In 413BC the Greek city of Syracuse is fighting for its life against the might of Athens.
Timon, a 13-year-old miller’s son, makes the disturbing discovery that his premonitions have a habit of coming true.
When his vision warns of the imminent attack by the Athenian fleet, he becomes the boy who heard the voice of the god. His warning saves the city, but brings him, and his seer’s gift, into the brutal power struggle within Syracuse.
It is now 407BC, and Syracuse faces an existential threat as the Greek cities of Sicily fall like dominoes before the Carthaginian advance.
But which is the greater danger, the threat of Carthaginian troops outside the walls, or the rising power of the ruthless and ambitious Dionysius, within?
As Timon investigates the murder of his mentor, General Hermocrates, he must use his instincts to find out who he can he trust. He follows the thread of evidence from the brothels of Syracuse to the councils of the rich and powerful. Step by step he is drawn into the heart of a dangerous conspiracy.
It is only when he learns to trust his own insights that Timon comes face to face with the killer.
Syracuse Will Burn by Jim Loughran is published on 2 July, 2026.
For more new historical fiction, have a look at Historia’s list of 170 books coming out in 2026.
