In at the Death

Description

The surprise suicide of a young man with - apparently - everything to live for, prompts his family to ask Marcus Corvinus to investigate. All they really want is an explanation. But Marcus's sleuthing uncovers many contradictory elements in the tale, and he is forced to conclude that this wasn't suicide at all, but murder. As usual, he needs Perilla's agile brain to untangle the complexities of the case and the pair come to realise that the suicide scenario has a political, as well as a personal, dimension. As if that's not enough, Corvinus finds his investigations hampered by his new role as reluctant dog-sitter to the seriously misnamed Placida, a Gallic boarhound with a gargantuan appetite and minimal personal hygiene.

David Wishart studied Classics at Edinburgh University. He then taught Latin and Greek in school for four years and after this retrained as a teacher of EFL. He lived and worked abroad for eleven years, working in Kuwait, Greece and Saudi Arabia, and now lives with his wife and family in Scotland.

'David Wishart's historical crime fiction is always adroitly written. This latest Marcus Corvinus mystery has all the hallmarks of Wishart's best work ... This is delightful stuff, with all the requisite historical detail set against the sardonic humour that has long been one of Wishart's specialities. In At the Death is both one for long-time Wishart admirers and for those deciding to sample his work.' -- Barry Forshaw, Amazon Praise for A VOTE FOR MURDER: 'Drawn with great dash, and the one-liners are as good as ever. Genius.' -- Good Book Guide Praise for SEJANUS: 'Like Chandler's Marlowe, Corvinus wisecracks his way through a weary world of murder and intrigue until he hunts down the truth. A taut thriller in which ancient Rome springs to life' -- The Times Praise for THE LYDIAN BAKER: 'Innate humour and pace carry one through to the tragi-comic climax' -- Irish Times