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    Persona Non Grata: A Novel of the Roman Empire
    Persona Non Grata: A Novel of the Roman Empire
    Persona Non Grata: A Novel of the Roman Empire
    Audiobook10 hours

    Persona Non Grata: A Novel of the Roman Empire

    Written by Ruth Downie

    Narrated by Simon Vance

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    At long last, Gaius Petreius Ruso and his companion, Tilla, are headed home-to Gaul. Having received a note consisting only of the words "COME HOME!" Ruso has (reluctantly, of course) pulled up stakes and brought Tilla to meet his family.

    But the reception there is not what Ruso has hoped for: no one will admit to sending for him, and his brother Lucius is hoping he'll leave. With Tilla getting icy greetings from his relatives, Lucius's brother-in-law mysteriously drowned at sea, and the whole Ruso family teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, it's hard to imagine an unhappier reunion. That is, until Severus, the family's chief creditor, winds up dead, and the real trouble begins.

    Engrossing, intricate, and-as always-wonderfully comic, Ruth Downie's latest is a brilliant new installment in this irresistible series. This is everything we've come to expect from our charming, luckless hero.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateNov 2, 2009
    ISBN9781400184187
    Author

    Ruth Downie

    Ruth Downie is the author of the New York Times bestselling Medicus, Terra Incognita, Persona Non Grata, and Caveat Emptor. She is married with two sons and lives in Devon, England.

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    Reviews for Persona Non Grata

