Survivor. Silk Merchant. Spy. Spouse. Sovereign. Empress Theodora: Can she give up the reasons for her illness? And Doctor Alexander: Can he assemble the pieces of a puzzle he doesn’t even know exists?

When the young Alexander is offered the post of Palace Pharmacist at the Imperial Court of Emperor Justinian 1 and Empress Theodora, it’s the chance of a lifetime. But when Theodora succumbs to infection following surgery for breast cancer, Alexander blames himself. His confidence shattered, he leaves Constantinople and travels the Roman Empire, gaining over the years glimpses into the life of the enigmatic Empress. Finally, in Prusa to care for Sister Proseria, Alexander finds the startling answer to his burdensome question: was he responsible for Theodora’s death? The Last Autumn constructs a compelling account of ancient medicine as it traces Doctor Alexander’s discovery of one woman’s struggle for her soul against the relentless intrigues of life at the heart of the Roman Empire.