The Emperor's Assassin

by Autumn Bardot

History paints her as the first female serial killer…

Locusta is the daughter of a winemaker in the Roman province of Gaul. She enjoys the indulged childhood of the elite, her concerns only about the day’s amusements. She rides gentle ponies, attends parties, reads Ovid, and learns the herbal arts from her servant. But the day after meeting her betrothed, Locusta discovers the consequences of possessing such dangerous knowledge.

Ordered to leave her pastoral life, Locusta is thrust into a world of intrigue, scandal, and murder—where treason lurks behind every corner and defying an emperor means death. Locusta’s life changes forever when a young Emperor Nero requires her herbal expertise. And commands her to be his personal poisoner. Caught in an imperial web, Locusta must embrace her profession or die.

Or is there another way out?

History paints her as the first female serial killer. Or is she yet another maligned woman in history?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction

437 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 14, 2019

About the author

new release ~ GODDESSES INC ~ American Gods meets Sex in the City
new release ~ THE MAGIC OF SYMBOLISM: Enrich Your Writing With Hidden Meaning

Autumn Bardot is the author of stories about fearless women and dangerous passions. She's a wife, mom, grandma, and teacher.

Because that doesn't keep her busy enough, she created Write Better, Author Smarter, a podcast and YouTube channel for new writers with writing tips, author tools, and inspiration.

Autumn writes best at home in her sunny Southern California backyard and while vacationing at the beach. She bakes great chocolate chip cookies, drinks too much coffee, buys too many shoes, and loves to write stories about courageous but flawed women who succeed despite the odds. And Autumn always spices it with a healthy dollop of romance!


Follow her on Facebook, IG, Pinterest, YouTube, Spotify, and Twitter.

Reviews

[Amy Bruno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever finished a book and thought "well, dang...how in the heck am I supposed to write a review worthy enough?!" That's me with The Emperor's Assassin!

This is my third book of Bardot's that I've had the pleasure of reading and I swear, her writing gets better with each book! I have to say that this one is my favorite so far...that is until her next one comes out :)

"I will not allow one man to destroy my life," I said. "He may use my body, but he will not conquer my spirit."

Locusta, the infamous maker of poisons from history, takes center stage in The Emperor's Assassin.

Yong Locusta lives with her father on their winery estate and servant-turned-friend Pricilla. After the demise of her betrothal and when her mentally-ill father forgets to pay taxes on their winery, Locusta must travel to Rome to try to get an audience with Emperor Claudius for an extension on payment due.

Pricilla is an herbalist and teaches Locusta the trade, but soon the student surpasses the teacher and her talent is soon known to those in Rome, eventually reaching the new Emperor Nero, and his step-mother Agrippina. When tasked by Nero and Agrippina to work for them...well, how can a girl say no to an Emperor?

I absolutely loved, loved, loved The Emperor's Assassin and wholeheartedly recommend it. I am a huge fan-girl of Bardot's and will read anything she writes!

Disclaimer: This book contains violence and sexual abuse/rape.

[Jypsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you HFVBT and the author for
a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Emperor's Assassin
By: Autumn Bardot

*REVIEW* 🎻🎻🎻🎻.5
Have you ever heard of the ancient Roman Emperor Nero? He is one of history's most notorious rulers. Now, imagine being forced to work for him. The heroine, Locusta, is a woman of privilege and the elite, living on a vineyard with her father. She is betrothed to a very old man, but after his demise, Locusta is sent to Rome. Her father failed to pay taxes on the vineyard, and Locusta needs an audience with the emperor. Locusta, fortunately, does have skills mixing potions, including poisons, and while staying in Rome, word of her abilities reach Emperor Nero, and Locusta ends up working as his poisoner. Honestly, though, no matter her thoughts or feelings about poisoning people, Locusta refusing the Emperor would have meant her own death, so she never actually had a choice at all. What a terrible situation! If history remembers Locusta as a notoriously bad woman, I just wonder how much control Locusta had over her own life. Women have been forced by men to do terrible things throughout history, and unfortunately, the women take full blame. Locusta was a fascinatingperson who lived a life I can hardly imagine. Autumn Bardot has done a beautiful job of weaving fact and fiction to create a seemless account of a woman who is likely misunderstood. I enjoyed learning about the time period of Emperor Nero and the people who surrounded him. The story is easy to read, compelling and thought provoking. Any reader who loves historical fiction should pick up a copy of The Emperor's Assassin. It does not disappoint.

