ANCIENT TIMES - FICTION
"Arms of Nemesis" 
By Steven Saylor
This is the second book of the ambitious series centered on a private investigator, Gordianus the Finder, in Ancient Rome.
The time is 72 B.C. and the Spartacan Slave Revolt
is in progress. In the city of Baiae in the south west coast of Italy, two
runaway slaves are suspected of killing the proprietor of a grand estate. The
deceased is the cousin of Marcus Crassus, the richest and one of the most
powerful men of Rome. Crassus wants to make an example by executing all the
slaves of the state, and thus send a message to Spartacus and also prove by
example to the senate of Rome that he is the man to lead the army to end the
revolt. Many of the people involved do not want this to happen because of close
ties with some of the loyal slaves of the estate. Gordianus the Finder has five
days to solve the murder and save the slaves. But as one would suspect, there is
much more going on than the murder, and the deceased was involved in some very traitorous
dealings. But, Crassus does not really care, he just wants to set the example
and stamp out the revolt before his rival Pompey gets back to Italy from Spain
and stamps out the revolt.
Reviewed by Kenneth S. Smith 6/29/2000
Available from:
Ivy Books
Published by Ballentine Books
A Division of Random House
http://www.randomhouse.com
