person) and should be settling down to being a Roman matron, but gets sucked into a mystery involving forged wills kept by the Vestal Virgins, one of whom has been killed. The underlying mystery involves a plot to kill consul Pompey. It's an interesting plot, but it's a bit of a stretch imagining a young woman raised in a wealthy home and newly married running around Rome looking for clues. I will read the next one, though.
September 3, 2017
I was lucky enough to win this here in a giveaway and just happened to read a few pages after opening it, and couldn't put it down , I loved the characters and the attention to detail of Roman lives is amazing but without being long winded it's fast paced interesting and exciting . Brilliant book.
November 24, 2014
Blood in the Tiber is a mystery set in the late Roman Republic, during the aftermath of the Sertorian war in Spain and the third Servile War (Spartacus’ mob.) It comes from the pen of Annelise Freisenbruch, who has a solid pedigree as a Roman historian, teaching the subject and having already released a non-fiction account of the women behind the Caesars.
Without wanting to throw any spoilers at you, the plot revolves around that old chestnut, the rivalry between two of the triumvirs of Rome, Crassus and Pompey, though some decades before their most famous moments, when they shared power with Julius Caesar. The story centres on a girl of marriageable age named Hortensia, daughter of a renowned orator and lawyer, and involves murder, theft and treason in the houses of the mighty and even in the forbidden sanctuary of the Vestal virgins, culminating in a plot which could shake the Republic to its core.
I will say at the outset that there were a couple of things that irked me slightly, but I’ll only begin with this, because it’s worth getting them out of the way. One was the shortening of people’s names in a very twee manner – Hortensia to Horty and Crassus to Crassy – the latter seeming extremely strange when used by people like Pompey. And the third was the use of the name of a place in Spain – Alcantara – which is a Moorish name a thousand years too recent, when compared with her use of Lacobriga (probably modern Lagos). There were a few typos and minor hiccups, but those two were the ones that I consider worth mentioning. They are the reason I mark an otherwise five star tale down to a still-thoroughly respectable four.
On the other hand, Blood in the Tiber is a well-constructed plot. It is very tightly-written, with every loose end tied up, and even a couple of surprises in there. The characterisation is well-done, particularly in the case of the bad guy and of the Lusitanian gladiator side-kick of our heroine. The prose and descriptive are smooth and masterful and the whole thing feels polished and neat. Most impressive to me was that Freisenbruch has taken a cast of largely real historical characters and weaved a fictional plot about them that does not interfere with recorded history in any fashion. Another big win is the level of historical detail that has been filtered into the book from a writer who is clearly well-informed on the subject. I like to consider myself fairly well-educated on the subject of Rome, but the detail of wills and their creation and the process of scribes and their equipment threw new and interesting information at me.
To some extent, I was unsure of the target audience of the book. Sometimes it seemed to be clearly aimed at an adult readership, but there were times when it seemed more angled towards the young adult audience, especially in respect of the heroine. Perhaps this might provide a win for Freisenbruch, as her work may be of equal interest to both markets and while containing a little more adult material, I would not baulk at letting a teen read it.
The upshot? Blood in the Tiber was an entertaining and well-written tale that kept me reading whenever I had the chance, and for all the few faults I could find with it, at no time put me off reading onward. If you are looking for a nice little mystery set in the chaotic period of the Roman Republic, this is worth picking up and I would recommend it.
Without wanting to throw any spoilers at you, the plot revolves around that old chestnut, the rivalry between two of the triumvirs of Rome, Crassus and Pompey, though some decades before their most famous moments, when they shared power with Julius Caesar. The story centres on a girl of marriageable age named Hortensia, daughter of a renowned orator and lawyer, and involves murder, theft and treason in the houses of the mighty and even in the forbidden sanctuary of the Vestal virgins, culminating in a plot which could shake the Republic to its core.
I will say at the outset that there were a couple of things that irked me slightly, but I’ll only begin with this, because it’s worth getting them out of the way. One was the shortening of people’s names in a very twee manner – Hortensia to Horty and Crassus to Crassy – the latter seeming extremely strange when used by people like Pompey. And the third was the use of the name of a place in Spain – Alcantara – which is a Moorish name a thousand years too recent, when compared with her use of Lacobriga (probably modern Lagos). There were a few typos and minor hiccups, but those two were the ones that I consider worth mentioning. They are the reason I mark an otherwise five star tale down to a still-thoroughly respectable four.
On the other hand, Blood in the Tiber is a well-constructed plot. It is very tightly-written, with every loose end tied up, and even a couple of surprises in there. The characterisation is well-done, particularly in the case of the bad guy and of the Lusitanian gladiator side-kick of our heroine. The prose and descriptive are smooth and masterful and the whole thing feels polished and neat. Most impressive to me was that Freisenbruch has taken a cast of largely real historical characters and weaved a fictional plot about them that does not interfere with recorded history in any fashion. Another big win is the level of historical detail that has been filtered into the book from a writer who is clearly well-informed on the subject. I like to consider myself fairly well-educated on the subject of Rome, but the detail of wills and their creation and the process of scribes and their equipment threw new and interesting information at me.
To some extent, I was unsure of the target audience of the book. Sometimes it seemed to be clearly aimed at an adult readership, but there were times when it seemed more angled towards the young adult audience, especially in respect of the heroine. Perhaps this might provide a win for Freisenbruch, as her work may be of equal interest to both markets and while containing a little more adult material, I would not baulk at letting a teen read it.
The upshot? Blood in the Tiber was an entertaining and well-written tale that kept me reading whenever I had the chance, and for all the few faults I could find with it, at no time put me off reading onward. If you are looking for a nice little mystery set in the chaotic period of the Roman Republic, this is worth picking up and I would recommend it.
June 9, 2015
The story is nothing special. For those who want see the role of woman in Rome while it was a republic, it might be more appealing. As me, I thought it was a solid effort; the writing was good. the main problem for me was the use of shorting of the roman names, i.e. "Hortensia" to "Horty", this just grated on me more and more as the novel progressed, ahhhh -- Like nails scrapping down a blackboard.
This is the first novel by this author, so I would have to give her a bit of leeway.
This is the first novel by this author, so I would have to give her a bit of leeway.
March 1, 2020
I got this book from one of the book boxes ages ago and it sounded like something I really wanted to read, so, of course, I didn't read it for nearly two years. That said, I found this book delightful and I am definitely going to keep an eye out for more books in this series.
This book is a historical murder mystery, when it comes down to it. Hortensia is the daughter of one of Rome's great orators and has inherited his skill with speaking. Through circumstances, she manages to get herself involved in solving the murder of a Vestal Virgin (a priestess) and finds it links to a greater conspiracy than she had ever thought.
This book defied my expectations in several ways. Since it was the first of a series, I thought it was going to end on a cliffhanger or not wrap up the main story, but it did not. I thought there was going to be a lot of angst around Hortensia's upcoming, possible marriage with rumours and love triangles all over the place, but there wasn't. I thought there was going to be a romance between Hortensia and Lucrio, the slave who is helping her investigate, but there wasn't. And all these factors helped me to really enjoy this book.
The two main characters are Hortensia and Lucrio and we switch between their POVs (as well as sometimes diverting to the villain's POV occasionally). Hortensia is young (she is seventeen when the story starts), intelligent, willing to put herself into danger for the truth and just a little too cocksure at times (it is what leads to a tricky situation near the end of the book). Lucrio is very focused on his revenge, which both helps and hinders the investigation and he is also a very good warrior. Hortensia and Lucrio strike up a strange friendship - Hortensia saved him from being killed in the gladiator ring and she earns Lucrio's loyalty by not standing in his way when it comes to his revenge. They are wonderful characters to read about and I was fully invested in both of them.
The side characters were interesting enough but they were definitely there to serve their purposes as side characters. Hortensia's husband seems amicable enough and I did like how he did not try to stifle Hortensia when she wanted to speak up for another woman, just warned her about considering the consequences. With a marriage like that, where her husband was older than her, it could have come across as him condescending to her but thankfully we didn't really see any of that. I was not a fan of Hortensia's father, despite how much she admired and loved him, and we still see some of that pedestal crumple by the end of the book.
The villain was a delightful one. Smart, cunning and far too willing to kill to get rid of his opponents, this all made the ending very satisfying. I liked seeing a glimpse of his motivation at the end because it was a very sympathetic motivation but he was still a horrible person. And that ending!
The plot was a little slow-moving at times but I think my preconceived ideas about this book, as mentioned above, held me back more than anything else. But I found this a very well-written book and I loved the historical context we got at the beginning of the book so it helped to set the scene for us. This definitely leans on the more historical side than the murder mystery side, but I really enjoyed how the setting and the time played a huge part in this story.
4 stars!
This book is a historical murder mystery, when it comes down to it. Hortensia is the daughter of one of Rome's great orators and has inherited his skill with speaking. Through circumstances, she manages to get herself involved in solving the murder of a Vestal Virgin (a priestess) and finds it links to a greater conspiracy than she had ever thought.
This book defied my expectations in several ways. Since it was the first of a series, I thought it was going to end on a cliffhanger or not wrap up the main story, but it did not. I thought there was going to be a lot of angst around Hortensia's upcoming, possible marriage with rumours and love triangles all over the place, but there wasn't. I thought there was going to be a romance between Hortensia and Lucrio, the slave who is helping her investigate, but there wasn't. And all these factors helped me to really enjoy this book.
The two main characters are Hortensia and Lucrio and we switch between their POVs (as well as sometimes diverting to the villain's POV occasionally). Hortensia is young (she is seventeen when the story starts), intelligent, willing to put herself into danger for the truth and just a little too cocksure at times (it is what leads to a tricky situation near the end of the book). Lucrio is very focused on his revenge, which both helps and hinders the investigation and he is also a very good warrior. Hortensia and Lucrio strike up a strange friendship - Hortensia saved him from being killed in the gladiator ring and she earns Lucrio's loyalty by not standing in his way when it comes to his revenge. They are wonderful characters to read about and I was fully invested in both of them.
The side characters were interesting enough but they were definitely there to serve their purposes as side characters. Hortensia's husband seems amicable enough and I did like how he did not try to stifle Hortensia when she wanted to speak up for another woman, just warned her about considering the consequences. With a marriage like that, where her husband was older than her, it could have come across as him condescending to her but thankfully we didn't really see any of that. I was not a fan of Hortensia's father, despite how much she admired and loved him, and we still see some of that pedestal crumple by the end of the book.
The villain was a delightful one. Smart, cunning and far too willing to kill to get rid of his opponents, this all made the ending very satisfying. I liked seeing a glimpse of his motivation at the end because it was a very sympathetic motivation but he was still a horrible person. And that ending!
The plot was a little slow-moving at times but I think my preconceived ideas about this book, as mentioned above, held me back more than anything else. But I found this a very well-written book and I loved the historical context we got at the beginning of the book so it helped to set the scene for us. This definitely leans on the more historical side than the murder mystery side, but I really enjoyed how the setting and the time played a huge part in this story.
4 stars!
November 16, 2017
I love all things Roman. I have been on a dig, visited Roman sites and I collect Roman coins, so I had high expectations of Rivals of the Republic and I’m delighted that Annelise Freisenbruch met and exceeded every single one.
I have to admit that my heart sank when I saw the Dramatis Personae at the beginning as I thought my reading would be constantly interrupted whilst I had to keep checking who was who. Not a bit of it! The writing was so good and so effective that I didn’t need it at all because Annelise Freisenbruch has the ability to weave in character and plot smoothly and effortlessly.
Aside from the excellent descriptions that truly place the reader in 70 BC Rome, the general tone and style are just perfect, with a formality that underpins the era wonderfully. I genuinely felt as if I were transported back in time and I found Annelise Freisenbruch’s setting so visual it was as if I were watching a film as well as reading a story.
I found the plot absolutely fascinating. It writhes along so that the reader doesn’t know what to expect next, even when they are aware of historical factual background. The political machinations of Rome flood the text with excitement and tension making for a highly exciting read. The Rivals would make a fabulous television series and I could visualise every element.
The characters created are three dimensional and realistic. Hortensia is a triumph. Her feminist approach to the patriarchal Roman society adds an extra layer of tension and detail that I loved. The quality of research that supports the narrative to bring alive both real and imagined people is outstanding. I am thrilled that The Rivals is the first in a proposed series as I’m desperate to read more about Hortensia and, if I’m honest, I’m a little bit in love with Lucrio and I definitely want to see more of him.
