A Novel of the Roman Empire
by Ruth Downie
At long last, Gaius Petreius Ruso and his companion, Tilla, are headed hometo Gaul. Having received a note consisting only of the words "COME HOME!" Ruso has (reluctantly, of course) pulled up stakes and brought Tilla to meet his family.
But the reception there is not what Ruso has hoped for: no one will admit to sending for him, and his brother Lucius is hoping hell leave. With Tilla getting icy greetings from his relatives, Luciuss brother-in-law mysteriously drowned at sea, and the whole Ruso family teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, it's hard to imagine an unhappier reunion. That is, until Severus, the family's chief creditor, winds up dead, and the real trouble begins
"Starred Review. Her characters are wonderfully memorable, particularly the dry and acerbic Ruso, whose internal dialog provides some genuinely funny laugh-out-loud moments." - Library Journal
"This is solid entertainment, nicely done." - Publishers Weekly
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
In 2004, Ruth Downie won the Fay Weldon section of BBC3's End of Story competition. Her first novel, Medicus and the Disappearing Dancing Girls was published in the UK in 2006, and in the USA in 2007 (as simply Medicus). The second in the series, Terra Incognita, was published in the US and UK in 2008. The third, Caveat Emptor, was published in January 2011. Her latest work is, Vita Brevis (2016).
She is married with two sons and lives in Milton Keynes, England.

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