05/23/2016
Downie’s uneven seventh Gaius Ruso mystery (after 2014’s Tabula Rasa) takes the former medical officer; his wife, Tilla; and their infant daughter, Mara, from second-century Britannia to Rome to start a new life. Things don’t get off to a good start. Their accommodations are vermin-infested, and the doctor, Kleitos, who was to send Ruso some patients, isn’t home when Ruso calls on him. Then Ruso gets a note from Kleitos, explaining that he is going to be out of town for a bit and inviting Ruso to take over both his house and practice. Hope turns to disappointment after Ruso learns that Kleitos has taken all his medical supplies with him. Meanwhile, a smelly barrel dumped in front of Kleitos’s door turns out to contain the corpse of an unidentified man, which doesn’t inspire confidence among prospective patients. Downie’s trademark humor is in evidence, but her superior plotting skills aren’t, in an entry that downplays the historical background. Agent: George Lucas, Inkwell Management. (July)
"Downie writes with her usual humor and depth . . . Perfect for fans of the Falco novels by Lindsey Davis, this entertaining New York Times best-selling series and its endearing characters deserve as long a run." —Booklist
"The seventh adventure for Downie's physician hero (Tabula Rasa, 2014, etc.) masterfully draws out its suspense, painting a vivid portrait of ancient Rome that feels persuasive and authentic. " —Kirkus Reviews
"Downie’s plotting is as engaging as ever, as she weaves the threads of a murder mystery into the very character-driven story of Ruso and Tilla. While marital strife under the pressures of a new home and a new baby in the household could have proven tedious, these two characters and their relationship are so charmingly portrayed that every domestic scene seems of a piece. The tension between Tilla’s rebellious nature and the ideal of a ‘Good Roman Wife,’ and the tension between Ruso’s outer gruffness and inner integrity make this Medicus installment much more than a mystery novel." - Historical Novel Society
"Ruth Downie's books about second-century AD Roman Army doctor Ruso and his British wife Tilla, herself a healer and midwife, are among my favourite of all historical crime series. There is a confident, unforced authenticity to the writing which makes the reader feel like a time traveller." - Mat Coward, Morning Star (UK)
"Since Lindsey Davis first began her Falco series, a number of authors have attempted to infiltrate the ancient Roman mystery subgenre . . . but only Ruth Downie has managed it with her own distinctive panache." - History Buff
"Vita Brevis is crammed with pithy characterisation (notably the intuitive Ruso), mordant humour and beautifully integrated historical detail." - Financial Times
"A deftly crafted and consistently compelling read from beginning to end, Vita Brevis clearly establishes author Ruth Downie as a consummate and accomplished master of historical crime fiction . . . Very highly recommended." - Midwest Book Review
"A Ruth Downie novel offers many pleasures, not least of them the humorously conflicted marriage between Roman citizen Ruso and the Briton Tilla . . . but where Vita Brevis really scores is in its contemporary resonances with Ruso and Tilla’s immigrant experience . . . Meticulously researched, the Ruso novels are historical mysteries to rank alongside those of Lindsey Davis." - Irish Times
05/01/2016
Life is short and sometimes ends violently, as medical doctor Gaius Ruso knows full well. In this seventh installment (after Tabula Rasa) of the "Medicus" series, Ruso, wife Tilla, and baby Mara have journeyed to Rome, at the invitation of Accius, a former legionary tribune. Yet all they discover is a stuffy room in a roach-infested tenement. Through a series of dubious events, Ruso obtains employment and much better living conditions—if he can keep his employer alive, solve the mystery of where the previous doctor has gone, and protect his family. The plot of this mystery has so many twists and turns that sometimes it's as difficult for readers to keep events straight as for Ruso; in the end, not every question gets a satisfactory answer. Ruso keeps moving forward, though—and so will the reader. VERDICT Series fans will enjoy this title, but new readers and devotees of historical fiction about the Roman Empire are well advised to start with the first book, Medicus. [See Prepub Alert, 2/1/16.]—Pamela O'Sullivan, Coll. at Brockport Lib., SUNY
2016-05-04
An idealistic doctor who moves to the big city with his family finds a nest of corruption—and corpses—literally on their doorstep.Now that it's C.E. 122 in Imperial Rome, physician Gaius Petreius Ruso is starting a new chapter in his life, moving from Britannia with his wife, Tilla, and their young adopted daughter, Mara. The trip has been arduous, with Metellus, a longtime antagonist of Ruso, popping up in Rome to insult Tilla and Mara. Ruso is set to take over the medical practice of the venerable physician Kleitos, but when they arrive at the older man's home, the door is locked, and when they get inside they find the furniture, including Kleitos' medical items, missing. On the porch sits a big barrel. Opening it with difficulty, Ruso finds a corpse inside. Nevertheless, he begins seeing patients even as he turns some attention to solving the dual mysteries of the corpse and his predecessor's disappearance. Helping not one iota is wealthy Accius, Kleitos' patron, who peppers Ruso with annoying questions and dire reports of local unrest. He finds the locals similarly prickly, and Tilla fares no better in Rome's rough streets, though a resourceful new servant girl named Narina proves an invaluable ally. The couple's exploration of this alien city becomes the reader's tutorial as well. They begin to feel that they are under siege. Could the unexpected death of their landlord, Horatius Balbus, be connected to these other mysteries? The seventh adventure for Downie's physician hero (Tabula Rasa, 2014, etc.) masterfully draws out its suspense, painting a vivid portrait of ancient Rome that feels persuasive and authentic.
