Day of the Caesars

Cato and Macro have just returned from a successful mission to Hispania.  Rome is now under the rule of Nero and his mother, Agrippina.  Tensions abound, including amongst the Praetorian Guard.  The men who were fighting in Hispania want the same bonus that was paid out to those who stayed behind.

It isn’t long before Pallas, Nero’s right hand man, comes to Cato with an offer, and a threat to Cato’s son if he and Macro don’t accept.  Close on this, Cato is framed for the murder of a senator.  Fortunately he escapes, but now looks to Macro to help him clear his name.  Will the pair be able to do just that or is Cato’s life forfeit? 

A man everyone assumed was dead reappears in the hopes of removing Nero from the throne.  A revolution is on the verge of breaking out.  Narcissus, back from the dead tries to persuade Cato to join the revolution and takes Cato’s son to assure compliance.

Will Cato comply?  Author Simon Scarrow, historical novel is full of treachery and double crossing by a variety of characters who put Cato’s life and the life of his son in jeopardy.  A thoroughly enjoyable read for fans of historical novels.

The Irregular

One of Vernon Kell’s military counter intelligence agents has been killed.  He feels that he needs a man familiar with London, and not one off the toffs that his superiors keep trying to foist on him.  Sherlock Holmes has suggested a man by the name of Wiggins; a man he himself had trained.  However, Wiggins isn’t interested.

Sometime after, another of Kell’s agents is killed and an attempt is made on Kell’s life.  Someone is trying to shut down military intelligence.  Also, secret information from the Woolwich Arsenal has been passed on to the Germans.  Wiggins is finally on board and has a potential suspect who is passing on the information.  However, he realises that Kell has a mole in his office when the suspect is killed.

Wiggins insinuates himself into a Russian gang, which is bent on causing havoc on the streets of London.  He also comes to figure out who the group’s leader is.  Can Wiggins get to the leader before a devastating bomb is used to kill the visiting Tsar?

Author H. B. Lyle’s thriller is a very good read, fast paced and a page turner.  He also used historical facts to establish the basis of the novel.  For fans of historical novels, don’t miss out on this book.  I’m looking forward to the sequel.

Dead Ground in Between

DI Tom Tyler has two farm workers to deal with; they had been riding their bicycles at night with no lights and been verbally abusive to the constable who stopped them.  He has also a set of young Dutch brothers who had been evacuated from Holland before the Nazis invasion; they had caused some damage in a Woolworths store.  On top of these two sets of miscreants, he has a missing elderly man.

It isn’t long after DI Tyler and two constables had gone to the farm of the missing man, than the two boys arrive at the farm stating that they had found a dead man.  Later the pathologist informs Tyler that the man had been stabbed, although he likely died of exposure.

Can Tyler solve the crime before Christmas arrives or will more pain arrive first?  Author Maureen Jennings mystery novel is a good, quick read.

Monument to Murder

DCI Kate Daniels and DS Hank Gormley have been called out to the beach just below Bamburgh Castle where a skeleton has been uncovered in the sand.  Arriving, they conclude from the clothes that this is a recent death.  As the body was aboyto be removed, another body is discovered alongside it.  The anthropologist on the scene confirms that the bodies are those of young girls, she also states that the girls were not the same age, and they did not die at the same time.

Daniels assembled her murder investigation team in Alnwick and begins the process.  A plastic set of pearls on one of the victims gives Daniels an idea.  It is her father that provides some information.  A local historian helps to put them on the right track.  But will it be what they need to get the killer?

Fortunately they are able to persuade Jo Soulsby to work up a profile on the killer.  A breakthrough occurs when they get a DNA match on the older victim.

At the same time, the daughter of Emily McCann, a friend of boy Kate and Jo has gone missing.  Emily is very concerned because she works in a prison with sex offenders, one of whom has an obsession with her.  Coincidentally her disappearance is part of a five year pattern in line with the two victims.  As the investigation team works, they come up with four possible suspects.

Author Mari Hannah throws up a plethora of suspects as this thriller nears its conclusion. Which one will it be?  A thoroughly enjoyable read, and hard to put down.

The Red Moth

Inspector Pekkala has been called to the Kremlin by Stalin, who is now in the possession of a picture of a moth.  The picture had been in the briefcase of an SS officer whose plane had been shot down.  Why did the officer then kill his pilot and immediately commit suicide?

Pekkala travels to the Lubyanka to visit a prisoner who might know something about the painting.  However, the man is unable to help.  He suggests that Pekkala approach a student of his who is now a cryptographer.  Upon seeing the painting, Lieutenant Churikova realises that it is a Baden-Powell map, but of what she couldn’t say because a codex is needed to decipher it.

After intensive study, Pekkala determines that the moth is actually a map of Leningrad.  However he feels that there is more to it, but just what?  Hopefully Churikova can help this time.  It is Pekkala’s assistant that comes to the realisation that the second map is a set of rooms.  Pekkala studies it further and comes to the conclusion that one room in particular is the Amber Room in the Catherine Palace.   The Nazis plan on stealing the amber!

Stalin decides to send Pekkala, Kirov and Churikova behind the German lines to apprehend the mastermind behinds the scheme.  They will be assisted by an old friend of Pekkala’s; one whom he had assumed was dead.  Pekkla's friend, Kovalevsky, was thought to have been assassinated in Paris, but he had been living in Moscow all along.  However, plans are changed when Kovalevsky is suddenly killed.

Without Kovalevsky, will the other three still be able to carry out their mission?  Author Sam Eastland’s thriller is intense and comes with a surprise ending.  The Amber Room actually did exist and its current existence is unknown.  A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Napoleon’s Hemorroids

History is not just made up of big events, but over time has been influenced by numerous small events.  Some of these small events were amusing and others deadly serious.

Author Phil Mason looks at topics ranging from politics to accidents of history, science, sports and crime.  I was aware of some of the topics touched on and would use them to spur interest in my students when teaching them history.

A good, quick read.

The Night Wanderer

Lassair has been called out to the site where a man has died a violent death.  However, she is unable to find any evidence of the killer at the site.  The following morning, she and her mentor, Gurdyman meet with Jack Chevestrier, a local officer of the law.  Jack informs them that there seems to have been a progression of killings of animals, smaller to larger in the same manner, so this death was not unexpected.

Three days later a young woman is struck down in the same ghastly manner.  The people of Cambridge are living in fear.  They fear that the legendary Night Wanderer has returned. Not long after, another woman, an apothecary, is killed.  Lassair wonders if there might be a connection of sorts amongst the three.

Lassair is at the next killing, which is in a church.  She sees the killer take the life of a young cleric; the throat is slashed by a clawed hand.  Fortunately for Lassair, she is in the shadows when the killing occurs and is not observed.

Lassair and Jack determine that cinnabar has been stolen from the apothecary.  Why would someone be stealing something that can be used as a poison?  Jack felt that Lassair would be safer in her home village of Aelf Fen, but it wasn’t long before the killer came in search of her there.  Is anywhere safe for her?  Will Jack be able to keep her safe with the Night Wanderer still at large?

Author Alys Clare’s thriller is the best of the series so far.  An entirely good read, which goes by quickly.  Any fan of historical fiction will quite enjoy it.