Medicus: A Novel of the Roman Empire

The story takes place in Britannia, 2nd century A.D.. The protagonist is a Roman medical doctor stationed with the legion and working in a hospital which mainly serves the needs of the soldiers who are assigned to the area of what is now southern England. Shortly after he arrives, he is obliged to deal with the deaths of two young women slaves and the injury of a third. Subsequent events complicate and endanger his life as he attempts to solve what he believes are two murders and abductions. I enjoyed the story which is at times humorous, sometimes rather graphic. (Realism can be rough) I found myself reading quickly in order to find out what ultimately happens to the various characters who are quite believable heroes and villains. This book is great for Roman history junkies and reminds me of Steven Saylor mystery novels involving the adventures of a Roman detective. Love the large print.

After seeing a review of this book I really wanted to read it. An easy, fun read that also has interesting historical facts. A look at everyday life of a military physician in ancient Roman Britannia written as if it were happening today.

Medicus and the Disappearing Dancing Girls is the first of a series of novels that follows the misfortunes of a Roman Army Medical Officer, Gaius Petreius Ruso, after his posting from the warm climes of North Africa to the dreary grey drizzle of Deva (pron. Dewa); that's modern day Chester. Ruso is down on his luck and doesn't own much more than a few mounting debts. As well as trying to support his own life in the British garrison town, he is obliged to send funds home to his brother in southern Gaul lest his family find themselves destitute and homeless. His medical colleague at the garrison hospital, who shares his squalid house with Ruso, takes life as it comes and has a wicked sense of humour, and is no help at all. Consequently, Ruso has very little support from anyone as he tries to traverse his difficult life. Almost by accident he finds himself burdened with further unmanageable debts, becomes the reluctant owner of an injured slave, Tilla, and is in continual conflict with the hospital administrator and many of the local Britons. There are many reflections of twenty-first century society in this book, ranging from the financial and administrative pressures on the health service to the very serious issue of the white slave trade. I am sure that these parallels are deliberately drawn by the author to provoke the reader into thoughts beyond the main storyline. Ruso becomes an unwilling detective, trying to track down the truth behind the disappearance of several dancing girls from the local brothel and bar. The story moves at a leisurely pace and, in the main, insinuates the brutality of the age rather than going into explicit detail. I have always been a big fan of historical novels as, with conversations and images, they bring history to life around those dry, boring dates and names that I had to learn in the school classroom. Medicus does this for me and, at the same time, introduces some interesting characters whom I very much look forward to meeting again as the series unfolds. I strongly suspect that Ruso's slave, Tilla, will become his driving force. This is an excellent detective story, and the links between Roman Britain and Modern Britain are particularly pleasing. I would recommend Medicus to anyone who enjoys a good historical fiction.

Good story, great characters, well researched, funny, overall an amazing first novel. I sure hope this is the first book in a long series. Compares very favorably with Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor, John Maddox Roberts (all writing about Roman times), Ellis Peters and Elizabeth Peters. Can't get much better than that! dave

I was surprised to learn that this is the author's first book. It was excellent--not a dull moment, and I am sure the depiction of an army garrison is fairly accurate. At any rate, it rings true to me. The author has a droll sense of humor. Her hero is a likable, decent fellow beset by problems not of his making, who muddles through as best he can. There is a bit of a murder mystery here, but it is so secondary to the plot that it hardly matters. A good read.

This is an enjoyable story with a good basis in historical fact. The central mystery -- who is killing native Briton bar girls in a rough garrison town -- is well plotted, and though we suspect the villain early on, the working out of how and why is interesting. The book's real strength, though, is that the mystery is interwoven with a good deal of information about clothing, food, urban architecture, military organization and the relation between Roman masters and native Britons. Downie is very skilled at describing how the town looked, its dirt and smells, the variety of trades, what people wore and what they ate and drank. She also creates a plausible picture of the relationship between the Romans and their subjects -- what slavery meant to individual Britons and the variety of personal relationships among slaves, free subjects and Romans. If you are at all interested in Roman Briton, this book is a pleasant, easy way to learn more about colonial society.