    3.5/5

    234 ratings50 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Interesting characters, decently done local, this tale of a new off the boat medical officer with the Roman army in Britain who almost immediately gets tangled with young slave women living and dead and maintains his professional distance at least technically. Gaius Petreius Ruso has left behind a debt ridden family and is trying to send them enough to keep their deceased father's debts from being called due. The broken-armed slave girl he purchased could be sold for a large profit and the hard-assed administrator is into him for expenses inured for her care, no one seems interested in looking into the deaths of two slaves from the same whore-house bar where he has stashed Tilla while she heals. A pretty good read which could have used a good deal of tightening up as it was getting a bit same-old same-old 2/3 of the way through although the climax pulled together nicely.
    • 2/5
      The mystery plot itself was put together well enough, but this book does not have the depth to its historical roots that I prefer. So there are some scenes at a gladitorial event, and there are some secret Christians, but I had the feeling that the same murder mystery could have occurred in any time or place and only the professions of one or two minor characters would need to be changed (having next to no influence on even minor side plots as a result). Those who are happy with historical-lite mysteries should enjoy it; those who are primarily interested in the Roman Empire should choose something else.
    • 4/5
      Gaius Petreius Ruso is a career soldier in the Roman army and has recently transferred to the 20th Legion in Deva (modern day Chester) from Africa. Things are very different in Britannia. Not only is the weather dismal but the locals are rebellious and they speak British. Ruso is recovering from a divorce and the death of his father in Gaul. His father has left ruinous debts and so Ruso is constantly trying to send money to his brother who is looking after the family farm in Gaul.His money seems to be going the wrong way. His lodgings are near the hospital but are filthy, and due to be demolished. He desperately needs someone to cook and clean, but instead ends up rescuing a British slave at a price he can ill afford, and she has a broken arm.Girls from a local cafe/bordello keep turning up dead, and Ruso becomes a reluctant detective as he tries to work out what is happening. And then his new slave Tilla runs away and Ruso finds he has got used to having her around.Much of this introduction to life on the frontier of the Roman Empire is seen from the point of view of the conquered rather than the conquerors. We see at first hand the impact of slave trafficking as well as the way in which the conquerors try to impose the "Roman way" onto the locals. The author has created sufficiently likeable central characters in Ruso and Tilla for me to investigate where things go in the second book in the series.
    • 4/5
      This is the third installment of an entertaining historical crime fiction series set in the Ancient Roman Empire. This book begins with hapless do-gooder Roman Army medic Gaius Petreius Ruso breaking his foot while trying to save a child who had been dropped into the river by five drunk legionaries. His friend and colleague Valens prescribed that he must go easy on it for a good six weeks, “and no wine, of course.” (Part of the fun of this series is learning about the various “cures” used by people in Ancient Rome. Since the author also highlights the food they eat, it seems inevitable, even without murder, that they would need a lot of fixing up.) Valens also delivered a letter to him marked urgent, that read “Lucius to Gaius. Come home, brother.” Since Ruso can’t do anything else for six weeks, he agreed, even though his home in the south of Gaul was over a thousand miles away from his current post in Deva. (Ancient Gaul included the area that is modern France.) He was granted a medical discharge. (It was now June, and his contract with the Legion would be up in January. He had the option to sign on again when he got back from Gaul, and Valens assured Ruso he would want to. Ruso wasn’t so sure.)Ruso has been living with Tilla, a “Barbarian” from Britannia, for the past two years. He knew he should have found a way to mention Tilla to his family before now, but he had not, and now she was “about to become a surprise.”When Ruso went to see Tilla’s home in the previous installment, Tilla found her memories didn’t quite live up to the new reality there. Analogously in this book, Ruso has been remembering his home through rosy glasses; a vision dispelled almost as soon as he got there. As Tilla mused in the previous book, Terra Incognita:“As far as she had been able to work out, the medicus’s family lived in a fine house whose roof baked beneath the everlasting sunshine of southern Gaul, while its foundations stood in a deep and perilous pool of debt. . . . She knew that he sent most of his money home to his brother, and she knew that it was never enough.”Moreover, to call Ruso’s family “dysfunctional” is an understatement.In any event, when they arrive, they once again get involved in a murder case, and once again, Ruso, with a lot of help from Tilla, finally figures out what happened, saving his own skin by doing so. Discussion: Ruso continues to bumble through regular and extracurricular responsibilities, trying to do the right thing and right wrongs while everyone else is trying to take advantage of him. Ruso realizes too that he hadn’t done right by Tilla by not smoothing her way with his family:“You asked me once if I was ashamed of you.”“Are you?”“I’m the one who should be ashamed. I should have introduced you better.”“And what would you have said?”“He paused. ‘I would have said, This is Tilla. She is the bravest and most beautiful woman I know, and I don’t deserve her.”“She smiled. ‘All these things are true.’”Evaluation: I am greatly enjoying this series, even though many of the characters and events described are most unsavory. But I love the medical information, and the author also shows us how the class and gender disparities of the time played out, which is always interesting. The plot of this book also weaves in the growing appeal of Christianity in the Roman Empire, with the characters who adhere to its tenets explaining just what it is about the religion that attracts them.
    • 4/5
      Ruso has just injured his foot attempting to rescue a boy from the river (the boy manages to save himself) when an uncharacteristically brief and urgent letter arrives from his brother Lucius: Come home immediately. In a panic about what new disaster is so awful Lucius won't even hint at it, he wangles extended medical leave, and he and Tilla pack up and head for southern Gaul.

      Their arrival is a complete surprise, and not a welcome one. One of their major creditors is threatening a bankruptcy action against them, and the absence of the real property owner--Ruso--on public service had been legal protection against a seizure order. Lucius vehemently denies having sent the letter; if he'd thought his elder brother might be contemplating a return home, he'd have sent word not to come. Ruso's return makes them vulnerable to real financial disaster and disgrace.

      Things only get worse when that same creditor drops dead during a private conversation with Ruso, poisoned.

      Along with putting his investigation skills to work clearing himself and the other prime suspect, his ex-wife Claudia (now the widow of the dead man) of murder, Ruso has to figure out what happened to Lucius' brother-in-law Justinian, steward to Claudia's father, Probus. Justinian had been sent along on a merchant ship to watch over Probus' investment, but the ship has vanished. Ruso and Lucius' stepmother Aria wants to do new, expensive "improvements" to the house, and is certain Lucius is just being stingy and unreasonable in not letting her. And Ruso's half-sister Marcia wants her dowry settled so that she can marry.

