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Marcus Didius Falco #14
The Jupiter Myth
Marcus was hoping for a relaxed visit to Britannia. But things turn serious at the scene of a murder. King Togidubnus has been stuffed down a bar-room well - leading to a diplomatic situation which Marcus must resolve.
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First published January 1, 2002
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About the author
Lindsey Davis
77 books1,493 followersLindsey Davis, historical novelist, was born in Birmingham, England in 1949. Having taken a degree in English literature at Oxford University (Lady Margaret Hall), she became a civil servant. She left the civil service after 13 years, and when a romantic novel she had written was runner up for the 1985 Georgette Heyer Historical Novel Prize, she decided to become a writer, writing at first romantic serials for the UK women's magazine Woman's Realm.
Her interest in history and archaeology led to her writing a historical novel about Vespasian and his lover Antonia Caenis (The Course of Honour), for which she couldn't find a publisher. She tried again, and her first novel featuring the Roman "detective", Marcus Didius Falco, The Silver Pigs, set in the same time period and published in 1989, was the start of her runaway success as a writer of historical whodunnits. A further nineteen Falco novels and Falco: The Official Companion have followed, as well as The Course of Honour, which was finally published in 1998. Rebels and Traitors, set in the period of the English Civil War, was published in September 2009. Davis has won many literary awards, and was honorary president of the Classical Association from 1997 to 1998.
Her interest in history and archaeology led to her writing a historical novel about Vespasian and his lover Antonia Caenis (The Course of Honour), for which she couldn't find a publisher. She tried again, and her first novel featuring the Roman "detective", Marcus Didius Falco, The Silver Pigs, set in the same time period and published in 1989, was the start of her runaway success as a writer of historical whodunnits. A further nineteen Falco novels and Falco: The Official Companion have followed, as well as The Course of Honour, which was finally published in 1998. Rebels and Traitors, set in the period of the English Civil War, was published in September 2009. Davis has won many literary awards, and was honorary president of the Classical Association from 1997 to 1998.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
June 11, 2017
The year is AD77 and following completion of a successful investigation for the Roman Emperor Vespasian, informer Marcus Falco is enjoying a brief holiday in Londinium with his wife and children and looking forward to heading home to to Rome. However, his plans are derailed when a body is found in the well of a local tavern and Marcus identifies him as a wealthy courtier of King Togidubnus on the south coast and someone he met during his investigation there. Suddenly Marcus finds himself thrust not only into another murder investigation but into the dangerous Londinium underworld.
I really enjoy this series and love the characters, especially the wise-cracking, lovable rogue that is Marcus, his aristocratic wife Helena who keeps him in his place and his best friend Petro, who is in Londinium on his own business. Lots of witty dialogue and as always plenty of action with Marcus entangling with a grumpy brothel keeper, a troupe of female gladiators, a certain rope dancer from his past and some very dangerous men. 3.5★
I really enjoy this series and love the characters, especially the wise-cracking, lovable rogue that is Marcus, his aristocratic wife Helena who keeps him in his place and his best friend Petro, who is in Londinium on his own business. Lots of witty dialogue and as always plenty of action with Marcus entangling with a grumpy brothel keeper, a troupe of female gladiators, a certain rope dancer from his past and some very dangerous men. 3.5★
October 4, 2019
Upside down in a well was the drowned body of a British nobleman. Roman detective Falco must solve this grisly murder and stop gangland intimidation's.
image:
An innocent bystander is eye witness to a murder
“We just found him left here with his feet waggling—”
“Excuse me! Why were his feet waggling? Was the poor sap still alive?”
She blushed. “Just a manner of speaking.”
“So was he dead or not?”
“He was dead. Of course he was.”
“How did you know?”
“What?”
“If only his feet were visible, how did anyone know his condition? Could you have revived him? You might at least have tried. I know you didn’t bother; the centurion had to pull him out.”
She looked thrown, but carried on gamely. “He was a goner. It was obvious.”
“Especially if you already knew that he was crammed down the well last evening.”
“I never! We were all surprised!”
“Not as surprised as he must have been,” I said.
image:
A new addition to the family
Helena wanted to nurture the bleeding, weeping scavenger. “She’s hurt. We can’t leave her.”
The soldiers gathered and watched me react. They knew that the hunched, whimpering creature was a street vagrant. They knew that if Helena took her in, we would be infected with fleas and diseases, lied to, betrayed on every possible occasion, then robbed blind when the skinny scrap finally upped and fled. They knew I foresaw this. They refrained from grinning.
Helena was crouching on her knees beside the mite. She glanced up directly at the soldiers, then at me. “I know what I am doing!” she announced. “Don’t look at me like that, Falco.”
“Know the girl?” I murmured to the officer.
“Always around. Supposed to be a survivor of the Rebellion.”
“She only looks like a teenager; she must have been a babe in arms.”
