This is a collection of mystery short stories, a variety of traditional whodunnits, all with an Ancient Roman background. The tales take us to the turbulent frontier province of Britannia, the showy luxury of Rome itself, and right inside the glittering and dangerous court of Nero.

Outstanding new crime fiction spanning centuries of history from Dagger winner Kate Ellis, Edgar winner Martin Edwards, and many more. Collected by Anthony and Dagger Award-winner and eminent editor Maxim Jakubowski, The Book of Extraordinary Historical Mystery Stories features never-before-seen stories by some of the most renowned American and British crime and thriller authors of today, offering a showcase of puzzling, adventurous, and atmospheric short fiction—set in eras ranging from prehistory to medieval, Victorian to World War II, and starring detectives both professional and amateur. Contributors include Linda Stratmann, Amy Myers, Lavie Tidhar, Jane Finnis, O’Neil de Noux, Ashley Lister, Eric Brown, Kate Ellis, A.K. Benedict, and others.

The companion novel to Assassin’s Heart—an action-packed fantasy that Printz Award winner Laura Ruby said “will keep you turning the pages all night long”—Thief’s Cunning picks up eighteen years later and follows Allegra Saldana as she uncovers the secrets about the line of killers she descends from. Allegra has always had to look over her shoulder. As the niece of the infamous assassin Lea Saldana, Allegra is used to hiding from people who want her dead. Once the strongest clipper family in the Kingdom of Lovero, the Saldanas—or what’s left of them—are now the most hunted. Their number one enemy is the Da Vias, whose thirst for retaliation is almost two decades in the making. But lately Allegra’s getting fed up with everything being kept from her—including her parents’ identity. When she finally learns the truth about her family, though—that she’s a Da Via—her world crumbles. Feeling betrayed by the people she trusted the most, Allegra turns to Nev, a Traveler boy whose presence makes her feel alive in ways she’s only dreamed of. But getting caught up in Nev’s world has consequences Allegra never saw coming. In this dark and enthralling fantasy that fans of Sarah Maas and Leigh Bardugo will devour, one girl must decide if she’s destined to pay for the wrongs of her family’s past—whether Saldana or Da Via—or if the future is hers for the taking.