Decuis Caecilius Metellus the Younger is back and once more thwarting threats to the state. Like the last book, this one is based on a real event - the Bona Dea Sacrilege. The rite is profaned by Clodius, Decius' old enemy. So he takes great delight in investigating how it was done. We see a lot of Ceasar,, Crassus, Pompey & Milo as well as well as meeting 2 new fictional characters that will become regulars - Decius' slave Hermes and Ceasar's niece Julia.
This is an entertaining tale, well told with wit & humor. Decius is really coming into his stride as an investigator, whatever his family might think of it and we see the grounds being laid for his future interaction with people in later novels. The real question has become - will Decius be able to stay in Rome at the conclusion of this one? Odds are not good.