The House of the Vestals

It is ancient Rome, and Gordianus the Finder has a knack for finding trouble. Known to many as the one man in the ancient world who can both keep a secret and uncover one, Gordianus lays bare some of his most intriguing and compelling adventures.
The House of the Vestals collects nine of the award-winning stories of Gordianus the Finder by critically acclaimed, bestselling author Steven Saylor. Filling in some of the gaps between novels, this delightful collection of unique and unforgettable mysteries is Saylor at his finest-revealing the intrigues in the secret history of Rome.
In "Little Caesar and the Pirates," Gordianus must act as a go-between for kidnappers, but he begins to wonder who is really being held hostage. In "The Alexandrian Cat," a mischievous girl and a tell-tale sneeze reveal an ingenious plot of murder and thievery. In "The House of the Vestals," blackmail goes horribly wrong, and there is no one to take the blame. These stories and more make up an engrossing collection of finely wrought mystery tales with all the suspense and craft that are the trademark of Saylor's work. Foreword
Death Wears a Mask
The Tale of the Treasure House
A Will Is a Way
The Lemures
Little Caesar and the Pirates
The Disappearance of the Saturnalia Silver
King Bee and Honey
The Alexandrian Cat
The House of the Vestals
"Saylor's fluid and probing characterization
work as effectively in the short story as they have in his admirable Gordianus
novels."
"Three groups of readers will find these stories
irresistible: history buffs who appreciate Saylor's careful research into Roman
politics and Roman mores; fans of his five novels who want to find out how [the Finder] first became Lucius Claudius' friend, or how he acquired his faithful
slave Belbo; and anyone who enjoys leisurely, literate storytelling."

"As usual, Saylor does a superb job of
seamlessly incorporating the tumultuous history of the Roman Republic into the
narrative flow. A welcome addition to the ever fascinating chronicles of
Gordianus the Finder."
"Saylor serves up a collection of short stories
designed to fill in some of the gaps that have piqued the curiosity of devoted
fans of his popular Roma sub Rosa series…While each brief mystery presented is
a gem in and of itself, readers will delight in the informational overview
provided by the collection as a whole. As usual, Saylor does a superb job of
seamlessly incorporating the tumultuous history of the Roman Republic into the
narrative flow. A welcome addition to the ever fascinating chronicles of
Gordianus the Finder."

"This collection of short stories…shows how a
fine hand at historical research can enliven the most traditional and
well-titled of genres…Gordianus himself is a compelling character."
"Ingenious…Saylor offers rich history with great
imagination."
"Entertainment of the first order."