000			01618nam a2200181 4500
020			_a9781620409602
024			_a957022597
050			_aPR6104.O94
082			_a813
100	1		_aRuth Downie
245	1		_aVita Brevis
260			_bBloomsbury Publishing USA
300			_a384 pages
520			_a"The seventh adventure for Downie's physician hero masterfully draws out its suspense, painting a vivid portrait of ancient Rome that feels persuasive and authentic." -Kirkus Reviews Ruso and Tilla and their new baby daughter have left Roman-occupied Britain--and the military--for Rome at the urging of Ruso's patron, Accius. Their excitement upon arriving is soon dulled by the discovery that the grand facades of polished marble mask an underworld of corrupt landlords and vermin-infested tenements. There are also far too many doctors--some skilled, but others positively dangerous. Ruso thinks he has been offered a reputable medical practice only to find that his predecessor, Doctor Kleitos, has fled, leaving a dead man in a barrel on the doorstep and the warning, "Be careful who you trust." Distracted by the body and his efforts to help Accius win the hand of a rich young heiress, Ruso makes a grave mistake, causing him to question both his competence and his integrity. With Ruso's reputation under threat, he and Tilla must protect their small family from Doctor Kleitos's debt collectors and find allies in their new home while they track down the vanished doctor and find out the truth about the unfortunate man in the barrel.
650			_aMystery
650			_aHistorical Fiction
999			_c9719 _d9719