“Ah well . . . So she’s a walking tragedy.” I knew what he was saying.
I tried not to seem frightening. The girl cringed anyway. Helena was talking to her in a low voice, but the girl just shuddered. Apparently she spoke no Latin.
The officer, who had followed me over, offered helpfully, “They call her Albia, I believe.”
image:
Then again the action changed. Through the western gate came the thunder of hooves. Mounted men galloped in, clearly Florius’ reinforcements, two and three to a horse. The numbers of gangsters rose to a dangerous high—but now there were other movements on the edge of the arena: ropes shot down from the safety palisade, with figures sliding down them fast—more armed females who had materialized from among the apparent sightseers. They shimmied down their ropes at several points, loudly whooping a challenge.
Most of the riders sped past us to the center. Fights broke out in all directions. There were almost as many combatants now as in the best-ticketed displays. I tried to assess the situation. The day might still be containable. The women had skill and determination, and for some reason the newcomers were not attacking them. Instead, they were riding in circles, harrying the foot-soldier heavies who were already here. Petronius and his long-nosed hairy ally had stopped Florius leaving; I was tackling the bodyguards closest to him, so Petro could make him a prisoner. Two events destroyed that hopeful plan. First, a lone horseman rode up behind Florius. Florius turned, hoping for rescue from the angry bear. Then he went pale. He was facing me, so I saw what had alarmed him: wide-shouldered, warty, and scowling, the rider was Splice.
I began to run toward them, yelling to Petronius. Under my feet the sand was packed hard enough to run on, but it’s an odd surface for those not arena-trained. Slow going. Your feet soon tire and drag. It allowed time for Splice to rein in his mount so hard it reared up right above Florius. Splice, knowing that his leader had intended to kill him with poison, obviously meant to retaliate. It explained why the new arrivals were fighting their supposed allies—we now had a gang war to contend with.
Florius scrabbled away desperately. The bear roared and came at him. This time Petronius was pulled over, though instinctively he clung on to the chain. I was trying to attack Splice, but a man on foot is no match for cavalry.
Through the open western gate then raced a new contender. This would be a big thrill for a watching crowd: a girl fighting from a light, rapid two-horse British chariot. It was Chloris. She had a driver, while she herself leaned out over the wicker side, one arm raised with her drawn sword. She went straight for Florius. Splice had to avoid the chariot. He leaped from his horse, cursing, but reached Florius and grappled him. Torn between avoiding Splice and dodging the maddened bear’s needle claws, Florius ended up with his back to Splice, who gripped him with one arm across his chest while pummeling him with his free fist. The driver wheeled the chariot around them in a tight circle, looking for a chance to get close. Then in the chaos, she made the mistake of driv-ing too fast over the bear’s chain. A wheel jerked violently and left the ground. The chariot skewed, flew up, and nearly went over. Chloris, unprepared, was flung out. She lost her sword but scrambled after it. Finding itself free, the bear leaped and clambered onto the horses. The terrified girl driver screamed and threw herself off the side, landing on Petronius and temporarily flooring him. The chariot careered on into the main fight at the center of the arena, now looking as if the great black bear was riding in a circus act.
Apart from this mad scene, there was a sudden tense pause. Florius was being dragged backwards by Splice. Petro, Chloris, and I were regrouping to tackle him.
image:
In the main battle, heavies still appeared to be fighting one another, though some broke away from the pack to support their leader. It split the action nicely, but there was still work for the girls. A hasty glance told me those honeypots were excellent. What they lacked in weight they made up in training and bladework. A stamp and a flick brought a man down before he had even started fighting them. They were not squeamish: if a slashed artery would stop an opponent, they wasted no energy with a death blow—which takes strength—but sliced into an accessible limb, then leaped away as the blood spurted.
With one murder after another and a clash of women gladiators in the arena Falco and his family face danger everywhere.
Enjoy!
image:
An innocent bystander is eye witness to a murder
“We just found him left here with his feet waggling—”
“Excuse me! Why were his feet waggling? Was the poor sap still alive?”
She blushed. “Just a manner of speaking.”
“So was he dead or not?”
“He was dead. Of course he was.”
“How did you know?”
“What?”
“If only his feet were visible, how did anyone know his condition? Could you have revived him? You might at least have tried. I know you didn’t bother; the centurion had to pull him out.”
She looked thrown, but carried on gamely. “He was a goner. It was obvious.”
“Especially if you already knew that he was crammed down the well last evening.”
“I never! We were all surprised!”
“Not as surprised as he must have been,” I said.
image:
A new addition to the family
Helena wanted to nurture the bleeding, weeping scavenger. “She’s hurt. We can’t leave her.”
The soldiers gathered and watched me react. They knew that the hunched, whimpering creature was a street vagrant. They knew that if Helena took her in, we would be infected with fleas and diseases, lied to, betrayed on every possible occasion, then robbed blind when the skinny scrap finally upped and fled. They knew I foresaw this. They refrained from grinning.
