Shadows of Athens is historical mystery centered around playwright Philocles. I get the impression that it is intended to be the first book in a new series.

After a years of war with Persia, Athens is finally at peace and looking forward to the start of the Dionysia festival, a theatrical festival in which playwrights compete to entertain the citizens of Athens. All of Athens comes to a halt whilst its citizens flood daily to the amphitheatres to drink wine, worship their gods and enjoy the performances. The festival provides a great background to the tale, providing context for the mystery whilst also delivering interesting social, religious and political commentary for the reader.

Unfortunately for Philocles, instead of being able to enjoy the festival and focus on the success of his play, a dead body at his gate sees him unwillingly thrown into a mystery of violence, treachery, treason and murder!

It is a story that leads the reader right into the heart of ancient Athens. The author certainly seems to know his subject well and, as a result, the book has a great sense of place but in a way that makes the refreshingly different setting accessible to us modern-day readers. I am by no means an expert in early Greek history, yet the historical details (of the food, the clothing, the social hierarchy etc.) gave the story a real sense of authenticity which leads me to believe that a lot of research and effort has been put in to recreating a historically accurate depiction of ancient Athens for the reader.

Philocles is a decent character - intelligent, engaging and falliable - and the supporting characters proved to be equally as interesting. I particularly liked Philocles' partner, Zosime, who is beautiful, independent and lets nothing phase her. She's a strong woman and I hope we see more of her if the author does continue the series.

The story is interesting, witty and proceeds at good pace. There is a underlying sense of humour to the writing that I enjoyed and which did not detract in any way from the seriousness of the overall story.

I must be honest and admit that it took me a few chapters to really settle into the book, whilst getting the different characters straight in my head. However I quickly found myself absorbed into the story. In my opinion the author found the perfect balance, giving just enough helpful historical/background information, without veering into the trap of giving too much information and causing the tale to become too dry and factual.

Shadows of Athens is an interesting and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of both crime fiction and historical fiction. If you enjoy a novel by David Wishart, Lindsey Davis or C J Sansom, then this may well be a book that you should be adding to your reading list!

I’m a fan of Lindsay Davies’ Falco novels set in Rome and in Philocles, J.M.Alvey has created a character who is just as engaging and equally as intrepid. Shadows of Athens is set in 443 B.C. After years of gruelling war with Persia, peace is flourishing and Athens is girding its loins to become the centre of glorious temples and cultural wonders it will be known for.

Athenians are preparing for the Festival of Dionysia; not least of them is Philocles, a writer and humourist who is penning a play for his patron, Aristarchos which will compete for the festival’s comedy prize. Frequent sacrifices are made to the Gods to ask for victory in the competition and Philocles is on hand at every rehearsal to school the actors and ensure his script is adhered to.

All is chaos, but no more so than usual when, on returning home from a rehearsal, Philocles finds a dead man lying outside the gates of his home. The man is unknown to Philocles, but has had his throat cut and it’s pretty clear from what was left on his body that this was no robbery gone wrong.

Philocles learns that the man was part of the influx of tourists from the Hellenic States who flock to the festival of Dionysus to enjoy the culture. But this man and his compatriots had another reason for coming to Athens. Someone is stirring up discontent amongst the dependent states and rumours of dissent are growing.

The Greek city-states had made peace with the Persian Empire and Athens now effectively controls all the Greek city states in Ionia. A great building plan has begun to re-fortify Athens main port and its long walls extending to Athens main city but also including the massive rebuilding program of Athenian temples. Dependent states and cities pay large contributions to Athens to keep them safe but, to all intents and purposes, it is easy for it to look as if all this money is being turned into marble temples, whilst the residents of the outlying states have given up all they have for their safety.

Philocles, finding the dead man at his home, has no option but to turn detective, assisted by the backing of his patron.

I really enjoyed this innovative approach to historical detective fiction. Alvey creates a fantastic picture of Athens and its people, the gossip, political intrigue and customs of the times.

