Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

Murder in Megara

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

John, former Lord Chamberlain to Emperor Justinian, has been exiled from Constantinople to a rustic estate John has long owned in Greece, not far from where he grew up. But exile proves no escape from mystery and mayhem. The residents of nearby Megara make it plain John and his family are unwelcome intruders. His overseer proves corrupt. What of the other staff—and his neighbors?

Before long, John finds himself accused of blasphemy and murder. Now a powerless outsider, he's on his own, investigating and annoyingly hampered by the ruthless and antagonistic City Defender who serves Megara as both law enforcer and judge. Plus there's that corrupt estate overseer, a shady pig farmer, a servant's unwelcome suitor, a wealthy merchant who spends part of his time as a cave-dwelling hermit, and the criminals and cutthroats populating such a seedy port as Megara.

Complicating matters further are two childhood friends whose lives have taken very different paths, plus the stepfather John hated. John realizes that in Megara, the solution to murder does not lie in the dark alleys where previous investigations have taken him, but in a far more dangerous place—his own past. Can he find his way out of the labyrinth of lies and danger into which he has been thrust before disaster strikes and exile turns into execution?

  • Creators

  • Series

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      August 10, 2015
      Reed and Mayer’s solid 11th John the Chamberlain mystery (after 2014’s Ten for Dying) finds the sixth-century sleuth no longer serving Emperor Justinian. Now living in exile from Constantinople on his family’s estate near Megara, Greece, John is discomfited to learn that those who have been in charge of managing it have been cheating him. He fires the overseer, Diocles, whom he holds mainly responsible, but Diocles warns him that his time in Megara will be short. When John’s estranged stepfather, who recently asked him for money, is stabbed to death on John’s property, Georgios, the City Defender, suspects John of the murder. Georgios initiates an investigation that John fears is driven by the man’s ambitions. The death of another person John was on bad terms with makes his position even more tenuous. Placing the lead in jeopardy in an unfamiliar setting makes this one of the more distinctive series entries.

    • Kirkus

      August 1, 2015
      Long used to solving mysteries for an emperor, a newly powerless man must solve one for himself. John, the former Lord Chamberlain to Emperor Justinian, has been exiled to a small estate he owns in Greece, where he grew up near the town of Megara. His servant, Peter, and Peter's wife, Hypatia, are attacked on a shopping trip to town. The estate is in complete disarray. And John is unpleasantly surprised by a visit from Theophilus, his hated stepfather. Attempting to maintain some semblance of control, John fires his overseer, Diocles, who has obviously been plundering the estate and is probably involved in a scheme to dig for the treasure that is reputedly buried there. On a trip into Megara, John is warned by Georgios, the City Defender, that it would be prudent to leave the area. When first Theophilus and then Diocles are found stabbed to death, John must investigate before he's arrested for murder. Fortunately, he gets some support from two boyhood friends, one a worker in the tax office and the other the abbot of the nearby monastery of Saint Stephen. Although John's wife, Cornelia, is ready to move on, John, who's solved many mysteries for the emperor in Constantinople (Ten for Dying, 2014, etc.), finds that digging into corruption, past secrets, and misdeeds in a small town is every bit as dangerous as the intrigue of the emperor's court. John's 11th case combines historical detail with a cerebral mystery full of surprises.

      COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Library Journal

      October 1, 2015

      In 11 previous books (Ten for Dying), John the Eunuch has served as Lord Chamberlain to the Emperor Justinian in Constantinople. Now, he has retired to an estate in the Greek town of Megara, after Justinian exiles him for his role in uncovering the assassin of the Empress Theodosia. When his truculent stepfather is found murdered in an ancient temple of Demeter, John is powerless to defend himself. Surrounded by suspects, including a wealthy merchant masquerading as a monk, a belligerent pig farmer, a corrupt overseer, and the city defender who regards him with great suspicion, John realizes that searching into his own past may identify the killer. VERDICT Meticulous research makes this historical series set in the Byzantine empire a joy to read. Admirers of Steven Saylor and Lindsey Davis will enjoy exploring this ancient world.

      Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook
  • Open EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Loading