Terra Incognita

It is spring in the year 118, and Gaius Petreius Ruso has been stationed in the Roman-occupied province of Britannia for nearly a year. After his long and reluctant investigation of the murders of a handful of local prostitutes, Ruso needs to get away. With that in mind, he has volunteered for a posting with the army in Britannias deepest recesses—a calmer place for a tired man.

But the edge of the Roman Empire is a volatile place; the independent tribes of the North dwell near its borders. These hinterlands are the homeland of Rusos slave, Tilla, who has scores of her own to settle there: Her tribespeople are fomenting a rebellion against Roman control, and her former lover is implicated in the grisly murder of a soldier. Ruso, filling in for the demented local doctor, is appalled to find that Tilla is still spending time with the prime suspect. Worse, he is honor-bound to try to prove the man innocent—and the army wrong—by finding another culprit. Soon both Rusos and Tillas lives are in

jeopardy, as is the future of their burgeoning romance.

Terra Incognita shines light on a remote corner of the ancient world, where Rusos luck is running short—again.

“In Downie's second mystery featuring Roman-era army doc Gaius Ruso, the sawbones is now stationed on the outskirts of Britain and investigating the ritualistic beheading of a soldier. But is the knife-wielding killer a local or a comrade?

Movie Pitch                                                                                                                                 Prime Suspect meets Rome.

Lowdown                                                                                                                             Downie's attention to day-in-the-life period details, judiciously doled-out twists, and dry British humor make Incognita one hell of a toga party. B+”—Entertainment Weekly "a lively sequel...Ruso rocks. Lets hear it for those Romans.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)  "This well-researched novel places Downie alongside such established masters of the Roman historical as Steven Saylor and Rosemary Rowe.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“If you missed Downie's debut novel, Medicus, which introduced regimental doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso and his slave/housekeeper Tilla, you'll want to get caught up. This book, which is even better than the first, opens with the pair headed to northern outposts, where Ruso hopes to gain some advancement...This is a terrific series that historical mystery fans shouldn't miss - Downie's knowledge of Roman military medicine is phenomenal - but you do need the background of the first book.”—Margaret Cannon, Globe and Mail

Following her widely acclaimed, New York Times bestselling debut, Ruth Downie sends beleaguered army doctor Gaius Petrius Ruso to the uncivilized borders of the Roman Empire, where the Roman-controlled Britannia meets the independent tribes of the north. Ruso, unwillingly pulled into the murder investigation, is appalled to find that his slave T illa is spending time with the prime suspect. Soon both Rusos and Tillas lives are in jeopardy, as is the future of their burgeoning romance.