‘A Bitter Chill’ by Jane Finnis
Published
by Poisoned Pen Press
‘It might all have been different if
I hadn’t burnt the mistletoe.’ With
this speculation, innkeeper Aurelia Marcella begins her tale of murder and
intrigue set in
Aurelia and her
younger sister, Albia, are preparing to celebrate Saturnalia when a family
of wealthy and powerful Roman visitors arrive, demanding shelter and sustenance.
The arrogant and angry parents, who rule the family, have travelled
North with their dependants and slaves in order to search for their rebellious
elder son. Soon the family’s
bitter disputes result in kidnap and murder and threaten Aurelia and Albia’s own safety and happiness.
A Bitter Chill is
a swift-paced murder mystery packed with larger than life and wonderfully
drawn characters. However it also vividly
illustrates the corrosive effect of power, especially when it is used in place
of love within the family. Aurelia’s caring interaction with her own
household proves a vivid contrast to the cruelty and ruthlessness of the nobly
born visitors.
In A Bitter Chill we are introduced to the customs of
that much earlier time with skill and humour, so that the author’s scholarship never intrudes.
Aurelia is a heroine
for our time. She is a businesswoman
who can cope with anything life throws at her and she has a
----
Carol Westron
A Bitter Chill is Jane Finnis’
follow-up to her debut novel, Get Out Or Die, which also features Aurelia Marcella
and her mansio near Eboracum
(modern York.) I loved it and I can’t
wait for number three.
.