Synopses & Reviews
When Ruso rejoins his unit in the remote outpost of the Roman Empire known as Britannia, he finds that all is not well with the Twentieth Legion. As they keep a suspicious eye on the barbarians to the north, the legionaries appear to have found trouble even closer to home—among the native recruits to Britannias imperial army.
A young soldier has jumped off a roof, killing himself. Why? Mysterious injuries, and even deaths, begin to pile up in Rusos medical ledgers, and it soon becomes clear that this suicide is not an isolated incident. Can the men really be under a curse? And what has this to do with the much-decorated Centurion Geminus?
Bound by his sense of duty and compelled by his ill-advised curiosity, Ruso begins to ask questions nobody wants to hear. Meanwhile his barbarian wife, Tilla, starts to find out some of the answers—and is marked as a security risk by the very officers Ruso is interrogating.
With Hadrians visit looming large, the fates of the legion, Tilla, and Ruso himself hang in the balance.
Review
“I was thrilled with Semper Fidelis (which I highly recommend to any fan of mysteries or historical novels).” —Nancy Pearl, Book Lust
“I had trouble putting it down at night . . . Highly recommended.” —Historical Novels Review
“This latest installment in the best-selling series will delight readers of history, mystery, and popular fiction.” —Library Journal
“Downie injects a modern who-done-it twist into the imperial action.” —Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Ruth Downie is the author of the New York Times bestselling Medicus, as well as Terra Incognita, Persona Non Grata, Caveat Emptor, and Tabula Rasa. She is married with two sons and lives in Devon, England.