Jane Finnis – författare

In this historical mystery series debut, when murder almost occurs at her doorstep, a young innkeeper in ancient Roman Britain must find who''s responsible.Roman Britain in 91 AD is a raw frontier province, part of the mighty Empire ruled by Domitian Caesar. Though it is almost fifty years since the legions invaded, many native tribes still hate their conquerors and seize any chance to harass the Roman settlers who are flocking in to colonize the new province. Tension is especially high in the north, where Aurelia Marcella, a young innkeeper from Italy, runs the Oak Tree Inn on the road to York.A string of savage murders disrupts her peaceful life, and she and her Roman friends find themselves under attack from a secret native war-band whose aim is to drive all Romans out. When a traveler, Quintus, is nearly killed close to the inn, he and Aurelia must track down the rebel warriors and identify their mysterious masked leader, the Shadow of Death. Can they find and destroy him before his campaign of terror turns into open rebellion?Praise for Shadows in the Night"Jane Finnis'' gripping story of terrorism in Roman Britain is relevant and real for us today." —Rhys Bowen, New York Times–bestselling author"Thoroughly plausible. Warmly recommended." —Historical Novel Society

This anthology draws together some of the best new stories of mystery and murder—compiled by the Anthony Award–winning crime fiction editor.This anthology collects the most original stories of murder by some of mystery fiction''s most inventive talents from the United States and United Kingdom. With innovative new takes on locked-room mysteries and impossible crimes, these short stories are full of vexing conundrums and reality-defying puzzles. A murder has been committed—but how could it have happened?Curated by Maxim Jakubowski, one of the crime genre''s most renowned editors, this volume features never-before-seen stories by acclaimed authors—including British Science Fiction Award–winner Eric Brown, Derringer Award–winner O''Neil de Noux, and multiple CWA Dagger Award–winners and nominees.

WELCOME TO ROMAN BRITAIN. It is almost fifty years since the legions invaded but Britannia is still a raw, frontier province. Tensions run high, especially in the north, where Aurelia Marcella, a young Roman woman fled from the ruins of Pompeii, runs the Oak Tree Inn on the road to York. A BITTER CHILL. In late December 95 AD, Roman settlers in Britannia are preparing to celebrate Saturnalia. Aurelia Marcella''s plans for a peaceful holiday are shattered when her brother brings bad news. An enemy in Rome is trying to destroy her family by spreading rumors that they are plotting against Caesar. Her brother has lost his job as a government investigator, the mansio is menaced by a gang of native criminals, and when a party of rich, demanding travelers arrive to stay, their quarrels and violence spill over into Aurelia''s household. Then the Saturnalia banquet, highlight of the festival, culminates in tragic death.

WELCOME TO ROMAN BRITAIN. It is almost fifty years since the legions invaded but Britannia is still a raw, frontier province. Tensions run high, especially in the north, where Aurelia Marcella, a young Roman woman fled from the ruins of Pompeii, runs the Oak Tree Inn on the road to York. BURIED TOO DEEP. The spring of 98 AD is a time of optimism and business is brisk at Aurelia Marcella''s inn on the road to York in Britannia. Then a wagon arrives bearing a local farmer seeking treatment for a grievous sword wound. Before the farmer dies, he tells Aurelia his family is in grave danger and hints that her sister''s family, living near him, is threatened too. Aurelia sends for her twin brother Lucius, who is a government investigator. Together they head for the eastern coast to find out more, and to check out a shipwreck bearing valuable official cargo. A band of piratical Gauls is working the area – are they cover for something worse?

WELCOME TO ROMAN BRITAIN. It is almost fifty years since the legions invaded but Britannia is still a raw, frontier province. Tensions run high, especially in the north, where Aurelia Marcella, a young Roman woman fled from the ruins of Pompeii, runs the Oak Tree Inn on the road to York. DANGER IN THE WIND. On fine summer''s morning in 100 AD, Aurelia awakes to two unusual events: a soldier murdered in his bed, and a letter arrived from Isurium and her cousin, Jovina, inviting Aurelia to a midsummer birthday party. But the missive also reads as a plea for help, referring to ''danger in the wind''. The murdered soldier also bore a message, locked in Aurelia''s strongbox, indicating violence would erupt at the very same fort on the day of the party. At Isurium, Aurelia finds Jovina and her drunken husband and unruly children caught in a tangled web of greed, love, intrigue, and death. When violence engulfs the district, Aurelia suddenly finds herself in peril from enemies engaged in an anti-Roman plot and from family members bent on misguided or evil agendas of their own.

Meet three brand new female detectives. LIAR, LIAR: Ever suspected your husband has had his hand up someone else''s skirt? Call the Pants on Fire Detective Agency to investigate the love rat in your life. Join the fabulous Cat DeLuca, avenging all cheated upon women, in this comic new crime series. THE DANGEROUS EDGE OF THINGS: You''ve just inherited a gun shop. You''ve just discovered a dead body.You''re the Police''s top suspect. Can things get any worse for Tai Randolph? SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT: AD 91. It is almost fifty years since the legions invaded but Britannia is still a raw, frontier province. Tensions run high, especially in the north, where Aurelia Marcella, a young Roman woman fled from the ruins of Pompeii, runs the Oak Tree Inn on the road to York. Aurelia is going to discover just how cheap life is in Roman Britain.

Britain in 91 AD is a raw, frontier province of Domitian Caesar''s Empire where relations between the natives their conquerors are far from amicable. Tension is especially high in the north, where Aurelia Marcella, a young innkeeper from Italy, runs the Oak Tree Inn on the road to York. SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT: AD 91: Is a savage murder a portent of rebellion, or something more personal, something more sinister? A BITTER CHILL: AD 95: A party of rich, demanding and violent travellers descend on the Oak Tree Inn, and their raucous Saturnalia banquet culminates in death. BURIED TOO DEEP: AD 98: A dying man''s last words lead Aurelia and her twin brother into an underworld of greed and brutality and as they investigate a stolen horde of gold.

This is a collection of mystery short stories, a variety of traditional whodunnits, all with an Ancient Roman background. The tales take us to the turbulent frontier province of Britannia, the showy luxury of  Rome itself, and right inside the glittering and dangerous court of Nero.These make dramatic settings for crime and mystery, and show us a little of life (and death) two thousand years ago. The Roman world had its share of crime, because human nature was much the same then as it is now. Greed, vengeance, and jealousy were motives for theft, fraud, and murder…and where there were crimes there were also investigators.The sleuths in these stories are not professional detectives in the modern sense. Innkeeper Aurelia Marcella, (heroine of the Aurelia Marcella series of mystery novels,) just wants to get on with running a successful business; Rufus the bodyguard becomes an investigator when he is present at a fashionable banquet where celebration turns to tragedy; and elite guardsman Marius learns how criticising Caesar''s singing can have deadly consequences. And of course they all lack the elaborate tools for crime-solving that modern detectives take for granted. But they share an over-riding determination to seek out truth and bring justice, even when that puts them in danger. These stories show how they can succeed, using intelligence, courage, and of course a pinch of pure cunning,