In Philocles, too, we have a well-rounded protagonist. Learned but needing to work and thus reliant on patrons, he lives with his partner, Zosime, herself an artist. Zosime is not an Athenian and so they are not married, but Philocles loves her and is very protective of her. This is also the case for his brother in arms, Kadous,who lives as his slave in accordance with Athenian custom, but who is in reality much more his friend and sometimes bodyguard.

Thus Philocles is established as both an Athenian, able to visit the Agora with all his rights and privileges as an Athenian, but also something of an outsider with an unconventional household which lends him the right credentials to look into those whose outward appearance may be as good Athenians, but whose morals and motives may be more suspect.

Philocles has brothers involved in the tannery trade and a sub-plot running through the book deals with problems relating to supply, but is also a means of introducing us to Philocles wider family for future books, I imagine.

As our intrepid protagonist roams the festive streets of Athens looking for clues, he comes up against some pretty loathsome characters. Hired killers and aristocratic youth with more money than sense are entwined in a political play that combines intrigue, deception and murder but which, if successful, will net the instigators huge rewards.

As he investigates, Philocles comes up against some serious violence more than once and is lucky to come out alive.

I very much enjoyed this novel and hope it is the start of a series. Alvey has gifted us a new and exciting world of Grecian intrigue and in Philocles, a protagonist of wit and intelligence.

Verdict: An enjoyable and immersive journey into Athens’ past written with style and wit.

When I was given the opportunity to read and review this book on behalf of Orion Books I have to say I was so intrigued that I jumped at the opportunity. I have read novels set in Ancient Rome, but have never read anything set in Ancient Greece before so it was a completely new experience for me.

JM Alvey’s academic background as a Classics graduate and comprehensive research has resulted in such exemplary world building that I could picture myself in Athens, alongside Philocles, his partner Zosime and his family and the players. Personally I would have loved a map to help picture where everything was, but notwithstanding this it was still easy to have a mental picture of the location and the culture. I really enjoyed the murder mystery aspect of the novel, which had me guessing throughout and it was really entertaining to see how it developed. I also particularly liked the way in which it drew on the political events of the period.

As far as the main characters were concerned, I found myself warming to Philocles throughout the story, but his feisty partner Zosime was such a wonderful character from the start, strong, opinionated, and not at all like the Athenian women around her. I found myself wanting to know more about the characters, including the players, which I think is perhaps the only minor weakness of the novel. However it made sense when I found that Shadows of Athens is the first in a series of murder mysteries set in Ancient Greece, and the second novel, Scorpions in Corinth, will be released in September 2019.

Shadows of Athens was an enjoyable romp through Ancient Greece, and having fully immersed myself in the world created by JM Alvey, I am filled with anticipation for how this series will develop. Shadows of Athens is out now.

Thank you to Orion Books, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review Shadows of Athens.

Shadows of Athens is an interesting historical murder mystery which is set in ancient Greece and involves an aspiring playwright, called Philocles, who, as the story opens, is really excited that one of his plays is at last being seen by the pleasure loving public. However, when he discovers a body lying dead across the entrance to his home, and with no sign of a robbery, it opens up a whole set of circumstances that Philocles, right on the eve of his success, could really have done without.

I must admit that I don't know too much about ancient Greek history so it took me a little while to be comfortable with the story, however, I found that this didn't really matter as the author does a good job of explaining things. The Greek setting is nicely done and well described for someone like me who isn't familiar with time and place. I enjoyed observing life in 443 BC through the eyes of Philocles as he goes about trying to discover why this murder/mystery should involve him, and of the complicated process of discovery, as he goes about getting to the heart of the mystery.

The author writes well and clearly knows this ancient historical time as this comes across in the attention paid to detail and to the way in which the characters spring into life. The complex politics and the intricate social strata of the time comes across, and it was interesting to see just how the mystery sat against the historical background to the story. There are more than enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you guessing, however, for me, I think it was the recreation of the historical setting which really captured my attention and brought the story to life.

