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The Mosaic of Shadows by Tom Harper

Publisher:  Thomas Dunne Books ISBN:  0312338679

Reviewed by Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader

How would you find a killer or uncover a conspiracy against the throne in a time when the only law was a king and his might? Do you think you would recognize clues or know the right people to question? In a caste system society, would you know what questions you'd dare ask without risking imprisonment or death by torture?

Such is the dilemma facing Demetrios Askiates when he is summoned to the palace by the Chamberlain to the Emperor to undertake just such a task. It is a job he dare not refuse for far more than the safety of one man is at stake, the very existence of the city rests on that one man's shoulders.

Torn between doing his duty and protecting certain innocents caught in the web of conspiracy, Demetrios sets about asking questions of ordinary citizen and the nobility. He must find an elusive monk who seems to be the key to the plot. Can he count on any real help from the Emperor's guardsmen assigned to help him when the guards disagree with everything he does or says?

A tale of twisted motives, red herrings scattered across his path, questions without answers, the arrival of a foreign army demanding safe passage, travel in unsafe areas of the city, worry for his daughters' safety--all are things preying on his mind. Can he save his king?

Step back in time and follow Demetrios as he goes about his king's business, trying to unmask a killer and stop a conspiracy. Share the privation of a city under seige as winter sets in.  This is a tale to keep you reading, written by talented Tom Harper who has a deft touch in bringing together a cast of lifelike characters, a tautly constructed plot set in a city that is so well described, you will think you've actually been there when you finish the story.  Highly recommended for any mystery fan.

Enjoy.  I sure did.

New Mystery Reader Magazine  editor@newmysteryreader.com