[Cranky - The Book Curmudgeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 CRANKY STARS


This author loves to write historical fiction. I for one, vastly enjoy reading her novels. She takes real people out of ancient history and makes up a story as to how they lived their life in relation to the few facts that are known. This novel takes place in ancient Rome from just before Nero was crowned, until his defeat. Our main character is the daughter of a wine grower in Gaul. Unfortunately, their lives become entwined.


Emperor Claudius rules in Rome and the vineyard taxes must be paid each year. The eldest daughter, Locusta must make a favorable match to keep the vineyard afloat. However, when she is introduced to her betrothed, it is an old, old man. She is disgusted but they need the money. Locusta’s maid is Pricilla and an excellent herbalist. Pricilla has been teaching Locusta how to grow and then mix herbs to cure all kinds of illnesses. The potion they sell the most of is a love elixir. When there is an unfortunate incident the night of the engagement, Locusta has Pricilla teach her the art of mixing poisons.


When her betrothed suddenly dies, she is shipped off to Rome to stay with friends of her Uncle’s. This at first brings on its own set of troubles with their son. But, Locusta is stronger than she thought and goes about her life while selling potions to the rich. Her healing skills become well known. When Nero’s stepmother hears about her, her life is changed forever. Afterall, you must obey the rulers, or the punishment is death. Fast-paced interesting story of love, intrigue and the debauchery of ancient Rome.

[Melisende · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bardot provides us with an entertaining story that more than adequately fits in with what I call the "rehabilitation genre" - whereby - mostly - historical women with a less than pristine pasts are given a dusting off and are having their stories told from a slightly different perspective (history being written by the victors, etc etc). It is an enthralling tale, and the reader certainly finds empathy with the character of Locusta, which is the ultimate aim of the author. It is also a tale of the cesspit that was ancient Rome - the salacious scandals, the sex and violence, the notoriety of its citizens, murder, greed, envy, social position.

If you are looking for a "new" historical heroine, then you have found her in Locusta.

see full review here @ Melisende's Library

[Xerxes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ultimately , this novel is about silent violence, sexual violence, the murky and misery of Roman politics. But it is also about the loss and misery of goodness. Corruption has become the ultimate winner in this novel under Nero’s reign. Corruption of power in an ruthless empires causes people with good nature to turn into the worst monsters unimaginable.

This novel had me seeing how a young innocent girl from Gaul was tainted by the corrupted politics of Rome. No one ever sees themselves as the villain. The villain isn’t someone you want to be. Where in any story does the villain benefit? The villain may be rich, but happiness is fleeting. Even if you are a hero, there is not much you can do. Too much good and too much bad is neither welcome, for a balance is needed. This novel showed the maturity of Locusta.

Some minor nitpicks that I found was more telling than showing, but that’s one nitpick of mine. I would have wanted to be seen more scenes displaying Locusta’s development from turning from a humble girl into the madness that depicts her as she carries out the murky depths of her infamous secret. More scenes would have helped. When I compare this to Dragon Lady, the Pirate Queen had a lot more development as we saw everything and how as she became Queen began to dismiss the feelings of others. That being said, Lucius was an absolute bastard of the highest kind. No words of happiness for him.

You cannot help but feel sadness as Locusta looses herself, her soul, and the ones she values the most. The amount of loss is unimaginable on the scale before. I have covered Nero before in one of my book reviews, though I understand the author’s intentions of going for a more volatile approach. Nero was insane by the time of his rule, but that didn’t rule out his competence. The problem was, many of these rumors were written when he was removed from power. So we will never get a true picture of what the politicians thought of him, but to say his sexual scandals were off the rooftop is no under-statement. His wives suffered a lot, especially because it reminded me of Henry VIII of England who was smart and ambitious at the start, but then ended up removing his wives one by one. Nero had some competence in administration because Henry didn’t.

Marcus is also a great character, but I would have wanted to see more of him. How he kept in touch with Locusta more often. Their attraction is clear from the start, to each other. I thought this was great chemistry! We also saw that Locusta leapt into the murky depths of her dark secret, Nero became more mad. I guess when you’re the Emperor of the world, and you hold dominion over everyone, it is hard to resist the tentacles of corruption.

