Imperium by Robert Harris

Oh ho - what a brilliant book. A cracking page turner, with real brains. It's like everything that's the best about the best John Grisham - plenty of courtroom drama and suspense, coupled with the best of I Claudius and Rome - lots of togas and triumphs and triremes (not really but there are some triremes), mixed with the best of House of Cards - lots of political intrigue and blackmail.

The book is narrated by Tiro, the slave and personal assistant of Marcus Cicero. Tiro invented shorthand and as such became invaluable to Cicero in his quest to become one of Rome's two Consuls eventually becoming his biographer. This book is based on this biography, despite the fact that it no longer exists. Harris has instead brought it to life using the many speeches and records of Cicero's work that do still exist.

Smashing stuff, highly recommended. Wonderful language and word play, largely based on historical fact - with a small f, thoroughly enjoyable.