 |
ORDER (UK) ORDER (USA) |
A PATTERN OF BLOOD
A Pattern of Blood is the second book in the series featuring the Roman pavement-maker Libertus. This book follows on from her first book The Germanicus Mosaic. Corinium is a bustling town with the usual vagrants and pickpockets, so it comes as no surprise when Libertus is a witness to a stabbing. The victim is wealthy decurion Quintus Ulpius. Luckily for him, a misfortune is avoided as his personal physician is at hand. However, it soon becomes clear that Libertus has not heard the last of this matter. He is ordered by his wealthy benefactor Marcus Septimus to look into the stabbing. Things appear to have taken a turn for the worse for not long, after Libertus arrives at Quintus's mansion the decurion is found fatally stabbed. So many people had reason to kill him. Could it have been his son Maximilian who feared being disinherited? Alternatively, the jealous husband whose wife he stole? Was it the shifty old fellow Lupus who had to depend on Quintus's goodwill despite their quarrel? Marcus Septimus believes that the matter is closed when one of Quintus's many enemies is found with blood on his clothing. However, Libertus thinks otherwise and whilst he dislikes meddling in political intrigue as it is bound to lead to an early grave he is sure that the explanation is not as lucid as it appears. Soon a second body is found and Libertus is aware that he needs to find the killer quickly as his life and that of others are in mortal danger.