DEATH IN BYZANTIUM: At the heart of what is left of the Roman Empire, lies a city simmering with intrigue & treachery. Amid this maelstrom stands John, a slave who has risen to become the right hand of Justinian, the greatest of Byzantium's emperors. With violence and murder commonplace, it is John's skills as an investigator that the Emperor prizes the most.
SEVEN FOR A SECRET. AD 542: An enigmatic young woman claims she has a secret for John. But before she can reveal it, her red-dyed corpse is found in a subterranean cistern. Who was she? What was her secret? John is intrigued by her resemblance to a solemn-eyed little girl depicted in a mosaic in the palace. His quest to discover her secrets will test his loyalty and endanger his life.