Regardless of whether the reader prefers history or thrillers, The Rivals is a novel of outstanding writing, exquisite research and fabulous storytelling such that all readers can enjoy reading it. I absolutely loved it.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2017/11/16/...
I have to admit that my heart sank when I saw the Dramatis Personae at the beginning as I thought my reading would be constantly interrupted whilst I had to keep checking who was who. Not a bit of it! The writing was so good and so effective that I didn’t need it at all because Annelise Freisenbruch has the ability to weave in character and plot smoothly and effortlessly.
Aside from the excellent descriptions that truly place the reader in 70 BC Rome, the general tone and style are just perfect, with a formality that underpins the era wonderfully. I genuinely felt as if I were transported back in time and I found Annelise Freisenbruch’s setting so visual it was as if I were watching a film as well as reading a story.
I found the plot absolutely fascinating. It writhes along so that the reader doesn’t know what to expect next, even when they are aware of historical factual background. The political machinations of Rome flood the text with excitement and tension making for a highly exciting read. The Rivals would make a fabulous television series and I could visualise every element.
The characters created are three dimensional and realistic. Hortensia is a triumph. Her feminist approach to the patriarchal Roman society adds an extra layer of tension and detail that I loved. The quality of research that supports the narrative to bring alive both real and imagined people is outstanding. I am thrilled that The Rivals is the first in a proposed series as I’m desperate to read more about Hortensia and, if I’m honest, I’m a little bit in love with Lucrio and I definitely want to see more of him.
Regardless of whether the reader prefers history or thrillers, The Rivals is a novel of outstanding writing, exquisite research and fabulous storytelling such that all readers can enjoy reading it. I absolutely loved it.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2017/11/16/...
October 25, 2022
Engaging historical crime mystery - full review to follow
September 19, 2017
I really enjoyed this political thriller set in Ancient Rome. Although it started off slowly setting the scene, it picked up speed with plot twists and unsavoury characters. The author’s descriptions of everyday life, for both rich and poor were wonderful, enabling me to feel as though I was there wandering down the streets with the different characters.
I really liked Hortensia. I admired her independence and bravery whilst facing the different situations she found herself in.
I must confess, I did get confused by similar sounding names at times, so I was relieved that the author had provided a cast of characters at the beginning of the book, to remind me who was who, throughout.
I look forward to reading more in this new series, and definitely recommend this if you enjoy historical fiction, mystery and thrillers.
Thanks so much to Duckworth Overlook for my copy.
I really liked Hortensia. I admired her independence and bravery whilst facing the different situations she found herself in.
I must confess, I did get confused by similar sounding names at times, so I was relieved that the author had provided a cast of characters at the beginning of the book, to remind me who was who, throughout.
I look forward to reading more in this new series, and definitely recommend this if you enjoy historical fiction, mystery and thrillers.
Thanks so much to Duckworth Overlook for my copy.
March 22, 2015
I rather think this is going to be the opener for a series. But not bad; set in late republican Rome the plot revolves around the rivalry between Crassus and Pompey but as you'd expect it includes Vestal Virgins, slaves, gladiators, forgers and an unusually supportive Roman husband! The lead character Hortensia is the daughter Quintus Hortensius Hortalus, the rival of the lawyer Cicero in the trial of Varres - which provides the backdrop to the story. Its a quick light read and I would have given it 4 starts but the diminutive names annoyed me Hortensia being "Horty" I could have lived with but Crassus as Crassy???
March 2, 2015
A great debut novel. The author has plenty of knowledge of Rome in the period and manages to avoid getting bogged down in exposition. Plenty of historical figures feature but they are not shoehorned in. Even individuals like Caesar and Cicero only have cameos. My one complaint is that I feel that the book could have done with some additional editing here and there.
January 3, 2018
I loved every page of this wonderful novel!
October 9, 2017
This is set in Rome, 70BC, its main protagonist is Hortensia, daughter of a notable and renowned lawyer Hortentsius. She has her fathers tenacity, skills and understanding of law and the Roman legal system. She discovers a devious plan that if successful will send shock waves throughout Rome, she will call on the help of an ex gladiator to delve into this murky world of back stabbing, underhandedness that is called politics. It soon becomes obvious that Hortensia is not your average Roman, but a strong-willed individual with strong moral ideals.
This book took a couple of chapters to get into before I really got the feel for it. There are quite a few characters, with some similar sounding names, as well as getting into the story, but as I started to get a handle on this I was then able to really enjoy it. Once in full flow, it became obvious that the author really knows and loves her subject, her knowledge of law, society, status and history. I really liked the characters of Hortensia and Lucrio, as well as the dodgy Petro. As mentioned previously there are a lot of characters, and they have a varied range of traits and characteristics that make them memorable as the story progresses. Also in this book is a handy lists at the beginning of who's who, and what their role is.
The author mentions at the end of the book that she has used many actual historical figures and accounts of events, she has then woven her story around this. The story revolves around a murder / mystery, but it much more than that. What made it more enjoyable for me was the historical content such as people, places, habits, customs, social class and structure and the differences between people. I would recommend this book to people who like historical fiction and murder mystery genres.
This book took a couple of chapters to get into before I really got the feel for it. There are quite a few characters, with some similar sounding names, as well as getting into the story, but as I started to get a handle on this I was then able to really enjoy it. Once in full flow, it became obvious that the author really knows and loves her subject, her knowledge of law, society, status and history. I really liked the characters of Hortensia and Lucrio, as well as the dodgy Petro. As mentioned previously there are a lot of characters, and they have a varied range of traits and characteristics that make them memorable as the story progresses. Also in this book is a handy lists at the beginning of who's who, and what their role is.
The author mentions at the end of the book that she has used many actual historical figures and accounts of events, she has then woven her story around this. The story revolves around a murder / mystery, but it much more than that. What made it more enjoyable for me was the historical content such as people, places, habits, customs, social class and structure and the differences between people. I would recommend this book to people who like historical fiction and murder mystery genres.
