Deadliest Thief by June Trop/Review by Joy Gorence
The Deadliest Thief : A Miriam bat Isaac Mystery
by June Trop
Black Opal Books
$8.99
ISBN 978-1644372012
Publication Date: October 26, 2019
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2020 Silver Falchion Finalist
The Deadliest Thief is the fifth in the series featuring first-century sleuth, Miriam bat Isaac. When beaten and bruised Penelope arrives at Miriam’s doorstep, she has only minutes to utter, “Document,” before she dies. Distraught, Miriam cradles Penelope’s broken body before she unravels the parchment cylinder and breaks the wax seal. What she learns is that the woman who has died in her arms is not Penelope but her unknown twin, Leda. Soon afterwards, Miriam, a member of an elite class, discovers that Penelope, her best friend and former household slave, has been kidnapped.
In the Deadliest Thief, set in ancient Alexandria, author June Trop manages to paint a canvas that depicts the sights and sounds of the city. As Miriam travels through the city to uncover the mystery behind the death of Leda and Phoebe’s disappearance, the setting becomes integral to the plot. As the reader’s senses are entrenched in the description of Alexandria and Pharos Island, the unlikely alliance between Miriam and a dwarf, Nathaniel ben Ruben, becomes essential.
The mystery involves missing jewels and thievery, with twists and turns that leave the reader guessing until the very end.
Joy Gorence is new to Killer Nashville. She is an author, world-traveler, English professor (ret.), and avid reader. Originally from Long Island, NY she now lives in South Florida with her husband, Bill, and their two pampered kitties.