Helena was crouching on her knees beside the mite. She glanced up directly at the soldiers, then at me. “I know what I am doing!” she announced. “Don’t look at me like that, Falco.”
“Know the girl?” I murmured to the officer.
“Always around. Supposed to be a survivor of the Rebellion.”
“She only looks like a teenager; she must have been a babe in arms.”
“Ah well . . . So she’s a walking tragedy.” I knew what he was saying.
I tried not to seem frightening. The girl cringed anyway. Helena was talking to her in a low voice, but the girl just shuddered. Apparently she spoke no Latin.
The officer, who had followed me over, offered helpfully, “They call her Albia, I believe.”
image:
Then again the action changed. Through the western gate came the thunder of hooves. Mounted men galloped in, clearly Florius’ reinforcements, two and three to a horse. The numbers of gangsters rose to a dangerous high—but now there were other movements on the edge of the arena: ropes shot down from the safety palisade, with figures sliding down them fast—more armed females who had materialized from among the apparent sightseers. They shimmied down their ropes at several points, loudly whooping a challenge.
Most of the riders sped past us to the center. Fights broke out in all directions. There were almost as many combatants now as in the best-ticketed displays. I tried to assess the situation. The day might still be containable. The women had skill and determination, and for some reason the newcomers were not attacking them. Instead, they were riding in circles, harrying the foot-soldier heavies who were already here. Petronius and his long-nosed hairy ally had stopped Florius leaving; I was tackling the bodyguards closest to him, so Petro could make him a prisoner. Two events destroyed that hopeful plan. First, a lone horseman rode up behind Florius. Florius turned, hoping for rescue from the angry bear. Then he went pale. He was facing me, so I saw what had alarmed him: wide-shouldered, warty, and scowling, the rider was Splice.
I began to run toward them, yelling to Petronius. Under my feet the sand was packed hard enough to run on, but it’s an odd surface for those not arena-trained. Slow going. Your feet soon tire and drag. It allowed time for Splice to rein in his mount so hard it reared up right above Florius. Splice, knowing that his leader had intended to kill him with poison, obviously meant to retaliate. It explained why the new arrivals were fighting their supposed allies—we now had a gang war to contend with.
Florius scrabbled away desperately. The bear roared and came at him. This time Petronius was pulled over, though instinctively he clung on to the chain. I was trying to attack Splice, but a man on foot is no match for cavalry.
Through the open western gate then raced a new contender. This would be a big thrill for a watching crowd: a girl fighting from a light, rapid two-horse British chariot. It was Chloris. She had a driver, while she herself leaned out over the wicker side, one arm raised with her drawn sword. She went straight for Florius. Splice had to avoid the chariot. He leaped from his horse, cursing, but reached Florius and grappled him. Torn between avoiding Splice and dodging the maddened bear’s needle claws, Florius ended up with his back to Splice, who gripped him with one arm across his chest while pummeling him with his free fist. The driver wheeled the chariot around them in a tight circle, looking for a chance to get close. Then in the chaos, she made the mistake of driv-ing too fast over the bear’s chain. A wheel jerked violently and left the ground. The chariot skewed, flew up, and nearly went over. Chloris, unprepared, was flung out. She lost her sword but scrambled after it. Finding itself free, the bear leaped and clambered onto the horses. The terrified girl driver screamed and threw herself off the side, landing on Petronius and temporarily flooring him. The chariot careered on into the main fight at the center of the arena, now looking as if the great black bear was riding in a circus act.
Apart from this mad scene, there was a sudden tense pause. Florius was being dragged backwards by Splice. Petro, Chloris, and I were regrouping to tackle him.
image:
In the main battle, heavies still appeared to be fighting one another, though some broke away from the pack to support their leader. It split the action nicely, but there was still work for the girls. A hasty glance told me those honeypots were excellent. What they lacked in weight they made up in training and bladework. A stamp and a flick brought a man down before he had even started fighting them. They were not squeamish: if a slashed artery would stop an opponent, they wasted no energy with a death blow—which takes strength—but sliced into an accessible limb, then leaped away as the blood spurted.
With one murder after another and a clash of women gladiators in the arena Falco and his family face danger everywhere.
Enjoy!
October 11, 2021
**Should Read as 4.5 Stars!**
Read this book in 2014, and its the 14th volume of the excellent Marcus Didius Falco series.
This tale in mainly set in Londinium, Britain, in which Falco with the help from his best friend, Petronius, will come into various dangerous and deadly situations with enemies from Britain and organised crime from back home in Italy.
At first the henchman of Rome's ally King Togidubnus of the Atrebates is found murdered, quickly followed by several others.
Also extortionists plundering drinking dens, prostitution reigns in the dark streets while the army turns a blind eye, all these factors will play a significant part in Londinium.
