Aristotle Detective: Murder and Mystery in Ancient Athens - Softcover

Doody, Margaret

Softcover

ISBN 10: 022613170X ISBN 13: 9780226131702

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 2014

Synopsis

Murder and mayhem may seem like unreasonable company for Aristotle, one of the founding minds of Western philosophy. But in the skilled hands of Margaret Doody, the pairing could not be more logical. With her Aristotle Detective novels, Margaret Doody brings a Holmesian hero to the bloodied streets of ancient Greece, trading the pipe and deerstalker of Sherlock for the woolen chiton and sandals of Aristotle. Replete with suspense, historical detail, and humor, and complemented by an ever-growing cast of characters and vivid descriptions of the ancient world, Doody's mysteries are as much lively takes on the figures and forms of the classics as they are classic whodunits in their own right.

In Aristotle Detective, we first meet Stephanos--naive Watson to Aristotle's learned Holmes--a young landed Athenian and student of Aristotle. With the aid of his cunning, olive-loving teacher, Stephanos must clear his exiled cousin of murder and save his family's honor in a tense public trial. Will Stephanos survive to cinch the case?

About this title

Review:

"Witty, elegant whodunits."--Roderick Beaton "Times Literary Supplement "

"Eminently enjoyable."--Colin Dexter "author of the Inspector Morse mysteries "

"Margaret Doody has given us a remarkable page-turner of a mystery with a couple of fascinating characters in Aristotle and Stephanos. It's worth adding to your to-be-read pile."--Les Blatt "ClassicMysteries.net "

"A welcome edition to the historical 'whodunit' genre."--POA Journal, Official Publication of the San Francisco Police Officers Association

"Wit in a first novel is rare enough, and when allied to the skilful unraveling of a murder story set in ancient Athens it makes us doubly grateful for Aristotle Detective."--Daily Telegraph

"Doody brings the Athens of 322 BC to life with skill and verve and her story of the bloody murder, the shards of evidence, the drama of the trials, the odd twists and turns of motives and events is wonderfully plotted as she keeps everyone guessing, except the wily old philosopher who never tips his hand."--Publishers Weekly

"Why did no one think of this before?"--Times (UK)

From the Publisher:

The author has received delighted fanmail since the Italian Publication, expressing great admiration and comparing her novels to Conan Doyle. One writer said that he had been enchanted with her work, and called it sublime. She has been praised for giving the detective novel a new energy and focus, with excellent characterisation and descriptions of 4th century Athens, which she brings back to vibrant life. Margaret Doody's elegant prose style has also won her many admirers.

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 022613170X
• ISBN 13: 9780226131702
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 280