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Marcus Corvinus #18
Foreign Bodies
Ancient Roman sleuth Marcus Corvinus is despatched to Gaul on a personal mission for the emperor.
June, AD 42. The emperor Claudius himself has requested Corvinus’s help in investigating the murder of a Gallic wine merchant, stabbed to death as he was taking an afternoon nap in his summer-house at Lugdunum.
Not especially happy at being despatched to Gaul, and even less enamoured of his enforced travelling companion, the insufferable Domitius Crinas, Corvinus is increasingly frustrated as it becomes clear that the dead man’s extended family and friends are hiding something from him. Unused to strange Gallic customs and facing an uphill struggle getting anyone to talk freely to a Roman, Corvinus is convinced that there’s more to this murder than meets the eye – but, a stranger in a strange land, how is he going to prove it . . .?
June, AD 42. The emperor Claudius himself has requested Corvinus’s help in investigating the murder of a Gallic wine merchant, stabbed to death as he was taking an afternoon nap in his summer-house at Lugdunum.
Not especially happy at being despatched to Gaul, and even less enamoured of his enforced travelling companion, the insufferable Domitius Crinas, Corvinus is increasingly frustrated as it becomes clear that the dead man’s extended family and friends are hiding something from him. Unused to strange Gallic customs and facing an uphill struggle getting anyone to talk freely to a Roman, Corvinus is convinced that there’s more to this murder than meets the eye – but, a stranger in a strange land, how is he going to prove it . . .?
239 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2016
14 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
David Wishart
57 books95 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Historical crime writer David Wishart was born in Arbroath, Scotland. He studied Classics - Latin and Greek - at Edinburgh University and after graduation taught for four years in a secondary school.
He then retrained as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language and worked abroad for eleven years, in Kuwait, Greece and Saudi Arabia. He returned to Scotland in 1990 and now lives with his family in Carnoustie, mixing writing with teaching EFL and study skills at Dundee University.
Historical crime writer David Wishart was born in Arbroath, Scotland. He studied Classics - Latin and Greek - at Edinburgh University and after graduation taught for four years in a secondary school.
He then retrained as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language and worked abroad for eleven years, in Kuwait, Greece and Saudi Arabia. He returned to Scotland in 1990 and now lives with his family in Carnoustie, mixing writing with teaching EFL and study skills at Dundee University.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 18, 2018
This amazing Roman mystery is the 18th part of the eventful "Marcus Corvinus" series from the author/scholar David Wishart.
The historical details concerning this book, which you can find at the end of the book within the Author's Note, are very well explained by the author.
Let me say that the author always (his own words) intends to stay as close as possible to the real historical events, so that his stories in general remain historically genuine.
Storytelling is of a superb quality, and all the characters come splendidly to life within this story, and let me mention also that this tale is really fast-paced from start to finish.
The book is set as from June, AD 42, and our main character Marcus Corvinus, accompanied by his wife Perilla Rufia, is sent to Gaul by Emperor Claudius to investigate the murder of a Gallic wine merchant in Lugdunum.
Not at all happy of being despatched to Gaul, Marcus Corvinus is also not amused with his travel companion, the insufferable doctor/spy Domitius Crinas.
What will follow in this intriguing mystery, for Marcus Corvinus finds himself in a labyrinth of strange Gallic customs and being a stranger in a strange land, that it becomes very difficult for him to prove things because these Gallic people are not very forthcoming, but by doing his utmost and being determined he will finally succeed to unravel the mysteries of connecting deaths and so be able to catch the culprit(s) of these murders.
Really very much recommended, for this is a great series and in this murder inquiry Marcus Corvinus is on top of his game again, and that's why I call this book: "Marcus Corvinus's Thrilling Gallic Mystery"!
The historical details concerning this book, which you can find at the end of the book within the Author's Note, are very well explained by the author.
Let me say that the author always (his own words) intends to stay as close as possible to the real historical events, so that his stories in general remain historically genuine.
Storytelling is of a superb quality, and all the characters come splendidly to life within this story, and let me mention also that this tale is really fast-paced from start to finish.
The book is set as from June, AD 42, and our main character Marcus Corvinus, accompanied by his wife Perilla Rufia, is sent to Gaul by Emperor Claudius to investigate the murder of a Gallic wine merchant in Lugdunum.
Not at all happy of being despatched to Gaul, Marcus Corvinus is also not amused with his travel companion, the insufferable doctor/spy Domitius Crinas.
What will follow in this intriguing mystery, for Marcus Corvinus finds himself in a labyrinth of strange Gallic customs and being a stranger in a strange land, that it becomes very difficult for him to prove things because these Gallic people are not very forthcoming, but by doing his utmost and being determined he will finally succeed to unravel the mysteries of connecting deaths and so be able to catch the culprit(s) of these murders.
