Parthian Shot

by David Wishart

Book Overview

While conducting an investigation into an attack on the Parthian Prince Phraates, one of the Parthian delegation is murdered and a full diplomatic incident threatens. The byzantine twists and turns of the case give Corvinus a headache that rivals his customary hangover, and it takes a violent threat to his wife Perilla before he gets a grip on what s really happening."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0340827378
• ISBN13: 9780340827376
• Release Date: March 2004
• Publisher: New English Library
• Length: 276 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.4" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

Solid political mystery

This is a mystery, fairly east to read, with a few exotic twists arising from Roman-Parthian relations. If you like Lindsay Davis, you will like this, unless you are particularly attached to the personality of Falco. Wishart's series centers around Marcus Corvinus, who is a semi-black sheep son of a politician father. He likes wine, and is generally not too responsible. He has a relationship with his wife Perilla that is vaguely Thin Man like. She is, of course, the cultured and intellectual member of the duo. Their attitudes often seem modern, rather than Roman. I find Marcus Corvinus more to my taste than Falco, but his sexual politics are slightly incorrect by modern standards {not nearly as incorrect in some respects as authentic Roman attitudes would be, of course}. Others may disagree. That said, the books in the series are well plotted and funny. So I strongly recommend David Wishart's series as light reading for those with an interest in Roman history and politics.

Not a shot in the dark

Of the three Corvinus novels I've read thus far, this one is by far the more interesting in that it imagines as well as captures the time quite well. In addition, the presumed geopolitical machinations of Romans and Parthians in the first century appear no different though far more interestingly imagined then our own present realities for sure. Also, Wishart's wit, wisdom and colloquial speech are refreshing considering the often stilted language imagined for Romans in other novels. The other two works, were Ovid (a nice introduction to Wishart) and White Murder (a bit long but more witty then these).

Twists and turns of plot mark a fast-paced mystery

David Wishart's fine Marcus Corvinus mystery is set in early Rome and provides an excellent historical mystery revolving around politics and intrigue. Marcus hates politics but becomes unwillingly involved when his latest investigation proves the attack on Parthian Price Phraates. Twists and turns of plot mark a fast-paced mystery.

Buy it

I confess that when I saw the latest Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus mystery from David Wishart I didn't bother reading the jacket. Just picked it up, paid for it and located the nearest bench.Never a mistake with a Corvinus mystery and so this one proved.Marcus' twelfth adventure finds us in 35A.D in his house struggling with his accounts. The arrival of the consular Lucius Vitellius, described as a `homing hippo' and a subsequent trip to the Palatine to meet one Isidorus means that our wise-cracking sleuth finds himself on the receiving end of an assignment from no less than the Wart himself. The brief? To discover who has attempted to murder the sixty year old Roman backed heir to Great King of Parthia, Phraates.After pacifing the lamprey dishing Meton and the ever bookish Perilla, Marcus prompts goes to a diplomatic dinner with Vitellius, hosted by Phraates for the Parthian delegation. There we meet a list of people all of whom have motivation: Osroes, the Magian - an anti-Greek Parthian, Zariades - an unctuous Parthian courtier, Callion - a Seleucid Greek, Peucestas - a military eunuch, Tiridates - Phraates son, and Mithridates - the particularly nasty younger brother of the King of Iberia and future King of Armenia.Promptly making an enemy of Mithridates and causing a diplomatic incident, just to protect the virtue of a dancer, lands Marcus in immediate hot water ending up with a beating in a Tuscan Way alley. Still, with the reckless abandon and grim determination that marks our sleuthing hero he sets off into the Parthian underworld of Rome. Just as well as Zariades ends up with his throat cut. A body, but not the expected one.Conversations with Phraates, investigations into The old Batchelors and Mano's, plus an ever growing threat from Mithradates means that Marcus has to put his family on the line again.The mystery unfolds as Marcus moves from conversation to conversation, uncovering a web of deceit from his `paymasters' that infuriates him but reveals a lot about multiple motives and secret dealings in the Roman/Parthian underworld until he finally realises that the `murder' wasn't a murder at all.Marcus rapidly escalates his way through Nicanor, pepper merchants, Parthian and Syrian spice trading, Ostian knife gangs, the Three Graces brothel and many more as he threatens, bribes and coaxes information out of everyone to reveal a plot so complex and clever that to guess the culprits and motives from the outset would be blind luck. Oh, and he solves the mystery of the missing lampreys and manages to put one over Meton, who comes across like a Roman Ramsey at times.David Wishart has settled down with his irreverant Corvinus mysteries and anyone who likes the overly carefree Claudia Seferius of Marilyn Todd will finds an equally affable character in Corvinus whose straight talking, justice loving sleuth cuts through Rome with an alacrity that is hard to put down.Buy it.