February 18, 2018
Fun! In the first place, it's a rare novel that tackles the 70's BCE rather than the 50's or 40's, and I loved that setting: the scars of Sulla and Marius still fresh, Pompey as the up-and-comer, Cicero just coming into his own (the action of the book coincides with the trial of Verres, although the plot only loosely touches on it), Caesar barely on anyone's radar. Freisenbruch captures the life and political world of the Roman (patrician) elite wonderfully through the eyes of Hortensia, who is by turns savvy, clever, and quick on her feet (all the necessary qualities of an orator) and a plausibly naive 16-year-old. In the second place, Hortensia! It's absurd that it's taken this long to get her as a protagonist! I'm eager to read the promised sequels, and, especially, to see where her relationship with Terentia and Fabia goes...
In some ways, the mystery and plotting are extremely conventional. Down to the villain (who is, to top it off, a sadist and a rapist*, because of course he is) kidnapping our protagonist, tying her up, and monologuing his plan at her in the penultimate chapter. Things are set up and not explored as much as they might have been. There's perhaps a bit too much infodumping about the plan of Rome, although at least it's in small bunches, and "As you know, Gaius"-ing about recent history, although that is somewhat justified as Men Assuming Hortensia Doesn't Know Things. Not perfect, in other words, but a darn sight better than most of the Roman Mysteries out there, and I'll definitely have an eye out for the sequels.
(*"...And most of the men in Hortensia's life aren't?" one might ask cynically)
In some ways, the mystery and plotting are extremely conventional. Down to the villain (who is, to top it off, a sadist and a rapist*, because of course he is) kidnapping our protagonist, tying her up, and monologuing his plan at her in the penultimate chapter. Things are set up and not explored as much as they might have been. There's perhaps a bit too much infodumping about the plan of Rome, although at least it's in small bunches, and "As you know, Gaius"-ing about recent history, although that is somewhat justified as Men Assuming Hortensia Doesn't Know Things. Not perfect, in other words, but a darn sight better than most of the Roman Mysteries out there, and I'll definitely have an eye out for the sequels.
(*"...And most of the men in Hortensia's life aren't?" one might ask cynically)
October 18, 2017
Murder, mystery and life in 70 BC Rome
A senator is murdered and a vestal virgin is found dead, and that's just the start of this action filled mystery thriller.
Hortensia is the 17 year daughter of a prominent lawyer, and is requested by the Chief Priestess of the Vestal Virgins to help solve a mystery they have discovered. But what can Hortensia, a woman in a man's society, do? Plenty it seems, with a little help from her new slave, who seems to have secrets of his own.
Alongside the great storyline there is plenty of fascinating information about the life of women in Rome in 70 BC, what happens in the law courts, how the lives of the rich and the poor differ, plus tales of corruption and bribery.
There is a list of characters at the front of the book, but I only referred to it once. The names of the characters are easy to follow, and the book is so interesting that I turned to Google quite a few times to find out more about things and events mentioned.
A 5*s from me, as I love a historical novel that keeps me involved both with the plot and many interesting historical facts.
I understand this is the first book in a series of historical crime novels - great news, I look forward to the next.
A senator is murdered and a vestal virgin is found dead, and that's just the start of this action filled mystery thriller.
Hortensia is the 17 year daughter of a prominent lawyer, and is requested by the Chief Priestess of the Vestal Virgins to help solve a mystery they have discovered. But what can Hortensia, a woman in a man's society, do? Plenty it seems, with a little help from her new slave, who seems to have secrets of his own.
Alongside the great storyline there is plenty of fascinating information about the life of women in Rome in 70 BC, what happens in the law courts, how the lives of the rich and the poor differ, plus tales of corruption and bribery.
There is a list of characters at the front of the book, but I only referred to it once. The names of the characters are easy to follow, and the book is so interesting that I turned to Google quite a few times to find out more about things and events mentioned.
A 5*s from me, as I love a historical novel that keeps me involved both with the plot and many interesting historical facts.
I understand this is the first book in a series of historical crime novels - great news, I look forward to the next.
July 29, 2018
Rating: 3.5 / 5 stars
Following the story of a woman in the Roman period was a great insight into the lives of women during such an era. Also, interweaving fiction with real-life events is always a huge plus from me, as you are given a chance to enjoy a fun story but learn about the world prior to our age - something this book did well.
My favourite part about this book is that despite the cast of characters being quite large, the author writes in a clear manner and one that never managed to leave me clueless. Actually, the strongest aspect of this book is the writing itself, as it drew me in from the very beginning! However, the let down comes with the plot itself which I found to be underwhelming in the long run - in summary, the events are slightly predictable and the villains are not the strongest.
The bottom line:
An enjoyable read that focuses on a time of history that may appeal to many and is informative as well, so if the summary sounds interesting to you in the slightest then I would recommend it! Honestly, I liked the writing so much that my next task is to search up more of Annelise Freisenbruch's books!
Following the story of a woman in the Roman period was a great insight into the lives of women during such an era. Also, interweaving fiction with real-life events is always a huge plus from me, as you are given a chance to enjoy a fun story but learn about the world prior to our age - something this book did well.
My favourite part about this book is that despite the cast of characters being quite large, the author writes in a clear manner and one that never managed to leave me clueless. Actually, the strongest aspect of this book is the writing itself, as it drew me in from the very beginning! However, the let down comes with the plot itself which I found to be underwhelming in the long run - in summary, the events are slightly predictable and the villains are not the strongest.
The bottom line:
An enjoyable read that focuses on a time of history that may appeal to many and is informative as well, so if the summary sounds interesting to you in the slightest then I would recommend it! Honestly, I liked the writing so much that my next task is to search up more of Annelise Freisenbruch's books!
March 19, 2023
BLOOD IN THE TIBER is the debut novel of Annelise Freisenbruch, a Classicist whose previous published work concentrates upon the lives, relationships, and obligations of elite Roman women from the late Republic through the Principate. Holding a Ph.D. in Classics from Cambridge University, she has been a specialist series researcher on BBC1’s series RISE AND FALL OF AN EMPIRE. She also has worked on films about Attila the Hun and Spartacus. In BLOOD ON THE TIBER, she brings to life Hortensia, a young woman of the late Republic, as she attempts to unravel a dangerous conspiracy.
