The Rewards of Treachery

This is the latest book in the Author's long running Libertus series and as always can be read as a standalone . although reading the more recent books would aid in understanding the characters and their place in the world .

When a piece of jewellery belonging to Lady Julia disappears after being repaired , Libertus tasks Juno with solving the problem . Juno would much prefer to fade into the background , the rebel Celts are creating tensions with Caesar -. problems he is determined to crush , but he cannot deny his adopted father's patron , Marcus Septimus and soon sets out to try to solve the case .
Juno soon finds himself faced with murders and betrayal - his own family is at risk . What does the arrival of a Celtic visitor have to do with the case , can he uncover the secrets held by those who will do anything for them to remain just that - secret ?

This is another fast paced , murder mystery full of twists and turns by the Author - who manages to reflect the mores and lives in the time of Caesar to such good effect

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Rosemary Rowe has been writing mysteries set in Roman Britain for many moons now and I never tire of reading them. It is a period often ignored by historical novelists but is none less fascinating than later eras.
The author has a vast knowledge of a way of life that was both brutal in its cruelties and highly refined in its social niceties. I loved the intricacies of the plot and the clever tying-together of all the loose ends. Many of the characters feel like old friends now but one can never guess what they are going to do next or what secrets are going to be unearthed from their pasts. A perfect read for anyone wanting to spend a nice relaxing few hours in AD198.

As always the books in this series by Rosemary Rowe provide an great mystery to be solved. They range in their seriousness and this book is no exception. The background of Roman Britain provides a great backdrop and the author's inclusion of a snippet of the history to orientate the reader is great, not too much and not too little. The novel is a fine addition to this series, in which it is not difficult to get bound up in the lives of the characters and be rooting for their success.

I was glad to have read this book as I have missed this family! Libertus seems to be somewhere close and watching after his extended family as the "Celtic ' who live somewhat far away.

The books in this series are always gripping and well plotted. i'm fascinated by the characters and the setting, the solid mysteries keeps me hooked and guessing.
This one is not exception and it was very entertaining.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

As always the books in this series by Rosemary Rowe provide an great mystery to be solved. They range in their seriousness and this book is no exception. The background of Roman Britain provides a great backdrop and the author's inclusion of a snippet of the history to orientate the reader is great, not too much and not too little. The novel is a fine addition to this series.in which it is not difficult to get bound up in the lives of the characters and be rooting for their success
This book is worth 4.5/5!.

CE 198. It all starts with a broken clasp on a piece of jewellery belonging to Lady Julia, which when repaired and returned is the wrong piece. Her husband instructs Junio to investigate. Soon the bodies of murdered men are discovered. Can Junio unravel the motive behind the killings.
A well-written and entertaining Roman Britain historical mystery with its cast of interesting characters.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Glevum, 198 CE. Since his adoptive father, pavement-maker and amateur investigator Libertus, fled Glevum several years ago, Junio is now called upon to serve Libertus’s patron, Magistrate Marcus Septimus. Arriving home after a frustrating day, Junio is greeted by two unexpected visitors. Letigines, Marcus’s courier-slave, requests that Junio attend on his master immediately. A valuable silver cloak-clasp, sent to a silversmith for repair, is missing. The repaired item, picked up by Letigines, turned out to be a base metal copy, and he is in for a flogging at best for not having noticed the fake. Junio’s second visitor is the slave Anlyan, carrying a long scroll Junio doesn’t have time to peruse, but he vaguely recognizes this newcomer. Harried by his wife’s imminent childbirth, Junio entrusts Anlyan with fetching the local midwife as he rushes off to answer Marcus Septimus’ command. He is informed that the silversmith has disappeared along with his stock, including the precious cloak-clasp, and is tasked to find him. Does the silversmith have ties to the Celts and the illegal silver trade? Are the two random visits connected?

Roman Britain is familiar territory for the author, and she packs in fascinating background detail without overwhelming her story. I slipped easily into those ancient times, the superstitions, the ritual cleansings, mandatory trade closures on ill-starred days, the occasional need for a sacrifice, unwieldy parchment scrolls, and the normality of owning slaves. Although Junio is a favoured citizen, he must guard his tongue around those above him, as his investigation leads him into dangerous territory. Soon the seemingly innocuous mystery of a missing piece of jewellery becomes a complex, multi-layered plot. This is the latest installment in a long-running series. The detailed author’s note explains the political background.

The Rewards of Treachery is the 20th historical Libertus mystery set in ancient Roman Britain by Rosemary Rowe. Released 4th April 2023 by Severn House, it's 240 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. Paperback format will be available from the same publisher in late 4th quarter 2023. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a beautifully well researched and lyrically written mystery with depth and verisimilitude. The main protagonist is unequivocally intelligent and analytical. Although series protagonist Libertus fled at the end of the previous book, his adopted son Junio steps into the main role of somewhat reluctant investigator in this installment. There are ties to a much larger plot than a missing brooch and vanished local jeweler, including political unrest and murder.

Although it's not derivative in the slightest, the protagonist and the style remind me a lot of the wonderful Father Cadfael mysteries with glimpses of Barbara Tuchmann. Fans of Ellis' inimitable books will find a lot to enjoy here. As a long (long!) series, the characters live and breathe. The scenery and story are interwoven so skillfully around a framework of actual historical records that it's not at all easy to differentiate where fiction becomes real events. There are small historical details about the daily life and realities of the time period and a great deal of culture in the mix as well.

With so many books extant in the series, it would make a good choice for binge or buddy read. The story is self contained here, so it's not necessary to have read the previous books. The epilogue in this book resolves series MC Libertus' disappearance in previous books. If read out of order, expect spoilers for earlier books in the series.

Four and a half stars. Quite extraordinarily well written, immersive, and high quality mystery.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Postscript.

A final conclusion or coda to the Libertus series of Roman mysteries, or an unexpected but very welcome bonus, or perhaps a new beginning.

It is some years since Libertus disappeared and his son Junio now runs the family business. It is an unsettled time in Glevum with a new emperor and the loyalty of his subjects being tested. In addition there continues to be native Celtic unrest. Junio finds himself unwillingly thrust into his father's role when a valuable item goes missing and Marcus Septimus, his patron, requires him to investigate. In addition, one of Junio's children disappears, after an oddly familiar Celtic wanderer arrives on the scene. Treason, revolution and native unrest are suspected everywhere, and Junio does not have Libertus' investigative skills. But he does have persistence, as well as some unexpected allies.

Read to the end. There the reader will discover more about Libertus' life both before slavery and after his disappearance, when he finally is able to solve the mystery of his own capture and loss of freedom.

A pleasure, as always, to read one of Rosemary Rowe's novels. I have enjoyed this series immensely.

4.5 stars

This was an interesting read. I'd read the first in the series and I suppose this might be the last? The first book is about Libertus, a freed man and pavement maker. This book is about his adopted son Junio. Junio is also under the protection of Marcus Severus. Junio is scratching out a living. His wife is about to birth their third child and Junio is off laying pavements. A courier brings a note from Marcus. Marcus's wife had a cloak clip mended and it appears that the Jeweller has replaced it with a cheaper copy. Marcus wants the clip returned and the Jeweller punished. It's a good mystery. The author explains the mores of the time and the restrictions on not just slaves but freedmen hoping to avoid danger in not giving offence to people in power. We learn more about Libertus. I might now have to fill in the gap bu reading the middle 18 books!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.