Really very much recommended, for this is a great series and in this murder inquiry Marcus Corvinus is on top of his game again, and that's why I call this book: "Marcus Corvinus's Thrilling Gallic Mystery"!
January 3, 2018
I've been reading this wonderful series for years and this is among the very best. It also benefited from being longer than recent books, allowing me more time to immerse myself in a very strong story while enjoying Marcus Corvinus's drole narrative. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
May 17, 2016
Another well-constructed puzzle with the irrepressible Marcus Corvinus. In this installment, Marcus and Perilla journey to Gaul at Emperor Claudius's behest, to solve the murder of a Gallic wine-merchant in Lugdunum [present-day Lyon]. Marcus is designated emperor's representative and he and wife are given the VIP treatment. Along with them travels a doctor, who is ostensibly visiting the hot or salt springs for the emperor to check them out officially, for the possible use of the soldiers at the military fort at Moguntiacum [Mainz], which is fairly close. The doctor and Perilla discover a common interest--sightseeing. Marcus is more than a wee bit jealous of the too-obsequious medical man, who, shall we say, ingratiates himself into Perilla's company. After interviewing the widow and other family members, Marcus is directed to another town after being presented with another clue. In that town, he is confronted with two murders, then a third murder practically on the heels of the first two. Are there any connections? Oh, there's also the matter of the dead wolf dumped into the market square....
I enjoyed this outing with my favorite purple-striper sleuth. Wishart never disappoints. He always comes up with something creative.
I enjoyed this outing with my favorite purple-striper sleuth. Wishart never disappoints. He always comes up with something creative.
July 16, 2023
In this one Corvinus is a fish out of water.
Emperor Claudius has sent for Corvinus, he has a commission for him, a murder in Lugdunum, which is in Gaul. It's also the town where Claudius was born. The murdered man Cabrius was a wine merchant and the Emperor owed his family a debt so he is determined to find out who killed him and why. Enter Corvinus, no is not an answer Claudius will take so off he goes to.tell Perilla they are off to the wilds of the empire. It's a long and boring journey to get there, Claudius has made Corvinus an imperial envoy so they do travel first class, but they also have a travelling companion. a doctor who is going deep into Gaul to visit the hot springs (he's also on an errand for the emperor). Clarks is his name and Perilla appears very taken with him, she is especially interested in what he has to say about the daily consumption of wine and how a man should be limit himself. Before Corvinus can even father a thought he finds himself almost cut off for the foreseeable future...............needless to say he is not a happy chappie............and that's before he gets to Londunum and finds no-one will talk to him....at least no-one who knows anything that is.
Emperor Claudius has sent for Corvinus, he has a commission for him, a murder in Lugdunum, which is in Gaul. It's also the town where Claudius was born. The murdered man Cabrius was a wine merchant and the Emperor owed his family a debt so he is determined to find out who killed him and why. Enter Corvinus, no is not an answer Claudius will take so off he goes to.tell Perilla they are off to the wilds of the empire. It's a long and boring journey to get there, Claudius has made Corvinus an imperial envoy so they do travel first class, but they also have a travelling companion. a doctor who is going deep into Gaul to visit the hot springs (he's also on an errand for the emperor). Clarks is his name and Perilla appears very taken with him, she is especially interested in what he has to say about the daily consumption of wine and how a man should be limit himself. Before Corvinus can even father a thought he finds himself almost cut off for the foreseeable future...............needless to say he is not a happy chappie............and that's before he gets to Londunum and finds no-one will talk to him....at least no-one who knows anything that is.
August 29, 2019
Foreign Bodies is an interesting mystery, boderline between the political and regular lines of the series. While asked by the emperor to look into a murder in Gaul, this has nothing to do with the imperial family. Still, politics are rife and make for a rich background for the murder of someone with no enemies.
What to Expect
It's hard to say no to the emperor, even if he's the polite (and sane) Claudius and not his predecessor. Corvinus finds himself sent further west than he's ever been, into the barely civilised country of what up to a century ago was known as "Hairy Gaul". On the plus side, it's an imperial appointment and he's travelling in style.
We as readers get a quick trip to Massilia and up into Lugdunum (Lyon). Not enough sight-seeing (for his wife) and not enough sampling of the local wines (for Corvinus) on the way. In Lugdunum, it seems like the deceased was well liked by everyone, and Corvinus is stymied. He decides to go digging into the family's past, twenty years ago around the time of the Florus revolt. That takes him on further to Augusta Treverorum in Gallia Belgica, and the preparations for Claudius' invasion of Britannia.
Though this is book 18 of the series, becuase of its detached nature it's actually a nice jump-in point - in case you'd like to try one of the more recent novels first.
What I liked
As usual, the why and wherefore of the murders, the personalities of those involved and their motivations, are the best part of the whodunit. The mystery itself will keep you guessing till the very end, with an emotionally satisfying resolution. Add the Roman Gaul history background, and it's an historical-fiction lover's dream.
