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Roman Holiday: An Elliot Todd Mystery: 2 (The Elliot Todd Mysteries) Kindle Edition

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 11 ratings

A holiday in Rome for Elliot and his friend Cameron appears to be the perfect antidote following the death of Shakespeare expert in Elliot's bookshop. However, the two intrepid travellers get more than they bargained for when they visit Italy's historic Roman capital. Once more the world of books is a gateway to a world of intrigue and deception. In Roman Holiday we meet again several of the endearing characters introduced in The Shakespeare Thief as well as a varied cast of new acquaintances.

'I've just read Roman Holiday, with great pleasure. Is Roman Holiday a thriller? A love story? A study of male friendship? It's all these, not to mention a marvellous tourist guide to Rome.' - Tim Pears, author of In Place of Fallen Leaves, In a Land of Plenty, the epic West Country Trilogy and Run to the Western Shore.

'This a warm, beautifully researched and written novel. It's a gripping murder mystery, a love letter to Italy, and to history, and books.' - Elizabeth Delo, author of Becoming Liz Taylor.

'Roman Holiday is a mystery driven by a brilliantly drawn and engaging set of characters. Lionel writes with much charm, warmth and insight. Deeply embedded in its glorious setting and peppered with historical anecdotes, this book is guaranteed to intrigue and delight.' Hazel Prior, author of the best selling
Away With the Penguins.

'A charming and erudite mystery — part caper, part travelogue — that conjures up Rome beautifully, and is filled with satisfying nuggets of information for all kinds of book (and bookshop) fanatics.' C.M. Ewan, author of the bestselling House Hunt

'An intriguing mystery for anyone who takes pleasure in books. A perfect novel to pack for the summer holiday or to curl up with on a rainy winter evening when you long to escape into sunshine and a captivating tale.' K. J. Maitland, author of the bestselling Daniel Pursglove series of Jacobean mysteries.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

'I've just read Roman Holiday, with great pleasure. Is Roman Holiday a thriller? A love story? A study of male friendship? It's all these, not to mention a marvellous tourist guide to Rome.'

- Tim Pears, author of In Place of Fallen Leaves, In a Land of Plenty, the epic West Country Trilogy and Run to the Western Shore.


'This a warm, beautifully researched and written novel. It's a gripping murder mystery, a love letter to Italy, and to history, and books.'

- Elizabeth Delo, author of Becoming Liz Taylor.

About the Author

My crime series is based around a bookshop owner inspired by own time as a manager of a bookshop. The first two, The Shakespeare Thief and Roman Holiday, are now available and I am busy writing the third. Central to the story are the characters of Elliot the bookshop owner, his main employee, Esther, the subject of his unrequited love, the eccentric but loyal Aggie, his interfering mother Elizabeth, his history lover friend Cameron. They are written, I hope, with warmth and humour and contain many a literary allusion.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D1352LHL
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Onyx Publishing (April 6, 2024)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 6, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1211 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 250 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 11 ratings

About the author

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Lionel Ward
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I am writing a series of crime books based around a bookshop owner inspired by own time as a manager of a bookshop for 30 years. The first two, The Shakespeare Thief and Roman Holiday, are now available and I am busy writing the third. Central to the story are the characters of Elliot the bookshop owner, his main employee, Esther, the subject of his unrequited love, the eccentric but loyal Aggie, his interfering mother Elizabeth, his history mad friend Cameron. They are written, I hope, with warmth and humour and contain many a literary allusion.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
11 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2024
    The Roman Holiday is the second book in The Elliot Todd Mysteries, and it is a great story to read and one I personally enjoyed from beginning to end. I liked how the author, Lionel Ward, developed new and old characters as well as how Rome was described, making you feel as if you were in the story. The story has adventures, mysteries and twists and turns that keep you turning pages. This is a well written and fun book that I highly recommend.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2024
    What a great book for learning about Rome. Great for travelers and people who like to be told the story. Took in history foods and relationships told from a male perspective especially about his budding relationship.

Top reviews from other countries

  • Vivienne
    5.0 out of 5 stars A crime story with a little bit extra! Humorous with great characterisation.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 15, 2024
    This is a delightful book and a very welcome sequel to The Shakespeare Thief that introduced Elliot Todd, unassuming bookshop owner, and various interesting characters amongst his family and friends. I had been looking forward to this sequel for some time and have not been disappointed. The story begins in the days leading up to Christmas when Elliot and his bookshop colleagues decide to enter a window display competition. To their surprise they win first prize, which is a week’s holiday in Rome. Elliot and his history loving friend Cameron go the following summer and once again become embroiled in the crime of murder.
    Apart from enjoying a really entertaining story, Cameron’s pedantic love of history and his lectures to Elliot as they tour Rome taught me so many interesting facts about the city that I felt I had really learnt something from reading this book. As in The Shakespeare Thief, Lionel Ward has also included many interesting snippets of information throughout, on a variety of subjects such as books, films and art. Hence, I have learnt something about the Italian film ‘Il Postino’ and the plot of the opera Tosca. I have also found out about the memorials to Jane Austen in Winchester Cathedral, the work of a heroic diver, William Walker, the Lyrical Ballads collection of poetry by Coleridge and Wordsworth, and aspects of the antiquarian book trade to name but a few examples. To a reader such as myself, who feels slightly guilty to be curled up with a crime mystery book for sheer entertainment, instead of reading some weightier tome, it is reassuring to come away with plenty of ‘food for thought’ and extra information and ideas that one can follow up.
    I was pleased that many characters from The Shakespeare Thief once again feature in Roman Holiday because what I particularly love about these books is the characterisation. There is the diffident, honest and reflective bookseller Elliot himself, his best friend, colleague (and secret love Esther), larger than life friend Simon Bonneville, eccentric, adventurous Aggie, serious minded Cameron, and Elliot’s embarrassing but admirable mother, Elizabeth. Lionel Ward describes them all with sensitivity, understanding and gentle humour. Even ‘one off’ characters such as Sally Harding, the American divorcee that Elliot meets one evening in Rome, come across as rounded and believable people. I look forward to more books in this series where I can follow the lives and adventures of these appealing personalities . . . and of course the slow love story of Elliot and Esther. They will surely get together in the end!
    I recommend this enjoyable read to anyone who wants a bit of well-written humorous crime fiction containing interesting facts, and sympathetic characters.

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