The reader first meets Hortensia, the thirteen year-old daughter of Rome’s great advocate, Quintus Hortensius Hortalus, at gladiatorial games put on by Marcus Licinius Crassus, one of Rome’s wealthiest citizens. She is an exceptional child, well-educated and skilled in oratory--and were she a boy, she should be the greatest credit to her father. However warned he is about his overindulgence of his dear Horty, Hortensius accedes to her arguments to purchase a wounded gladiator named Lucrio. Four years later, this unlikely duo come together when Hortensia marries Quintus Servilius Caepio, whom she adores and who is no less indulgent than her father. For a wedding present, she receives Lucrio. Newly wedded life flows smoothly until she receives a summons from the Chief Vestal to look into the demise of a young Vestal, whose body was found in the Tiber. Her death smacks of an old scandal. Yet while the world thinks the worst of the dead Vestal, nobody pays much attention to the honorable suicide of a senator. Hortensia has earned this reward by winning a case in court in front of Pompey Magnus. Whilst with Hortensia in the Forum, Lucrio spots the man who killed his family and whom he has sworn to kill. Hortensia stops him from pursuing the man immediately; instead, she enlists his aid in her investigation. When an unimaginable blasphemy occurs in the archives of the Vestals, Hortensia realizes she has discovered a terrible conspiracy that reaches to the highest echelons of Roman society. Can she thwart it before it completely destabilizes Rome? Or will she pay the ultimate price for her interference?
Despite the conspiracy to commit murder and treason, BLOOD IN THE TIBER is less a mystery than a historical novel. The mystery set forth by Freisenbruch is straight-forward. It does present taut, thrilling integration of Hortensia’s investigation and Lucrio’s desire for revenge. The greater mystery for Freisenbruch is reconstructing a plausible Hortensia from the paltry historical sources. Hortensia was the daughter of Hortensius Hortalus, she did argue, with a style not unlike her father’s, before the Second Triumvirate, and she did win a partial remission of a tax upon women. Freisenbruch is also the author of CAESARS’S WIVES (published in the United States as THE FIRST LADIES OF ROME) wherein she wished, as stated in a web interview, to challenge the prevailing idea Roman women were either “passive automatons or scheming, murderous nymphos” (www.knowingrome.com/tag/author-anneli...). Freisenbruch has pursued much the same agenda in BLOOD ON THE TIBER. Such attention to her agenda has caused her to miss a few opportunities for misdirection and dramatic tension, partially by avoiding consequences for the headstrong Hortensia and her male family members and partially by allowing readers access to the thoughts and actions of the villain.
Indulgent parents and spouses are a constant in both literature and history, but there are consequences for stepping outside the norm. These consequences have generally been worse for women than men. Caecilius Metellus Pius warns Hortalus repeatedly he never should have educated and trained Hortensia. She is, to Caecilius’s mind, an unnatural female. After Hortensia has won her case before Pompey Magnus, Hortalus is sufficiently angered that he remonstrates with Caepio. If he, as her husband, will not rein her in, then Hortalus, as her father, will do so. It is to save her reputation. It shows the patriarchal power structure in late Republican Rome, but neither Hortalus nor Caepio do more than talk. Instead of blocking her and forcing her to think and behave with more care, their indulgence encourages Hortensia’s reckless behavior, if not her naivety.
Hortensia takes her elite and free status for granted. Respectable women do not drink in a tavern in the Subura with a slave. To do so would have shocked the neighborhood. And Rome, like all political capitals, is a very small town when it comes to rumor. The consequences to Hortensia? Some nasty comments from another slave. Such comments about her chastity, from a citizen, should have carried greater weight, and Hortensia could have been in serious trouble. Disgrace and divorce might have been in the offing. Worse, for an elite and free Roman woman to be caught in adultery with a slave could have been loss of free status. Hortensia's brazen behavior is a statement of arrogant immortality, typical of a precocious teenager, but it is one that raises a reader’s eyebrows.
The consequences for slaves in legal cases are clear enough. A slave’s testimony does not count under the law except that which has been obtained by torture. Hortensia is more than cognizant of this fate for Lucrio. It factors into her decisions on how obtain evidence of the perpetrators’s actions and how to make them incriminate themselves. That she succeeds, as much by oratory as by subterfuge, provides the one bitterly ironic twist in story.
Despite a slow opening, BLOOD IN THE TIBER is a lively and engaging narrative. It attempts to combine several literary genres--straight historical fiction, mystery with elements of the thriller, even coming-of-age narrative. It leans too much on its historical agenda, sacrificing opportunities to deepen the mystery. It does, however, make the reader question her own assumptions about the role of women in Roman society.
Received from the publisher
The reader first meets Hortensia, the thirteen year-old daughter of Rome’s great advocate, Quintus Hortensius Hortalus, at gladiatorial games put on by Marcus Licinius Crassus, one of Rome’s wealthiest citizens. She is an exceptional child, well-educated and skilled in oratory--and were she a boy, she should be the greatest credit to her father. However warned he is about his overindulgence of his dear Horty, Hortensius accedes to her arguments to purchase a wounded gladiator named Lucrio. Four years later, this unlikely duo come together when Hortensia marries Quintus Servilius Caepio, whom she adores and who is no less indulgent than her father. For a wedding present, she receives Lucrio. Newly wedded life flows smoothly until she receives a summons from the Chief Vestal to look into the demise of a young Vestal, whose body was found in the Tiber. Her death smacks of an old scandal. Yet while the world thinks the worst of the dead Vestal, nobody pays much attention to the honorable suicide of a senator. Hortensia has earned this reward by winning a case in court in front of Pompey Magnus. Whilst with Hortensia in the Forum, Lucrio spots the man who killed his family and whom he has sworn to kill. Hortensia stops him from pursuing the man immediately; instead, she enlists his aid in her investigation. When an unimaginable blasphemy occurs in the archives of the Vestals, Hortensia realizes she has discovered a terrible conspiracy that reaches to the highest echelons of Roman society. Can she thwart it before it completely destabilizes Rome? Or will she pay the ultimate price for her interference?