In prose and storytelling, Wishart keeps an excellent balance of humour and suspense, of Roman trivia and mystery writing which make this series a pleasure to read. He breathes life into all his characters, with their personal and cultural foibles, and you can just see their realistic interactions.
Corvinus himself has a most unique voice that is a joy to read, though throughout the series Wishart uses a modern language to bring the characters to life. He's also using a time-honoured trope of representing the Roman patriarchy similar to British aristocracy. The result is a novel that reads as a cross between Sam Spade and Downton Abbey, on a backdrop of ancient Rome. It makes for very enjoyable experience for lovers of those genres - we're not reading in Latin, after all, so taking a purist view is in itself a untenable proposition.
What to be aware of
Though Wishart's prose is excellent, he avoids all Latin terms to the point where it's a bit much (like referring to a toga as a mantle, or to Saturnalia as winter Festival). Interestingly, as the series progresses Wishart slowly includes more of them.
Summary
This is a classic historical mystery, and can be read standalone from previous novels in the series. Whether you read in order or just want to jump in, it's a great read. If you enjoyed historical mysteries and Roman-era detectives (e.g. by the likes of Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor, and Ruth Downie), you really need to read the Corvinus series as well.
--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
What to Expect
It's hard to say no to the emperor, even if he's the polite (and sane) Claudius and not his predecessor. Corvinus finds himself sent further west than he's ever been, into the barely civilised country of what up to a century ago was known as "Hairy Gaul". On the plus side, it's an imperial appointment and he's travelling in style.
We as readers get a quick trip to Massilia and up into Lugdunum (Lyon). Not enough sight-seeing (for his wife) and not enough sampling of the local wines (for Corvinus) on the way. In Lugdunum, it seems like the deceased was well liked by everyone, and Corvinus is stymied. He decides to go digging into the family's past, twenty years ago around the time of the Florus revolt. That takes him on further to Augusta Treverorum in Gallia Belgica, and the preparations for Claudius' invasion of Britannia.
Though this is book 18 of the series, becuase of its detached nature it's actually a nice jump-in point - in case you'd like to try one of the more recent novels first.
What I liked
As usual, the why and wherefore of the murders, the personalities of those involved and their motivations, are the best part of the whodunit. The mystery itself will keep you guessing till the very end, with an emotionally satisfying resolution. Add the Roman Gaul history background, and it's an historical-fiction lover's dream.
In prose and storytelling, Wishart keeps an excellent balance of humour and suspense, of Roman trivia and mystery writing which make this series a pleasure to read. He breathes life into all his characters, with their personal and cultural foibles, and you can just see their realistic interactions.
Corvinus himself has a most unique voice that is a joy to read, though throughout the series Wishart uses a modern language to bring the characters to life. He's also using a time-honoured trope of representing the Roman patriarchy similar to British aristocracy. The result is a novel that reads as a cross between Sam Spade and Downton Abbey, on a backdrop of ancient Rome. It makes for very enjoyable experience for lovers of those genres - we're not reading in Latin, after all, so taking a purist view is in itself a untenable proposition.
What to be aware of
Though Wishart's prose is excellent, he avoids all Latin terms to the point where it's a bit much (like referring to a toga as a mantle, or to Saturnalia as winter Festival). Interestingly, as the series progresses Wishart slowly includes more of them.
Summary
This is a classic historical mystery, and can be read standalone from previous novels in the series. Whether you read in order or just want to jump in, it's a great read. If you enjoyed historical mysteries and Roman-era detectives (e.g. by the likes of Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor, and Ruth Downie), you really need to read the Corvinus series as well.
--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
September 12, 2016
I enjoyed this book very much. It's the first of Wishart's I have read, and I'll definitely be looking out more in the series.
Foreign Bodies is set in the Roman Empire in the reign of Claudius as he plans the invasion of Britain. Marcus Corvinus is asked by Claudius to investigate a murder in Lugdunum (now Lyons) in Gaul, and he and his wife Perdilla head off there – and beyond as the mystery deepens and becomes involved in high politics before unravelling. As a detective story it's pretty ordinary, to be honest, with a rather ridiculous denouement, but it's made hugely enjoyable by the period setting and Marcus's terrific narrative voice.
Wishart is plainly deeply knowledgeable about the period, which allows him to give Marcus Corvinus (and his other characters) a thoroughly modern voice while maintaining a very convincing atmosphere. Marcus speaks to us much like a witty and cynical contemporary Londoner, and it works brilliantly; it's wholly believable and genuinely funny in places. I know comparisons with Philip Marlowe are almost always ignorant and lazy cliché, but even in the very English-sounding voice there is something of Marlowe's rebellious tone and his use of striking similes - which is a high compliment.
