Showing results by author "Francis Mulhern" in All Categories

Rome 400 BCE. Greed, envy and broken trust. A prophecy of fame is spoken and the commander of the legions wants it for himself, whatever the cost. Driven by the constant march of the enemy the young Marcus Furius finds he is a natural leader of men as war rages and battles are hard-fought. With success comes jealousy and resentment. Hatred soon follows. Fighting to retain his dignity, to see Rome smash her foes and to become the man for whom the prophecy is spoken, Marcus Furius must learn to be a soldier and a statesman if he is ever to become Dictator of Rome. This is the first book in ...

The fall of Rome 390 BC and Rome sends envoys to the city of Clusium as they are beseiged by 30,000 Gallic invaders. As the Gauls fall to the trickery of the Romans they declare war on the city and smash the Roman army at the battle of the river Allia, Rome's greatest ever defeat. The gates of Rome stand open as the Senate barricade themselves onto the Capitol Hill and the Gauls take the city. Marcus is called upon by the Senate to build an army to defeat the Barbarians and return Rome to its own people as the invaders burn and loot the once great city. Marcus must, first, retake the city, ...

Who Can You Trust in Ancient Rome? Conto Linottus has lost everything. And he wants Secundus' help to find answers to the murder of his family. While investigating these deaths Secundus finds several old murders that raise questions about multiple deaths over many years and how they appear to have been closed without answers. And whilst investigating these cold cases he finds links that come too close to home for comfort. Will investigating these old cases cause consequences that even he had not foreseen? Read the latest book in the Murder Mysteries Of Ancient Rome Series to find out.

In this second book of the Camillus series Marcus is pitted against enemies old and new. Publius Postumius is the hero of the hour, sacking the city of Bolae with its incredible treasures. Sent with a relief force to support his old enemy Marcus falls foul of an assassination attempt before his credibility is tested by the scheming of his old commander and he must choose between friendship and duty. Back in Rome tensions are rising as Postumius’s schemes grow and his soldiers rage against their former Tribune as the plebeians and patricians come to bloody conflict. Marcus is given his ...

The fall of the city. The siege of Veii has lasted eight long years. years in which the political situation in Rome has grown more hostile and the enemies of Rome have continued to harass their armies. As disaster after disaster befalls Rome they turn to Marcus to destroy the City of Veii and restore glory to their armies. Fighting wars against neighbouring cities Marcus must find a way to defeat the impregnable walls of Veii and bring glory to his name. In this third book of the Dictator of Rome series Marcus fights political and military enemies and finds that success comes at a cost.

THE FINAL BOOK IN THE DICTATOR OF ROME SERIES Revenge walks the streets. The Gauls are on the move again, sacking cities in the North of Italy as the Romans come under increasing pressure to defend their territories. Javenoli and Camillus clash in the Senate as the legacy of Capitolinus creates anger within the lower orders and laws are vetoed. A mysterious slave starts a campaign of hatred against the man he believes caused the death of his family and a race against time ensues to find this killer. The gods begin to play games with the lives of mortals as Nemesis, Jupiter and Mars look ...

A hanged man, an estranged son, an angry business partner and a scramble for the dead man's estate. A brutal attack on a rich slave-trader triggers a chain of events leading to his apparent suicide at the Festival of Liber. As the dead man's wife, son and business partner all claim ownership of his estate Secundus is thrown once more into an investigation he doesn't want to undertake. As the clues begin to unravel Scavolo takes over the case and Secundus finds himself reassigned to a probe into corruption at a sister temple. Angry at Scavolo for his interference and convinced there is more ...

Stolen gold, a dead priest and a mystery fit for the gods Rome’s treasures are gone and a priest lies dead within the burned-out shell of the Temple of Vulcan. Did he die a hero protecting the riches stored at the temple as everyone says or is there a more sinister reason for his death? Facing financial ruin if he cannot find the missing gold and silver, Secundus makes enemies of Rome’s rich and powerful as he grapples with hostile priests, corrupt patricians and a mystery which seems to hold no clues. From the depths of the fire comes hope as a potential new home appears on the market ...

Cults, Secrets, Deception, Murder — In The Case of Luna, Darkness Hides More Than You Can Imagine.Beneath the moonlit gaze of the goddess Luna, a grim tableau unfolds in the heart of the Forum—a lifeless wife carried by desperate hands. Gripped by memory loss, the perpetrator seeks help from Secundus and Graccus, peeling back the layers of the enigmatic Cult of Luna in this chilling sixth installment of the series. With time slipping through their fingers and his priestly examinations looming, Secundus wrestles with a mounting burden of duties and the continued presence of his ...

A body in a ditch; a love unrequited; a rift between families: there’s been a murder in Ancient Rome. Immerse yourself in the city of Rome 400 years before the birth of Caesar at a time when there were no rules, no law beyond the voice of the richest man, and at a time when the gods ruled the lives of every citizen of the newly formed Roman Republic! For Secundus, son of the high priest of the temple of Jupiter, his life was a mess. Until he found her - and then it got WORSE!!! Forced into investigating the death of a woman he stumbles into following a night of drinking, Secundus clashes ...

Fame is never what it seems. Deception, lies and death follow in her footsteps. War thrusts Secundus into the public eye - a fame that he does not want. And then when the famous Gaius Scavolo is implicated in a scam at the Temple of Jupiter it soon becomes clear that someone is plotting against the Merenda family. Loose lips lead to death as gossip and scandal follow our hero and an old flame comes to his door. With his ever-increasing role within the politics of the City, Secundus must make a choice - the life of a priest or to disappear into obscurity. And whilst he dithers and waits to ...

Theft, murder, deception and the threat of war! Another day in Ancient Rome During the Festival of Consualia, a precious staff of office and the King's beloved racehorse are stolen. TO add to the confusion a Sabine guard is killed and the Roman soldier who was his counterpart goes missing. The situation becomes even more complicated when the family of our hero, Secundus, comes under suspicion, and he and his sidekick Graccus are banned from the investigation. Determined to prove their innocence and solve the crime, Secundus and Graccus set out to retrieve the stolen family heirloom and ...

Rebellion, Revolution, war, political intrigue and the beginning of an Empire. Marcus Furius Camillus is back. Rome is rebuilding after their victory against the Gauls, and there's money and honour to be gained. Patricians and Plebs clash as they vie to rule the rebuilt city. Senator Javenoli enforces his own law against his internal enemies, stopping at nothing to gain total domination, while Camillus defends Rome against enemies who see an opportunity to strike at the city while she is at her weakest. As the Legions march to defend their homeland, Capitolinus proclaims himself the ...

When a party goes wrong it must mean there's... Death on the Saturnalia.Following the Saturnalia Festival in the Forum, Secundus and his family head to a private Villa for a night of partying and celebration. When things take a turn for the worse and old resentments get the better of the guests, Death joins the festivities and there can be only one outcome! Step into the heart-pounding world of Secundus, where every page draws you deeper into the story and demands your total attention. As our sleuth grapples with a labyrinth of deceit spun by friends, family, and guests, you'll be swept ...

The gods spoke to the ancient Kings of Rome. They said "Rome will be the mistress of the world as long as she holds the Ancilia Shield." For centuries the shield has led the Roman war machine to success after success. But now someone is stealing from Rome’s great Temples. Deception, murder and political intrigue follow Marcus Furius as he stumbles across a plot to steal the Shield and must fight for his life to retain the one thing that keeps Rome ahead of her enemies. A fast-paced, action-packed prequel to the Dictator of Rome series which will have you on the edge of your seat. Fans of ...