In these vile circumstances Falco and Petronius must try to overcome the gangsters who are trying to take things over and bring them to justice, including some with faces from the past who are seriously threatening them, but although danger and death lurks they still will not be stopped in their endeavour to tackle these gangsters and finally finish them off.
Highly recommended, for this is another astounding addition to this excellent series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Very Exciting Londinium Outing"!
Read this book in 2014, and its the 14th volume of the excellent Marcus Didius Falco series.
This tale in mainly set in Londinium, Britain, in which Falco with the help from his best friend, Petronius, will come into various dangerous and deadly situations with enemies from Britain and organised crime from back home in Italy.
At first the henchman of Rome's ally King Togidubnus of the Atrebates is found murdered, quickly followed by several others.
Also extortionists plundering drinking dens, prostitution reigns in the dark streets while the army turns a blind eye, all these factors will play a significant part in Londinium.
In these vile circumstances Falco and Petronius must try to overcome the gangsters who are trying to take things over and bring them to justice, including some with faces from the past who are seriously threatening them, but although danger and death lurks they still will not be stopped in their endeavour to tackle these gangsters and finally finish them off.
Highly recommended, for this is another astounding addition to this excellent series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Very Exciting Londinium Outing"!
March 6, 2017
Another Falco adventure in his least favourite place... Britain.
The man hates the weather, isn't crazy about the Baths, and the bartenders are just fishy. And don't even get him started on the beer *ugh*... although water ends up being way... dangerous for everyone's health!
Luckily his closer family is with him: His beloved wife, Helena Justina, their two infant girls, and of course, Nux the family's dog.
(...)
Oh, and his sister Maia Favonia, her children, and lets not forget his BFF Petronius.
So of course, with this cast, we have mayhem and insanity. There's this scene in which we have Amazons, chariots, a f****g Bear, and people trying to kill each other! A circus, I tell you!
A man with connections ends up killed, so of course Falco ends up being recruited to find his killer.
A dangerous woman from his past makes an appearance, and Helena Justina decides to adopt a girl.
His youngest daughter has a close encounter with a bumblebee...oh yeah, and Falco makes a number of very stupid, STUPID, mistakes.
Typical Falco. I liked it, but it could be shorter.
December 18, 2017
Felix is back to dealing with the criminal element, although this time set in Roman Britain.
Expect murder, plot twists, criminals, female gladiators, femme fatales, and Falco and friends' family life, as Falco's British holiday turn to another of his usual investigator jobs.
Be aware that while it's not necessary to read the books in order, it certainly helps - certainly so far into the series.
--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
Expect murder, plot twists, criminals, female gladiators, femme fatales, and Falco and friends' family life, as Falco's British holiday turn to another of his usual investigator jobs.
Be aware that while it's not necessary to read the books in order, it certainly helps - certainly so far into the series.
--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
May 3, 2020
Another good book about Marcus Didius Falco and the love of his life, Helena. They are in Londinium following their adventures in "Body In The Bath House" and must try to solve who killed Verovolcus by stuffing him in a well and drowning him. With the aid of his old buddy, Petronius, Falco gets the job done. This is an excellent series and I recommend all of the books up to this 14th edition.
August 5, 2009
Imagine a Roman informer (Private Investigator) sent back to the frontier of the old world, Britania. Described as a backward place, Falco spends a good deal of time running around Londinium, crossing such rivers as the Themisis. An interesting flash back in time, and an action packed mystery including a huge fight scene in a Roman Arena.
June 30, 2010
The one in Londinium with the tribal chieftain stuck down a well, the re-appearance of Falco's ex and in which we realise London has not much changed over the years....
May 13, 2022
4.5 Stars
Marcus Didius Falco is on a short holiday in Londinium, visiting Helena Justina's uncle with the rest of his family. But where ever Falco goes problems arises.
"How is it, my dear Marcus, that when you are around, we always start with a small problem- or even no problem- then end up facing major chaos?"
The dead body of the King Togidubnus retainer Verovolcus is found. Falco was already acquainted with Togi and it was Falco himself who brought Verovolcus exile in the previous book A Body in the Bathhouse. Upon investigating, Falco unearths a gang involved in extortion and prostitution which ties back to Rome. Falco and his best friend Petronius had encountered this gang of organized crime in Time to Depart. They both need to bring this to an end.
Falco is stuck in Londinium. He's terribly homesick and uneasy about the growing attraction between his sister Mia and Petro. And Helena has taken in a street rat named Albia, who will featured in Flavia Albia mystery series later by Lindsey Davis.
After 14 books, we all know how much Falco despise Britain.
"Of the few people I passed, some thoroughly depressed folk were still standing in doorways as if sheltering. Fine drizzle drifted in the air. Agitated gust of wind blustered around the buildings. The sky was a uniform gray and even in the late afternoon the light seemed to be failing gloomily. It was typically Britain, and it made my heart ache for the endless, bright, scented summer days of home.
