The Princess and the Pirates - SPQR IX

Decius Caecillia Metellus has just completed his successful and expensive year as aedile in Rome, but he is informed by his family that he cannot stand for praetor, the next step up the career ladder, until he has more military service under his belt.  Decius has no intention of going back to Gaul and serving under Julius Caesar, even if he is married to Caesar's niece.  His family proposes that a little pirate smashing off Cyprus will do the trick instead, and so the plot is set in motion for John Maddox Roberts' latest novel in his SPQR series: The Princess and the Pirates - SPQR IX (#225).

The princess in the plot is a young Cleopatra, who also happens to be a guest of the Roman Governor on Cyprus.  She thinks that Decius' task sounds like a great adventure and wants to come along.  How can Decius refuse a princess when she has a better fleet and more disciplined sailors than he can muster?  With his personal slave Hermes along until his wife can join him, Decius tries to sort out the situation on Cyprus so he can use the element of surprise against the resurgent pirates.  His best weapon is Ariston, an ex-pirate he recruits who takes the Roman coin to avoid future prosecution.  Rumors are flying that the leader of the new band of pirates is a Roman himself.  When the Governor is found murdered in a particularly gruesome fashion to make a point, suspicion falls on a number of people, including a prominent Roman exile and on Cleopatra herself.  Can Decius determine who is behind the pirate raids before he becomes a victim himself?

I enjoy Mr. Roberts' series featuring Decius who is opinionated, impatient and married into the family of the rising star of the Republic, while his own family's influence is on the wane.  Although he basically does the right thing himself, he keeps some questionable company, which is what keeps this SPQR series interesting.  You just never know which ancient Roman will pop up next...