The Prose? Check

The Writing Style? Check

The dialogue? Check

My rating: 5.5

BUY THIS NOVEL NOW! It’s a spellbinding novel that’ll have you disagreeing with the character, holding your tears back, and make you feel both love and loss together.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

We meet the heroine of The Emperor’s Assasin when she is just a young girl living on her father’s estate. He grows grapes but is a little addled, as is her older brother. Locusta is anxious to meet the man she is going to marry. She prepares for this momentous ocassion with her servant/friend/mentor, Pricilla. Since her mother died it has been Pricilla to whom Locusta has turned for just about everything and the two share a love of botany. Soon Locusta is respected as a healer in the surrounding villages.

Her marriage does not work out and her brother is not capable of running the vineyard. Soon her father’s decline has her heading to Rome to deal with his forgetfulness. This also sets her on the path to her future – for better or worse. Her knowledge of plants brings her to the attention of the greatest of Romans – the Emperor, Nero. He enlists her and her skills for his nefarious purposes and soon she is forced to poison people for him.

Her life situation changes markedly for the better but her position as the Emperor’s poisoner doesn’t exactly make her the most popular woman in the city. She does have one champion though – a Centurian she met while he and and his soldiers were passing by her father’s vineyard. Marcus loves her and feels she is the woman he is prophesized to marry. But the fates are not kind to them.

It’s really hard to get behind a heroine that is a killer. And a killer of so many people. But there is something about Locusta that somehow makes you forgive her for all of her murder. She is a child thrust into an adult world, a woman with little power in a man’s world who is forced to used her knowledge by a very evil and manipulative man.

Nero, as history tells us, did not have an over long nor popular reign. Staying in power can be difficult if you rule more by fear than by gaining the respect of your subjects. Some sources are coming forward to perhaps show that Nero was as bad as written but the fact remains that he did have a poisoner and that poisoner was a woman.

Ms. Bardot writes her heroine in such a way as to make her interesting, sympathetic and compelling. Despite her horrific deeds I really wanted the fates to turn for Locusta and give her a future free of Nero and his machinations. Did that happen? I’m not going to tell you! I will tell you that if you choose to read this book you will not be disappointed; it’s well researched, well written and full of great characters. I was lost in time and taken away to the Rome of Nero – for better or worse. It wasn’t a good time to be a woman but I was glad for the opportunity to go there with such a skilled tour guide.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical fiction book is unlike anything else I have ever read and I found myself very interested in reading more fiction set in the era. I knew that Rome's emperor Nero was a vicious and notorious ruler, but not much else. So, Ms Bardot's book exposed me to a lot that I didn't know. I love when a book does that.

In The Emperor's Assassin we meet a young woman named Locusta who lives a privileged life on a vineyard owned by her father. A servant and friend on the vineyard is helping Locusta prepare for marriage because her mother has passed away. Together the two share a love of botany and Locusta becomes a well-known and well-respected healer. Locusta marries an elderly, harsh, ugly man and the marriage is a failure. Her father's health declines and her brother is not mentally capable of running the vineyard. Locusta finds herself in Rome trying to deal with all of the issues that arise.

Unfortunately this puts Locusta in a place where Nero learns about her expertise with herbs. Soon she is forced to use her herbs to poison people whom Nero wants dead. Working for Nero has the positive outcome of making her a wealthy woman, but the negative outcome of making her feared and hated. One man does fall in love with her. Marcus believes they will marry, but will that ever be possible.

Locusta is a unique protagonist. It isn't often I read a book where the killer is the heroine. But Ms. Bardot's writing is very pointed and allows the reader to put the blame and anger upon Nero and keep our compassion for Locusta. I wanted her to get free of his grip and to have the ability to live a happy life with Marcus. You will need to read this one to know what happens.

I found Bardot's writing to be well-researched, well-written and entertaining. I was transported to ancient Rome. I learned. And I cared about what happened to Locusta.

I want to thank the author for sending me an ARC of her book. I hope that you will buy this novel and enjoy it!

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent depiction of a real-life character, Locusta of Gaul, who lived in Rome during the reign of Nero. Raised on a vineyard and educated in preparing herbs for medicines and poultices, Locusta was sent to Rome to petition the then Emperor Claudius, Nero’s father, to provide an extension of taxes owed by her father’s estate. Her uncle and aunt insisted she stay in the city to try and connect with a rich noble to marry.

Her skill with potions garnered the attention of Aggripina, Claudius’ treacherous wife and mother of Nero. The empress demanded that Locusta prepare a poison to kill her husband and enable her son to take the throne. Unfortunately for Aggripina, Nero was equally conniving and evil. Locusta soon found herself acting as the emperor’s pharmacist, producing love tonics, potions to increase stamina and, of course, poisons.

