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SPQR X: A Point of Law

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SPQR X: A Point of Law

By: John Maddox Roberts
Narrated by: John Lee
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About this listen

Decius Caecilius Metellus is moving up in the world. He's won some money and glory fighting pirates in the Mediterranean and expects a speedy election to the office of praetor.

That all changes when a man he's never seen before publicly accuses him of corruption. Decius and his powerful family of Rome's leading politicians scramble to prepare a defense. However, the day of the trial they are greeted with a strange surprise on the steps of the courthouse: the corpse of the man who made the accusation. Now Decius is up against a much more serious charge of murder. It may cost him his chance to run for office, but not if he can help it.

Roberts once again masterfully sets Decius and his adventures against the background of this famed and crumbling Republic, enriching his story with historical detail and the immortal personalities of the day.

©2006 John Maddox Roberts (P)2013 Audible, Inc. Historical Mystery
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Liked all of it! It’s fun the way he’s forward thinking and also stuck in the mud, like real people who cling to some beliefs while challenging others.

Usual fabulous tale of intrigue and dry humour

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These books are the best Roman era book out there… Rome is carried in detail but the cynicism and self interest of the time is bought to life with clever and witty prose and characterisation… the plots are ingenious too… the performance captures all this perfectly… give us more pls JMF!!!!

clever and convincing imagining of Rome

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Would you listen to SPQR X: A Point of Law again? Why?

No - why not move on?

Who was your favorite character and why?

Flavia

What does John Lee bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

A good narration that flows along smoothly

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Life in Rome

Any additional comments?

Not as adventurous as his previous, but no less enjoyable.

A surprising delight

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Another fascinating murder mystery set in ancient Rome and this time it is our slightly disreputable sleuth, himself, who is the accused. Filled with details of the City and the excitable lives of it's citizens in the five days leading up to the elections, this well crafted and humorously written story is, as usual, perfectly narrated by John Lee.
Great fun. Recommended.

"Only you could have used a wine tasting session as part of an investigation"

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.. so far. Great plot. The most memorable moment for me was a history lesson given by a famous Roman historian Gaius Salustius Crispus (Chapter 10, or somewhere around). Through him the author outlines the deeper historical forces, the longer history which had been unfolding prior to this story, setting up the positions of the players in the story almost without their will. The only person with his own will seems to be Caesar, maybe because he does not feature in this part, being absent in Gaul. His will, though, is present. He really is becoming a well built character, and is becoming somewhat godlike. Looking forward to his and Octavian's presence and excited about the next adventure.

the best in the series

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