But Falco also remembers that his love for Helena Justina also started in Britain too.
This book has a lot of tie in with other books of the series. For a better understanding this should be read in chronological order starting from The Silver Pigs.
Marcus Didius Falco is on a short holiday in Londinium, visiting Helena Justina's uncle with the rest of his family. But where ever Falco goes problems arises.
"How is it, my dear Marcus, that when you are around, we always start with a small problem- or even no problem- then end up facing major chaos?"
The dead body of the King Togidubnus retainer Verovolcus is found. Falco was already acquainted with Togi and it was Falco himself who brought Verovolcus exile in the previous book A Body in the Bathhouse. Upon investigating, Falco unearths a gang involved in extortion and prostitution which ties back to Rome. Falco and his best friend Petronius had encountered this gang of organized crime in Time to Depart. They both need to bring this to an end.
Falco is stuck in Londinium. He's terribly homesick and uneasy about the growing attraction between his sister Mia and Petro. And Helena has taken in a street rat named Albia, who will featured in Flavia Albia mystery series later by Lindsey Davis.
After 14 books, we all know how much Falco despise Britain.
"Of the few people I passed, some thoroughly depressed folk were still standing in doorways as if sheltering. Fine drizzle drifted in the air. Agitated gust of wind blustered around the buildings. The sky was a uniform gray and even in the late afternoon the light seemed to be failing gloomily. It was typically Britain, and it made my heart ache for the endless, bright, scented summer days of home.
But Falco also remembers that his love for Helena Justina also started in Britain too.
This book has a lot of tie in with other books of the series. For a better understanding this should be read in chronological order starting from The Silver Pigs.
February 8, 2008
Although not the first book in the series, this is the first one that I read. My mom and dad gave it to me for Christmas because it takes place in London (or Londinium as Falco would say!) and I had just worked there the summer of 2001.
After reading this book, I was on a quest to read all the others. Written in a straight-forward style (as all the books in the series are), this book captures humor, romance, and mystery in a historical setting. The characters are all likeable, but not perfect. In fact, I think that part of what makes me keep reading (and continuously checking amazon.com for the next installment in the series!), is the fact that in addition to all the great historical snippets (of everyday life...not just major events) and the interesting cases, is the desire to find out what's going on in the character's lives.
But that being said, you don't necessarily have to start at the beginning of the series. Although I can't imagine not wanting to read them all, this book can stand alone.
After reading this book, I was on a quest to read all the others. Written in a straight-forward style (as all the books in the series are), this book captures humor, romance, and mystery in a historical setting. The characters are all likeable, but not perfect. In fact, I think that part of what makes me keep reading (and continuously checking amazon.com for the next installment in the series!), is the fact that in addition to all the great historical snippets (of everyday life...not just major events) and the interesting cases, is the desire to find out what's going on in the character's lives.
But that being said, you don't necessarily have to start at the beginning of the series. Although I can't imagine not wanting to read them all, this book can stand alone.
April 27, 2021
After a number of rather lukewarm installments, finally another great book in Didius Falco book series. In fact, I would go as far as saying that it's one of the strongest stories, along with 'Iron hand of Mars'. The story is tight and interesting, the prose is as strong, clever and filled to the brim with the backhanded humor so characteristic to the author. For fans of the series it's a guaranteed treat.
If there is anything 'bad' to say about this volume, the it's that the humorous and light writing style of the author creates a bit of a clash with the plot, which is both sinister and unusually dark. Not so much that it spoils the effect, but Falco's constant quips which normally are so enjoyable, in this book could be something of a distraction at times.
If there is anything 'bad' to say about this volume, the it's that the humorous and light writing style of the author creates a bit of a clash with the plot, which is both sinister and unusually dark. Not so much that it spoils the effect, but Falco's constant quips which normally are so enjoyable, in this book could be something of a distraction at times.
May 19, 2009
Marcus Didius Falco in earlier books has proven that he can take punishment, both physical and mental. In The Jupiter Myth it's his friend Lucias Petronius who is the sufferer. Petro has brought Falco's sister and her family come to Londinium, Britannia, where Falco and his wife Helena are visiting with Helena's aunt - as it turns out, a working vacation for Petro and Falco. This book doesn't have a cast of characters as the earliest books in the series, which is too bad as there is a cast of - hundreds, including gangsters, female gladiators, a lawyer, a harpist and the erstwhile circus ropedancer, Chloris.
November 17, 2011
A return to form for Lynsey Davis. MDFalco and his sidekicks are back in Britain resurrecting the unpleasant memories of his previous trips. the book centres around the Romanisation of Britannia and the conflicts that it presents all involved. How much acceptance of hegemony is real, how much is lip service and how much is hidden beneath the stucco and mosaics.
