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Flavia Albia #9
A Comedy of Terrors
In Rome, 89 A.D., poisonings, murders, and a bloody gang war of retribution breaks out during the festival of Saturnalia, and when her husband, Tiberius, becomes a target, it's time for Flavia Albia to take matters into her own hands -- in Lindsey Davis’s next historical mystery, A Comedy of Terrors.
Flavia Albia, daughter and successor of private informer Marcus Didius Falco is twiddling her thumbs with no clients during the December festival of Saturnalia. But that doesn't mean all is quiet. Her husband Tiberius and the Fourth Cohort are battling organized crime interests that are going to war over the festival nuts. A series of accidental poisonings, then bloody murders of rival nut-sellers, and finally a gruesome warning to Tiberius from the hidden criminal powers to back off.
Albia has had just about enough and combines forces with Tiberius to uncover the hidden criminal gangs trying to worm their way into the establishment at a banquet of the emperor Domitian.
Flavia Albia, daughter and successor of private informer Marcus Didius Falco is twiddling her thumbs with no clients during the December festival of Saturnalia. But that doesn't mean all is quiet. Her husband Tiberius and the Fourth Cohort are battling organized crime interests that are going to war over the festival nuts. A series of accidental poisonings, then bloody murders of rival nut-sellers, and finally a gruesome warning to Tiberius from the hidden criminal powers to back off.
Albia has had just about enough and combines forces with Tiberius to uncover the hidden criminal gangs trying to worm their way into the establishment at a banquet of the emperor Domitian.
386 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2021
152 people are currently reading
2343 people want to read
About the author
Lindsey Davis
78 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 166 reviews
March 7, 2021
The latest addition to the Flavia Albia series from Lindsey Davis is a riotously chaotic and joyful read, set in Rome 89 AD amidst the mid-December Saturnalia festival celebrations, the same Saturn in mythology who ate his children. The streets and bars abound with unrestrained revellers drunk out of their skulls as the drinks flow with abandon, the inevitable throwing ups, debauchery and other filthy behaviour, pranks, insults fly, harrassment, grievous batterings, families at war, marriages in trouble, along with scheming and intrigue aplenty. There's the rituals and traditions to be carried out at home, festival decorations, presents to be given, the endless visitors and celebration feasts to be organised. There are two grieving young boys in Flavia's household, Gaius and Lucius, the nephews of her magistrate husband, Tiberius, who have come to live with them when his sister died.
The boys bond with the donkey and the newly acquired sheep, clinging to any sense of familiarity and finding joy in playing jokes. Flavia refuses to be doomed by parenthood, and has no intention of giving up her work as a private informer, although there is precious little work to be had in the holiday period, and when she does find work, it's with a finagling client where all is not as it appears. Tiberius, an upright citizen and moral man, applies the regulations to all, immune to bribery and status, a position that is to make him a target of powerful and ruthless criminal gangsters intent on taking over Rome's nut trade with their mouldy product. Any nut traders who refuse to buy their rotten nuts are murdered in grisly ways as a lesson to others. There is no way Flavia is not going to make behind the scene inquiries on the 'nutty business' to support and protect Tiberius, picking up useful information from a number of different sources in a boisterously celebrating Rome.
In this past year of Covid 19, Davis seems to be all too aware that people need some joy and to be uplifted, she provides that in spades with the comedy and hilarity to be found during Saturnalia with her fabulous cast of characters, some of whom haven't made an appearance for quite a while. This is a wonderfully irresistible, entertaining and fun murder mystery, there are grim murders, corruption, extortion, villainous criminal gangsters and racketeering, but the highlight for me were Davis's descriptions of Rome and the Saturnalia festival, seen through the eyes and experiences of Flavia, and other key characters. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.
