This “marriage” was only possible as many of the Roman soldiers bedded with a local woman. The underlying principle of the two books is how the different cultures, Celtic and Roman co-existed and eventually formed Britain. The book bears a close resemblance to Rosemary Sutcliff’s book Eagle of the Ninth in how an underlying mystery supports the dramatic narrative.
Medicus is a Novel of the Roman Empire, and it’s not considered as an ancient Roman mystery book since it’s not one. If you know some Roman history, then you will know that it is during this transition when the defense of the Roman empire were strengthened and also the construction of the protective wall in Northern England.
The story takes place in 117 A.D after Trajan, the Roman emperor dies and is succeeded by Hadrian. So Ruso, a roman doctor must, therefore, hide his compassion and struggle with the torment that evil continually creates. It was only spread by Christians who were against slavery and the torture and killing of animals and humans for entertainment. It’s important to note that Roman society often viewed compassion as sign of weakness that every man had to overcome. It is in this second chapter that we come to discover that Gaius Ruso has an inborn empathy that he has suppressed so that he can survive in the barbarous society. Our first encounter with slavery is in the first few pages of the second chapter. The author does not shy away from this element but actually makes it the center of the narrative. The buying, selling of human beings, overexploitation, treatment as commodities, abuse, is the nasty aspect of the perverted roman culture. One of the elements that stand out in this book right from the first page to the last is Slavery. This is what a Roman would exactly think of the lands far beyond the empire after the beautiful Mediterranean weather in Rome and indoor plumbing, but again finding a British author explain how desperate the weather and the culture are in Britannia is always funny. The author makes the same remarks about the dire English weather and the unpleasant British natives. He just needs to be left alone to work and get money to pay off his debts, but each effort only gets him dragged into the unpleasant situations with the unwelcoming natives. It’s almost impossible not to like Gaius Ruso whether he is trying to work on his guide to field medicine or having it out with the hospital administrator. Additionally, despite sinking in debts, he can’t stop himself from “purchasing” an injured slave girl and treating her broken arm. The soft-hearted roman army medic can’t stop himself from snooping especially when a second body is discovered. Gaius is trying to get by until the promised army bonus from the emperor and payday when the body of a girl is brought into the hospital which sets a local mystery in motion. Of course, Ruso’s friend had mentioned the surly natives, miserable weather and the hospital admin that Gaius would meet while in Britannia. But when an old army friend named Valens requests that Ruso join him in a desolate outpost of the Roman Empire, Ruso grabs the opportunity to make some money and probably get a chance to get away from his ex-wife. We are introduced to a roman army medical officer named Gaius Petrius Ruso trying to keep up the appearances for his bankrupt family without letting the knowledge of how bankrupt his father slipped out.
RUTH DOWNIE SERIES
In her series opener, Ruth makes use of tensions that exist between British locals and Roman army to create a fantastic historical setting and a thrilling page-turning mystery.
Medicus is the debut novel in Medicus Investigation series by Ruth Downie. Ruth was born and raised in the beautiful West Country in North Devon and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She is famously known as the author of Medicus Investigation series. Ruth Downie is an English author of mystery & thrillers and historical fiction books.
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