It's Rome, 63bc. In a city on the brink of acquiring a vast empire, seven men are struggling for power. Cicero is consul, Caesar his ruthless young rival, Pompey the republic's greatest general, Crassus its richest man, Cato a political fanatic, Catilina a psychopath, and Clodius is an ambitious playboy. The stories of these real historical figures - their alliances and betrayals, their cruelties and seductions, their brilliance and their crimes - are all interleaved to form this epic novel.

Robert Harris is the author of Fatherland, Enigma, Archangel, Pompeii, Imperium and The Ghost, all of which were international bestsellers. His work has been translated into 37 languages. After graduating with a degree in English from Cambridge University, he worked as a reporter for the BBC's Panorama and Newsnight programmes, before becoming political editor of the Observer and a columnist on the Sunday Times and the Daily Telegraph.

Bill Wallis has performed in over 200 radio series and plays, while among his numerous productions for the RSC are The Alchemist, The Master Builder and Twelfth Night. He is also a prolific film and TV actor, having numerous appearances to his credit that include Keep the Aspidistra Flying, Midsomer Murders, Bad Girls, Doctors, Poirot and Dangerfield.