This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN B01DKTESF0. Mystery in History After Rome, before the Middle Ages, Italy belonged to the Ostrogoths. A corrupt governor. A young girl. An old man. Argolicus unravels the threads. When a life-long friend disappears, a peaceful retreat to the provinces turns into a challenge to the local governor for Argolicus. A cruel slander originates from the venal governor. When Argolicus visits the governor, he discovers an unscrupulous plot destined to impoverish his friend. When his lifelong tutor overhears a comment, they set out to find their friend only to discover base cruelty and a secret plot. . A plot that challenges the King’s people, the roots of Roman civility, and his friend’s life. Affronted, he pursues the thread. Little does he know that his investigation will pitch him in a fight with thugs and ultimately set him head-to-head with the governor. 5 Stars “A rich tapestry of interactions that serve to draw the reader deeper in...” “The feel of a time long passed as a mystery unfolds.”

An alternate cover edition for [ASIN B01KJIHUUU](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31550818.ASINB01KJIHUUU "ASIN B01KJIHUUU")._ After Rome, before the Middle Ages, Italy belonged to the Ostrogoths. A distressed widow. Greedy brothers. A huge farm dog. Argolicus unravels the threads. When Argolicus, is asked by his mother to counsel a grieving widow on the laws of inheritance, he finds the law will serve her cruelly. Her stepsons want her out and there is no recourse. When a field slave falls during peach harvest, suspicions grow when Argolicus and Nikolaos learn more about the family and suspect that the death may not be from natural causes. As they question the family, they discover greed and begin to distrust the stories they’ve been told.

Mystery in History After Rome, before the Middle Ages, Italy belonged to the Ostrogoths. A naive teenager. A broken-hearted sister. A corrupt patrician. Argolicus unravels the threads. Argolicus and Nikolaos deliver a gift but arrive hours after a brutal murder. They look for an answer until they find that a man’s secrets do not go with him to the grave. When Argolicus arrives in the dying resort of Ostia, he finds chaos and sorrow in the villa. The young book lover’s father has been viciously murdered just hours before and the young man asks for help. With just days to find the killer before his ship leaves port, Argolicus must probe the politics of the dying town. But with every investigation he makes, the circle of possibilities grows. Success seems out of reach and he must disappoint the family until a ruffian accosts him and pieces fall into place.

Mystery in History A Childhood Friend. An Overbearing Father. A Worldly Bishop. Argolicus unravels the threads. In ancient Italy where religion and politics mesh, patrician Argolicus can’t resist when his friend is murdered. When his childhood friend is brutally murdered, old wounds open as his friend’s powerful father forbids him to dig deeper. Argolicus finds himself trapped in old conflicts while new enemies try to stop him at any cost. As the tension builds, he pledges to find the killer. But then, his mother makes a counter pledge that plunges him in a dilemma. A word given is trust, and now he’s caught in a double bind that drives him toward the killer. Tempers flare and everything seems hopeless until the vellum scribe shares his wisdom. With death threats looming, Argolicus has one chance to find the killer. The Vellum Scribe is the fourth book in the Argolicus mysteries set in Ostrogoth Italy. If you like a puzzling mystery and rich historical detail, you’ll love The Vellum Scribe. Buy The Vellum Scribe now to solve the puzzle today!

Civil unrest and murder. Can a Roman patrician solve the crime and feed the masses before they call for his blood? Italy, 512 C.E. Argolicus would rather bury his nose in a book. But, when he leaves his peaceful country villa to open the long-shuttered town home, family obligations demand he meet the wealthy bride his mother has arranged for him to marry. Though they decide not to wed, their friendship blossoms and Argolicus refuses to stand by when her family’s livelihood is threatened and her merchant father slain. With the grain supply now dwindling and Argolicus fighting incompetent officials, he uncovers a long list of high-placed suspects and attracts the attention of a shadowy rival bent on his destruction. And as the citizenry grows increasingly desperate to put food on their plates, he’ll have to risk his reputation and life to hunt down the killer before violence erupts. Can Argolicus save the starving populace before he takes a knife in his back? The Grain Merchant is the engaging fifth book in the Argolicus Mysteries historical fiction series. Fans of Ruth Downie, Steven Saylor, and Lindsey Davis, jump forward in time to meet your new detective. If you like intelligent heroes, picturesque Italian settings, and immersive ancient worlds, then you’ll love Zara Altair’s engrossing mystery. Buy The Grain Merchant to explore the streets of antiquity today!