Buried Too Deep: An Aurelia Marcella Mystery.

Buried Too Deep: An Aurelia Marcella Mystery

Jane Finnis

Poisoned Pen Press6962 East First Avenue, #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

ISBN 9781590583999, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

Jane Finnis' "Buried Too Deep" has all the elements I consider necessary for a great read--smooth, elegant writing; suspenseful story with several very engaging sub-plots, great historical background, tons of intrigue, lovable characters and just enough gore to make it edgy.

Aurelia Marcella and her twin brother Lucius run a road inn in the Roman province of Britannia. The spring of 98 AD looks peaceful and full of promise, but then violent events start to happen in the area. There is a band of sea-raiders, harassing local farmers and severely injuring several of them. One of them, Belinus, dies from his wounds, but not before he manages to send for Lucius, telling Aurelia that it was a matter of life and death. Lucius and Aurelia set out to deliver Belinus' body to his family and pay a visit to their sister Albia, who lives on a farm next to Belinus' family. When Albia's farm is also attacked by the Gaul-led sea-raiders, it becomes quite obvious that those attacks are not random, but rather must have some hidden agenda. Two powerful local men, one a Roman settler, and one a mighty local Chief, are the most likely choice for the mastermind behind those attacks. To add to the violence and confusion, a valuable cargo disappears from a government vessel and Lucius also has some startling news to share with his two sisters. Will Aurelia, Lucius and Aurelia's lover, Quintus, find the culprit for all of this mayhem on time, or will the entire province explode in a boundless feud between the locals and the settlers?

Aurelia Marcella is one of the most lovable and surprising sleuths I've encountered in a long time. Unbelievably real and even contemporary-sounding, she leads a very emancipated life for somebody living in the first century AD. Not only is she running a large and successful business, but she helps both her brother and her lover in their investigations. And yes, she has a lover and does not seem to yearn for marriage and children at all. I've thoroughly enjoyed "meeting" her, as well as the rest of the very detailed characters in "Buried Too Deep." I was also mesmerized by the depictions of day-to-day life in the country, especially in view of the fact that other books set in the Roman period that I've read so far all seem to be happening in the cities, most commonly in Rome itself. No less fascinating were the descriptions of the medical practices in those days as well as the local customs and beliefs.

I would highly recommend "Buried Too Deep" to any mystery lover, not exclusively those who enjoy the historical mysteries. As it seems to be the case with all the books published by Poisoned Pen Press that I've read so far, this is another outstanding read.