The Pericles Commission

Starred review from August 9, 2010
Those who like their historicals with a touch of humor will welcome Australian author Corby's promising debut, set in fifth-century B.C.E. Greece. When the arrow-pierced body of Ephialtes, the main force behind democratic reform in Athens, literally falls at the feet of Nicolaos, a sculptor's son expected to follow in his father's footsteps, fate hands Nicolaos another career. Ephialtes's politician friend, Pericles, who appears on the scene moments after the murder, is impressed enough by Nicolaos's preliminary conclusions to hire him to solve the crime. Members of the Areopagus, the city's ruling council, had the most to lose from Ephialtes's policies, but the neophyte detective finds that not even his exalted employer is above suspicion. The bodies pile up as the investigation continues, leading to a dramatic climax in which Nicolaos's survival hinges on his cracking the mystery. Corby displays a real gift for pacing and plotting.

September 15, 2010

In ancient Athens, the murder of a popular politician threatens the democracy itself.

Young Nicolaos, who narrates in first person, is walking down a street outside the city when a dead body literally flies through the air and lands at his feet. A grieving young man who arrives shortly after identifies the victim as distinguished statesman Ephialtes and himself as his protege Pericles, a fledgling politician and son of the influential statesman and hero Xanthippus. Ephialtes' misfortune could be Nicolaos' lucky charm. For some time, he's tried to avoid following in his sculptor father Sophroniscus' footsteps and to enter politics instead. So he eagerly undertakes the task of finding the killer who shot Ephialtes to death with a perfectly aimed arrow. Nicolaos quickly learns how far out of his depth he is. He makes a very amateurish impression on the imposing Xanthippus and has a hard time keeping up with a group of larger-than-life suspects, including the imperious priestess Diotima, the Machiavellian lawyer Archestratus and the gruff military leader Pythax. Nicolaos' family is no less colorful. His mother Phaenarete's brazen behavior is a frequent embarrassment, and the twitting of younger brother, the ironically named Socrates, a constant annoyance. One key question haunts the ambitious young sleuth: Was the murder personal or political?

Corby's debut novel is energetic, if a bit unfocused, and helpfully appointed, with a glossary as well as a detailed "Time Line to Democracy" spanning more than 100 years and a very entertaining characters list featuring emblematic quotations. 

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August 1, 2010

Nicolaos is minding his own business in ancient Athens when a body falls from the Areopagus above. Pericles, a rising politician, arrives moments later, and together they identify the corpse as that of Ephialtes, leader of the democratic movement and Pericles's friend. After a brief conversation, Pericles determines that Nicolaos is a man of keen insight and commissions him to investigate the highly volatile murder. Corby uses the early chapters to explain for the modern reader everything from Athenian politics and the place of women to monetary matters and clothing. Once the story gets rolling, though, it moves along at a good clip, even borrowing some tropes from the noir subgenre--a beating for the hero, a femme fatale, and plenty of shifty characters. As he explains in his author's note, Corby draws the murder and many of his characters from historical documents, lending that much more believability to the story. VERDICT This series opener will appeal to historical mystery fans and readers who enjoy Lindsey Davis and Kelli Stanley.--Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Lib., Wisconsin Rapids

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