Judge Marcus Flavius Severus Mystery Books In Order

Publication Order of Judge Marcus Flavius Severus Mystery Books

Judge Marcus Flavius Severus Mystery Series

Judge Marcus Flavius Severus is a series of historical mystery books by American author Alan Scribner. The series is set in ancient Rome and features judge Marcus Flavius, a prefect of the city of Rome court. Though a judge, Marcus is often assigned to investigate assassination attempts and murder cases with the help of his wife.

Mars the Avengers

Mars the Avengers is the first novel in Judge Marcus Flavius series set in the year 158CE during the reign of Antonius Pius, a period considered as the height of the Roman Empire. The series gives the readers a glimpse into the daily life in Rome and the Romans way of life, courts, criminal law, and police. The book introduces the readers to Marcus Severus, who serves as a judge in the Prefect of the City of Rome Court. Severus is investigating the disappearance of the senator’s wife and also the discovery of the body of a man found on the steps of the Temple of Mars the Avenger. While the investigations are underway, the two cases (homicide and the disappearance of the senator’s wife) become somehow connected tracing their roots to an affair years earlier in the roman orient.

The investigations lead Severus and his team and the police officers across the city and into the realm of the ancient Rome, slave markets, wealthy villas, tenement apartments and to the circus Maximus. The legal procedures and the laws incorporated in the Mars the Avenger by Alan Scribner are all from Roman law sources. The author has crafted an exciting mystery book that drags you in from the first to the last. Alan Scribner has created a story that transports the readers back in time into the Roman world and lets you see, feel, taste, and hear everything. The story is crafted in Sherlock Holmes style- this is seen in the last scene that involves finally solving the homicide cases through the knowledge of the main character.

If you’ve watched Sherlock Holmes films or read books based on this character and found them enjoyable, you’ll enjoy reading this novel. As Sherlock uses his instincts to see what other ordinary people don’t understand, Marcus does precisely the same- he’s able to see and interpret details in a way that no other person can. The story utilizes the -who done it mystery a popular technique used by other mystery book writers.

From the detailed historical details incorporated in the story, it’s evident that the author has extensive knowledge and thoroughly researched into more information about the history of ancient Rome. He uses different Latin terms that are sufficiently explained. The setting of the story is in the city of Rome, and the details in the book are so accurate even after two thousand years. Additionally, the characters are beautifully crafted, and their behaviors and way of life depict those of people who lived in that era. Scribner also gives details about the slave trade and how slaves were frequently abused by their masters.

While Mars the Avenger is a mystery novel, it gives the reader an insightful background and also speculations regarding Roman laws, philosophies during the height of the Roman Empire. Just like in many other books based on Roman empires, the slaves are always treated like murder suspects, and when one slave is found guilty in one household, the rest in the house are executed without trial. The story doesn’t just revolve around Severus investigations, but its third-person narration allows the reader to get a glimpse of everything happening in the City of Rome.

The Cyclops Case

The second book in Judge Marcus Flavius Severus series takes place three years after the events in the first book in the series, Mars the Avenger. The city of Rome is now under the rule of a new leader, Marcus Aurelius and it’s under the threat of attack by the Persians.

Severus is on vacation with his family at the ancient roman seacoast city, the Crate, a city famously known for combining corruption with extreme pleasure-seeking and high culture. One night General Cyclops is stabbed to death while on the beach. Flavius Severus is assigned to the case. The killing of the General sparks a web of connected robberies and counterfeiting spanning from 30 years ago to the present. This case gets Severus entangled in a conspiracy theory involving the Persians and the Roman secret services and sparks a series of connected murders.

Solving cases leads to more murder cases to solve. Like the series debut novel, The Cyclops Case also allows the reader to solve the mystery surrounding the murders alongside with the main character and at the same time enabling the readers to get a glimpse into the ancient Roman way of life. The investigations lead Severus and his team of investigators into seedy places such as gambling halls, brothels, summer villas, secret services headquarters, tenement apartments, and bookstores.

Marcus Aurelius Betrayed

Marcus Aurelius Betrayed is the third book in Judge Marcus Flavius Severus Mystery series. In this book, Severus is asked to investigate the assassination attempt on a Prefect of Egypt. His cup had been poisoned, but luckily a guest seated next to him drunk the poison, killing him instead.

With the help of his wife, Severus embarks on a journey to gather all the possible clues and the witnesses in efforts to crack the murder puzzle. On their quest to solve the murder puzzle, they encounter judicial murders, theft of rare and unique books, and the creating of fake antiquities. But through many twists and turns, the homicide case is finally referred to the Emperor in Rome, and then the investigations proceed in Rome’s capital.

In general, Judge Marcus Flavius Severus Mystery books are authored by an author with detailed knowledge, love, and respect of the ancient Roman times and people. The storyline is faced paced, and the characters, both primary and secondary, are beautifully crafted to fit the setting.