Ancient Mystery Fiction

Rome, 58 AD. The dinner party didn’t turn out the way Aemilius Valerius expected. He didn’t expect a place at the main table. He didn’t expect to drink that much. He didn’t expect to hook up with one of the scarier dancers. And he most certainly didn’t expect to trip over the bloody corpse of his host on the floor of the informal dining room. One man’s grisly murder is another man’s opportunity. Valerius teams up with the investigator, a plebeian with a chip on his shoulder, to discover the killer.

Follow Christoph Swift and his diverse band of companions as they navigate the treacherous waters of the Traders World. In a realm where minosium—a gem of extraordinary power—fuels both progress and conflict, every wave conceals a potential ally or enemy. But in this world where ambition and magic intertwine, every alliance harbors a hidden agenda. As Christoph and his unlikely crew sail from sun-drenched archipelagos to mist-shrouded islands, each discovery brings them closer to the mythical Labyrinth—and to danger. Facing ruthless factions and ancient mysteries, they must master ...

The Macedonian is based on the early life of Philip II, King of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great and perhaps the greatest military genius of the ancient world. Born a minor prince of the royal house, he survives the intrigues of a family in which treachery and murder are almost a tradition. A brilliant commander while still in his teens, he becomes king when his brother, King Perdikkas, and half the Macedonian army are massacred and his country is on the brink of ruin.

It's been two years since Emily and Jess Volnik visited ancient Castle Keep in Scotland and made the acquaintance of the Boggart, a mischievous shape-shifting spirit who has lived in the castle for centuries. Now they've returned for another Scottish adventure, joining their old friend Tommy and Mr. Maconochie, the new owner of Castle keep, on a trip to Loch Ness, where a new expedition is determined to find the fabled monster. Of course, the fun-loving Boggart comes along for the ride, and wherever the Boggart goes, things are bound to get lively. But this time the Boggart has a serious mission....

In the city of Lahun, Hui lives an enchanted life. The favoured son of a doting father, and ruler-in-waiting of the great city, his fate is set. But behind the beautiful façades a sinister evil is plotting. Craving power and embittered by jealousy, Hui's stepmother, the great sorceress Isetnofret, and Hui's own brother Qen, orchestrate the downfall of Hui's father, condemning Hui and seizing power in the city.

In September of AD 666, an aged monk and a set of relics disappear during the night from the Abbey of Imleach. The missing monk is a matter of great concern for the abbey. But the relics are a disaster of a much higher order. They are the priceless holy relics of St. Ailbe, the man who, in the fifth century, brought Christianity to the Irish kingdom of Muman, converted and baptized its king, and founded the abbey. The relics are the political symbol of the entire kingdom, and their disappearance threatens to disrupt its continued peace and stability.

A perplexing case of murder and conspiracy in the pagan wilds of Northern Italy... In AD 664, just after the events detailed in Shroud for the Archbishop, Fidelma of Cashel takes a unexpected detour on her trip home from Rome. While in the port at Genua (modern-day Genoa), Fidelma - sister of one Ireland’s kings and an advocate in her country’s law courts - receives word that one of her old teachers, Brother Ruadan, is reaching the end of his days.

In the year 48 BC, Rome is in the midst of civil war. As Pompey and Caesar fight for control of the republic, Rome becomes a hotbed of intrigue driven by espionage, greed, and betrayals. A beautiful young seeress staggers across the Roman marketplace and dies in the arms of Gordianus the Finder. Possibly mad and claiming no memory of her past, Cassandra - like her Trojan namesake - was reputed to have the gift of prophecy, a gift many in Rome would pay for handsomely...or kill for

From the author of the “engrossing historical epic” (Booklist) The Scribe of Siena comes a thrilling tale set in the crumbling city of Mystras, Greece, in which a scientist’s vacation with her young son quickly turns into a fight for their lives after they cross paths with a man out of time.

“I got and read this book on recommendation from a friend, and I have to admit that I'm thoroughly impressed with it. It's a deep dive into some local Greek mythology, told in a story-with-a-plot kind-of-way. It probably helps if you are already interested in this particular material, because there's a lot. The book's pacing is overall easy, and sometimes it just drops a bomb on you. Event happened, plot shifts, no questions asked or answers given! While reading it I thought of Game of Thrones and even in Blood Meridian the way characters can be just written off without a second thought. ...

