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Hadrian's Jackals
Paperback
Mystery & ThrillerHistorical Fiction
ISBN13: 9781807349240
Publisher: Boldwood Books Ltd
Published: Nov 12 2026
Pages: 376
Weight: 0.73
Height: 0.94 Width: 5.06 Depth: 7.81
Language: English
A new emperor. A treacherous plot. A team of outcasts with nothing to lose.
AD 117. Emperor Trajan is dead. Hadrian is his heir. But his plans to abandon Trajan's territory gains is resented by the Senate. A deadly conspiracy of senators is formed to prevent him becoming emperor.
The official bodyguards cannot be trusted and enemies are hidden in plain sight. Enter Hadrian's Jackals - expendable, deniable spies secretly assembled by Empress Plotina to protect the emperor.
Tasked with uncovering a ruthless assassination plot the Jackals must survive gladiators, deadly assassins, and the cutthroat politics of the elite. Operating in the shadows, these five outcasts are all that stands between Hadrian and certain death.
But what can an escaped slave, a bankrupt gambler, a heartbroken ex-centurion, an exiled poet with anger management problems and a retired Vestal Virgin do? And what will be the consequences if they fail? For the empire. And themselves.
Praise for Hadrian's Jackals:
'A razor-sharp romp from Alex Gough. It's Rome, but like I've never seen it before. The Jackals are unforgettable: flawed, desperate, and absolutely lethal.' - Gordon Doherty
'Following an unlikely, yet engaging band of misfits, Hadrian's Jackals gallops along at the pace of an Imperial messenger, from the far east of the Roman Empire to the palaces and temples of the Eternal City. Alex Gough strikes the perfect balance of suspense, action and humour, all set against a detailed and thoroughly authentic historical setting.' - Matthew Harffy
'Roman Slow Horses? Brilliant! It's erudite and amusing at the same time, and the only problem with the book is the jealousy I'm feeling given I didn't think of such a great idea!' - Anthony Riches
'An exhilarating ride through Hadrian's Rome. Sometimes poignant, other times brutal, often hilarious, Gough has created a cast of characters that linger long in the memory and leave you rooting for them long after the last page has been turned.' - Adam Lofthouse
'Hadrian's Jackals is my favorite thing, an adventure with a sense of humor. A combination caper story and political thriller with a setting in ancient Rome . . . I loved it.' - Damion Hunter
'Smart, darkly comical, and rich in detail' - Alison Morton
A thoroughly enjoyable jaunt through the plots and machinations of Hadrian's Reign with cast of gloriously entertaining misfits. - L. J. Trafford
Praise for Alex Gough:
'A bold and exciting recreation of the Roman world' Harry Sidebottom
'A compelling and admirably detailed opening act to what promises to be a truly epic saga.' Ian Ross
'Roman fiction has a new master in Alex Gough.' S. J. A. Turney
'A fascinating account of a complex and compelling man' Ruth Downie
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