The House of Death

In 334 BCE Alexander of Macedon has assembled his army at the Hellespont, ready to invade the Persian Empire of Darius III. Sacrifices produce disturbing omens, essential guides are murdered and evidence of Persian agents appears inside the camp. Telamon, Alexander’s physician and boyhood companion, is asked to identify the killer before fear and suspicion weaken the expedition.

The inquiry unfolds as the Macedonian army crosses into Asia and prepares for its first major confrontation with Persian forces. Generals, priests, scouts and courtiers all have reasons to conceal information, while Alexander must master his own anxiety and preserve the belief that the gods favour his campaign. Telamon’s investigation links a closed circle of suspects to the strategic dangers facing an army at the beginning of conquest.