In short, this is an engaging, thoroughly readable and very enjoyable novel. I'm delighted to have discovered David Wishart and I can recommend this very warmly.
(I received an ARC via Netgalley.)
Foreign Bodies is set in the Roman Empire in the reign of Claudius as he plans the invasion of Britain. Marcus Corvinus is asked by Claudius to investigate a murder in Lugdunum (now Lyons) in Gaul, and he and his wife Perdilla head off there – and beyond as the mystery deepens and becomes involved in high politics before unravelling. As a detective story it's pretty ordinary, to be honest, with a rather ridiculous denouement, but it's made hugely enjoyable by the period setting and Marcus's terrific narrative voice.
Wishart is plainly deeply knowledgeable about the period, which allows him to give Marcus Corvinus (and his other characters) a thoroughly modern voice while maintaining a very convincing atmosphere. Marcus speaks to us much like a witty and cynical contemporary Londoner, and it works brilliantly; it's wholly believable and genuinely funny in places. I know comparisons with Philip Marlowe are almost always ignorant and lazy cliché, but even in the very English-sounding voice there is something of Marlowe's rebellious tone and his use of striking similes - which is a high compliment.
In short, this is an engaging, thoroughly readable and very enjoyable novel. I'm delighted to have discovered David Wishart and I can recommend this very warmly.
(I received an ARC via Netgalley.)
June 7, 2016
I love this series and after a slightly shaky last book Wishart is back to his best. This time Marcus and Perilla go to Lugdunum (present day Lyons) to investigate a murder at the personal request of the emperor Claudius. With the culture-gap of operating in Gaul plus the presence of a brilliantly-conceived handsome doctor with a profile like Apollo who charms Perilla and upsets Marcus with his health and fitness advice, this sparkles.
Great characters, a good plot, and a brilliant noir interpretation of ancient Rome - I loved this.
Great characters, a good plot, and a brilliant noir interpretation of ancient Rome - I loved this.
September 11, 2017
Marcus Corvinus Finds Himself Deep in Gaul and Hip Deep in Murders
The novel opens with Corvinus and Perilla, his wife, preparing for a vacation to stay with their daughter, husband and grandchild. Corvinus receives notification that Emperor Claudius wants to see him. A longtime friend in the town of Claudius’s birth, Lugdunum, Gaul, was murdered. Claudius asked Corvinus to investigate the murder as his personal representative. Once Corvinus starts interviewing people, the story changes from the victim was well liked and no one has a reason to kill him to almost all the family and more have possible motives. Each interview only seems to make the case more complex vice simplifying it. Then, the scope expands to empire proportions, and, as the title hints, the body count starts to rise.
For the B-story, Corvinus faces his most difficult personal challenge. A doctor is traveling with him. The good doctor is an extreme practitioner of a healthy lifestyle, especially, in eating, drinking, and exercising. He immediately tells Corvinus that he needs to cut back considerably on his wine drinking. Perilla makes Corvinus promise to reduce drastically his wine consumption. Also, on which side of this issue will their majordomo, Bathyllus, side? Reading how Corvinus suffers and fights to keep his promise almost by itself justifies reading this novel.
I must provide my standard warning with this series. The language of Corvinus is not that of ancient Rome. It is more like Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade. Also, many of the metaphors used by Corvinus are a little too modern. Many reviewers state these as reasons to give the novels of this series a poor rating. If you are considering as your first read in this series, my advice is to look pass these and enjoy the story.
Some reviewers complain concerning the use of vulgar language, graphic sex and violence. There is not any graphic violence or sex, but Corvinus does use f-bombs, and some other expletives. I did not consider their use excessive and not a reason to lower the rating.
The author uses the names of towns and cities used at that time, i.e., Lugdunum is modern day Lyons. The author has a Dramatis Personae section at the start so that you can keep track of who is who. He has a cross reference for the places referenced in Gaul, but it is in the end under the Author’s Notes.
The only issue I have with this novel is that too much time is spent between the departure from Ostia and the arrival in Lugdunum. Yes, travel was slow back then, but the novel doesn’t need to be slow also.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel, and it maintained my interest to the very end. I rate this novel with 5 stars (more like 4.5 stars). If you are a reader of this series, definitely put this one on your list to read. If you are considering this as the first book in this series, wait to make a decision after Corvinus et al. arrive in Lugdunum.
The novel opens with Corvinus and Perilla, his wife, preparing for a vacation to stay with their daughter, husband and grandchild. Corvinus receives notification that Emperor Claudius wants to see him. A longtime friend in the town of Claudius’s birth, Lugdunum, Gaul, was murdered. Claudius asked Corvinus to investigate the murder as his personal representative. Once Corvinus starts interviewing people, the story changes from the victim was well liked and no one has a reason to kill him to almost all the family and more have possible motives. Each interview only seems to make the case more complex vice simplifying it. Then, the scope expands to empire proportions, and, as the title hints, the body count starts to rise.