Shadows of Athens is an interesting historical whodunit with a nice combination of both history and mystery.

Shadows of Athens by J.M. Alvey

It is 443 BC and Athens is at peace after decades of war with Persia. The city is being rebuilt in marble and its wealth is matched by its culture, which flourishes. Athens is also in a good mood. The Dionysia festival is shortly to begin which means five days of holidays as actors and singers compete in the city’s beautiful theatre to win glory for their patrons. The playwright Philocles is trying to focus on the job in hand, which is to win the comedy prize for the wealthy and powerful Aristarchos. It’s a stressful business, making sure that actors are prepared, with costumes and masks delivered, while fighting off the insults of rivals and appeasing the gods with frequent rituals.

The last thing Philocles expects is to find a man with his throat cut outside his front gate. His valuables, including a fine pair of boots, are untouched so this was no robbery. Philocles soon learns that the murdered man had been seeking him out, that the crime is part of something much bigger with significance for Athens. Philocles finds himself becoming the reluctant detective, working for Aristarchos to discover the truth. And he still has that play to present…

Shadows of Athens is the debut novel by J.M. Alvey and is, I suspect, the start of a new series of historical murder mysteries set in the relatively unfamiliar territory (compared to Rome) of ancient Athens. The historical setting is marvellous and the novel really succeeds in depicting a place and time that actually feels, at least to me, almost unknowable. It is so different, despite the patterns of human behaviour that repeat themselves, whatever the period of history, sometimes leading to murder.

The festival of Dionysus dominates Shadows of Athens and it is fascinating, as people travel from all over the Hellenistic world to enjoy the cultural displays. And yet it’s not that straightforward. Athens and its dominions are at peace but it comes at quite a financial cost. Dependent states and cities pay vast contributions to Athens to keep them safe when, for all the world, it looks as if this money is being turned into marble temples. There’s a rumbling of discontent and this adds another layer to the novel.

And then there’s the social history element of the book, which I found particularly strong. Philocles is in a relationship with a woman he loves but is most definitely not acceptable at his family’s dinner table. This is a world dominated by its social codes and religious rituals, challenges to these aren’t acceptable. And so women, foreigners (even people from the next city along the coast), and slaves do not enjoy the same privileges as the male citizens of Athens. Philocles’ household, though, shows a slightly different reality. He has a slave but this man is almost a member of his family, he fought alongside Philocles’ brothers in war. Philocles’ partner is a foreign woman, her skin is dark, she doesn’t hide it from the sun as Athenian women do. She stands out. It’s so interesting seeing the contrast between Philocles’ family and those of his brothers and his patron. Although the slaves in Aristarchos’ household play a similarly ambiguous role. Every male citizen is aware, though, that in order for a slave’s testimony in court to be permissible that slave must first be tortured. That’s the law but it’s not necessarily what one would ever want to happen.

The role of outsiders in Athens is a central theme of the novel. Despite the displays of civilisation, sophistication and culture, we’re made well aware that this is founded on success in war. Military triumph is equated with moral virtue and divine favour. This attitude is very hard for outsiders to come up against. Athenian citizens might be cultured and athletic but they’re also trained killing machines. This undercurrent of violence, which can be expressed in riot or murder, lurks in shadows throughout the novel. Philocles gets a battering more than once.

As we move around the glorious streets of Athens, there is so much to enjoy in this rich and vibrant depiction of ancient Athens and its festivals. This is fine worldbuilding and I think that the murder mystery itself is rather overshadowed by its setting. I also found it a little difficult to keep track of individuals through the pages. However, I liked Philocles and his household very much and I really enjoyed the scenes where we follow him in his day job as dramatist. There is a sense that Shadows of Athens lays the ground for future books and it does that job very well. I look forward to seeing Philocles again.