The author paints a vivid picture of the beauty, culture, and danger of Rome at the height of its power and glory. Amid the libraries and cultural edifices are bordellos and slums where any desire can be pursued. The blood lust of the wealthy and powerful made it dangerous for a woman alone to survive. Yet Locusta flourished and created a school for young women without means to learn a trade that would support them and their children.

This was a fascinating glimpse into one of the greatest, as well as the most corrupt civilization to ever exist. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys history.

[Jan Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, yes! Another Autumn Bardot :D I haven’t read anything of hers matching the Impaler’s Wife in scope and depth, but I honestly haven’t been disappointed by the books that followed. I especially loved this one, set in Rome and involving the herbal arts. Locasta has apparently been cast as a murderess by history, but the author has created a plausible setting to shed some light on her motivations.

Luckily the fictional Locasta has a knowledgeable slave who loves her and teaches her the art of concocting herbal remedies, until she begins to surpass her. Locasta’s remedies and potions become well known, which brings her riches but also notoriety. Eventually she is caught in a web of intrigue so tight only the love of a roman soldier can free her.

I highly recommend this book and anything else that comes from the pen of Autumn Bardot!

[Janet Wertman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this in a roundabout way: the author has a YouTube channel where she gives amazing tips for authors (given that my next trilogy delves into Elizabeth's relationship with Robert Dudley, I especially needed the videos she did on how to write a sexy scene!). I was really happy to see that the woman truly walks her talk - delivering complex characters, symbolism and all the rest of it. The rest of her books have already been added to my TBR pile!

[Gwendalyn Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complete Review coming soon

[Scott Holstad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an admittedly subjective and biased comment, but while I know people who like this book and historical fiction in general, I can’t do it. It’s not just I don’t like historical fiction. That is true, but not the problem. The problem is simply that I’ve always been a serious student of history, am a member of two professional history orgs (like AHA), feel it’s essential to study the past for a zillion reasons, most of which should be obvious except to Americans who are generally too lazy, stupid and apathetic to read any history. If I had a dollar for every time I actually heard someone say something like they didn’t know anything about WW I and didn’t care, didn’t know anything about WW II because “it didn’t matter or have any impact on their life or work," which I once found stunning but now sadly expect and this side from what should be obvious to most (read Philip Dick or P Roth to get an idea of other potential realities we could be living in if tens of millions of people hadn’t sacrificed everything). In fact a few times I’ve gotten so ticked that the old professor in me kicked in so I gave a few bored 4.0 GPA accounting, economics, etc, students an hour lecture off the top of my head going decade by decade outlining basics that have transpired so that, yes, it did and DOES impact you and your job, you apathetic dumbass! The worst though are the few who told me they didn’t even know who was in the damn Vietnam War. I didn’t bother, there’s no hope. All I could say was “Well, they spot you one of the countries just in the name of the war!”

So is there a point? Yes. Historical fiction is not history, it’s not accurate nor is it intended to be. It is nothing but fantasy out of the author’s head who is using elements of some historical events as a backdrop for their story. In a sense then it’s genre fiction like sci fi, horror, fantasy, thriller, etc., all of which have their legitimate place, but the backdrop-purported historical environment may be nice, realistic or cool, but since the author is making a story up and simply surrounding it with the facade of a semblance of historical reality, they could just as easily put unicorns, spaceships, monsters and the like in and with a “legit” historical backdrop, there would likely be little difference between such absurdities and dragons, rumored by many to have once existed. The author is writing a fantasy but if I want to read fiction, I’ll read fiction. If I want history, I don’t want some fairytale - I want serious nonfiction! So yes I know I’m probably in the minority and probably sound grumpy as well, but I think I have a case and I’m sticking to it. Otherwise I recommend it for those who like the genre.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Locusta of Gaul grew up in a sprawling vineyard outside of Ancient Rome.  When she was of age, her father sent up an advantageous match for her to an elderly and harsh man.  Locusta learns of her betrothed's true nature and is horrified.  Pricilla, Locusta's servant uses her knowledge of herbs to make sure Locusta will not be bothered by him again.  Locusta is intrigued by Pricilla knowledge of herbs and becomes a student of plants, both helpful and deadly.  Locusta's knowledge soon surpasses Pricilla's and her herbs help many around her, including a servant of a handsome Centurion, Marcus.  Locusta is soon sent to Rome to petition for a tax extension as well as find her match.  The longer Locusta stays in Rome, her reputation for her knowledge of healing and pleasure grows.  Soon, her skills travel to Emperor Nero's ears and Locusta is asked to use her knowledge for murder.  Locusta's fate is now Nero's to toy with.  
Locusta of Gaul has been painted by history as the world's first female serial killer.  However, Autumn Bardot knows that there must be more to Locusta's story.  Locusta's story is one of survival, heartache and love.  From her time growing up in Gaul, Locusta learned compassion, however, the poor match for her betrothal left her changed.  I loved Locusta and Pricilla's relationship and how it grew over time.  I was amazed by all of the herbal concoctions that Pricilla and Locusta came up with.  The descriptions of Rome under Claudius and Nero were very detailed and historically accurate.  The treachery, deception, excess and political intrigue was all deliciously shown, especially once Locusta became involved.  Nero's taste for the extravagant was showcased with his Domus Aurea that I had no problem imagining from the descriptions. The religious upheaval of the time was also captured in the writing without getting in the way of the plot.  One of my favorite parts of the story was between Locusta and Marcus, a steamy and passionate romance that began quickly and never lost fervor.  As always, the erotic parts of the story are woven together to fit in seamlessly with the plot.  Overall, The Emperor's Assassin is an intriguing historical fiction that brings to life one of history's overlooked women, Locusta of Gaul.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

