Leonidas, a gladiator who has recently earned his freedom, is hired as a bodyguard by a senator transporting gold to pay for imported goods. Somebody wants the senator dead, and preferably with Leonidas getting the blame. But who and why? And how is the murder of a brothel madam connected?

Quite apart from the main mystery, the mystery of Leonidas and Cassia's benefactor is obviously going to play out over what promises to be a very intriguing series. ( )

A.D. 62 Rome. Gladiator Leonidas the Spartan is given his freedom by an unknown benefactor. But he must keep himself and his slave Cassia by obtaining employment. His first position is as a bodyguard for Decimus Laelius Priscus as he travels to Ostia Antica to retrieve a valuable cargo. Meanwhile Leonidas is convinced someone is trying to kill him, and frame him for a murder he did not commit.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its likeable main characters. ( )

Delightful mystery set during Nero's reign, featuring an ex-gladiator, Leonidas the Spartan, and his "sidekick", the clever quick-witted slave scribe, Cassia. He's the "brawn" and clueless about life as a freedman and she is the "brains." He is accused of the murder of a madam; much of the novel is given over to his proving his innocence. Through a job Cassia gets for him as bodyguard to a senator and his continued association with him even after they return from Ostia to pick up a "precious cargo", [as the senator terms it], he is witness to the revelation of long-buried family secrets and answers to questions upon questions. Nicely written and well-paced, I hope to read more of this appealing duo.

Highly recommended. ( )

I received an ARC of this book to read in exchange for a fair review. Blood of a Gladiator is the first book in an exciting new mystery series by Ashley Gardner. Set in ancient Rome during the reign of Nero, a newly freed gladiator Leonidas sets out to solve a mysterious death when it appears that he could be held responsible for the murder. Assisted by his slave Cassia, a scribe, his search goes from the palace of Nero to a lowly brothel and each answer he finds leads to more questions. I enjoyed this story very much and look forward to reading future books in this series. Publishing Date May 21, 2020. #bookstagram #BloodOfAGladiator #AncientRome #MurderMystery #historicalmystery #AshleyGardner ( )