Thanks to Orion and NetGalley for providing me with an Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

If there’s a book written about Ancient Greece, I'm gonna read it. I’m not really a huge fan of the crime genre but this sounded intriguing and I was looking forward to reading a murder mystery set in Ancient Greece.

The novel follows Philocles, a playwright, who comes home to find a dead man in front of his house. Rude right? He takes it upon himself to find out more about the murder and what at first looks like a simple robbery becomes much more complex. Why was the corpse left outside his door? Why was the man asking about him before he died?

The real strength of this book is the vivid and engaging descriptions of Ancient Athens and its people and customs. The author’s Classical education is apparent, and the nuances of the character’s lives are perfectly captured. There are little snatches of observation that bring the story to life e.g. Philocles’ partner Zosime openly speaking to men when an Athenian woman wouldn’t. Subtle nods to cultural differences between territories in the Greek world that persist even to this day were a nice touch.

I’m a h0 for anything Ancient Greece but some people might find the sheer amount of detail unnecessary and distracting and there can be a sense that some of the observations have been shoehorned just a tad.

The characters themselves let the side down a little, particular Philocles. I personally just didn’t find him very interesting or compelling as a character and I don’t feel like I really got to know him. I did enjoy Zosime’s character, but none of the other supporting characters really stuck out for me. The main mystery itself is also not particularly gripping and is left mostly unresolved, presumably as this novel is the beginning of a series. I didn’t really care about the sideplot of the staging of Philocles play either.

Overall, this novel is well written and as someone with an avid interest in the Classical World I enjoyed it. It had a real sense of time and place and the cultural and historical observations were well written. In a crime themed novel however, the mystery is key to the story and I felt this wasn’t particularly interesting. This book is something a little different and will appeal to anyone with an interest in Ancient Greece, others might struggle to engage with it however.

The author is a Classics graduate and his who-dunnit set in democratic Athens of the Fifth Century BC shows accurate knowledge of the history and culture of ancient Greece as Athens’ begins to tighten grip on its allies and turn them into an empire. That is the highpoint of this review.

The body of a murdered man is dumped outside the house of an aspiring comic dramatist. He feels the need to investigate, while preparing himself and his troupe of actors to participate in the upcoming festival of the Dionysus. Thus begins this rather nondescript and uninvolving mystery which refers to some of the main tensions between Athens and her allies of the time. The main problems are that the central character is almost entirely lacking in personality and that the mystery is never really resolved. This may be because the novel is clearly the opening teaser for a series, but my involvement ends here.

For an historically accurate and much more enjoyable crime series set in ancient Athens, try Margaret Doody’s Aristotle Detective novels.

Shadows of Athens is the first book in a new series of crime novels set in Ancient Greece. I love reading books set in Ancient Greece, but have never come across a crime novel based in the period, so this was a real joy to pick up.

As good as the crime and mystery aspect of this book it, it really does offer so much more. The level of detail regarding the average daily life of these Athenians is astounding, and really does speak of remarkable knowledge and passion from JM Alvey. I really was drawn into the pages; the sights and smells of a world so like our own, yet so staggeringly different became real, and 2000 years disappeared as i read.

The insight into the staging of a Comedy at an ancient festival was fascinating, and acted as a somewhat incredible backdrop to the unfolding events of the main plot.

This was a hugely enjoyable book, and i really cant wait to see what comes next.

The lives and times of Ancient Greeks in Athens really jumps off the page at you. There is whispers abound to whip up lies and conspiracy to start another war where greedy selfish men would profit. Philocies who has a patron in Aristarchos to write and put on a comedy play at the drama festival discovers a body on his doorstep. He must work with his patron to discover the reason for this murder and the far reaching consequences this lone body can cause. You are really drawn into how important written and spoken words at this time can change lives. The offerings to the gods are all important. There was a good offering of both seeing ancient life inter spiced with mystery. I really enjoyed this delve into Athens past and await the next instalment.
I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.