A review by traveller1
The Venus Throw by Steven Saylor

4.0

One of the better of the Gordianus series. Here our noble Finder is caught in a complex web of misunderstandings and half-truths, which he consistently ploughs through, until he finally uncovers the truth—in his own house hold!

In this story the great figures of the late Republic play only a peripheral role, we hear a few names, but they are mostly off stage. It is the second level "great Romans" we see this time, plotting and scheming for power and status.

The story concerns 100 Alexandrian scholars and prominent folk who come to Rome in order to lobby the senate to confirm Queen Berenice as Queen of Egypt, rather than King Ptolemy, who is currently in Rome pushing his own case. As soon as they arrive in Italy the visitors are murdered and intimidated into returning to their home. Only one reaches Rome, by "coincidence" one of these is Dio the philosopher, Gordianus' former tutor in Alexandria. The two meet, talk, but the Finder cannot help his teacher. The next evening Dio dies. Prompted by the death Gordianus searches for the killer, and in doing so uncovering unpleasant aspects of his teacher's life.

A good story, no idea of who the "bad guy" was until he very end.