Available:*
Library | Shelf Number | Material Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Beach Library | DOHE H | English Fiction | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Grosvenor Library | DOHE H | English Fiction | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
It is 334 BC and the young Alexander the Great sits with his troops poised to attack the empire of King Darius III. As he waits his guides are murdered, Persian spies are in the camp. Telamon, a physician and friend of Alexander, helps to unmask Alexander's enemies as he wins a bloody victory.
Author Notes
Mystery writer P. C. Doherty was born in Middlesborough, England. He is probably best known for the series which includes Ghostly Murders, A Tournament of Murders, A Tapestry of Murders, and An Ancient Evil. Other works include The Rose Demon, Satan's Fire, and The Devil's Hunt.
Doherty also has published under the pen names of Paul Harding (The Nightingale Gallery) and Michael Clynes (The White Rose Murders).
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In 334 B.C. Alexander the Great has decided to add Persia to his conquests, but finds his inner circle beset with intrigue and his own divine personage in peril as spies and murderers stalk the tents of his army in this fast-paced page-turner. The young ruler summons his childhood friend, Telamon, to ferret out the identity of the mysterious Naihpat, suspected to be the force behind the wave of deaths. A physician who learned deductive reasoning studying with Aristotle, Telamon reluctantly accepts the duty. Freeing the spunky redhead Cassandra from the slave pens to act as his assistant, he quickly encounters killings accomplished by Celtic knife and club, poison and pushes from cliffs even two deaths that occur in "locked rooms," that is, tightly sewn tents with Alexander's guards posted at the only entrance. And with each victim is found a scrap of parchment bearing cryptic warnings taken from the Iliad and Euripides. The prolific Doherty, author of The Mask of the Ra and the sizable historical mystery series about Hugh Corbett and Brother Athelstan, deftly handles the period details, from day-to-day life in the camp to the inner courts of the Persian King of Kings, bringing in a vast cast (many soon to die) as Alexander moves across the Hellespont toward the epic battle of the Granicus. Fans of ancient historical mysteries will find themselves in superbly practiced hands. (June 1) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
Renowned for his authentically detailed medieval mysteries, Doherty first turned his attention to antiquity in The Mask of Ra (1998). Continuing to mine the ancient world for intriguing historical characters and settings, he looks to the magnetic Alexander the Great. Poised to invade Persia after a string of dramatic victories, Alexander is the target of a devious plot to demoralize and discredit him in the eyes of his own troops. Trusting no one, including his own mother, the devious Olympias, he summons his boyhood friend, Telamon, a physician with remarkable skills of perception and detection. After a number of Alexander' guides are assassinated, Telamon begins to suspect that one of the king's closest associates may be guilty of treason. Doherty, a true master of the historical mystery, provides another superbly crafted whodunit that will keep readers guessing until the stunning climax. Margaret Flanagan
Library Journal Review
Anxious to dominate the Persian empire in 334 B.C.E., Alexander the Great awaits a sign from the gods. He instead finds intrigue, secret agendas, spies, and murder. The appearance of boyhood friend Telamon gives him a trusted ear he hopes. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.