Gordianus is now nearing sixty, and has settled happily into life with his wife (his former slave) and various natural, adopted and orphaned children. He lives comfortably in his home on the Palatine, a well-to-do area in Rome. Having survived many adventures and intrigues involving the likes of Crassus, Cicero and Catalina (great figures from history who come alive with Saylor’s storytelling) he seems to be less interested in his old life and ready to be a grandfather.

Just as he is getting used to a quieter life, however, a man is found murdered in his garden. Numerius Pompeius, a well-liked young man with political ties, has come to visit the Finder. Before he is able to relate the purpose of the visit, he is mysteriously strangled by some unknown intruder. Gordianus finds himself in immediate trouble due to Numerius’s family ties: he was the much loved younger cousin of Pompey, “the Great One.”

Before Pompey descends upon his household, Gordianus and his clever daughter Diana are able to decipher a coded message discovered in a secret compartment of Numerius’s shoe. Written in a code of Greek and Latin letters, they discover that Numerius was collecting information on Gordianus, presumably to report back to his powerful cousin. When Pompey roars into the situation, Gordianus finds himself in a terrible situation. Rome is in a state of unrest, on the verge of chaos. Caesar and Pompey are in a power struggle which is threatening the stability of millions of people. Who is Gordianus loyal to? The arrogant and frightening Pompey? Or the brilliant General Caesar, who commands Meto, Gordianus’s son?

Even the wily Gordianus the Finder has trouble walking the tightrope between these two power-hungry men. Ordered by Pompey to solve the crime, Gordianus has another reason to solve it quickly: Pompey has reclaimed Diana’s husband Davus, a former slave he once owned. Reveal the murderer to me and then I will return your son-in-law, declares Pompey. So Gordianus finds himself returned to his dangerous occupation as he sets out to restore his family.

As he sets out on a prolonged trip with Tiro, the legendary aide to the great orator Cicero, author Saylor’s strengths become evident. As a knowledgeable historian of ancient Rome, he is able to recreate the setting and make it come alive for even the most history-impaired reader. The political unrest, the panic in the city, the rumors of battles all over Italy are described in such a way as to make the setting one of the best aspects of the story. (This is true of all of Saylor’s novels. Half the fun is reading about the ancient homes, society, and political intrigue.)

As Gordianus ultimately finds himself in the middle of a battle between Pompey and Caesar at the Siege of Brundisium (49 BC), the battle tactics and strategies employed make for fascinating reading. And of course, there’s always the delicate balance Gordianus must maintain as he searches for Meto, Davus and the true murderer of Numerius.

For previous fans of Gordianus’s adventures, Rubicon may seem a little more bleak, with less of his sardonic humor. The Finder is getting older and he is learning things about himself which are sometimes unpleasant. Perhaps with age and wisdom comes some unwanted recognition of his own human nature. Saylor creates a character with depth; Gordianus is getting to know himself better than he probably wanted to. But it serves the reader well.

--Martha Moore