A Roman Death

It is 45 BC, and Julius Caesar is at the height of his power. Quintus Fufidius agrees against his wife’s instincts to the marriage of their daughter to the handsome, young Lucius Scaurus. It is an alliance which could heal old feuds and create a new dynasty. But before the wedding takes place one of the principals is murdered.

Suspects are few, but Roman society is shocked when Quintus’ wife is accused, not only of murder, but also of incest. The trial of Helvia, in which she is defended by Cicero, is a courtroom battle on the grand scale and accompanied by the political shenanigans which result in Caesar’s assassination.

‘(O’Hagan’s) knowledge of the period, the place, the politics, the social milieu and sexual mores of Caesar’s Rome is impeccable. Rather than intruding on the plot, the myriad details blend seamlessly into the story and serve to drive it forward.’ (Steven Saylor)