April 18, 2014
Continuing straight from the Body in the Bathhouse Falco and all his family are now in Londinium. Verovolcus, from the court of King Togidubnus is found dead and the investigation leads to gangsters and female gladiators including an old girlfriend of Falco.
May 8, 2009
A real good mystery -= good historical information - a real page turner at the end
August 5, 2011
One of my favorites from the Falco series.
April 27, 2014
I recommend this series. Read it in order.
April 6, 2015
Yet another excellent Falco book
April 5, 2019
another excellent mystery set in ancient Rome/
October 9, 2025
Falco e compagnia bella sono ancora nell'algida Albione, essendosi spostati a Londinium per far visita alla zia di Elena, il cui marito, Ilare, è il procuratore delle finanze della Britannia. Qui si imbattono nel cadavere di Verovolcus, che avevamo già incontrato nel caso precedente e che era un personaggio caro al re Togidubnus degli Atrebati, un amico e alleato di Vespasiano. È proprio Togidubnus a chiedere a Falco di indagare sulla morte di Verovulcus e di scoprire che fine abbia fatto la preziosissima torque che lui gli aveva donato. Nel frattempo, la convivenza di Maia con Petronio Longo, che ha accompagnato i figli della donna in Britannia, si fa sempre più conflittuale, tanto che a un certo punto Petronio scompare. Ma, in realtà, Petronio sta indagando per conto dei vigiles, visto che la criminalità organizzata romana sembra volersi estendere a Londinium. Intanto, i due aggressori che una testimone oculare ha visto spingere Verovulcus nel pozzo in cui è annegato, vengono ritrovati e imprigionati, ma uno dei due viene avvelenato mentre è in carcere e l'altro evade per evitare la stessa sorte. Dopo che Elena salva una ragazzina selvaggia che vive abbandonata per strada, Falco cerca di educarla riportandola dove l'ha trovata, ma la quattordicenne viene rapita da un'organizzazione che sfrutta le prostitute bambine. Per fortuna la ragazzina viene salvato da un gruppo di gladiatrici, a capo delle quali c'è Amazonia, sotto le cui mentite spoglie si cela una esuberante ex fidanzata di Falco, Chloria. Le indagini procedono con continui colpi di scena e cambi di rotta, mentre Falco e Petronio uniscono le forze per incriminare una vecchia conoscenza, diventata purtroppo molto influente da quelle parti.
October 3, 2023
It is 77AD and we are in Londinium. The Romans are in Britain and are trying to settle their rule, by collaborating with some local rulers, such as King Togidubnus. Marcus Didius Falco is visiting relatives of his wife in Britain and theoretically is on holidays. But the henchman of King Togidubnus is found dead in Londinium and so starts a case with diplomatic importance. By investingating the murder Falco lands inside the Londinium underworld and some old acquaintances from Rome.
This was the first book of the Marcus Didius Falco series that I read. It was a pleasant summer read. I had to get used to the gangsters terminology that reminded me movies like Casamblanca. But once I was over that, the book was pleasant and interesting.
This was the first book of the Marcus Didius Falco series that I read. It was a pleasant summer read. I had to get used to the gangsters terminology that reminded me movies like Casamblanca. But once I was over that, the book was pleasant and interesting.
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May 8, 2024Audiobook read by Christian Rodska
Marcus Didius Falco is in Londinium following events in A Body in the Bath House, and he’s up against organised crime after a body is found that should not have been in Londinium at all, as it was of the exiled murderer from the Bath House killing Marcus’s long-time friend Petro turns up, intent on catching his own quarry. Marcus’s siter gets herself into hot water and we meet Albia for the first time – a rescued street waif.
Marcus Didius Falco is in Londinium following events in A Body in the Bath House, and he’s up against organised crime after a body is found that should not have been in Londinium at all, as it was of the exiled murderer from the Bath House killing Marcus’s long-time friend Petro turns up, intent on catching his own quarry. Marcus’s siter gets herself into hot water and we meet Albia for the first time – a rescued street waif.
May 31, 2020
Loved it!
Marcus and the family (& Petro) in London. What more could you ask?
Another excellent page turner that taught me lots about my tomorrow's Roman history.
Marcus and the family (& Petro) in London. What more could you ask?
Another excellent page turner that taught me lots about my tomorrow's Roman history.
June 25, 2020
Another solid entry in the series. These books have maybe lost a little of the sparkle of the first few but the plotting and characters (both old and new) remains spot on. Recommended.
April 8, 2013
Writers aren’t always kind to each other but Edith Pargeter, who wrote the best selling Brother Cadfael series of Mediaeval murder mysteries, said of one of Lindsey Davis’s early novels:
'Lindsey Davis continues her exploration of Vespasian's Rome and Marcus Didius Falco's Italy with the same wit and gusto that made 'The Silver Pigs' such a dazzling debut and her rueful, self-deprecating hero so irresistibly likeable.'
