Mistress of Rome

Empress of Rome, Book 1

By: Kate Quinn

Narrated by: Elizabeth Wiley

Thea is a slave girl from Judaea, passionate, musical, and guarded. Purchased as a toy for the spiteful heiress Lepida Pollia, Thea will become her mistress' rival for the love of Arius the Barbarian, Rome's newest and most savage gladiator. His love brings Thea the first happiness of her life, but that is quickly ended when a jealous Lepida tears them apart.

As Lepida goes on to wreak havoc in the lives of a new husband and his family, Thea remakes herself as a polished singer for Rome's aristocrats. Unwittingly she attracts another admirer in the charismatic emperor of Rome. But Domitian's games have a darker side, and Thea finds herself fighting for both soul and sanity. Many have tried to destroy the emperor: a vengeful gladiator, an upright senator, a tormented soldier, a Vestal Virgin. But in the end, the life of the brilliant and paranoid Domitian lies in the hands of one woman: the emperor's mistress.

©2010 Kate Quinn (P)2015 Tantor

Critic reviews

"This should make a splash among devotees of ancient Rome." ( Publishers Weekly)

Missing paragraphs

The audiobook is good but when you follow along with the book I have noticed the audiobook leaves out the last paragraph of every chapter.

I’m have to stop listening and switch to the Kindle version.

The narration is just too much. I think the story is probably better than my rating, but I keep losing track because my brain keeps to tuning out to prevent annoyance. If there’s any chance of me finishing this book, or reading the next books in the series since they have the same narrator, it will have to be the Kindle versions.

Great book

The narration was excellent and the story had unexpected turns. It really brought the time period alive. I’m looking forward to the series. I am a fan of Kate Quinn’s writing.

Couldn’t recommend more

Amazing story that made my stomach twist and drop and then give me butterflies. Wonderful conclusion as well.

I love this author!!! I keep buying her books!

I really enjoyed this book! I think that this is the fourth or fifth book by this author that I have read / listened to. not at all the type of book I usually go for, but I cannot put hers down! the beginning of this book I had a difficult time with and wasn't sure why, looking back I'm guessing it was because I had just finished two books of this authors and now i had a whole new set of somewhat unfamiliar names to memorize. so glad I stuck with it and better yet... there's a book 2 and 3!!! whoop whoop!!