For the B-story, Corvinus faces his most difficult personal challenge. A doctor is traveling with him. The good doctor is an extreme practitioner of a healthy lifestyle, especially, in eating, drinking, and exercising. He immediately tells Corvinus that he needs to cut back considerably on his wine drinking. Perilla makes Corvinus promise to reduce drastically his wine consumption. Also, on which side of this issue will their majordomo, Bathyllus, side? Reading how Corvinus suffers and fights to keep his promise almost by itself justifies reading this novel.
I must provide my standard warning with this series. The language of Corvinus is not that of ancient Rome. It is more like Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade. Also, many of the metaphors used by Corvinus are a little too modern. Many reviewers state these as reasons to give the novels of this series a poor rating. If you are considering as your first read in this series, my advice is to look pass these and enjoy the story.
Some reviewers complain concerning the use of vulgar language, graphic sex and violence. There is not any graphic violence or sex, but Corvinus does use f-bombs, and some other expletives. I did not consider their use excessive and not a reason to lower the rating.
The author uses the names of towns and cities used at that time, i.e., Lugdunum is modern day Lyons. The author has a Dramatis Personae section at the start so that you can keep track of who is who. He has a cross reference for the places referenced in Gaul, but it is in the end under the Author’s Notes.
The only issue I have with this novel is that too much time is spent between the departure from Ostia and the arrival in Lugdunum. Yes, travel was slow back then, but the novel doesn’t need to be slow also.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel, and it maintained my interest to the very end. I rate this novel with 5 stars (more like 4.5 stars). If you are a reader of this series, definitely put this one on your list to read. If you are considering this as the first book in this series, wait to make a decision after Corvinus et al. arrive in Lugdunum.
Read
June 17, 2019In the next Marcus Corvinus adventure, Foreign Bodies, the new emperor Claudius requests some help looking into the death of a family friend. The unfortunate victim was living in Lugdunum, in the wilds of Gaul, and Marcus and Perilla set off traveling on Claudius’ expense account.
Obviously we all love Clau-Clau-Claudius from Robert Graves I,Claudius (Well, not all of us, not my husband, an uncultured lout who wandered away during “don’t touch the figs”), and Wishart’s emperor Claudius is cut from the same autocratic and mildly absent-minded cloth. Or wait, is Claudius just pretending to be fuzzy-headed while actually playing his own clever game? With Claudius, you never know.
Almost immediately, Marcus and Perilla encounter a handsome and egocentric Greek doctor, Domitius Crinas, also heading to the distant provinces on Claudius’ command. Crinas immediately suggests Marcus improve his health by cutting back on the wine, and almost as quickly volunteers to take Perilla sight-seeing. Poor Marcus, down to a strict limit of 4 cups of wine a day, finds himself third-wheeling on Perilla and Crinas’ cultural adventures.
After reading so many Marcus Corvinus adventures, I worried that these would start to be a bit formulaic. I’d be happy to read a dozen tales of Marcus Corvinus stumbles on a corpse, Perilla suggests dropping the case just this once, Marcus goes to investigate a very important lead in a wine-shop, Bathylus and/or Meton scolds him for coming back late, Perilla looks up from her scroll long enough to point Marcus towards the solution, etc., etc., but I was even more excited as this story veered further away.
As usual, Wishart leads readers to a surprising and satisfying conclusion. After the big reveal, it’s easy to see the hints and clues along the way, but I was pretty surprised by the (uh, how to say this in a spoiler-free way?) secret identity.
Foreign Bodies by David Wishart will be released on September 1, 2016
Obviously we all love Clau-Clau-Claudius from Robert Graves I,Claudius (Well, not all of us, not my husband, an uncultured lout who wandered away during “don’t touch the figs”), and Wishart’s emperor Claudius is cut from the same autocratic and mildly absent-minded cloth. Or wait, is Claudius just pretending to be fuzzy-headed while actually playing his own clever game? With Claudius, you never know.
Almost immediately, Marcus and Perilla encounter a handsome and egocentric Greek doctor, Domitius Crinas, also heading to the distant provinces on Claudius’ command. Crinas immediately suggests Marcus improve his health by cutting back on the wine, and almost as quickly volunteers to take Perilla sight-seeing. Poor Marcus, down to a strict limit of 4 cups of wine a day, finds himself third-wheeling on Perilla and Crinas’ cultural adventures.
After reading so many Marcus Corvinus adventures, I worried that these would start to be a bit formulaic. I’d be happy to read a dozen tales of Marcus Corvinus stumbles on a corpse, Perilla suggests dropping the case just this once, Marcus goes to investigate a very important lead in a wine-shop, Bathylus and/or Meton scolds him for coming back late, Perilla looks up from her scroll long enough to point Marcus towards the solution, etc., etc., but I was even more excited as this story veered further away.
