Roman Blood

The first of Saylor’s Roma Sub Rosa novels, built around Cicero’s real defence of Sextus Roscius on a parricide charge in 80 BC and narrated by the fictional investigator Gordianus the Finder.

Why it’s on the list: Named in the replies to @moseskagan asking what historical fiction to read next — a crowd-sourced list Kyle recovered by hand and saved. A mystery series that uses the machinery of a real Roman legal case as its plot.

Where I saw it: In the replies to @moseskagan asking “What historical fiction should I read next? (Bonus points for something involving building or trade, rather than violence)” (April 13, 2025). Kyle recovered the reply list by hand and saved it to his “Books To Read” Apple Note; the full transcribed list lives on What historical fiction should I… (tweet).

Connections

• What historical fiction should I… (tweet) — the thread this came out of; the full recovered list lives there.
• Historical Fiction — the genre the thread was asking about.