Semper fidelis, by Ruth Downie

 

In this fifth mystery in the Gaius Petreius Ruso series about a doctor attached to the Roman army in 2nd century Britain, Ruso uncovers corruption in the army in Eboracum and when he notifies the emperor Hadrian, he's arrested and accused of murder. The backdrop of this book is Hadrian's tour of Britain on his way to inspect the wall that would eventually be named for him. Hadrian's wife Sabina is traveling with him and takes an interest in Ruso's British wife Tilla to break her boredom. Both Tilla and Ruso are trying to do the right thing by reporting the mistreatment of British recruits by the Roman centurion Geminus, but it all goes wrong when Geminus is murdered and Ruso is framed for the crime. This was an interesting and well-written story that left me wanting even more to visit modern day Eboracum (York), but I found it frustrating that the main character, Ruso, spent much of the book in captivity. I got used to Ruso leading the action in the first four books, and this was a little less satisfying to me. But I am still looking forward to the next four books.