      Or rather, he discovers, so that she can buy the freedom of a gladiator so that he can marry her.

      Oh, and Ruso had never mentioned Tilla in his letters home, and Aria, determined to marry him off to the rich widow next door, is not pleased and does her best to make sure Tilla knows it.

      This is, like its predecessors, and excellent mystery, with wonderful characters and nicely twisty plotting. As always, both Tilla and Ruso show real talent for getting themselves into trouble in their attempts to do the right thing, and confuse each other thoroughly trying to communicate across the barriers of their cultural differences.

      Recommended.
    • 4/5
      Great...still loving Ruso and Tilla....smart mystery, historical accuracy and Ruso is the most charming army doctor although he is completely unaware of his appeal.
    • 4/5
      Third in the Russo series, this story has the Medicus and Tilla returning to Rome. The family has called him home, but the welcome is not warm, especially for the barbarian woman. The estate is in chaos and mysteries abound.I enjoyed reading this, and though I had not read the previous books, I did not feel lost or disconnected in the narrative. Ruth Downie has a nice way of making the characters in her book both interesting and understandable. She also does a good job of setting the place for the story. Without much effort, I simply fell in along with the characters in their travels and activities. At times the story became slow, but towards the end the pace was lively. As for the mystery, I think she did a pretty good job. Certain aspects took me by surprise and I never felt cheated in the reveal.I wouldn't know about the historical accuracy, but after reading some comments by the author, I felt that she was not only trying to be accurate, but also trying to make the historical aspect real for us, rather than some far off storyland. She did a good job of that. As a Christian, I have to say that her scenes of the people of Christos interacting with the Pagans were delightful. One can see how they were perceived as being ridiculous, without them being so, and the misunderstandings that arose from some of the preposterous things they said, which could only be understood correctly by those in the Christos group. Still true today. My favorite scene in the book was the barbarian, Tilla, attending a Christos meeting. Very well done.All in all, I liked this story well enough to seek out the earlier tales and look for more in the future.
    • 5/5
      This is a very well written murder mystery with a twist. It occurs in Roman controlled Gaul in 119 A.D. The characters are well developed, the plot unfolds logically, and there even bits of humor. I actually laughed out loud at one point. Is it a realistic portrayal of life at the time? I very much doubt it, but it is a good story. I highly recommend this one.
    • 4/5
      I like the fact that Ruso stumbles over things accidentally, and things just happen to him. whether he likes it or not.

      His family is absolutely atrocious. I wanted to slap them all!
    • 3/5
      Goodreads freebie (Thanks!) This is the third book in a series about Gaius Ruso. I have not read the others - normally I prefer to read a series in order -- but this one can be read without having read the others.

      Gaius Ruso is a medical officer with the Roman Legion serving in Britain when he receives an obscure message ostensibly from his brother, Lucius, demanding that he return to Roma at once. Easier said than done, since the voyage home required more than a month of sea and overland travel. Stranger yet, when he arrives home, his brother denies having sent the message and in fact regrets his arrival since Roman law prohibited seizing the land and property of anyone serving in the army. Lucius had imprudently made some loan and repayment agreements with Serverus who now declares the repayment had never been made and is foreclosing on their property. Ruso, attempts to set things right, but during a meeting with Serverus, the latter falls over dead from poison, claiming "the bitch" has killed him.

      Tilla, the barbarian and Ruso's lover, tends to steal the show on occasion, and she is certainly the most interesting character. She appears the more enlightened, hardly the "barbarian," given the Roman predilection for tying people to posts for entertainment and watching wild animals eat them. Nevertheless, we don't see Tilla much -- at least in this book -- in her native surroundings so it's hard to judge.