Despite the conspiracy to commit murder and treason, BLOOD IN THE TIBER is less a mystery than a historical novel. The mystery set forth by Freisenbruch is straight-forward. It does present taut, thrilling integration of Hortensia’s investigation and Lucrio’s desire for revenge. The greater mystery for Freisenbruch is reconstructing a plausible Hortensia from the paltry historical sources. Hortensia was the daughter of Hortensius Hortalus, she did argue, with a style not unlike her father’s, before the Second Triumvirate, and she did win a partial remission of a tax upon women. Freisenbruch is also the author of CAESARS’S WIVES (published in the United States as THE FIRST LADIES OF ROME) wherein she wished, as stated in a web interview, to challenge the prevailing idea Roman women were either “passive automatons or scheming, murderous nymphos” (www.knowingrome.com/tag/author-anneli...). Freisenbruch has pursued much the same agenda in BLOOD ON THE TIBER. Such attention to her agenda has caused her to miss a few opportunities for misdirection and dramatic tension, partially by avoiding consequences for the headstrong Hortensia and her male family members and partially by allowing readers access to the thoughts and actions of the villain.
Indulgent parents and spouses are a constant in both literature and history, but there are consequences for stepping outside the norm. These consequences have generally been worse for women than men. Caecilius Metellus Pius warns Hortalus repeatedly he never should have educated and trained Hortensia. She is, to Caecilius’s mind, an unnatural female. After Hortensia has won her case before Pompey Magnus, Hortalus is sufficiently angered that he remonstrates with Caepio. If he, as her husband, will not rein her in, then Hortalus, as her father, will do so. It is to save her reputation. It shows the patriarchal power structure in late Republican Rome, but neither Hortalus nor Caepio do more than talk. Instead of blocking her and forcing her to think and behave with more care, their indulgence encourages Hortensia’s reckless behavior, if not her naivety.
Hortensia takes her elite and free status for granted. Respectable women do not drink in a tavern in the Subura with a slave. To do so would have shocked the neighborhood. And Rome, like all political capitals, is a very small town when it comes to rumor. The consequences to Hortensia? Some nasty comments from another slave. Such comments about her chastity, from a citizen, should have carried greater weight, and Hortensia could have been in serious trouble. Disgrace and divorce might have been in the offing. Worse, for an elite and free Roman woman to be caught in adultery with a slave could have been loss of free status. Hortensia's brazen behavior is a statement of arrogant immortality, typical of a precocious teenager, but it is one that raises a reader’s eyebrows.
The consequences for slaves in legal cases are clear enough. A slave’s testimony does not count under the law except that which has been obtained by torture. Hortensia is more than cognizant of this fate for Lucrio. It factors into her decisions on how obtain evidence of the perpetrators’s actions and how to make them incriminate themselves. That she succeeds, as much by oratory as by subterfuge, provides the one bitterly ironic twist in story.
Despite a slow opening, BLOOD IN THE TIBER is a lively and engaging narrative. It attempts to combine several literary genres--straight historical fiction, mystery with elements of the thriller, even coming-of-age narrative. It leans too much on its historical agenda, sacrificing opportunities to deepen the mystery. It does, however, make the reader question her own assumptions about the role of women in Roman society.
Received from the publisher
March 26, 2018
This is not the type book I would go out and buy for myself but as i won a copy I was glad I had entered to win the copy, as I had a real backlog of books to read have only just got round to picking it up, set in roman times its a murder mystery with Hortensia a real person of her time playing the part of a MISS MAPLE type sleuth. The book moved along nicely lots of scandal, political skulduggery and death a good well rounded book
April 23, 2024
A young woman, daughter of a famous orator, becomes embroiled in a conspiracy case after a Vestal and a Senator die in mysterious circumstances. Excellently researched and told in a thrilling manner, this had me gripped all through.
May 14, 2019
Well-researched novel that featured a real woman of history. Some parts of the mystery, especially early on, were a little hard to follow since the author was trying to obscure information.
July 6, 2024
Very enjoyable story about a real woman in ancient Rome. The sense of place is wonderful. One really feels one is there,
November 29, 2014
Written by Annelise Freisenbruch — Rome, 70 BC and life for Hortensia, daughter of the famous orator Hortensius, should be going along the privileged path laid out for her. However Hortensia (also referred to by her nickname, Horty) isn’t your average Roman woman. She has inherited her father’s vocal skills and strength of character and isn’t comfortable in the shadows.
Hortensia stumbles across a treacherous plot that, should it succeed, will shake the Roman Republic to its core. First a senator bleeds to death, then a Vestal Virgin is murdered, her corpse dragged from the Tiber. Hortensia is convinced these events are connected. However, no-one is willing to listen to her, a mere woman. The only person who truly believes her is a slave, Lucrio, an ex-gladiator who saved her from death when she was a child. But Lucrio has his own scores to settle. When he was a child his family was killed by a mystery Roman soldier and the desire for revenge has accompanied him for the rest of his life. Lucrio thinks the soldier resides in Rome and spends every night tracking him down.
Her father, Hortensius, is distracted, his attention engaged in a court case that may break his reputation. He is up against the upstart Cicero and, from the opening gambit Hortensius seems destined to lose. But Hortensia discovers her father may be involved in the plot and she has some terrible choices to make…
Blood in the Tiber is the author’s debut fiction novel, however she has previously published The First Ladies of Rome, a non-fiction history of Rome’s empresses. So Freisenbruch, a teacher of Latin and classics, knows her subject and frankly this stands out front and centre throughout Blood in the Tiber. Her descriptions of the location, the players and day to day life are powerful, rich and almost constant in their appearance. The author’s highest achievement is the development of the location for the plot – Rome. The background is so well painted that the city could itself be described as a character. The remaining characterisation is also powerful too, but then again we are dealing with some of Rome’s largest historical figures – Crassus, Cicero, Julius Caeser and Pompey among them.
Activities and events leading towards the crime occur in fits and starts, in between which the city, its people and its culture are pushed to the forefront whilst the crime retreats. Then there’s the plot itself. The author needed to construct something sufficiently large and meaningful, but could be explained against the backdrop of actual historical events. Freisenbruch handles this well, drawing events together in a satisfying and strong conclusion.
