Catilina's Riddle by Steven Saylor

Catilina's Riddle (Roma Sub Rosa, #3)

by Steven Saylor

The year is 63BC, and Gordianus the Finder unexpectedly achieves the dream of every Roman - a farm in the Etruscan countryside. Vowinig to leave behind the corruption and intrigue of Rome, he abandons the city, taking his family with him.

Gordianus' longtime patron, Cicero, has also achieved the dram of his lifetime - a much coveted consulship, Rome's highest elected office. Urgently, he requests a favour of Gordianus: his help in keeping watch on a radical populist senator, Catilina, suspected of conspiring against the state. Against his will, Gordianus finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a web of deceit, intrigute and murder.

Reviewed by wyvernfriend on

3 of 5 stars

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Gordianus the Finder now has a farm in the Etruscan countryside. He abandons the city, taking his family with him.

Cicero is becoming more and more embroiled in Roman politics, with all it's mud slinging and complications. He embroils Gordianus in this by asking for a favour. This starts off a course of events that will drag Gordianus back into the corruption and intrigue he was avoiding.

In places the mystery seemed to be subsumed by the details about Rome and Roman politics, not my favourite of the series. Not a bad read but it was pretty slow going and I almost wanted to abandon it a few times. Yes I will continue with the series, but that's almost more because I have the books than really having a huge urge to.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 30 October, 2009: Finished reading
  • 30 October, 2009: Reviewed