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Murder Britannica #1
Murder Britannica
190 AD an insignificant town in west Britain. Romano-Briton Lucretia is determined that her get-rich-quick scheme will not be undermined by minor things like her husband’s death, dubious imposters or her married daughter’s fascination with a celebrity gladiator. But when the bodies start to mount up, wise-woman Tryssa starts to ask questions. Certain that a forgotten goddess cannot be blamed, Tryssa needs to uncover the truth before another life is lost.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 31, 2018
80 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Paula Harmon
53 books72 followersPaula Harmon was born in north London but her life as a country girl began at eighteen months when the family started moving westwards from small town to village before settling in South Wales when she was eight.
Graduating from Chichester University (Bishop Otter College) with a BA in English Literature and despite a determination not to, she ended up with a career in the civil service.
She wrote prolifically until adult life and children, got in the way. It was not until 2015 that she started writing seriously again.
Writing is probably the best therapy she could have had and believes it’s never too late to follow your dream.
Her short stories may be contemporary and real or include dragons, angst ridden teenagers, portals and civil servants (though not all in the same story - yet).
She lives in Dorset with her husband and two teenage children.
Graduating from Chichester University (Bishop Otter College) with a BA in English Literature and despite a determination not to, she ended up with a career in the civil service.
She wrote prolifically until adult life and children, got in the way. It was not until 2015 that she started writing seriously again.
Writing is probably the best therapy she could have had and believes it’s never too late to follow your dream.
Her short stories may be contemporary and real or include dragons, angst ridden teenagers, portals and civil servants (though not all in the same story - yet).
She lives in Dorset with her husband and two teenage children.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 27, 2019
Very witty and amusing I enjoyed the setting and the notion of a part Roman part Brit family during 'those times' some things never change.
September 30, 2023
Lots of fun
Yes it's a murder mystery set in Roman Britain but it's not a serious.book by any means. The cast of characters are hilarious, so self centred and self aware. Events only matter as in his they will impact their own lives, yet every now and again we do glimpse a real person with real personality and emotions. Lucretia is the family matriarch who is a wealthy Briton who lives as a Roman citizen in her half roundhouse half villa property outside what passes for a town. One day Lucretia discovers a small trickling stream and decides it's the manifestation of the Goddess Dyffis an ancient Celtic Goddess who had been lost to time. Lucretia plans to build a bathhouse on the site with a temple which will rival the one in Aqua Sulis dedicated to the Goddess Minerva. Building however has not even begun before people start dying, a fact which doesn't really seem particularly worrisome for.anybody in the villa. The local wise woman Tullia however has a different view of events and I urging Lucretia to be more careful and vigilant...............not that Lucretia listens to her.................. This book has such quirky characters like the poet whose poems are awful, the musician constantly searching for his muse, a flighty teenager who wants little excitement before she is married off and a precocious six year old whose grandmother keeps.threatening to have cook serve her up for dinner,.....................loved it.
Yes it's a murder mystery set in Roman Britain but it's not a serious.book by any means. The cast of characters are hilarious, so self centred and self aware. Events only matter as in his they will impact their own lives, yet every now and again we do glimpse a real person with real personality and emotions. Lucretia is the family matriarch who is a wealthy Briton who lives as a Roman citizen in her half roundhouse half villa property outside what passes for a town. One day Lucretia discovers a small trickling stream and decides it's the manifestation of the Goddess Dyffis an ancient Celtic Goddess who had been lost to time. Lucretia plans to build a bathhouse on the site with a temple which will rival the one in Aqua Sulis dedicated to the Goddess Minerva. Building however has not even begun before people start dying, a fact which doesn't really seem particularly worrisome for.anybody in the villa. The local wise woman Tullia however has a different view of events and I urging Lucretia to be more careful and vigilant...............not that Lucretia listens to her.................. This book has such quirky characters like the poet whose poems are awful, the musician constantly searching for his muse, a flighty teenager who wants little excitement before she is married off and a precocious six year old whose grandmother keeps.threatening to have cook serve her up for dinner,.....................loved it.
November 2, 2021
Cleverly written novel and lots of fun to read. Well done!
January 30, 2019
A bit of a romp with victims dropping like flies at a Roman-British villa in Wales. Entertaining and sharp, and a very funny bit with a lion.
January 24, 2021
„Murder Britannica“ marks the start to the eponymous series by Paula Harmon, which can best be described as ‘historical inspired sleuth meets cozy mystery’, with a male MC and a great variety of secondary characters. The series is set in late second century A.D Roman Britain and offers a light insight not the times and a good dose of humor and twisted situations, sometimes bordering on comedy. The light mysteries and the inner workings of Britannia rich family go hand in hand to construct an arch story that develops further with every new installment, while every ‘case’ finds its resolution in every book.
The series starts in 190 AD in Pecunia, a small town in West Britain, aka Wales. Lucretia, a wealthy woman intends to build a bathhouse and multiply the family fortune as tragedy strikes in the form of her husband’s death, which interferes with Lucretia’s plans to surpass the fame of Aqua Sulis (the rival baths). Whatever Lucretia’s feelings for her late husband might be, the case merits an investigation, and more so as new deaths keep on occurring, and despite the popular opinion, the local water-goddess has part on them. Tryssa, the local wise-woman begins her own investigation, trying to prevent further casualties.
The story is fast-paced and easy-to-read, a light mystery with comedy and sleuthing going hand in hand throughout plot. Enjoyable characters and nice delivery that succeed in entertaining the reader.
The series starts in 190 AD in Pecunia, a small town in West Britain, aka Wales. Lucretia, a wealthy woman intends to build a bathhouse and multiply the family fortune as tragedy strikes in the form of her husband’s death, which interferes with Lucretia’s plans to surpass the fame of Aqua Sulis (the rival baths). Whatever Lucretia’s feelings for her late husband might be, the case merits an investigation, and more so as new deaths keep on occurring, and despite the popular opinion, the local water-goddess has part on them. Tryssa, the local wise-woman begins her own investigation, trying to prevent further casualties.
The story is fast-paced and easy-to-read, a light mystery with comedy and sleuthing going hand in hand throughout plot. Enjoyable characters and nice delivery that succeed in entertaining the reader.
April 30, 2020
Comical genius!
This story flips the seriousness of death and history on its head, providing an amusing read from the very first page. Each character added another layer to the story and I found myself completely spellbound by the discovery of the mysterious Goddess, Diffis.
Filled with twists and turns and a straight-talking Lucretia who is unapologetic in her opinions, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to escape for a while.
Cannot wait to dive in further with the second instalment.
This story flips the seriousness of death and history on its head, providing an amusing read from the very first page. Each character added another layer to the story and I found myself completely spellbound by the discovery of the mysterious Goddess, Diffis.
Filled with twists and turns and a straight-talking Lucretia who is unapologetic in her opinions, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to escape for a while.
Cannot wait to dive in further with the second instalment.
November 30, 2020
Not even going to finish this. A victorian "comedy" of manners set in a particularly soggy part of Roman Wales, concerning a supposed "lost" Goddess. A cast of caricatures is complimented by an overbearing air of dampness.
May 27, 2021
Loved this book, one of the funniest murder mysteries i have ever read
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews