Poetic Justice
(The Publius Ovidius Mysteries Book 1)
By Fiona Forsyth
Publication Date: 30th November 2023
Publisher: Sharpe Books
Page Length: 283 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction (Ancient)
Poetic and haunting: Forsyth provides a captivating glimpse into the life of one of Ancient Rome's greatest writers.’ Steven Veerapen, author of the Simon Danforth Mysteries
9 CE.
Rome’s celebrated love poet Ovid finds himself in exile, courtesy of an irate Emperor, in the far-flung town of Tomis.
Appalled at being banished to a barbarous region at the very edge of the Empire, Ovid soon discovers that he has a far more urgent - and potentially perilous - issue to address. A killer is at large in Tomis.
Somebody is slaughtering animals in a parody of ritual, and the Governor’s advisor Marcus Avitius is under pressure to apprehend the perpetrator.
Romans are held in low esteem by the local populace, however, and assistance is hard to come by. When the killer progresses from animal to human victims, Avitius reluctantly allies himself to the mercurial, tipsy Ovid.
It seems that Ovid has an inexplicable link to the murderer too, with his poetry providing the timetable by which the killer works.
After a secret visit from the elite Praetorian Guard, Ovid realises he is in mortal danger in Tomis. If he doesn’t follow the Emperor’s line, more than just his freedom is at risk.
With Avitius distracted by the demands of the Governor, Ovid becomes a target for dark forces at work in Tomis - and in Rome.
Pick up your copy of
Poetic Justice
Fiona Forsyth
I will never fully understand the Romans, and that is the challenge.
I have loved the ancient world since I read my first Greek myth, Theseus and the Minotaur. After reading Classics at Oxford, I taught at a boys’ public school for twenty-five years, but then my family moved to Qatar. There wasn’t much call for Latin teachers, so I wrote, and now I am back in the UK, all the questions I have asked myself about the Romans over the years are turning into novels.
I was once accused by a slightly indignant teenager of being in love with Cicero. This is not strictly true…
Connect with Fiona:
I’m really passionate about this period of history. I can’t wait to dive into your book.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Book 2 is nearing completion as well. Hope you enjoy!
DeleteI’ve never come across a book about Ovid before. What was the inspiration behind your choice to explore this particular period in history, and were there any surprising revelations you uncovered during your research?
ReplyDeleteI think the starting point is the mystery of why Ovid was exiled in 8CE. He never tells us straight! I was surprised by the almost complete silence from contemporary sources on this - I assumed that it had been a big scandal at the time. Still, that gives the historical novelist a great starting point. Ovid himself was a prolific and popular poet and I’ve enjoyed constructing the fictional character.
DeleteYour book sounds amazing, Fiona. I am really looking forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI think the starting point is the mystery of why Ovid was exiled in 8CE. He never tells us straight! I was surprised by the almost complete silence from contemporary sources on this - I assumed that it had been a big scandal at the time. Still, that gives the historical novelist a great starting point. Ovid himself was a prolific and popular poet and I’ve enjoyed constructing the fictional character.
ReplyDeleteYour book is now on my ever growing to-read list. I love a good Roman adventure, I have not read one in ages.
ReplyDeleteAnother book to add to the list. Mary Anne, you’re wreaking havoc on my finances!
ReplyDeleteI’ll be looking for beta readers for book 2 soon so that might save you a little, Shield Maiden!
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