Prima Facie, Ruth Downie
Prima Facie, Ruth Downie
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Prima Facie
A Crime Novella of the Roman Empire

Author: Ruth Downie

Narrator: Simon Vance

Unabridged: 3 hr 5 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 11/19/2019


Synopsis

A novella from the author of the bestseller Medicus, featuring reluctant investigator Ruso and his partner Tilla. A tale of murder, intrigue, and betrayal in Roman Gaul.

It's AD 123 and the sun is shining on southern Gaul. Ex-military medic Ruso and his British wife Tilla are back after a long absence–but it's not the reunion anyone had hoped for.

Ruso's brother has left him in charge of a farm he has no idea how to manage, a chronic debt problem and a gaggle of accident-prone small children. Meanwhile his sister Flora has run away to rescue her boyfriend, who's accused of murdering a wealthy guest at a party.

Can Ruso and Tilla save the boyfriend from the murder charge—or should they be saving Flora from the boyfriend? Will any of the guests tell the truth about the fatal party before it's too late? And meanwhile, how long can Ruso continue to lie about what's inside the bath house?

About Ruth Downie

In 2004, Ruth Downie won the Fay Weldon section of BBC3's End of Story competition. She is the author of the highly acclaimed Roman Empire series, which includes the New York Times bestseller Medicus, as well as Terra Incognita, Persona Non Grata, Caveat Emptor, Semper Fidelis, and Tabula Rasa. She is married with two sons and lives in Devon, England.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Camilla on July 09, 2019

Ruth Downie is back with a delicious summer novella, and I'm never sitting on that bench in the bathhouse. :) Prima Facie takes us back to the perpetual chaos of Ruso's family's farm in southern Gaul. As usual, the writing is vivid, the characters at time hilarious or touching, and there's so much li......more

Goodreads review by Mary on May 20, 2023

A moral quandry Only a short story but still fun. Ruso and Tilla have arrived at the family farm just in time it seems. His younger sister is in love and wants.to.marry a young man who has just been arrested for murdering his master's son. She swear he is in no way and gets Ruso to help, as he looks......more

Goodreads review by Kathy on August 03, 2019

I have enjoyed all of the Medicus books by Ruth Downie and it was a treat to have this novella to read in between weekend outdoor adventures. Tilla joins husband Ruso along with their adopted baby to pay a visit at the family homestead whilst brother Lucius is away, and, of course, they pull in just......more

Goodreads review by Assaph on July 14, 2019

Prima Facie is a fun novella for all Ruso and Tilla's fans, and Roman-historical-fiction lovers in general. What to Expect A short mystery in Ruso's home town, where the human angle (the whydunit, rather than whodunit) is the most engaging aspect. Downie covers Roman provincial life in her usual charm......more

Goodreads review by Ali on November 23, 2021

The problem with novellas from favourite mystery authors is that they are not books. This is very well done - short form mysteries are hard, and the plot had just the right amount of complexity, there were nice and notable character moments, and the villa society was really interestingly evoked. But......more