[Lecy Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Content warning: This story does have several descriptive scenes of rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence, so if you are sensitive to these topics, please read with care. It's been a long time since I've read a book with which I've not grown impatient, always checking to see how many pages remain and how much longer I have to wait to find out what happens at the end. I've never read anything from Bardot before, but she had me so invested in this story and I couldn't put the book down. Even though the novel takes place in ancient Rome, the story reads as very modern with characters who are realistic and dialogue that is smart and interesting. I adored Locusta, our protagonist, and I was able to relate to her at various stages in her life. She is intelligent, caring, and strong in a world where women are seen as nothing more than sexual conquests or heir-bearers. I also enjoyed reading about the other characters, some of which are horrible people but meeting them in this context brought to life all those people from the history books that before, seemed fictitious. While this book is marketed as historical fiction, Bardot throws a few curveballs in with the style of her writing. There are quite a few erotic scenes (I later read that this is Bardot's specialty) and early into the book, a Biblical character is introduced, so I wasn't sure where we were going with that until she tied it all in at the end. Basically, it's Fifty Shades meets The Odyssey meets The Hunger Games, but it's done so well that it all makes sense and feels cohesive. I will note that the violent sexual scenes I mentioned in the content warning are tough to read, but they are necessary to bring context to what the women of this time were subjected to in their daily lives. If the book sounds intriguing to you but you are worried that this content would be more than you wish to read, I'd recommend that you give the book a try anyway. You can sense when these scenes are approaching and they are fairly short, so it would be easy to skim past them, knowing that gritty details are not as important as the occurrences themselves. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Ashley Cloninger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of books on Ancient Rome since reading Kate Quinn’s Rome series. I have been disappointed in the last few books that.I have read. This book however did not disappoint, I loved the story of Locusta and the machinations of Ancient Rome. I always though if I could time travel, this would be an era that I would love to visit.

The story is about Locusta a young girl raised in Gaul by her father. She takes care of her family and expects to live a mundane life as a wife and mother, only life does not turn out quite that way. Due to some pretty horrific and shocking circumstances, she ends up becoming a poisoner for none other than Emperor Nero himself.. As an herbalist she is quite adept at cures and murder. Ancient Rome Imperial politics make the Hunger Games look like Sesame Street. Be warned there are some violent scenes of sexual and domestic violence, but it is not gratuitous and is used to further the storyline.

If you like a book that has murder, politics, herb lore and a conflicted protagonist, this book could be right up your alley. This is the 1st book I have read by Autumn Bardot and I will be looking for more from her in the future,

Thank you to Netgalley, BooksGoSocial and the author for the chance to review this book.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evocative Historical Fiction Read

What a surprising story! It seems as though the author has gleaned a little about the life of a real woman who worked for Emperor Nero in the Roman Empire as an herbalist and created a believable fictionalized story around her. While I am not sure how accurate it is, the way this woman is treated in a man's world rings true. We meet her when she is simply the daughter of a vintner in Gaul, but soon her prowess and knowledge of herbalism bring her to Rome and the attention of the new emperor. We witness many courtly intrigues and how the young woman adapts to her hard role. The author's writing is evocative, squarely putting the reader right into the world of the ancient Roman Empire. I felt as if I could see, hear, and even on occasion smell it! I love the word pictures she drew. If you enjoy historical fiction as I do—especially books about cultures not typically explored and/or with strong, relatable women—you may enjoy this book as much as I did.