Wit, gusto and irresistible, three words which are the best summation of the Falco novels. Lindsey Davis’s first Falco novel, ‘The Silver Pigs’ launched in 1989, and stunned readers. Davis wrote ‘The Silver Pigs’ as ‘as a spoof using a Roman 'informer' as a classic, metropolitan private eye’. Certainly Falco has a touch of the Chicago gangster cum P.I. about him and this put me off when I started reading the series. I’d bought a copy of the ‘Last Act in Palmyra’ which is not the easiest to read if you do not know the previous novels. I was not impressed by Falco and Helena. If they were Roman citizens circa the first century A.D. then I was Aphrodite Fortunately another bookshop had all the five novels for sale and I was persuaded to start again in the correct order with ‘The Silver Pigs’. I am glad I did because I would have missed a series which can make me laugh and entertains me with a group of characters who have become old friends. There are now twenty Falco novels, ‘Nemesis’ is the latest, published in 2010, plus the ‘Falco: The Official Companion (A Marcus Didius Falco Mystery)’ - see Lindsey Davis’s website for the complete list of novels: http://www.lindseydavis.co.uk/publica... and do read all the pages at the website. Lindsey Davis has a dry wit, a fine way with words and a friendly approach to her readers.
‘The Jupiter Myth’ (fourteenth in the series) is one of my favourites because I love ‘hearing’ Falco grizzle about being in Britain and enjoy Lindsey Davis’s gentle digs at her home country and climate. As an author she takes pleasure in inserting quirky words, thoughts and writers’ jokes in her novels, all part of the fun. Her research is first class and her Roman Empire ‘feels’ real. She manages to find some humourous facts about life for a Roman citizen to add to the humour. In ‘The Jupiter Myth’ there is a slight change in Marcus Didius Falco’s usual role. Here he is working, not as an informer, (what we know as a P.I.) but officially for Hilarius, his wife’s uncle, and the Roman Britain procurator, and Frontinus, the governor of the Roman Britain. Poor Falco always has a hard time working for authority. It goes against his upbringing.
The story begins in London, Londinium, A.D.75, and follows on from the previous novel, ‘A Body in the Bathhouse’ where Falco had to chase a criminal to Britain. Now, Falco, Helena, their two daughters, his sister Maia, her four children, and best pal, Petronius are visiting with Hilarius before returning to civilisation, Falco’s beloved Rome. Alas, trouble turns up in the form of a body, head first in a local inn’s well. The Shower of Gold is hardly salubrious and the body is the that of the murderer Falco had banished to Gaul. Trouble ahead. From then on the reader is swept into a complex plot where a mobster organisation from Rome, (hence vigilis Petro’s presence) has infiltrated Britain to bring the Roman joys of blackmail, pimping, and extortion to a new wealthy province. Falco, with the usual help from Helena, finds himself dealing with waifs and strays, old girl friends, and violent bully boys. There’s a battle helping female gladiators, with a bear and hounds for extra fun, finally a kidnap or is it? This leads to a full scale battle, with support from the army, against the mobsters, and a tricky rescue to save Petronius. A very exciting and thoroughly satisfying read.
Although the novels do stand alone it is much better to read them in chronological order. This is because, as in any good series, the characters grow and change. After all plebeian Falco has to raise himself up to middle class in order to be permitted to marry senator’s daughter, Helena. That is Roman law. His efforts to raise the money to do this take up several novels. Falco’s enormous family, his siblings, his indomitable Ma, his absconded Pa, his uncles and aunts, all play a part in the stories and provide umpteen subplots. Falco can never get on with the task in hand because he has to look after, sort out, or rescue some member or members of his family. And Lindsey Davis does a wonderful job of providing all these characters with personalities and lives the reader cares about.
For an entertaining and satisfying read by a writer who deserves all her accolades do get hold of a copy of ‘The Silver Pigs’, curl up in a comfy chair and enjoy a fascinating few hours in the 1st century Roman Empire.
July 26, 2020
Lindsey Davis bring Ancient Rome to full life and colour
September 19, 2015
Following their adventures on the south coast, Marcus Didius Falco’s extended clan are still in Britain, preparing for their return to Rome when plans are interrupted by the murder of a murderer. Held up in Londinium, having been recruited by Helena’s uncle and charged by King Togidubnus, friend to the emperor and important ally in Britain, with solving the murder Falco finds himself negotiating the underworld of Londinium, cAD79. It’s a tale of organised crime, vengeance, requited love and problematic ex-girlfriends, jurisdictional disputes, civil service resentment, corrupt legionnaires and protection rackets – all the fun of big city life.
