Nox Dormienda (a Long Night for Sleeping) [Large Print]

With so many mystery novels to choose from, it's rare to find a fresh voice. But Arcturus is just that in Nox Dormienda (translated: a long night for sleeping). A history lover and writer myself, I was interested in seeing how author Kelli Stanley handled the Roman era of the first century C.E. I was impressed. Stanley writes with confidence, obvious knowledge, and a dry humor that kept me engrossed and smiling throughout. The world of Roman noir is skillfully created, and even at times when I set the book down, no matter which chapter, the next time I picked it up the world was there in its full richness. I didn't have to remind myself of where I was. Stanley is a master at using the senses to her advantage in creating living, breathing scenes. She never misses a beat, her writing is tight, and her plot well constructed. It's plain to see why this novel won the Bruce Alexander Memorial Historical Mystery award. Arcturus is a trusted doctor to the governor, Agricola. But he does much more than doctoring. Due to his confidential relationship with the governor, Arcturus is soon swept up in solving the mystery of the violent death of a Syrian man. This man was delivering an important letter to the governor from the emperor. The letter contains information that begs a reply--without a reply, civil war threatens. But the letter is missing, the money is missing, and the Syrian's fiancée is left unattached. As Arcturus heeds the governor's request to find the murderer, he uncovers a murder plot more complex than he could ever imagine. Everyone in his household is put in danger, including the woman who has finally unthawed his heart. He has seven days--seven days to find a murderer, protect his governor, and prevent a civil war. I'm looking forward to Stanley's next installment of the Arcturus series, Cursed. Also, her upcoming book: City of Dragons (February 2010).

Kelli Stanley hits it out of the park with her debut book. I disagree with the person who said that it moved slowly - I thought it was a very well paced book. She joins Lindsey Davis, Robert Maddux and the other Roman Mystery writers in giving us a likable character that we want to visit again and again. Stanley does a great job of bringing the feel of Roman Britannia alive. She does not focus solely on Roman society and religion, but on the natives as well. I think this will be a great series to keep up with and I can't wait to read the next book, which I think is called Maledictus. Oh, I also wanted to mention that it was great to have an author describe some of the techniques used by medicos in that era.

Nox Dormienda introduces Arcturus, a half-British, half-Roman doctor who is the physician of Agricola, the provincial governor of Britannia in 83 AD. When a Syrian spy, possibly carrying a message terminating Agricola's tenure, is found dead, Arcturus is asked by Agricola to find the truth. It's December, and Arturus's toga is usually soaked and trailing mud, as he walks the mean streets of Londinium that are teeming with citizens, freedmen, slaves, whores, politicians, and Druids. History comes alive in this "Roman Noir," that seamlessly weaves details of daily life (honey is an approved medical treatment!) into a fast-paced and fascinating mystery. http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/

Author Kelli Stanley has a Classics education and an astonishingly wide range of interests and achievements. It's our good luck that one of her interests is noir fiction, or in this case the "roman noir," a nice little pun describing her wonderful new novel Nox Dormienda: A Long Night for Sleeping (An Arcturus Mystery). The book is set in 83 A.D. Londinium, a trading center in the Roman province of Brittania under the governorship of Agricola. Agricola is a little too successful and popular, and that's not good news for Domitian, the Roman emperor. Domitian sends a spy to watch Agricola, the spy is murdered, and Agricola's doctor Arcturus has just seven days to discover who murdered the spy to avert a serious civil war. Stanley's knowledge of the Roman age gives NOX DORMIENDA an unexpected sense of immediacy, and her other love -- noir fiction -- brings a gritty, Sam Spade realism to the first-person story of Arcturus. Besides hardboiled dialogue, there is insider's scuttlebutt from two centuries ago. For example, speaking of Domitian, Arcturus says, "I'd met the Emperor just once. Even then he was more pedant than scholar. And he never laughed. Vespasian was a garrulous old sod who never minded a good joke, even at his own expense. But his slight, bald, correct-to-the-letter son believed in his own sanctity too much. He wasn't much of a god, still less of a man." The book finishes with an informative author's note (Stanley begins, "I'm going to try to keep this what it claims to be: a note, rather than a thesis"). There is also a glossary and list of references in the back. And if that's not enough, you may want to check out Kelli Stanley's website, where I spent part of this rainy afternoon. Stanley plans more books in the Arcturus series, which is a very good thing. Bene! Linda Bulger, 2008

In Nox Dormienda, Kelli Stanley brings Roman Britain in the first century A.D. to life with deft writing and deep knowledge of the times. The story follows half-Roman, half-Briton Arcturus, physician and informal investigator to the Roman governor Agricola, as he delves into the death of a shady merchant. The trail leads through Londinium's seedy underbelly, shining a light in dark corners from the lowliest prostitute's crib to the highest seats of Roman power. The setting is crisply-drawn, the characters rich and engaging, and the mystery tight and enthralling, with Arcturus' wry humor and keen observations leading the way through this gritty page-turner. If you enjoy classic noir, or you enjoy your mystery with a classical setting, you won't be disappointed. It may be A Long Night for Sleeping, but don't plan on any sleep until you finish this gem.