Memento Mori: A Crime Novel of the Roman Empire

The eighth gripping novel in the bestselling Gaius Petreius Ruso series.

A scandal is threatening to engulf the popular spa town of Aquae Sulis (modern-day Bath). The wife of Ruso's best friend, Valens, has been found dead in the sacred hot spring, stabbed through the heart. Fearing the wrath of the goddess and the ruin of the tourist trade, the temple officials are keen to cover up what's happened. But the dead woman's father is demanding justice, and he's accusing Valens of murder.

If Valens turns up to face trial, he will risk execution. If he doesn't, he'll lose his children.

Ruso and Tilla do their best to help but it's difficult to get anyone - even Valens himself - to reveal what really happened. Could Ruso's friend really be guilty as charged?



Praise for Memento Mori:

"Downie is masterful at depicting life in ancient Rome, and the setting of Aquae Sulis... is a crime-scene coup" - Booklist

"Downie can be relied on for crisp, balanced prose and a sharp eye for historic detail" - Kirkus Reviews

"Ruso, Tilla, and other returning characters are charming even when they are disagreeable and entertaining as they charge into dangerous situations . . . Highly recommended for series fans and readers of Lindsey Davis's Roman mysteries, but it also serves as a worthy stand-alone." - Library Journal

"The best historical fiction doesn't feel historical when you're reading it. Authors like Downie create or recreate the world they've dropped you into so well that it all seems perfectly normal and there is no historical barrier between the reader and the characters" - Morning Star, Best of 2018: Crime fiction



Praise for the Gaius Petreius Ruso series:

"Ruth Downie ranks among the very best of today's generation of Roman writers; by far and away the most obvious inheritor of Rosemary Sutcliff's honoured mantle." - M C Scott, author of the Boudica and Rome series

"Downie has a rare talent for combining great writing, razor wit and detailed historical research." - Lynne Patrick, Hey there's a dead guy in the living room

"Downie's attention to detail - both historical detail and human detail - makes this series a joy to read for the mystery lover, the classics fan, or anyone seeking more character-driven genre fiction." - Historical Novel Society