Author’s Note ” Aqua Sulis is one of the most visited sites in Roman Britain, perhaps because it combines a lovely setting with spectacular remains..over 130 curse tablets deposited in the waters..From the floor level down, the Great Bath is much the same today as it was when Ruso swam in it” and My thanks go to all the readers who travel with Ruso and Tilla”
I travel with Ruso,the Medicus and his wife Tilla and now their extended family, which grows with each outing. Valens who is a colleague and very close personal friend of Ruso, sends a messenger ( also a colleague of Ruso) to let him know that he is accused of murdering his wife.
Albanus, the former assistant to Ruso when he was still in the Army, was distraught when he arrived due to the death of Serena. Additionally Albanus is tutor to Valens twin sons, now in the custody of Pertinex, former Centurian over all three of these men.
Catus, brother of Pertinex,Virana now-wife to Albanus but biological mother to Mara, adopted daughter of Tila and Ruso as well as Gleva, who is both Priestess and mistress to Pertinex round out the immediate characters involved. Characters many of them are, for sure! They leap off the page, each unique in a different fashion.
The plot involves Aqua Solis, more than a Roman Bath but a religious site with the goddess Minerva Sulis of extreme importance to what is now modern-day Bath. The Governor arrives post haste to "try" the case, as Valens' father in law is convinced his daughter and her recent love interest, was murdered by her husband. Tides, the mysteries of this sacred spring as well as other obstacles stand in the way of untangling what happened. There is no resolution until the very end.
Always the juxtaposition between Tilla, a British native and her husband a Roman physician from Gaul gives wonderful depth and that depth is replicated for many such couples and associates of our main characters. That is Roman Britain.
All of this is why I love this series so..
Book #1 of the series sets the stage for the Stephens & Mephisto Mysteries ( aka Magic Men) and a fine story it was. ( I had already finished book #2)
The Magic Men unit in WWII apparently had brought together a group of people who did not always relate well to others. People who were thought to be dead were alive, and were trying to do others in.The first murder was a female cut in three pieces, like magicians pretend to do. Who was the spy in their war unit?
Max Mephisto and DI Edgar Stephens were friends in the war and their friendship deepens. The dynamics of the Brighton Police Unit are amusing and the book is extremely well written. Elly Griffiths is a masterful writer. I will now get Book #3 and look forward to a 4th in the series later this year.
The Stephens & Mephisto Mystery series is just great- of course in my own odd way I read book 2 first, but I also downloaded book one as back up. DI Stephens is a likeable competent character not terribly unlike Ruth Galloway (smart and a non conformist). The back story of their WWII record that brought this dissimilar group together is good to read. Book #1 helps there, but they do bring up explanatory vignettes as you go along.
The Christmas season in Brighton brings a very sad murder of two young teens, and Max Mephisto and DI Edgar Stephens( wartime friends) are again together to solve the case. Police Officer Emma Holmes is a terrific character in this one too, she and Bob who are DI Edgar's sergeants play prominent roles in this, for reasons of contrast. The characters are so well done and Ruby is now playing a prominent role;I need to finish book #1 to understand how that transpired.
Christmas comes to Brighton, the police department and the pantomime theater crowd are provided with a happy end to another missing child story.Edgar's sister Lucy and his nephews will feature in his Christmas celebrations, and Max has a glimmer in his eye also.
A second fine series for wonderful and talented author Elly Griffiths.
I have read most of the series.. one or two am not sure and this is book #1. The storyline tells of when Sarah Decker Brandt, midwife, first came in contact with Frank Malloy, the police detective amid a murder investigation.
Bringing it all together is Sarah going to deliver a baby, and meeting someone she thought she knew at the rooming house the expectant mother ran. The next morning, checking on the infant and mother, she was told of a murder in an upstairs room.
Sgt. Malloy is the investigating person from NYPD and Sarah meets him. Without wanting to or meaning to ( at least for awhile) they work on this murder together. Startlingly it involves a very high society family that Sarah knew in her growing up years, even more startling is the mystery.
Start this series, it is a great one
5 Stars Book #2- I am hopping around as I started with Book 4 and went back to the first book and skipped around some more. (Library digital loan had some) This one was quite scary in parts with one sort of gruesome reported murder
(must remember- it is only a book)
Dr. Ruth's pregnancy is advancing and she shares that information with those most closely affected. Unfortunately, a dangerous murderer ( who has successfully hidden his derangement for 50 years), also knows Ruth's secret and is obsessed with destroying all evidence of his crimes.
Nelson, Cathbad and a long missing man who is also an archaeologist come to her rescue.
Many lives were entangled in this historical property, with both Roman and more modern buried secrets. As always the mystery is tightly drawn and has a good outcome ( for our heroine anyway) Start reading this series.