      If I have one complaint, it's that the book did not have enough period detail, something I really like in historical fiction. Many people find it tedious; I do not. On the other hand, little tidbits like, shoving one's feet into "indoor sandals," and "by law, all the household slaves who had been under the same roof as a murdered master should be put to death for failing to save him, even if they could not possibly have helped," and one way to keep a household under control was by executing the relatives. Hmmm, that one has possibilities.
    • 5/5
      Another delightful light mystery with Ruso of the XX Legion and his British housekeeper, Tilla. On a mission of mercy, Ruso breaks his foot and he and Tilla go to Gaul to his family for recuperation. Murder in Ruso's family home, Ruso and Tilla must investigate. What a quirky family he has!! Same great dry humor.
    • 4/5
      Roman Gaul, 4th century AD, I thinkMedicus Ruso gets an urgent call to come home from Britannicus to Gaul. He and his lover Tilla arrive to find bankruptcy looming, family drama, and soon, a dead creditor in the house. Great timing, right? The dead guy was poisoned, and Ruso's family are all suspects. And there's a gladiator, a bunch of Christians, an ex-wife, and a broken foot. I really like this series. Can't wait to see what happens next.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed reading the first two and it seems with each book I’ve read from Ruth Downie, they improve each time. Although I found the first two a little on the dry side at times, Persona Non Grata was different. I was more interested in the book, and felt myself turning the pages a lot more quickly than the first two in the series. I really had to sympathize with Gaius. Not only does he always get the short end of the stick in life, but you can’t help but laugh at his predicaments because things just seem to go from bad to worse when he’s around. His family isn’t the most supportive either but they were such a fun read and there was more than one moment where I found myself chuckling out loud. (Try reading Gaius and his fight with his brother oh my, that was a good laugh.)There is more of a development in the relationship between Gaius and Tilla. I like how their character development is never quite finished but they develop enough so the reader is satisfied with the way they are throughout the novel. I enjoyed reading about both of them in this book much more. There’s more feeling and emotion between the two. I love how Gaius just wants to take care of Tilla, but she goes out on her own anyway. I like her independence and her strength. The two really do compliment each other nicely. I enjoyed the plot. Suspects were great and each had a good motive. I was kept guessing although I did have a hunch about the last third of the book. Nevertheless I did like how the book ended and there was more action mentioned to make the plot more exciting and the pace was faster. It was also interesting to note, that early Christians are introduced into the story. I thought that was well done and it did give the plot a much more historical feel to it. When it comes to historical accuracy, I liked it and it seemed pretty accurate to me. Downie’s descriptions are well written and the setting is pictured clearly. I believe she does provide an Author’s Note at the back to explain certain inconsistencies and provides more information.I do wish there was more to the ‘Dramatis Personae’ at the beginning of the book. It is a little hard to keep track of all the characters (Gaius has a family that could rival The Brady Bunch) plus the suspects, plus other secondary characters. It’s a lot to figure out and I thought the list of characters in the beginning could use a little more clarification. To fans of Gaius, it’s a great book. I absolutely enjoyed this and the way the book ended paves the way for much more to look forward to. I believe the change of setting is what helped a lot for this book (and quite possibly the series). It’s a great addition to this series, and I’m looking forward to the next one. Ruth Downie just gets better and better with each book!
    • 5/5
      This review is tardy, by a year in fact. The book is a story about the adventures of a military surgeon, a medicus, who has recently left service in northern Britania in the time when it was a Roam province. I have now had the pleasure of finishing the fourth novel in the series about this character, and can safely report that this novel is the least interesting, slowest moving of the books so far. In this book, the medicus must travel to his home province of Gaul to deal with a family matter. As Head of his family it is his responsibility to handle a serious financial matter that could see his entire family lose everything. We meet his sour brother, his spendthrift stepmother, and others, including local politicians and crooks, while at the same time they all meet his British barbarian wife. Although a mystery, if made into a movie (which it won't be) it would be a comic mystery. Obviously, things resolve adequately for there to be a next volume in the series. The first two volumes, also written with a sense of humor, are better and more interesting for taking place in the context of a military post. I feel I have to express my hope that the medicus finds his way back into the army.