The crux of this novel is, dare I say it, the female in a male dominated society. Women are supposed to know their place – that being said there were plenty of powerful female figures in Roman society. What’s immediately evident is that irrespective of her sex, Hortensia is above average. She’s smart, vocally gifted and willing to take a risk, in particular to make the point that women are equal to men. This is immediately demonstrated in the opening chapters which occur four years before the main event. These also introduce a couple of the future major players, such as Crassus, and she comes into contact with the pivotal Lucrio.
The only criticism would be that sometimes the desire to develop rich language becomes a little too strong. For example, rather than using ‘said’ after speech Hortensia and others are described as muttering, pressing, repeating etc. It can prove distracting. Overall this is a very assured, well-written debut that deserves to be read.
Originally reviewed for Crime Fiction Lover
Hortensia stumbles across a treacherous plot that, should it succeed, will shake the Roman Republic to its core. First a senator bleeds to death, then a Vestal Virgin is murdered, her corpse dragged from the Tiber. Hortensia is convinced these events are connected. However, no-one is willing to listen to her, a mere woman. The only person who truly believes her is a slave, Lucrio, an ex-gladiator who saved her from death when she was a child. But Lucrio has his own scores to settle. When he was a child his family was killed by a mystery Roman soldier and the desire for revenge has accompanied him for the rest of his life. Lucrio thinks the soldier resides in Rome and spends every night tracking him down.
Her father, Hortensius, is distracted, his attention engaged in a court case that may break his reputation. He is up against the upstart Cicero and, from the opening gambit Hortensius seems destined to lose. But Hortensia discovers her father may be involved in the plot and she has some terrible choices to make…
Blood in the Tiber is the author’s debut fiction novel, however she has previously published The First Ladies of Rome, a non-fiction history of Rome’s empresses. So Freisenbruch, a teacher of Latin and classics, knows her subject and frankly this stands out front and centre throughout Blood in the Tiber. Her descriptions of the location, the players and day to day life are powerful, rich and almost constant in their appearance. The author’s highest achievement is the development of the location for the plot – Rome. The background is so well painted that the city could itself be described as a character. The remaining characterisation is also powerful too, but then again we are dealing with some of Rome’s largest historical figures – Crassus, Cicero, Julius Caeser and Pompey among them.
Activities and events leading towards the crime occur in fits and starts, in between which the city, its people and its culture are pushed to the forefront whilst the crime retreats. Then there’s the plot itself. The author needed to construct something sufficiently large and meaningful, but could be explained against the backdrop of actual historical events. Freisenbruch handles this well, drawing events together in a satisfying and strong conclusion.
The crux of this novel is, dare I say it, the female in a male dominated society. Women are supposed to know their place – that being said there were plenty of powerful female figures in Roman society. What’s immediately evident is that irrespective of her sex, Hortensia is above average. She’s smart, vocally gifted and willing to take a risk, in particular to make the point that women are equal to men. This is immediately demonstrated in the opening chapters which occur four years before the main event. These also introduce a couple of the future major players, such as Crassus, and she comes into contact with the pivotal Lucrio.
The only criticism would be that sometimes the desire to develop rich language becomes a little too strong. For example, rather than using ‘said’ after speech Hortensia and others are described as muttering, pressing, repeating etc. It can prove distracting. Overall this is a very assured, well-written debut that deserves to be read.
Originally reviewed for Crime Fiction Lover
November 26, 2017
3.5 stars from me!
First of all, thank you so much to Duckworth Overlook Publishers for sending me a copy of the first novel in the Blood Of Rome series in exchange for an honest review. Ancient Roman history has always been one of my favourite things to read about and when I heard that this novel focused on actual figureheads of Rome in 70 BC combined with some crime fiction elements, I jumped at the chance to read a review copy. Overall, I thought this was a fascinating insight into Rome in the days when gladiators were still thrown to the lions, conspiracy was rife, the fight for ultimate power over the city was a constant seesaw of favour, women did not have a strong voice and, for many citizens in the country, standards of living were brutal.
Annelise Freisenbruch sets us up with the most wonderful female protagonist - determined and independent Hortensia, daughter of a famed public speaker in Rome and not adverse to a bit of public speaking herself, despite the controversy it causes in the novel. The story is set with two deaths, a senator who appears to have committed suicide in his bathtub and a Vestal Virgin who appears to have drowned. The difference between this and many other tales in the crime fiction genre is that we immediately know who the villains of the piece are, but what the author does very skillfully is ever so slowly revealing to us the reasons behind why their dastardly plans.
Hortensia becomes quickly embroiled in an intricate plot focused on corruption, greed, desire and above all, power and with the help of a gladiator called Lucrio and the Chief Vestal Virgin Cornelia, begins to unravel the more sinister side of Rome, exposing the lengths some men will go to to get exactly what they want. However, Lucrio too has some huge secrets in his past and this all ties in very neatly so that he can help his mistress, prevent the murderer from striking again and wreak his much longed for revenge.
It is obvious from the very start of this novel that the author has carried out meticulous research on these characters of Rome and she certainly knows her stuff. The characters, especially Hortensia and our villains (which I won't spoil!) practically leap off the page with their vibrancy and I was certainly entranced by the complex plot but above all, the beautiful description of daily life in Ancient Rome. I think it's fair to say that there were some points of the narrative that were slower than others but generally this was a highly enjoyable read. I adored the scenes in the court where Hortensia finally gets to show what she is made of and yes, I even did a little "silent cheer," at her triumphs. If you're at all interested in Rome or enjoy historical fiction with a slight gritty edge I would say definitely give this book a shot.
For my full review and many more, please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
First of all, thank you so much to Duckworth Overlook Publishers for sending me a copy of the first novel in the Blood Of Rome series in exchange for an honest review. Ancient Roman history has always been one of my favourite things to read about and when I heard that this novel focused on actual figureheads of Rome in 70 BC combined with some crime fiction elements, I jumped at the chance to read a review copy. Overall, I thought this was a fascinating insight into Rome in the days when gladiators were still thrown to the lions, conspiracy was rife, the fight for ultimate power over the city was a constant seesaw of favour, women did not have a strong voice and, for many citizens in the country, standards of living were brutal.
Annelise Freisenbruch sets us up with the most wonderful female protagonist - determined and independent Hortensia, daughter of a famed public speaker in Rome and not adverse to a bit of public speaking herself, despite the controversy it causes in the novel. The story is set with two deaths, a senator who appears to have committed suicide in his bathtub and a Vestal Virgin who appears to have drowned. The difference between this and many other tales in the crime fiction genre is that we immediately know who the villains of the piece are, but what the author does very skillfully is ever so slowly revealing to us the reasons behind why their dastardly plans.
