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The eighth gripping novel in the bestselling Medicus series, in which Ruso and Tilla investigate the death of the wife of Ruso's friend in the sacred hot spring of Aquae Sulis.A scandal is threatening to engulf the popular spa town of Aquae Sulis (modern-day Bath) . The wife of Ruso's best friend, Valens, has been found dead in the sacred hot spring, stabbed through the heart. Fearing the wrath of the goddess and the ruin of the tourist trade, the temple officials are keen to cover up what's happened. But the dead woman's father is demanding justice, and he's accusing Valens of murder.If Valens turns up to face trial, he will risk execution. If he doesn't, he'll lose his children.Ruso and Tilla do their best to help but it's difficult to get anyone--even Valens himself--to reveal what really happened. Could Ruso's friend really be guilty as charged?



About the Author

Ruth Downie

Ruth (RS) Downie left university with an English degree and a plan to get married and live happily ever after. She is still working on it. In the meantime she is also the New York Times bestselling author of a mystery series featuring Roman legionary doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso and his British partner, Tilla. The latest book is a novella, PRIMA FACIE, published in July 2019.There are eight full-length novels:MEDICUS (the first story, AKA 'Medicus/Ruso and the Disappearing Dancing Girls') TERRA INCOGNITA ('Ruso and the Demented Doctor') PERSONA NON GRATA ('Ruso and the Root of All Evils') CAVEAT EMPTOR ('Ruso and the River of Darkness') SEMPER FIDELIS (at last, only one title!) TABULA RASAVITA BREVISMEMENTO MORIIn 2015 Ruth helped to put together 'A YEAR OF RAVENS: a novel of Boudica's rebellion' with co-conspirators Stephanie Drey, E Knight, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, SJA Turney and Russell Whitfield. 2017 saw the publication of 'THE BEAR AND THE WOLF', a short story of love and danger on Rome's northern border, written with SJA Turney. IN 2019 she was a contributor to 'RUBICON', the Historical Novel Society's collection of Roman-era short stories.Ruth lives in North Devon with a husband, a fine view and too many cats. She is not the same person as the RS Downie who writes real medical textbooks. Absolutely none of the medical advice in the Ruso books should be followed. Roman and Greek doctors were very wise about many things but they were also known to prescribe donkey dung and boiled cockroaches.Find out more at www.ruthdownie.com



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