Mark of the Gladiator

When gladiator Anaz%C3%A2r refuses to murder innocents, he is whipped for cowardice and sent to another household to train a group of warriors in this enticing historical romance from Belleau and Vane (The Druid Stone). To Anaz%C3%A2r's surprise, he's soon embroiled in house politics. An assassin is targeting one of the twin brothers living at the house, but Anaz%C3%A2r must figure out which of the two is the true target, and find the person behind the attempts. Can he trust the benign Master who gives nothing away, or the trickster who may use his antics to hide a vulnerable heart? Belleau and Vanedo do an expert job capturing the myriad emotions and loyalties of the main character, romantic and otherwise, and manage to portray him as a generally good guy without making him cloying. The mystery is interesting up to the end, with a twist that satisfies, and a startling climax. (Dec. 2013)