Hortensia becomes quickly embroiled in an intricate plot focused on corruption, greed, desire and above all, power and with the help of a gladiator called Lucrio and the Chief Vestal Virgin Cornelia, begins to unravel the more sinister side of Rome, exposing the lengths some men will go to to get exactly what they want. However, Lucrio too has some huge secrets in his past and this all ties in very neatly so that he can help his mistress, prevent the murderer from striking again and wreak his much longed for revenge.
It is obvious from the very start of this novel that the author has carried out meticulous research on these characters of Rome and she certainly knows her stuff. The characters, especially Hortensia and our villains (which I won't spoil!) practically leap off the page with their vibrancy and I was certainly entranced by the complex plot but above all, the beautiful description of daily life in Ancient Rome. I think it's fair to say that there were some points of the narrative that were slower than others but generally this was a highly enjoyable read. I adored the scenes in the court where Hortensia finally gets to show what she is made of and yes, I even did a little "silent cheer," at her triumphs. If you're at all interested in Rome or enjoy historical fiction with a slight gritty edge I would say definitely give this book a shot.
For my full review and many more, please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
August 19, 2020
I've read other novels that mention Cicero's famous case against Gaius Verres, but this book looks at it from a unique angle that I enjoyed. Hortensia, daughter of famous advocate Horrendous is an orator in her own right and isn't afraid to meddle in affairs most women left to men, such as legal matters or forged wills. She is a strong female heroine in a world very much dominated by men, yet she manages to act in believable says. I look forward to more novels featuring this intelligent and tenacious young lady.
February 28, 2019
Hortensia is the daughter of a renowned orator and lawyer. She has been taught by her father in his art and utilizes this skill to help defend a woman whose lying husband is slandering her name in an attempt to claim her dowry. After winning the case in dramatic fashion, Hortensia is called upon by the chief vestal to help clear the name of a young priestess who was recently found dead. The chief vestal does not believe the priestess took her life in shame after an impious love affair, and evidence suggests the temple’s sanctuary was illegally accessed –however, nothing is missing. A servant named Lucrio aids in Hortensia’s investigation, but he has his own agenda. He seeks revenge for the death of his family years earlier at the hands of a Roman soldier. As Hortensia and Lucrio begin to piece together the clues behind the vestal’s death, they quickly discover that the Republic itself may be in danger if the perpetrators are not identified in time.
This is a debut novel from Freisenbruch, originally self-published in 2014 as "Blood in the Tiber." The historical atmosphere is engrossing. Additionally, fantastic fictional characters stand alongside historical people (namely Crassus, Cicero, Julius Caesar, and Pompey). I relished the rich details in this story, like the creation of wills and the equipment of scribes.
Hortensia moves plausibly within the constraints of her time. Her mindset is slightly progressive but also historically accurate, and her strong voice immediately pulled me into the story. While the book is about solving a mystery, it’s also about Hortensia rising to new challenges and making a path for herself. This book transports readers to the streets of ancient Rome. It is an extremely satisfying blend of fact and fiction with plenty of surprises. Highly recommended.
Review posted via the Historical Novel Society at https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...
This is a debut novel from Freisenbruch, originally self-published in 2014 as "Blood in the Tiber." The historical atmosphere is engrossing. Additionally, fantastic fictional characters stand alongside historical people (namely Crassus, Cicero, Julius Caesar, and Pompey). I relished the rich details in this story, like the creation of wills and the equipment of scribes.
Hortensia moves plausibly within the constraints of her time. Her mindset is slightly progressive but also historically accurate, and her strong voice immediately pulled me into the story. While the book is about solving a mystery, it’s also about Hortensia rising to new challenges and making a path for herself. This book transports readers to the streets of ancient Rome. It is an extremely satisfying blend of fact and fiction with plenty of surprises. Highly recommended.
Review posted via the Historical Novel Society at https://historicalnovelsociety.org/re...
January 3, 2021
I really enjoyed this book!
I recall seeing the synopsis online and caught the train into the city as none of my local bookstores stocked it, it was well worth the travel and I essentially inhaled the book within a week.
The book ticked a lot of boxes for me:
- an articulate heroine who spoke to me through the 2000+ year time gap
- wove a cast of real historical figures into a fictional story
- A mystery to solve
It also didn't fall into the traps and tropes I dislike about (particularly ancient) historical fiction, namely:
- a female protagonist who 'doesn't want to get married/have an arranged marriage'
- a condescending voice that hand holds the reader through the events and people of the past
- but also, doesn't go into an obscene and boring (even for people like me who have completed higher education surrounding the Ancient World) level of detail
There were times when the book could come across as a little cliche, however, not enough to deter me.
This is a great read for anyone who loves ancient historical fiction (which can be surprisingly hard to find, most historical fiction seems to be WWII related) or looking to get into the genre or the time period of the late Roman Republic .
I recall seeing the synopsis online and caught the train into the city as none of my local bookstores stocked it, it was well worth the travel and I essentially inhaled the book within a week.
The book ticked a lot of boxes for me:
- an articulate heroine who spoke to me through the 2000+ year time gap
- wove a cast of real historical figures into a fictional story
- A mystery to solve
It also didn't fall into the traps and tropes I dislike about (particularly ancient) historical fiction, namely:
- a female protagonist who 'doesn't want to get married/have an arranged marriage'
- a condescending voice that hand holds the reader through the events and people of the past
- but also, doesn't go into an obscene and boring (even for people like me who have completed higher education surrounding the Ancient World) level of detail
There were times when the book could come across as a little cliche, however, not enough to deter me.
This is a great read for anyone who loves ancient historical fiction (which can be surprisingly hard to find, most historical fiction seems to be WWII related) or looking to get into the genre or the time period of the late Roman Republic .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2016
I really like this book even though I usually do not like books that involve real people as main characters in the story. In this book, the story does not change known history. I look forward to reading more adventures of Hortensia.
July 24, 2016
A bit slow to start, and some of the characters were hard to keep straight, but overall an enjoyable read.
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