I received a free copy of this book from #HiddenGems, but that did not affect my review.

My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Emperor’s Assassin is what I look for when I read historical fiction. It’s well written and entertaining. Autumn Bardot takes real people from ancient history and makes up stories about their lives, while including real historical events.

The story takes place in ancient Rome and I felt like I was there. The writing is beautiful and swept me away as I read more. To top it off, it’s paced so wonderfully, I could not put it down. Brilliantly written.

I loved the characters as well. Locusta was a fantasticly crafted character. I felt like she was alive and standing before me as I watched her go from a life of luxury to a life of scandal and murder.

The Emperor’s Assassin is the epitome of historical fiction. It’s everything I wanted and more. Highly recommended!

*I recieved a complimentary copy of this book from Historical Fiction Blog Tours. All opinions are my own.*

[Zenobia Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Emperor's Assassin was such a great book that I both wanted to race through it and at the same time I didn't want it to end. It's the second Autumn Bardot book I've read and it did not disappoint. Sexy, historical, filled with interesting medicinal info and intrigue, it has everything I like in a book including a character who transforms and learns to survive in a vicious time. Parts of this book reminded me of Ariana Franklin's fantastic The Mistress of the Art of Death series and I kind of wanted Locusta to solve a mysterious illness instead of poison people for Nero. I didn't want this book to end because it was so much fun to be in ancient Rome that I didn't want to leave. I can't wait to see where Autumn Bardot will take me next!

[WeLoveBigBooksAndWeCannotLie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Autumn Bardot did it again!
Her books do not disappoint. This is the 3rd book of hers that we’ve read and we have loved them all! The Emperor’s Assassin is based on Locusta of Gaul. She is known to have been the assassin in thousands of deaths by order of The Emperor Nero of Rome. We follow the life of Locusta and how she went from an innocent daughter of a winemaker to the world’s first female serial killer. Just like the other two books of hers that we have read, we could not put this book down! It ended way to soon for my liking!
Please go check Autumn’s books out and let us know what you think! We are forever fans of hers!!!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several books by Autumn Bardot and have enjoyed every one of them. Emperor’s Assassin is no different. I have not read anything in the past about Nero’s time, so I found this story to be intriguing and fascinating. Locusta is one historical figure I had never heard of before and I find myself wanting to know more about her.
I am giving Emperor’s Assassin four stars. Historical fiction readers will not want to miss this one. I thought it was great.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

[Sarah Faichney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no prior knowledge of Locusta of Gaul, allegedly the world's first female serial killer, though now feel inspired to learn more about her. Autumn Bardot's writing really brought Rome to life for me. I loved reading her descriptions of the city of opposites. I would really like to read more of Bardot's work and thought "The Emperor's Assassin" was first class. 

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bardot takes the few details known of Locusta and speculates how a woman could rise to such status in the very male dominated world of ancient Rome. It does a great job mixing in the real life details of the reigns of Claudius and Nero, along with all the gossip, as we follow Locusta from girlhood through her tumultuous life.

Because the historical details are fuzzy, Bardot plays Choose-Your-Own-Adventure with what happened to Locusta and here she escapes the fall of Nero with her True Love and she joins him in this new fangled Christianity cult.

[Tiffany DuBeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok Autumn Bardot, where have you been all my life?! The Emperor’s Assassin was everything I didn’t know I needed. Ancient history, tasteful erotica, and herbal magic! I was intrigued my Locusta’s story some time ago and this book just gave her life. I couldn’t put this book down, I finished it in under 24 hours. Beautiful characters, superb imagery and a truly fascinating story.

[Cam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/3.5 I'm still not sure because it was a good book for sure but I feel like something is missing, I got interested in Locusta's story recently and read this book expecting to see the Locusta I learnt about but it seems that some things were missing so I'm a bit disappointed but still it was good.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!

I was drawn in to this story right away. Locusta was a person I had not known about. Well written, I could not put it down. If you haven't read Autumn Bardot's the Impaler's Wife, it is excellent also!