In 48 BC the Roman generals Caesar and Pompey are engaged ina battle to rule the world. As Pompey plots a reckless stand on the banks ofthe Nile, Gordianus the Finder - who has brought his dying wife, Bethesda, to the Nile seeking a cure from its sacred waters - finds himself suddenly at the heart of a series of treacherous and history-altering events. While Caesar and Cleopatra embark on a legendary romance, Egypt remains ravaged by the brutal contest between the queen and her brother, King Ptolemy.

In November of AD 667, Fidelma of Cashel has returned home to her brother's castle to discover that a servant, her son's nurse, has been found brutally murdered in the woods near town, and her son is missing, presumed kidnapped or worse. Sister Fidelma, sister to king of Muman in Ireland, an advocate of the Brehon courts, and a religieuse of the Celtic Church, and her husband, Brother Eadulf, now must face their most personal and baffling case ever. Is there a traitor at her brother's court?

February 1941. Valentine's Day dawns bloody in the desert when a catastrophic sandstorm separates Lillian Stiller and Roy Sawyer from Jack Stiller. Stranded and desperate, they stumble upon the fabled Oasis of the Love - a haven shrouded in legend and rumored to be cursed. But as they delve into its secrets, they realize they're not alone... and the greatest treasure may be their own survival. Discover the fate of these two travelers in this gripping desert survival story with ancient secrets. If you love adventurous archaeology themes like in Indiana Jones novels, and enjoy authors such as...

Victory is in sight for Kivilaz and his Batavi army. The Roman army clings desperately to its remaining fortresses along the Rhine, its legions riven by dissent and mutiny, and once-loyal allies of Rome are beginning to imagine the unimaginable: freedom from the rulers who have dominated them since the time of Caesar. The four centurions - two Batavi and two Roman, men who were once comrades in arms - must find their destiny in a maze of loyalties and threats, as the blood tide of war ebbs and flows across Germania and Gaul.

AD 670: When an eminent scholar is found murdered in his cell in the Abbey of Lios Mor, fear spreads among his brethren. His door was secured from the inside, with no other means of exit. How did the murderer escape? And what was the content of the manuscripts apparently stolen from the scholar's room? Abbot Iarnla insists on sending for Sister Fidelma and her companion, Brother Eadulf, to investigate the killing.

THE SECOND NOVEL IN THE KINGDOM OF DURUNDAL SERIES - THE GRIPPING WOLF IN THE DARK. The prophecy is being fulfilled, yet the Dark Lord and his disciples continue to grow in strength and numbers. IN THE KINGDOM OF DURUNDAL, HEARTS WILL BE BROKEN, LOVED ONES LOST AND THRONES BURNED. Lyall has lived and breathed nightmares since he was fourteen-years-old. He believed he knew every horror and was beyond surprise. HE WAS WRONG! When General Domitrius Corbulo launches a brutal attack on Castle Dru in Durundal, he slaughters everyone inside. EXCEPT ONE! Though two years after finding salvation in ...

3 BC. Two wild Germanic brothers, Armin and Wulf, are held hostage in Rome to keep their father from rebelling against the Empire. As the years pass, they are moulded into ideal soldiers: brave, disciplined, ruthless. Attributes that are to be tested when a conspiracy arises, threatening their emperor and the Empire’s future.... As serving Roman soldiers, the brothers are separated at opposite ends of the Empire, each proving their bloody might on the battlefield.

The Strange Visitation at Wolffe Hall: The year is 1841 and Grayson Sherbrooke, a popular author of gothic paranormal mysteries, lives on the coast of Northern England with his 4-year-old-son, Pip. The Resident Evil at Blackthorn Manor: In Grayson Sherbrooke’s second Otherworldly Adventure, he goes to Scotland to Vere Castle, the home of his aunt and uncle. The Ancient Spirits of Sedgwick House: When Grayson Sherbrooke takes his son Pip to the home of Lord Lyle for a month of fun and relaxation, little does he know what awaits him.

In January of 668 A.D., Fidelma of Cashel - sister to the king of Muman, advocate of the Brehon law courts and religieuse in the Celtic Church - is called to investigate the brutal murder of Abbess Faife and the mysterious disappearance of six young female religieuse while away on a short pilgrimage away from their abbey. But when Fidelma and her husband, Eadulf, arrive, they are confronted with another violent murder under mysterious circumstances.

Sorceress, Princess of Colchis, Securer of the Golden Fleece. Medea - her very name is a byword for infamy. Legend has it that she murdered her own children for revenge. But love in Ancient Greece was often a dangerous game; and legends are not always what they seem. Medea, devoted wife of Jason, was also a loving mother, a loyal friend of Herakles and a brave adventurer with the Argonauts. A woman both betrayer and betrayed, the real story of Medea is strange, sensual and heroic.