MobileRead February 2016 Book Club Nominations

[sufue]

I was going to nominate Thus Was Adonis Murdered, by Sarah Caudwell, whose far-too-brief four book series is my absolute favorite mystery series of all time. However, Adonis, which is the first in the series, doesn't seem to be available in e-book in the US, just in the UK. And sadly my second favorite series, the Mamur Zapt series, by Michael Pearce, is not available in ebook (other than the two or three most recent titles) anywhere. And the first in Michael Pearce's excellent "other" series, A Dead Man in Trieste, doesn't seem to be available in the UK. So finally I worked my way to David Wishart's historical series featuring the wise-cracking Marcus Corvinus, set in first century Rome, which is another huge favorite series of mine.

So....

I nominate Ovid, which is the first in this series. It's available both at Amazon US ($4.99 or free with KU) and Amazon UK (£4.99), and also at Kobo UK (also £4.99). It doesn't seem to be available at Kobo US, but hopefully Amazon US will do.

Wishart sort of writes in two styles for this series - some of them are "political" and hit heavy on the background of the Julio Claudian dynasty, and some of them are more light-hearted, more normal mysteries, but still set in a nice historical background. I myself like both styles, but slightly prefer the more political ones. Ovid, the first in the series, is one of the political ones. For @HomeInMyShoes at the beginning of this thread, who wanted some mysteries from strange countries, this should fill the bill.

The one slight oddity of this series, which does annoy some folks, although not me, is that Wishart has the characters speak in modern style - not in a style more resembling the written records of this period. With that said, though, his historical background is sharp, as you might expect from someone who studied Classics at Edinburgh University.

Anyway, this is my first time nominating something - hopefully that's enough for a nomination.

Oh, and it's a 3.79 at Goodreads, and here's a blurb:

When young aristocratic layabout Marcus Corvinus is approached by the stepdaughter of the exiled and now dead Roman poet Ovid and asked to clear the return of the ashes for burial, he cheerfully agrees; there should, he thinks, be no problem. Only when he makes the application to the imperial authorities it’s turned down flat. So what, Corvinus asks himself, did Ovid do that was so bad that they won’t even allow his bones back into Italy?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by sufue

I So finally I worked my way to David Wishart's historical series featuring the wise-cracking Marcus Corvinus, set in first century Rome, which is another huge favorite series of mine.

So....

I nominate Ovid, which is the first in this series. It's available both at Amazon US ($4.99 or free with KU) and Amazon UK (£4.99), and also at Kobo UK (also £4.99). It doesn't seem to be available at Kobo US, but hopefully Amazon US will do. :

Thanks for this nomination; I'd never heard of this series. The blurb at Amazon cites the TLS calling it "gripping" and "intellectually stimulating," which is impressive. I'm out of nominations so can't support it, but I'd love to see it nominated and will give it a try in any case - especially as it's also free to read in the KOLL.

[sufue]

Oh, and since I'm a huge historical mystery fan, I use my second vote to be the third for Apothecary Rose...

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by BenG

Can I get a third for Full Dark House? I've never read it but I have a friend who's a big fan of this series.

I read this last year and enjoyed it quite a bit so I will third Full Dark House.

I will also second Ovid.

[CRussel]

Quite a lineup this month, and I like the level of participation in the nominations. Hopefully that carries over into the reading and commentating!

Tom -- here's an additional like for Brat Farrar -- Audible.

[issybird]

Can we get a third for Ovid? Then we could move to the poll.

[BenG]

I'll third Ovid.

[WT Sharpe]

And I'll be back soon with the poll.

Nominations are now closed.

[WT Sharpe]

The poll has been posted!