As usual, Wishart leads readers to a surprising and satisfying conclusion. After the big reveal, it’s easy to see the hints and clues along the way, but I was pretty surprised by the (uh, how to say this in a spoiler-free way?) secret identity.
Foreign Bodies by David Wishart will be released on September 1, 2016
October 13, 2023
Meh. I'd forgotten until I checked my reading list, but I read one of these about 15 years ago. Didn't care for it. Didn't care for this one, either. Cardboard characters, plodding narrative. It wasn't downright infuriating, just rather dull.
I will say that the actual history angle did appear, to my only moderately informed eye, to be accurate, and was in fact the most interesting thing about the story. One thing that puzzled me was that while the tough-guy slang the hero uses is mostly quite obviously British (no complaints about that - unless the story is actually written in Classical Latin, it's going to be an interpretation), he consistently addresses nearly every other male character as "pal", which, to me, sounds very American. Of course, I could be wrong about that.
I will say that the actual history angle did appear, to my only moderately informed eye, to be accurate, and was in fact the most interesting thing about the story. One thing that puzzled me was that while the tough-guy slang the hero uses is mostly quite obviously British (no complaints about that - unless the story is actually written in Classical Latin, it's going to be an interpretation), he consistently addresses nearly every other male character as "pal", which, to me, sounds very American. Of course, I could be wrong about that.
April 28, 2024
I have been plowing through all the Marcus Valerius Corvinus books. Needless to say, I love them all. Each book kind of focuses on a particular facet of Ancient Rome. This one is a shout out to what was going on in Gaul sometime after Julius Caesar’s conquest and placement of Gaul into the Pax Romana- which it obviously wasn’t. This book is not as satisfying at the end as there seems to not be any foreshadowing of an obvious “ Deus ex Machina. “ That didn’t stop me from continuing to the next book..
July 12, 2017
For a book set in 42AD there was way too much modern slang and colloquialisms. "Yeah, um..." & "Look pal..." or my personal favourite, "...I will make up my own fucking mind...". I couldn't take the setting seriously.
Great concept, poor execution. I won't be reading the rest of the books.
Great concept, poor execution. I won't be reading the rest of the books.
August 3, 2018
Again the good detective saves the day. A seemingly 'ordinary' murder, of a some-what important Gallic chap, leads Corvinus to Gaul. Where he stumbles upon espionage intended to hamper Claudius' soon invasion of Britain. A rich Roman world on display--the good old days.
July 24, 2017
Just could not get into this one. But I'll still read the next one.
April 21, 2019
Delightful
As usual, another delightful and informative story by one of my favorite authors. Intersting location with lots of local color.
As usual, another delightful and informative story by one of my favorite authors. Intersting location with lots of local color.
September 18, 2019
Quite enjoyable with interesting twists throughout the mystery (-ies). Masterly interwoven plot lines. I highly recommend this and David Wishart's other books in the series.
July 12, 2016
Murder mysteries set in Ancient Rome are a popular sub-genre of historical mysteries. The Marcus Corvinus mystery Foreign Bodies, book 18 in the series, begins right away in classic P.I. style with sometime private detective Corvinus getting a case.
Also in keeping with the P.I. style is the first person narration by Corvinus himself, a hard drinking, often vulgar-tongued layabout who is redeemed mainly by his respectable wife and family name, and his ability to sort out a case by the end of each book.
Corvinus's case comes from none other than the Roman Emperor Claudius, a personal family friend, and it gets the native Roman out of the Empire's capital city. In the province of Gaul's largest city Lugdunum (Lyon, France today), Marcus Carvinus investigates a murder, and learns a lot about life on the edges of the Empire.
I enjoy this series despite the vulgarities, and at times even because of the vulgarities, which can add humor and verisimilitude since the Ancient Romans did speak in rather vulgar terms, as the surviving creative writing shows.
Business, trade at the heart of an empire, life on the fringes, daily life, travel, minorities and new citizens, and the great evil that fueled the empire, slavery, are all in the book to differing degrees. As is Corvinus's wife to a much greater degree than in the previous book, which helps soften the detective's rougher edges.
My favorite part of the book is when the couple board the royal yacht and sail to Marseilles. Accompanying them is a doctor, a perfect specimen of manhood, who attempts to council the shambolic, alcoholic detective to drink less if not at all. Corvinus's reaction is wonderfully entertaining, and understandable in a time when wine was drunk starting at breakfast and then throughout the day.
For newbies to this genre the Roman names may pose a problem but for fans of the series this is a solid entry with much history and Roman culture to entertain, lightened by some humor.
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Also in keeping with the P.I. style is the first person narration by Corvinus himself, a hard drinking, often vulgar-tongued layabout who is redeemed mainly by his respectable wife and family name, and his ability to sort out a case by the end of each book.
