This historical thriller, originally titled The Return , marks a departure for Oxford historian , shifting from his usual 3rd-century AD setting to the mid-2nd century BC.
: Lists the Kindle/eBook edition alongside physical formats. EL REGRESO DEL CENTURION | Harry Sidebottom | Espasa El Regreso Del Centurion Harry Sidebottom epub
The central conflict arises when Paulo, celebrated as a hero for his service to Rome, becomes the primary suspect in a series of gruesome murders. Sidebottom uses this "murder mystery" framework to examine how the trauma of war—manifested in Paulo’s vivid flashbacks—isolates the soldier from the very community he fought to protect. The citizens' initial feigned friendship quickly sours into animosity, reflecting a society that honors the idea of a hero but fears the violent man the hero has become. This historical thriller, originally titled The Return ,
: Offers the eBook for approximately 9.99 €. Sidebottom uses this "murder mystery" framework to examine
: The forbidding forests and dark atmosphere of Calabria serve as a metaphor for the protagonist's haunted psyche.
Sidebottom’s background as a classical historian shines through his meticulous detail of Republican Rome. Rather than relying on cinematic tropes, he focuses on the "alien thought world" of the Romans, exploring their unique views on death, slavery, and agriculture.