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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Some
Murder and its investigation; some violent historical content; no graphic gore
Language
None
Clean historical prose
Sexual Content
Some
A sexual scandal is central to the murder motive; adult content discussed with period frankness
Substance Use
None
Wine — integrated into Roman daily life
Emotional Intensity
Some
The psychological weight of defending a man who may be guilty; Roman class and power dynamics; moral complexity in an amoral society
What this book is about
Cicero — just beginning his legal career — hires Gordianus the Finder to investigate a murder case in which his client is accused of killing his own father. Saylor's meticulous recreation of late Republican Rome is both a genuine historical mystery and a portrait of a city where everything is for sale, where the law is a weapon for those who can afford it, and where truth-finding is a dangerous profession.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
A sexual scandal and murder in Republican Rome — discussed with historical candor
A legal defense built on discovering uncomfortable truths
Reader Verification
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