    • 3/5
      I tried three times to get into this book and gave up. This was due to two factors, only one of which is likely to bother most readers. The first is the lack of a sense of place in the writing, and the second concerns plot and characterization.One reason I read historical fiction is to travel in time, visiting interesting places, and the better described these places are, the more I enjoy the story. The first chapter – set in the Mediterranean – met this criteria well enough, but then the scene shifted to Britain, and I soon realized I was lost – really lost. Nowhere in the next three short chapters are we told where we are. Physical descriptions of the setting are sketchy, and don’t add up. The Twentieth Legion is mentioned, so probably we should be in Deva (modern Chester), but the few details given don’t seem to match, and in chapter four there’s a reference to “how long it takes to get back down to Deva from here”. I suppose they might have been at Bovium, farther up the Dee, but if so, why not say so? And anyway, that’s only one day’s march, and they could probably have taken a boat... My trouble was that I know too much about Roman Britain; I was first drawn into historical fiction by Rosemary Sutcliff’s magnificent novels, and I’ve since researched it extensively. While I was still trying to get oriented, and paying more attention to the (lack of) geography than to the plot, the scene shifted to Gaul, after a similarly sketchy travel description. At this point we started to meet the hero’s extended family, most of whom seemed quite unpleasant, and I lost interest entirely. It was still not clear what the murder in the first chapter had to do with any of these people, and I found I didn’t much care, so I stopped reading. I made two more attempts to read the book, hoping I could finish it before reviewing it, but eventually admitted to myself that this was not going to happen. The plot - such as it was - had failed to capture my interest, and the main characters were not interesting enough to make up for it. Persona Non Grata is the third book in the Ruso series; maybe it would be more interesting if you’ve read the first two (which I haven’t, and now probably won’t). However, I would suggest Lindsey Davies’ Falco series instead, which is much better written, and firmly anchored in its time and place. Disappointing.
    • 1/5
      Ruth Downie has created a world which is well rooted in the historical provincial life under Rome and her characters are relatively sympathetic, and even the story is a very readable, if not remarkably novel mystery plot. Despite all of this, the story came across as unbearably vapid and the plotting of this readable novel a grave weakness. The single most troubling point for me was the use of short chapters to artificially simulate plot movement and action, instead of plotting the story so that action could occur through the actual storytelling.
    • 2/5
      Persona Non Grata is a historical murder mystery. The story itself seemed interesting but I found that the writing failed to grab my attention and hold it. For me the dialogue seemed a little weak and I wish the author had been more descriptive of the Roman world and Roman life, as this may have served to draw me into the story.
    • 2/5
      The premise of this book, and apparently of a series involving the same central characters, involves a second century Roman physician, Gaius Ruso, attached to a legion occupying Britain, and his female British “companion” Tilla, who team up to solve a murder mystery in his hometown in Gaul. Plot complications include the imminent financial ruin of Gaius’ family, a political conspiracy, a match-making stepmother, and a love-struck younger sister trying to save a young gladiator from certain destruction. Scenes and interaction between characters are vividly drawn and hold the reader’s interest. While the descriptions of scenes, costumes and situations seem consistent with the period in which the novel is set, the dialogue and the relationships between the characters have a 21st century flavor, leaving the reader with a jarring sense of incongruity.. Much is made of the dissonance of Tilla’s British culture and that of Roman Gaul, which is mildly interesting but does not really contribute to the plot development. In fact the uncertainty of her relationship with Gaius is hinted at, and toyed with in this story but does not quite advance to the point of being a plausible factor in this story, making a reader who has not read previous stories feel somewhat an outsider.
    • 4/5
