Two for Joy

I finished the second book in the John the Eunuch series yesterday, and by the end, I couldn't put it down. It was a fairly long tale, and in it, John is ordered to investigate the deaths of three stylites, who seemed to spontaneously combust while sitting atop their pillars. They seem to be linked to pronouncements from a holy man named Michael, and this Michael is promising more deaths and further troubles for the city... Read Full Review

This time John must divine the cause of stylites suddenly bursting into flames. Is it a godly punishment for blasphemy or the work of sinister plotters? John, Lord Chamberlain in sixth-century Byzantium, must solve the mystery, save his friend Anatolius from execution, keep the city from being destroyed by a panic stricken populace and keep his own head from being detached from his body.Mary Reed and Eric Mayer bring Justinian... Read Full Review

This book is an outstanding mystery with plot turns as intricate as Byzantium's court intrigue and with such seamless detail the reader cannot tell what is fiction and what history. I call it amazing because the reader is not only swept into the larger currents of life as the old gods fell to the new but also such minute detail, one is living it with the characters. The pacing is excellent for an exciting read and the sense... Read Full Review

Back for his second mystery is John the Eunuch, Lord Chamberlain to the Emperor. The mystery takes place in Constantinople during the reign of Justinian and Theodora. Two for Joy is an impressive mystery about roman courts, religion, miracles, respect, heartache, loyalty, and friendship. John has his hands full when a former teacher/pagan philosopher appears unannounced at his door and wanders into trouble more than once;... Read Full Review

Everyone living in sixth century Constantinople is shocked when three stylites sitting on their perches suddenly go up in flame. Caesar Justinian assigns Lord Chamberlain John to investigate. John finds little evidence that explains what happened. However, he eliminates spontaneous combustion from within the bodies of the dead men as an option as the corpses' insides were not roasted.The Emperor sends John to meet with a heretic,... Read Full Review