Veni, vidi, vici

If you haven't read any Steven Saylor yet, you're in for a treat. He's a fantastic crime novelist and his background as an historian gives the book a stunning historical backdrop.

In The triumphs of Caesar Gordianus, Saylor's hero, freshly returned from Egypt, is called upon by Calpurnia, Julius Caesar's wife, who, terrified by a persuasive soothsayer, is convinced that there is a plot upon her husband's life from an unexpected source. Gordianus is sceptical but, when an old friend is brutally murdered while investigating, Gordianus decides to take on Calpurnia's case.

Saylor is very clever. The crime is tautly plotted; and the fact that you know what is eventually going to happen to Caesar (though not in this novel) matters not a jot.

This was so well written, and such fun to read - whether you're looking for a strong murder mystery, or want to learn a bit more about the background to Caesar's life in a fun way. Thoroughly enjoyable, Steven Saylor always delivers scoring high both in the crime and history departments.