Arrows of Fury

This is the second novel in the Empire series by Anthony Riches and sequel to "Wounds of Honour".

Marcus Tribulus Corvus has a new prefect in charge of his legion.  The new prefect has figured out that Marcus has a death warrant out for him, and he wants to know from the First Spear why Marcus is part of the legion and why he is still alive.  Marcus is surprised when he learns that the prefect is prepared to protect his identity.

To the north the tribes in conflict with the Romans are led by Calgus who holds hostages of King Brennus' family and other tribal leaders to ensure that they will fight alongside the Selgovae in future battles with the Romans.

Marcus' legion is in need of replacements, and when he and his friends go to get them, they find that they have been cheated out of a century of infantry.  They must take archers instead.  It will be difficult to train archers to be infantry.

Meantime Calgus attacks one of the Roman forts, destroying it and the men inside.  He also betrays the men who are loyal to Brennus, hoping the Romans will destroy them leaving Brennus with no support.  The Sixth Legion sets out to exact retribution.  The Romans find themselves in a battle to the death, and outnumbered, with only a narrow stream between them and the enemy.  Will Marcus and his friends survive to fight another day?

"Arrows of Fury" is an excellent read, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  Fans of historical fiction are sure to enjoy it, too.

Believing the Lie

Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers return in Elizabeth George's latest novel. 

Since the death of his wife, Lynley has been having an affair with his superior officer, Isabelle Ardery.  Lynley has been called to a hush-hush meeting with Assistant Commissioner Sir David Hillier.  There he meets Lord Fairclough, and is asked to secretly investigate the accidental death of Lord Fairclough's nephew.  He is unable to share his forthcoming investigation even with his lover.  Unfortunately, someone has informed the editor of a yellow journalism rag that the investigation is to be kept quiet.  Reporter Zedekiah Benjamin is sent to expand on a story he was already working on.

Since Lynley can't take a fellow police officer on this investigation, he invites his good friends Deborah and Simon St. James to help him.  All three have to keep a low profile throughout the investigation.  As the investigation continues, Lynley has to turn to DS Havers to gather information in London for him on the quiet.

The reader begins to learn more about the family of the deceased as the story progresses.  Everything seems to point towards money, and everyone knows, money is the root of all evil.  Meantime Havers is putting together information, but is held back by a language barrier.

George's novel contains deceit, death, greed, passion and plenty of intrigue.  I am sure that like me, you will not be able to put this novel down.

The Triumph of Caesar

Gordianus has returned from Egypt and been called to attend Calpurnia, wife of Caesar.  She fears that his life is in danger.  Caesar doesn't realise it because he is so busy preparing for his triumphs.  Gordianus is reluctant to take the task of searching for the villains on, but when Calpurnia shows Gordianus the body of his friend Hieronymus, who had also been tasked with the same object, he decides to do it for his late friend.

Gordianus checks with Antony who seems to harbour some grudges against Caesar.  Next he looks to the prisoner Vercingetorix, but neither man can shed light on the impending troubles of Caesar.

When Gordianus checks in on Cicero, he is introduced to Brutus.  Can these two be conspirators against Caesar?  What of Cleopatra, Caesar's mistress, who is in Rome at the moment?  Could Arsinoe, Cleopatra's sister, who is to be executed following the Egyptian triumph be the force behind the plan.  Gordianus' investigation are leading him nowhere, it seems.

Gordianus' daughter Diana joins him in perusing the notes of Hieronymus.  He is impressed at how perceptive she is.  Maybe together the two of them can solve the case.  Author Steven Saylor does a good job of taking the reader to ancient Rome.

A Dublin Student Doctor

Dr. Fingal O'Reilly and his partner Dr. Barry Laverty are on their way home when they come across a motorcycle accident involving a young man from their town of Ballybucklebo.  Fingal travels to the hospital in Belfast with the patient.  The neurosurgeon is an old friend and classmate of Fingal's, which spurs on memories of how he became a GP.

Fingal had wanted to become a doctor since he was a lad, contrary to his father's wishes.  He ended up joining the merchant navy in order to get the necessary funds to attend university.  His first teaching hospital is Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital in Dublin.  On the first day, he is distracted by a grey-eyed student nurse.

As Fingal and his friends continue with their studies at the teaching hospital, Fingal is able to occasionally see the nurse.  Fingal makes close connections with his patients and when one dies he takes it hard.  He goes to visit his brother, but is unable to get back to Dublin in time.  His opportunity to become a doctor is jeopardised as a result.

His commitment to rugby results in missed classes and a failure on one of his exams.  At the same time, Fingal's father is diagnosed with leukaemia.  Fingal needs to focus on his studies in order to graduate with his friends, and as a result he loses Kitty, the grey-eyed nurse.

Another great read by author Patrick Taylor.  This is the sixth book in the Irish Country series by Patrick Taylor. 

The Devil's Edge

Newly minted Detective Sergeant Ben Cooper has a brutal murder on his hands.  It would appear that a young woman was killed during a home invasion, while her husband was left to die.  Fortunately the children were not harmed.  Cooper's investigation is part of a larger investigation, which is looking into a series of home invasions in the area.  The media has dubbed the culprits "Savages".

Cooper has just become engaged to his girlfriend, Liz; the woman who became a DS before him, Diane Fry is off on course and now he is joined on the investigation by a new Detective Constable.  She is an old school friend, Carol Villiers.

One evening, shortly after the home invasion, Cooper and Villiers are walking above the small town when they hear an alarm go of below in the town.  They rush down and catch the local snoop, but it would appear that he wasn't involved in the second attempted home invasion.  However, another death has occurred.  Could the snoop be the prime suspect?

As usual, Cooper doesn't feel that the lead investigators on the team are searching in the right direction.  However, with Fry's return the senior investigating team catch a break when the South Yorkshire Constabulary help them make an arrest of one of the Savages.  Tensions continue to run high in the area, culminating in Cooper's brother shooting a trespasser in the back with a shotgun.  To keep his mind from his brother's troubles Cooper continues to work.  Villiers has evidence of a Savages home invasion elsewhere on the same night as the fatal one.  It would appear that Cooper's instincts will prove correct.

Once again, author Stephen Booth has written an intriguing murder mystery.  An excellent read, well worth it.