Daughter of Black Lake by Cathy Marie Buchanan

March 29, 2023

Daughter of Black Lake by Cathy Marie Buchanan

Set in Roman Britain, Hobble and her family are bog dwellers, living in a remote settlement. Called Hobble because she was born with a lame leg, Hobble has prophetic visions that are sometimes disturbing. Life revolves around the seasons of the year and respect for nature. When a Druid priest named Fox comes to their village ordering them to join a rebellion against the Roman occupiers, their family, their community and their way of life are threatened.

Historical fiction with elements of magical realism. The historical research and storyline are interesting until the last few chapters, where one of the main characters reveals her "mystical" pregnancy, then it just gets silly. I read Buchanan's previous novel The Painted Girls and enjoyed it, but this one left me wanting. Just average.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Ruins of Roman Britain - even the characters who hate the Romans admit they were damned good road builders

Memento Mori by Ruth Downie

August 2, 2020

Memento Mori by Ruth Downie

Gaius Petreius Ruso, retired army medicus, is living with his wife Tilla, baby daughter Mara, and two slaves with his wife's Briton family.  He spends his days working on the family farm until his former clerk Albanus arrives with the unexpected news that Serena, wife of Ruso's friend Valens, has been found murdered in the sacred springs of Aquae Sulis (modern day Bath).  Valens is considered to be the prime suspect, and he has sent Albanus to urge Ruso to come to Aquae Sulis to help him.  Instead of traveling alone, Tilla insists on traveling with him, along with the baby, the nanny, and their second slave to mind their luggage.  But when Ruso arrives in the famous resort town, he finds that the situation is a lot more complicated than he expected.  Serena's father Pertinax, who not only loathes Valens but is one of Ruso's frenemies, is already on the scene and howling for Valens' blood.  It turns out everyone in the town knew that Serena had a boyfriend, who has conveniently disappeared.  In addition, the chief engineer, the high priest, and the baths manager all want to hush up the crime so as not to damage the town's reputation and scare away the tourists.  Ruso and Tilla must work together to solve the crime and clear Valens' name so that he can retain custody of his twin sons.

The 8th installment in Ruth Downie's Medicus series featuring Roman military doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso and his British wife Tilla is just as well-researched as previous titles in the series.  It is also a snapshot of two marriages where neither partner understands the other, but Ruso and Tilla care deeply for each other and are determined to continue stumbling forward together, as compared to the crumbling marriage of Valens and Serena.  Valens has treated Serena shabbily and she has fallen out of love with him and found someone who loves and values her; Valens, like many men before and since, doesn't particularly want to be with Serena, but he doesn't want anyone else to have her, either.  A sad but all too common tale.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys accurate historical mysteries or novels set in ancient Britain.

Semper Fidelis by Ruth Downie

August 6, 2019

Semper Fidelis by Ruth Downie

After his stint as an investigator, Ruso has re-enlisted in the Roman army as a medical officer (medicus).  With the impending visit of the emperor, the town of Deva is in an uproar.  To escape the noise and politics, Ruso devises a tour for himself to inspect the medical facilities at the various distant army outposts where the 20th Roman Legion will stop.  His native-born British wife Tilla, a skilled midwife, accompanies him.  But as soon as they arrive at their first stop (in what is the modern city of York), a young recruit commits suicide by jumping off a roof.  When Ruso inspects the infirmary, he discovers that there have been a number of other suspicious deaths and injuries in the regiment.

Despite Ruso’s best plans, a storm blows the emperor’s flotilla off course, and the emperor and his entourage land near the outpost rather than in Deva.  He and Tilla get to experience the full force of the imperial visit, while trying to prove that a brutal officer is responsible for the recruits’ deaths and save themselves at the same time.

Well-researched as are all the books in this series, this title isn’t as strong as the previous four books. The first half of the book is a long set up for the last half, where the mystery actually starts.  I hope this is just a glitz in the series, since I really enjoy Ruso and Tilla's adventures.