Corvinus's case comes from none other than the Roman Emperor Claudius, a personal family friend, and it gets the native Roman out of the Empire's capital city. In the province of Gaul's largest city Lugdunum (Lyon, France today), Marcus Carvinus investigates a murder, and learns a lot about life on the edges of the Empire.
I enjoy this series despite the vulgarities, and at times even because of the vulgarities, which can add humor and verisimilitude since the Ancient Romans did speak in rather vulgar terms, as the surviving creative writing shows.
Business, trade at the heart of an empire, life on the fringes, daily life, travel, minorities and new citizens, and the great evil that fueled the empire, slavery, are all in the book to differing degrees. As is Corvinus's wife to a much greater degree than in the previous book, which helps soften the detective's rougher edges.
My favorite part of the book is when the couple board the royal yacht and sail to Marseilles. Accompanying them is a doctor, a perfect specimen of manhood, who attempts to council the shambolic, alcoholic detective to drink less if not at all. Corvinus's reaction is wonderfully entertaining, and understandable in a time when wine was drunk starting at breakfast and then throughout the day.
For newbies to this genre the Roman names may pose a problem but for fans of the series this is a solid entry with much history and Roman culture to entertain, lightened by some humor.
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July 12, 2016
I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGally and Severn House Publishing.
I have been reading this mystery series set in ancient Rome for a while now and absolutely can't wait to find out what Marcus Corvinus is up to in each new book. The humor is wry and there is a lot of it, which suits me fine because it is so well done and natural, and the juxtaposition of ancient Roman times with modern language makes the books lighter and easier to read without going into the "cozy" category. This particular book, however, took off into the "oh, my gosh, where in the world is he headed" realm. To say it bogged down in all the plots, sub-plots and city names in ancient Gaul would be an understatement for me. If I knew the Latin word for "struggle" I would put it right here.
I really wish the list of Gaul to French city names had been included at the front of the book, but now YOU will know to look in the back of the novel when your cursory research only turns up Georgia and Maine as locations for Augusta. (To help you along, Lugdunum = Lyon, Augusta = Trier.)
Even though I usually lap these stories up like cream from a saucer, this one was way too heavy on the traveling from Rome through various cities in Gaul with a long cast of characters in each town with names my poor, tired brain just couldn't hold on to before it was time to move again and add even more Roman/Gaul named characters. If you are a student of this time period, AD 42, which I'm not, you will notice that the revolt spoken of is made up by our esteemed author. He confesses this in his Author's Note at the end of the story. Quite frankly the entire premise that Tiberius Claudius Caesar would send Corvinus all that distance to investigate a murder was stretching it a bit too thin for me. I absolutely loved the novel until we arrived in Gaul, but once there it really became a drag.
I shall wait patiently and read the next book when it is released. If you are new to this series, do yourself a favor and pick a different novel to start off with. You'll be glad you did for two reasons: #1) this has been a great series for me; #2) you will be ready for this one when you get to it.
I have been reading this mystery series set in ancient Rome for a while now and absolutely can't wait to find out what Marcus Corvinus is up to in each new book. The humor is wry and there is a lot of it, which suits me fine because it is so well done and natural, and the juxtaposition of ancient Roman times with modern language makes the books lighter and easier to read without going into the "cozy" category. This particular book, however, took off into the "oh, my gosh, where in the world is he headed" realm. To say it bogged down in all the plots, sub-plots and city names in ancient Gaul would be an understatement for me. If I knew the Latin word for "struggle" I would put it right here.
I really wish the list of Gaul to French city names had been included at the front of the book, but now YOU will know to look in the back of the novel when your cursory research only turns up Georgia and Maine as locations for Augusta. (To help you along, Lugdunum = Lyon, Augusta = Trier.)
Even though I usually lap these stories up like cream from a saucer, this one was way too heavy on the traveling from Rome through various cities in Gaul with a long cast of characters in each town with names my poor, tired brain just couldn't hold on to before it was time to move again and add even more Roman/Gaul named characters. If you are a student of this time period, AD 42, which I'm not, you will notice that the revolt spoken of is made up by our esteemed author. He confesses this in his Author's Note at the end of the story. Quite frankly the entire premise that Tiberius Claudius Caesar would send Corvinus all that distance to investigate a murder was stretching it a bit too thin for me. I absolutely loved the novel until we arrived in Gaul, but once there it really became a drag.
I shall wait patiently and read the next book when it is released. If you are new to this series, do yourself a favor and pick a different novel to start off with. You'll be glad you did for two reasons: #1) this has been a great series for me; #2) you will be ready for this one when you get to it.