      This is another of those books where I didn't know quite what to expect going in. I've never read anything by Ruth Downie before, and I requested the title through Early Reviewers primarily because of the "historical detective story" hook.It proved to be an enjoyable enough read for the most part. There were a few places where the story dragged; and having finished it, I'm still not sure I fully comprehend the full motive and logic behind the crimes. (I'm quite willing to chalk that up to my own thickheadedness, however, if they should prove to be perfectly lucid to everyone else.)I appreciated the light humor scattered throughout the story. I suppose that my biggest disappointment with the book was that I very seldom really felt as if the events were taking place in the ancient Roman empire. That may be a tall order, but that's what I look for in historical fiction: an immersive experience. In this case, something about the premise didn't quite click; perhaps it was the use of contemporary speech? I'm not sure.Still, this is a pleasantly light story for the many times when that's what's needed.
    • 5/5
      This is the third in the series of mysteries set in the Roman Empire during Hadrian's reign featuring Medicus Gaius Petraeus Ruso and his slave/girlfriend/partner-in-detecting Tilla (who's real name is unpronounceable and translates to "Daughter of Lugh"). In the first two, the action takes place in Roman Britain, but in this one Ruso had brought Tilla to his home in Gaul where he has to sort out some family problems, most of it having to do with money ~ or rather the lack thereof. The first third of the novel was a bit long and consisted mostly of introducing the cast of characters and highlighting their unpleasant idiosyncracies. Then someone dies right in front of Ruso, and it looks like it was poison. The fact that the dead guy was a creditor who was set to ruin Ruso and cause the family to become homeless and destitute makes Ruso look pretty good for the murderer. From there the story gets really good, and I ended up liking it far more than the first two. In fact, I found it quite amusing in places, and I also liked the way the author developes even the unlikeable characters so that in the end I had begun to understand them, if not outright like them. Oh, and the mystery? Pretty good, if just a tad too facile. But I just love Downie's evocation of the ancient Roman world, so the mystery is secondary for me.
    • 3/5
      Persona Non Grata is the third book in Ruth Downie’s series about Ruso, a physician with the Roman legions stationed in Britain in the 2nd Century. I haven’t read the earlier books, but this one stands nicely on its own. The plot brings him back to his family home in southern Gaul (modern Nice), where he faces a series of financial, moral, and family disasters. He bumbles through with the help of his British companion, Tilla, but really doesn’t overcome his problems until she bails him out in the last few pages.The local and historical setting is well and lightly handled, remaining incidental to the plot. The main characters are well fleshed out, but the many, perhaps too many, others are pretty thin. There’s lots of action, though, and you have to keep turning the pages to see what else can go wrong for Ruso. I recently read Robert Harris’ Imperium and Lustrum novels about Cicero. Downie’s story is a little less serious and doesn’t have the historical figures worked in as Harris does. It’s an enjoyable read, and I’m sure I will read the others in the series.
    • 3/5
      This is a great series for people interested in everyday life in Ancient Rome. I only started the series when I was told that I won this one, and I'm glad that I did.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this book for the story and the author's creativity in bringing to life everyday details from the Roman empire. It's not a page turner, but the plot is intriguing and the character nuances and setting descriptions make for a very enjoyable piece. I intend to read more by Ruth Downie.
    • 3/5
      Ms. Downie continues the adventures of her protagonist, begun in the book Medicus, as he lives his life in the first-century Roman empire and solves murder mysteries along the way. While I enjoyed reading this book, it was not as well-written as the previous two in the series.
    • 4/5
      Ruth Downie's Medicus series follows the adventures of ancient Roman army doctor Ruso, who frequently finds himself embroiled in a mystery he feels compelled to solve. It is similar to the Falco and Gordius ancient mystery series. Without looking too closely at the historic details, Downie's depiction of ancient Roman army and social life feels reasonable. His concerns with his job, his patients, his family and his lovelife all flesh out a cosy read.
    • 4/5
