The Claudia Seferius Mysteries, Bundle #3 : Black Salamander; Dream Boat; and Dark Horse

The bawdy and beautiful widow sleuth takes ancient Rome by storm in these three historical mysteries: “A wonderful fictional creation . . . An enormous triumph” (Ms. London). Black Salamander Joining a trade delegation bound for Gaul, Claudia Seferius expects to be richly rewarded for delivering a certain pouch, sealed with the sign of the black salamander. But travel is treacherous in ancient times, and a rockfall leaves the party stranded, as well as five men dead . . . and one death is not accidental. Suddenly Claudia finds herself implicated in a game of treason—in a dangerous land where wicker-man sacrifices are far from rare . . . Dream Boat Since her husband died, Claudia Seferius has been frozen out of trade. So when her teenage stepdaughter, Flavia, is abducted, Claudia has no money to throw at the problem. Now, with the Games of Apollo due to start in two days, Claudia must track down the kidnapper herself. Meanwhile, a mysterious Egyptian cult is getting popular with Roman citizens, and its female members are experiencing strange disturbances . . . Dark Horse When Claudia is caught doping racehorses, an island in the Adriatic seems like the perfect refuge. Shaded by figs and pomegranates, her friend Leo’s villa is surrounded by plunging cliffs and sandy coves. But then a pirate ship anchors in the bay. Almost immediately, a fire breaks out, an apprentice is murdered, and a sinister message is delivered. For Claudia, three hundred miles isn’t far enough to escape Roman law—or a bloodlust that goes way beyond evil. Books six through eight of the Claudia Seferius mysteries are now available in one volume! BLACK SALAMANDER If we're going to make a new order for Rome, a better order, I might add — sacrifices have to be made. We have set the assassination date for the Ides of July... What better opportunity for a beautiful young widow than to join a prestigious trade delegation bound for Gaul? There was the fanfare as the procession left Rome, the breathtaking journey through lush Alpine meadows. And let's not forget the promise of riches for delivering a certain pouch, sealed with the sign of the black salamander. Except things are never that simple when Claudia Seferius is involved. There's a rockfall, for a start, which leaves the party stranded, as well as five men dead — and one death is not accidental. All Claudia wants to do now is to get out of the valley they are trapped in and hand over the pouch. But there are those who will go to any lengths to stop her. And suddenly Claudia finds herself plunged into a deadly game of high treason, in a land where warriors still hunt human heads and where wicker-man sacrifices are far from rare... DREAM BOAT Claudia Seferius is broke. Skint. Borassic. Cleaned out. Bust, and on her uppers. So when her teenage stepdaughter Flavia is abducted, Claudia can't just throw money at the problem. The cash simply isn't there — since her husband died, his fellow businessmen have banded together to freeze her out of trade. And the frustratingly delectable Orbilio can't help — he's been placed under strict house arrest after a skeleton was found walled up in the house that's been in his family for three generations. Now, with the Games of Apollo — a series of festivals and frolics, feasting and tomfoolery — due to start in two days, Claudia has saddled herself with the job of playing tag with the kidnapper. Meanwhile, a mysterious Egyptian cult, the Brothers of Horus, is growing in popularity with Roman citizens. But several of its young female members are beginning to experience strange disturbances.... DARK HORSE The demon stirred. Its sleep had been long, but in its sleep it grew restless. It had smelled the blood of its past in its dreams. Now it wanted to taste it. When Claudia is caught doping racehorses, an island in the Adriatic seems the perfect refuge. Shaded by figs and pomegranates, Leo’s villa is surrounded by plunging cliffs, sandy coves and hillsides scented by carpets of wild herbs. Then a pirate ship anchors in the bay, and almost immediately a fire breaks out, an apprentice is murdered, and sinister messages are delivered on the point of a spear. Too late, Claudia discovers that three hundred miles isn’t far enough from Rome to escape the law. Or a bloodlust that goes way beyond evil