As we’ve come to expect, Davis creates a cracking yarn in the hard boiled loner tradition of the detective tale. Falco and his trusty best mate Lucius Petronius Longus wrestle with protection racket enforcers, sex slaves, women gladiators (there is good archaeological evidence of a reasonable number in Londinium) and the weather. Along the way, they are aided in key moments by Helena, free thinking senatorial daughter and mother of Falco’s children, distracted by femmes fatale (cross-reference said gladiators) and demonstrate hearts of gold and a fine sense of justice at odds with the law. The organised crime narrative has Davis return to form after the problematic complexity of A Body in the Bathhouse allowing her to run parallel domestic narrative arcs (will Petro and Falco’s sister Maia finally recognise their mutual attraction or not?) and allow Falco to show his domestic powerlessness despite being ‘head of the family’. This is a very modern satire of urban life.
Davis is a fine practitioner of the inter-textual reference to other in the crime genre, delights in slightly anachronistic social commentary while building on a sound base in Imperial Roman history and society, and in this case drawing on recent (when this was first published in 2002) discoveries in London’s archaeological record. Sharp, witty and extremely entertaining, familia Falco remains a pleasure to visit.
As we’ve come to expect, Davis creates a cracking yarn in the hard boiled loner tradition of the detective tale. Falco and his trusty best mate Lucius Petronius Longus wrestle with protection racket enforcers, sex slaves, women gladiators (there is good archaeological evidence of a reasonable number in Londinium) and the weather. Along the way, they are aided in key moments by Helena, free thinking senatorial daughter and mother of Falco’s children, distracted by femmes fatale (cross-reference said gladiators) and demonstrate hearts of gold and a fine sense of justice at odds with the law. The organised crime narrative has Davis return to form after the problematic complexity of A Body in the Bathhouse allowing her to run parallel domestic narrative arcs (will Petro and Falco’s sister Maia finally recognise their mutual attraction or not?) and allow Falco to show his domestic powerlessness despite being ‘head of the family’. This is a very modern satire of urban life.
Davis is a fine practitioner of the inter-textual reference to other in the crime genre, delights in slightly anachronistic social commentary while building on a sound base in Imperial Roman history and society, and in this case drawing on recent (when this was first published in 2002) discoveries in London’s archaeological record. Sharp, witty and extremely entertaining, familia Falco remains a pleasure to visit.
May 1, 2010
As a follow-up the last installment in this series, Falco & family (including Helena’s brothers, his sister Maia and her kids, his best pal Petronius) are still in first century Britain, but now the Roman investigator is trying to get to the bottom of a mystery involving the murder of Verovolcus, an old friend of the current king who had been implicated in some serious crimes against the Emperor. Verovolcus is found face down in the bottom of a well in the yard of a dive bar in the port city of Londinium, Falco is sent to investigate, and we get to explore the layout and social life of first century London with our witty hero. The book also examines how organized crime, reaching out from Rome to such far corners of the empire, might have operated at that time, and suggests the sophisticated flow of goods, resources, and diverse ethnicities already coming into Britain by then. It includes a burgeoning romance between two secondary characters that has been slowly evolving for several installments and introduces a more interesting servant character who will presumably continue with Falco’s family.
June 22, 2009
Davis is at her best when the mystery is set in Rome, perhaps due to her substantial knowledge of Roman society when it is set in the home city, rather than in outer provinces. This shows in The Jupiter Myth; Falco is infinitely more comfortable within the familiar surroundings of Rome, and in Britain, his humour is considerably muted. His freedom to move and carry out investigations in whatever manner he chooses (helped by people he's familiar with, yet again) is also lacking here.
The character of Petronius, Falco's best friend, seems also to have done a complete 180; where he is usually cheerful and ready to make light of situations, he seems to match Falco's sense of gloom and serious manner all of a sudden. It is understandable, considering his numerous family problems and the circumstances of his love life, but the way he acts around other characters is strangely inconsistent.
The character of Petronius, Falco's best friend, seems also to have done a complete 180; where he is usually cheerful and ready to make light of situations, he seems to match Falco's sense of gloom and serious manner all of a sudden. It is understandable, considering his numerous family problems and the circumstances of his love life, but the way he acts around other characters is strangely inconsistent.
March 26, 2020
Following the completion of the last investigation, informer Marcus Falco is trying to enjoy a brief holiday in Londinium with his wife and children before finally heading back home to to Rome. Knowing Falco one isn't surprised that the enjoyment is not working quite well (since he hates Britain) and that his return to Rome is derailed when a body is found in the well of a local tavern and Marcus is hired to solve the case.
This had everything I like about the novels: The wit, the humour, some historical details to look up and learn about the fact behind the fiction, a cast of character which by now feels like old friends and a clever mystery.
This novel was translated by Susanne Aeckerle.
This had everything I like about the novels: The wit, the humour, some historical details to look up and learn about the fact behind the fiction, a cast of character which by now feels like old friends and a clever mystery.
This novel was translated by Susanne Aeckerle.
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