      I hadn't read any of this Ruth Downie's Roman Empire novels before, but when I won this one as an ARC through the Early Reviewers program, I picked up and read the previous two while waiting for this one to arrive. I was pleasantly surprised by the series as a whole and this book is probably the best one so far. When I got the announcement that I'd won this book, I couldn't remember why I'd requested it, but I'm glad I got it.The story follows the adventures of Roman Army Medic Ruso. The first book picks up with his arrival in Britannia at the time of the transition between the Emperor Trajan and the Emperor Hadrian. The second book follows Ruso and Tilla to her home village. In this third book. Ruso gets a mysterious message from his brother to return to the family farm.I would characterize this series as sort of a M*A*S*H meets the Roman Empire. The humor is there, but not so overly focused on to take over the mystery. The main character of Ruso, who is endearing in a blundering sort of way. He's always trying to do the right thing and ends up making things worse. Somehow it all works out in the end, and he discovers the true bad guy.I wasn't too happy with the characterization of Tilla in this outing. She seemed to fall to easily into the role of a servant. In Britain she was always exceedingly independent and wouldn't let herself be treated as a slave, eventhough, technically she was.The side characters of Ruso's family were entertaining, as was his exchanges with his ex-wife. Anyone that doesn't mind a light hearted look at the Roman empire would probably enjoy this series.
    • 4/5
      This book caught my attention early and kept it. Ruso responds to a summons from his brother to come home . When he arrives with his companion, Tilla, they find themselves engulfed the the family perils of debt, possible bankruptcy, a brother-in-law drowned at sea and the death of their biggest creditor in the Ruso home. And then there are his personal problems: he neglects to properly introduce Tilla and she is treated as a servant, there's no money for his half-sisters' doweries, his step-mother is trying to marry him off to the wealthy widow next door,and worst of all, he's the prime suspect in the death of their creditor.There are a lot of threads to this plot and they are neatly brought together. I liked the character of Tilla. Although Gaul is so different from her home, she has a sense of herself that allows her to take action when she thinks it is needed to help Ruso and others. I also enjoyed the subplot involving the followers of Christos. I liked this book and plan to read the first 2 books in the series.
    • 4/5
      On the face of it, Ruth Downie's Medicus series (of which this is apparently the third, but the first of my reading) seems to be trying to cash in on Lindsey Davis's success with her Falco novels, and in fact the two series have a number of things in common: the sleuth is a Roman of the early(ish) Empire, outside the ruling elite but with a view into both the upper echelons and the lower social elements, able to move about the sprawling Roman empire (lots of different locales for different stories); each investigator has an unconventional girlfriend/wife who tags along on his adventures, and the family of each occasionally provides color and humor to the story.That said, I must admit that I enjoyed this novel more than many of Davis's Falco stories (they often seem so intent on humorous and unlikely characters that the story itself gets lost in the yucks). I like Ruso, the army physician who, in this novel, must solve a murder in order to save his family (and perhaps himself) from ruin; I like his paramour, the British Tilla, who is able to look at provincial Roman life with the eyes of a stranger; I enjoyed the family relations who have realistic faults and foibles, and help us to see Ruso as more than a detective. I enjoyed the setting, a small city of southern Gaul during the rein of the emperor Hadrian, which is both familiar and exotic to anyone familiar with the south of France today. And most of all, I like the fact that this novel actually has an interesting mystery at the heart of it, one which is not overwhelmed by the personal backstory of Ruso's family life but, in the end, entwined in it. I acquired this novel through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program, and I'll be looking forward to reading more of Downie's Medicus Ruso series.
    • 5/5
      Persona Non Grata is the third novel in Ruth Downie's series about Gaius Petreius Ruso, Ruso is a surgeon with the Roman Legions in Britain. He's summoned home by a strangely vague letter. What he finds when he arrives at the family farm in Gaul is more than strange. Ruso and his Briton servant/lover, Tilla find themselves in the middle of family, love,death, matchmaking, bankruptcy and betrayal. Ruso is a treasure. Don,t miss this series.
    • 4/5
      This is one of my favorite books in this series (which is second only to the Falco series as enjoyable reads). It is a fun and engaging read. The dynamic between Ruso and Tilla is great. The author does a great job portraying the Ancient Roman Empire and life in it. I wait with baited breath for more Ruso books!