The boys bond with the donkey and the newly acquired sheep, clinging to any sense of familiarity and finding joy in playing jokes. Flavia refuses to be doomed by parenthood, and has no intention of giving up her work as a private informer, although there is precious little work to be had in the holiday period, and when she does find work, it's with a finagling client where all is not as it appears. Tiberius, an upright citizen and moral man, applies the regulations to all, immune to bribery and status, a position that is to make him a target of powerful and ruthless criminal gangsters intent on taking over Rome's nut trade with their mouldy product. Any nut traders who refuse to buy their rotten nuts are murdered in grisly ways as a lesson to others. There is no way Flavia is not going to make behind the scene inquiries on the 'nutty business' to support and protect Tiberius, picking up useful information from a number of different sources in a boisterously celebrating Rome.
In this past year of Covid 19, Davis seems to be all too aware that people need some joy and to be uplifted, she provides that in spades with the comedy and hilarity to be found during Saturnalia with her fabulous cast of characters, some of whom haven't made an appearance for quite a while. This is a wonderfully irresistible, entertaining and fun murder mystery, there are grim murders, corruption, extortion, villainous criminal gangsters and racketeering, but the highlight for me were Davis's descriptions of Rome and the Saturnalia festival, seen through the eyes and experiences of Flavia, and other key characters. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.
July 15, 2021
** You may read this as 4 - 4.5 STARS!**
This exciting Roman mystery is already the 9th volume of the wonderful "Flavia Albia" series, from the formidable author, Lindsey Davis.
At the beginning of the book you'll notice two very well-drawn maps of the Aventine Hill and of Rome itself in AD 89, and a list of Saturnalia Festival characters who are featuring in this eventful adventure.
Storytelling is as ever of a superb quality, no doubt about that, all characters come vividly to life within this thrilling Roman adventure, and the author shows with her storytelling her great knowledge of Rome when describing the brooding atmosphere and certain places there during the reign of Emperor Domitian.
The mystery is set in December, AD 89, just a week, 12-17 December, before the Feast of Saturnalia, when everything will be upside down, master will be slave and slave the King-of-the-Day, and our main protagonist, Flavia Albia, finds herself unemployed at this period of merrymaking.
What we have in this mystery is on the one hand a case concerning nuts or a "nutcase", while there's also loan sharks at work that need attention and investigating, not only from Flavia Albia but also from her husband, the Aedile, Tiberius Manlius together with Titus Morellus, of the 4th Cohort of Vigiles.
When some men are getting murdered for standing up against extortionists, Flavia Albia will get mixed up with this case but also with the domestic problems between a woman called, Nephele, and her criminal husband, Gaius Murrius, and from then on things will get somewhat complicated because several persons and threads of a gangster web will get tangled.
What is to come is an eventful Roman mystery, where the author is coming up with a nice touch to include the appearances of Flavia Albia's (step)father, the famous Didius Falco and his partner in solving crimes the former Vigile, Petronius Longus, but for me sadly the main culprit(s) are known a long way beforehand, and its only a question of time when, where and how the culprit(s) will be revealed in a somewhat predictable plot.
Still very much recommended, although this is not the authors best, its certainly a worthy addition to this great series, and what this episode is concerned I like to call it: "A Delightful But Somewhat Predictable Roman Mystery"!
This exciting Roman mystery is already the 9th volume of the wonderful "Flavia Albia" series, from the formidable author, Lindsey Davis.
At the beginning of the book you'll notice two very well-drawn maps of the Aventine Hill and of Rome itself in AD 89, and a list of Saturnalia Festival characters who are featuring in this eventful adventure.
Storytelling is as ever of a superb quality, no doubt about that, all characters come vividly to life within this thrilling Roman adventure, and the author shows with her storytelling her great knowledge of Rome when describing the brooding atmosphere and certain places there during the reign of Emperor Domitian.
The mystery is set in December, AD 89, just a week, 12-17 December, before the Feast of Saturnalia, when everything will be upside down, master will be slave and slave the King-of-the-Day, and our main protagonist, Flavia Albia, finds herself unemployed at this period of merrymaking.
What we have in this mystery is on the one hand a case concerning nuts or a "nutcase", while there's also loan sharks at work that need attention and investigating, not only from Flavia Albia but also from her husband, the Aedile, Tiberius Manlius together with Titus Morellus, of the 4th Cohort of Vigiles.
