Libertus and Septimus come face to face with the criminal underworld of Roman Britain...

Curiosity leads amateur sleuth Libertus into the dangerous world of fearless criminals in Enemies of the Empire, the seventh novel of Rosemary Rowe's Libertus series. The perfect read for fans of David Wishart and Lindsey Davis.

Rowe is very good on the realities of Roman life... and there is a pleasing attention to detail... A deftly woven tale of patriots and intrigue - Historical Novels Review

It's AD 188, and the wild, forested outskirts of the Empire is the last place Libertus, freedman and pavement-maker, wants to visit. But he'd rather face a wolf or bear than an angry patron, so he agrees to accompany Marcus Septimus to the garrison town of Isca (now Caerleon in South Wales). Pausing at Venta, the two men realize they've stepped into a simmering cauldron of social unrest, where the Silures tribe, loyal to former chief Caractacus, seethes under Roman occupation. When Libertus spots a familiar figure, who seems desperate not to be recognized, curiosity gets the better of him. But his pursuit leads him down a dangerous path and into a murky world of racketeering, treason, and murder...

What readers are saying about Enemies of the Empire:

Another first class Libertus yarn

She [Rowe] has managed to get so firmly into the mentality of this long ago period with such a vivid sense of humanity despite all the cultural differences

Fascinating details of Romano-British life and an intriguing mystery, tied firmly to its times