September 13, 2016
Novelus Hystericus
I found this highly entertaining and amusing. I am not sure that I was supposed to! But I did. It was
Life of Brian meets Up Pompeii. And the reason for that, which surely must be intentional, was this
writer's insistence on creating an historical novel using contemporary vernacular. Normally I'm a
stickler for authenticity in historical fiction but that would necessitate a narrative written in Latin? A
compromising move for a potential readership so I suppose the next best thing is to go in
completely the opposite direction. It works.
Marcus Corvinus has been asked by Emperor Claudius himself to assist in the investigation of a
wine merchant stabbed while napping. All very historically accurate until our hero lets forth a
'Bugger' when something doesn't quite suit him. And it happens more than once, And it still makes
me chuckle.
From my research this would appear to be the 18th, yes, the18th Marcus Corvinus mystery by Mr.
Wishart! My incredulity will confirm that that this is the first I've read and probably my last. Whilst I
enjoyed the novelty of the language and the contrast of an historically accurate depiction of Ancient
Rome the story was no better, no worse than many others. It's a competent, clever piece of writing
with some solid characters. I liked Corvinus’ wife, Perilla, who acts as a willing side sick to our
sleuth of the senate.
I can imagine though that this series does command an army of loyal fans and I have no doubt this
will be well received by them.
Whizz
I found this highly entertaining and amusing. I am not sure that I was supposed to! But I did. It was
Life of Brian meets Up Pompeii. And the reason for that, which surely must be intentional, was this
writer's insistence on creating an historical novel using contemporary vernacular. Normally I'm a
stickler for authenticity in historical fiction but that would necessitate a narrative written in Latin? A
compromising move for a potential readership so I suppose the next best thing is to go in
completely the opposite direction. It works.
Marcus Corvinus has been asked by Emperor Claudius himself to assist in the investigation of a
wine merchant stabbed while napping. All very historically accurate until our hero lets forth a
'Bugger' when something doesn't quite suit him. And it happens more than once, And it still makes
me chuckle.
From my research this would appear to be the 18th, yes, the18th Marcus Corvinus mystery by Mr.
Wishart! My incredulity will confirm that that this is the first I've read and probably my last. Whilst I
enjoyed the novelty of the language and the contrast of an historically accurate depiction of Ancient
Rome the story was no better, no worse than many others. It's a competent, clever piece of writing
with some solid characters. I liked Corvinus’ wife, Perilla, who acts as a willing side sick to our
sleuth of the senate.
I can imagine though that this series does command an army of loyal fans and I have no doubt this
will be well received by them.
Whizz
July 4, 2016
Corvinus goes to Gaul and encounters more than he bargained for. The emperor Claudius has asked Marcus to go to Gaul to investigate the murder of one of his clients - the man's father had saved the emperor's years ago. He and Perilla head out with an annoying doctor in tow to save on travel arrangements for the emperor. Lots of irregular behavior in family and friends, but no one is willing to point the finger or give real information to a Roman. Not just the normal authority problem, but worse because Gauls are still a clannish people with major issues with Romans and a strong sense of loyalty to their own no matter personal differences. A revolt twenty years ago seems to be in the frame somehow and with new rumors cropping up Marcus decides to go to the source and travels to the home city of the victim. On arrival he finds more murder victims and as a favor looks into them as well. I had part of the answer, but the whole shebang was truly a surprise. Really enjoy this series
May 31, 2016
"Ancient Roman sleuth Marcus Corvinus is despatched to Gaul on a personal mission for the emperor."
My very first David Wishart book so I was happy to have had the opportunity to read it via NetGalley. Ancient Rome and Roman Britain are favorite time periods for me and Gaul fo the period was described well. Travel was horribly slow so it was amazing the trip was undertaken.I looked up that area of Gaul on maps as I was not familiar with how one would sail from Rome to Gaul. I learned a lot!
Solving the murder was complicated apparently and had many twists and turns! More bodies turned up to perhaps complicate Marcus' mission. The ending was a bit unexpected so that was a plus. One minus for me was the slang, a more moderate dialogue could work, I think. Recommended to those who like ancient historical mysteries.
June 10, 2016
I was lured into this book in the 'New Book' display by the reference to Lindsay Davis' own Roman crime novels. It was immediately apparent however that there are clear differences between the two - particularly the way Wishart's Corvinus talks... I wondered if this was going to seem tediously forced vulgarity very quickly but I went with it as an interesting conceit. I'm still not sure about it, but I found I wasn't thinking about it as I continued to read and I enjoyed the book enough that I'd be quite happy to read earlier books in the series.. perhaps not rushing to do so.
October 1, 2016
The one problem I had with this was that . It happens way too often for my liking in this genre.
January 26, 2018
Got only 28% through this before finding I couldn’t muster the interest to finish it (see my review of Lindsay Davis's "Deadly Election"). Seems like the attraction of my old favourite authors—and specifically Roman mystery writers—is waning.
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