Steven Saylor has written a long and very interesting series of books featuring Gordianus the Finder, a detective and finder 
And, while Saylor’s previous series outing, The Judgment of Caesar
In this book Gordianus, who has retired, is persuaded by Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia, to investigate a possible conspiracy to assassinate her husband. Calpurnia’s haruspex confirms her fear an attack directed at her husband will take place during one of the four upcoming citywide “triumphs” (public celebrations of Caesar’s victories in Gaul, Africa, Egypt, and Asia). Thus the retired 64- year-old sleuth trudges the city’s streets to gather information.
Gordianus sleuths his way across Roman society – and we meet Cicero, Caesar, and Mark Antony, as well as numerous lesser known Romans, such as Fulvia (with her sights set on Antony), the young Octavius (later known as Augustus Caesar). Gordianus also interviews Vercingetorix, the imprisoned Gallic chieftain awaiting his imminent execution, Cleopatra, in town for the Egyptian triumph with her young son Caesarion, and her defeated sister Arsinoe who is slated for execution. Saylor brings these figures vividly to life.
The Triumph of Caesar is has a compassion for people living in a brutal times that is rare in an historical mystery. It engages emotions and makes me care about the characters. As many of the other books in the series, it is a great mystery as well as a wonderful, insightful novel of historical fiction. A great, albeit somewhat different whodunit! Highly recommended.
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