Emperor Valentinian's Pannonian henchman Maximinus hijacks a poisoning investigation in order to wage a vicious anti-vice purge of Rome's elites. City boss Olybrius deploys Marcus Gregorianus Numidianus to ensure that the arrests of any senators and their wives comply with Roman regulations against torture. But Maximinus' wave of lawless terror soon threatens to trap everyone Marcus loves. The Roman-bred spy chief can only save his beloved city from its own follies by exposing the cutthroat political showdown buried deep beyond his service's reach. Packed with action and intrigue, The Embers of Empire is delighting fans of Bernard Cornwell, Lindsey Davis, and Robert Harris.