Barnes & Noble has price-matched the Amazon offer for Sacred Games. So if you're a Nook reader then don't feel left out!
You can get Sacred Games for $1.99 here.
You can get Sacred Games for $1.99 here.
Sacred Games for $1.99 on Kindle
Sacred Games is a kindle monthly deal this month. That means if you're a kindle reader then you can buy it for the grand total of $1.99.
If political shenanigans and a sports murder at the ancient Olympics are your thing then this is the book for you.
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
If political shenanigans and a sports murder at the ancient Olympics are your thing then this is the book for you.
"Corby integrates the political intrigue of the day with fair-play plotting and welcome doses of humor. Fans of Steven Saylor's Gordianus novels will be enthralled."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
The perfect Christmas gift
If you enjoy ancient murder mysteries, that is. "This will have the wealth of historical mystery buffs jumping up and down for joy."
Here's a lovely review of The Marathon Conspiracy that appeared a few issues back in Suspense Magazine, which is well worth subscribing to.
Corby has most definitely brought to readers three amazing tales they will not soon forget. And now comes a fourth historical mystery set in Greece that, yet again, is so well-written you will feel as if you are truly part of the Ancient World.
The elections are about to be held in the city of Athens and the city’s (wise) statesman, Pericles, asks his inquiry agent, Nicolaos, to look into a matter that could undermine all of the political elections. It seems that a skeleton has been found at a girls’ school located not too far from Athens.
Nico is the super sleuth, to say the least; a sleuth who has just taken time off to wed his investigating partner, Diotima. Of course, Pericles and the case put that happy occasion on hold. Especially when the remains just happen to be those of Hippias. This was the massive traitor to the Greeks and, in the Battle of Marathon, was killed and left behind in Persia. The veterans of that battle are beyond angry. They have always claimed they were the men who thwarted the traitor, and they need to gain favor and political power, not stones to the head. And if this is not enough trouble, one of the girls who found the bones is dead, and the other has gone missing.
Shocking surprises arrive to the Athenian world, as they wonder why and how the traitor is ‘back.’ There is no obvious reason behind the bones finding their home in Athens, and Nico and Pericles must solve the mystery as fast as possible before Athens becomes a bed of power hungry, angry, willing-to-do-anything tyrants.
This will have the wealth of historical mystery buffs jumping up and down for joy. As with Corby’s other works, the tale is full of humor, suspense-filled plots, subplots, and characters that are unforgettable. It is no overstatement to say that Corby most definitely knows his history backwards and forwards, providing stories that are beyond exciting.
Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion
Here's a lovely review of The Marathon Conspiracy that appeared a few issues back in Suspense Magazine, which is well worth subscribing to.
“The Marathon Conspiracy” By Gary Corby
Corby has most definitely brought to readers three amazing tales they will not soon forget. And now comes a fourth historical mystery set in Greece that, yet again, is so well-written you will feel as if you are truly part of the Ancient World.
The elections are about to be held in the city of Athens and the city’s (wise) statesman, Pericles, asks his inquiry agent, Nicolaos, to look into a matter that could undermine all of the political elections. It seems that a skeleton has been found at a girls’ school located not too far from Athens.
Nico is the super sleuth, to say the least; a sleuth who has just taken time off to wed his investigating partner, Diotima. Of course, Pericles and the case put that happy occasion on hold. Especially when the remains just happen to be those of Hippias. This was the massive traitor to the Greeks and, in the Battle of Marathon, was killed and left behind in Persia. The veterans of that battle are beyond angry. They have always claimed they were the men who thwarted the traitor, and they need to gain favor and political power, not stones to the head. And if this is not enough trouble, one of the girls who found the bones is dead, and the other has gone missing.
Shocking surprises arrive to the Athenian world, as they wonder why and how the traitor is ‘back.’ There is no obvious reason behind the bones finding their home in Athens, and Nico and Pericles must solve the mystery as fast as possible before Athens becomes a bed of power hungry, angry, willing-to-do-anything tyrants.
This will have the wealth of historical mystery buffs jumping up and down for joy. As with Corby’s other works, the tale is full of humor, suspense-filled plots, subplots, and characters that are unforgettable. It is no overstatement to say that Corby most definitely knows his history backwards and forwards, providing stories that are beyond exciting.
Reviewed by Mary Lignor, Professional Librarian and Co-Owner of The Write Companion
Don't let the bedbugs bite!
In addition to deep and profound philosophy, classical Athens also scores in a slightly more prosaic subject: the earliest documented mention of bedbugs comes from them. It's in a play called The Clouds, written by Aristophanes.
In it, no less than Socrates is instructing a young man named Strepsiades. Socrates asks his student what deep thoughts he is thinking. Strespiades replies, "Whether there'll be anything left of me after the bedbugs have finished chewing."
In it, no less than Socrates is instructing a young man named Strepsiades. Socrates asks his student what deep thoughts he is thinking. Strespiades replies, "Whether there'll be anything left of me after the bedbugs have finished chewing."
Yep. it's Hades and Persephone
The archaeologists have uncovered the rest of the mosaic. And there, sure enough, is Persephone.
Which means the guy carrying her off is Hades. Which means you can't use this picture to predict who's inside. It's a stock image, like putting Jesus on the cross over a modern tomb.
Of course, this one's a particularly exquisite stock image! The intriguingly round damage in the centre is a bit of a bummer, but even so this mosaic will be gracing art history textbooks for the next century or so.
The press release on this mentioned the same thing I did in my last post: the style of this picture is very similar to one at the royal Macedonian burial ground at Vergina. That other tomb is believed to be Philip II's, the father of Alexander.
Let me take a moment to talk about why the guy on the chariot could be called either Hades or Pluto. In the original Greek religion he was Hades. His underworld realm of the dead came to be known by the name of its ruler, but that wasn't originally the case.
By the time of Nicolaos and Diotima, the dead go to Hades, which is ruled by Hades. This is kind of confusing. In my books therefore I usually distinguish by calling the place Hades, and its ruler Lord Hades, which isn't technically correct but means you have some idea of which Hades is meant when my characters are talking.
Real classical Greeks had the same problem, so sometimes referred to the god Hades by his epithet Plouton. The Romans picked that up and changed it to Pluto.
So technically I could call him Pluto in my books, but if I did, too many readers would imagine a lovable puppy dog, which isn't quite the reaction I want when discussing the feared Lord of the Dead.