When some men are getting murdered for standing up against extortionists, Flavia Albia will get mixed up with this case but also with the domestic problems between a woman called, Nephele, and her criminal husband, Gaius Murrius, and from then on things will get somewhat complicated because several persons and threads of a gangster web will get tangled.
What is to come is an eventful Roman mystery, where the author is coming up with a nice touch to include the appearances of Flavia Albia's (step)father, the famous Didius Falco and his partner in solving crimes the former Vigile, Petronius Longus, but for me sadly the main culprit(s) are known a long way beforehand, and its only a question of time when, where and how the culprit(s) will be revealed in a somewhat predictable plot.
Still very much recommended, although this is not the authors best, its certainly a worthy addition to this great series, and what this episode is concerned I like to call it: "A Delightful But Somewhat Predictable Roman Mystery"!
March 28, 2021
When Flavia Alba takes her 2 young nephews shopping for Saturnalia gifts, she finds the vendor stabbed to death in his tenement. The boys are full of their adventure but Flavia wants to investigate and returns to the crime scene, where the murder victim has disappeared. Apparently, it was a Saturnalia joke and the dead man is getting drunk in the pub with his brother. She feels a bit stupid but is further happy that no harm is done. Business is slow during the festivities but it will pick up once they’re over, she’s assured by a colleague. A woman with marital problems also comes for advice and Flavia aids her in every possible way she can. Her husband Tiberius Manlius (aided by Titus Morellus of the 4th cohort) is investigating one of his last cases; the local nut sellers are being forced to buy their products from a new wholesale cartel with very aggressive sales tactics and bad or mouldy products. With not much else to do, Flavia hears interesting things that may be connected to her husband’s case, she starts to meddle there as well.
I was really happy to find a series that takes places in Rome towards the end of the 1st century. After all, the Roman Empire had a huge influence on the shape, laws and customs of modern-day Europe and the rest of the Western civilisation. A mystery set in those days intrigued me from the start. Thank you to my GR friend Paromjit who pointed it out to me.
What is not to like about Flavia? She's far from perfect and will be the first one to admit this. She’s a breath of fresh air and adorable as well. Born in Britain, she lost her parents during the Boudicca uprising and ended up in Rome where she was exploited and abused by some very nasty and cruel individuals. She was noticed and later adopted by Falco and Helena her new parents and things started to look a bit better for her. She works as an informer, a term that covers the whole scheme of private detective work from simple background checks over finding missing relatives to solving crimes and murder. She learned that trade from her dad Falco but no-one has ever heard of a successful female PI. Until now, that is. She’s a level headed and logical young woman that suffers no fools.
Her husband is an aedile in charge of weights and measurements band the quality of goods that are offered for sale. He’s widely known as a stickler to the rules who crosses all t’s and dots every I.
The title may mislead you into thinking it is a comedy but it is historical crime fiction that has its funny moments, a lot of them in connection with the festive season. There are plenty of funny one-liners that may raise a few smiles as well, especially those incidents where you think “that could happen today”. The book is also sprinkled with all sort of interesting facts about life in that day and age.
There’s an extensive cast of characters and some clever person did the right thing and put the list of their names at, the beginning of the book! Maybe they heard my usual complaint as to why so many publishers put those lists at the end of an e-book, which is totally unpractical. One thing that I would have liked to see in this book is a map of Rome at the time as there are a lot of references to streets and other geographical places.
Then there’s the topic of slavery. As I understand it, Flavia and Tiberius are very liberal and tolerant in the treatment of their slaves and try to educate them for a life in freedom. I don’t think that was the general practice but I do believe that most house slaves were treated in an acceptable, humane manner. After all, they were expensive to replace. There was a hierarchy between the slaves as well. No, I don’t think that slavery is an acceptable institution but at the time, this was standard practice, not just in Rome but almost everywhere in the world there existed a form of slavery. We do have to look at it with the eyes of the period. Things were what they were. But I do wonder if we must look at the modern Italians and ask repair for the countless people of West European countries that were stolen and sold into slavery? I think it best to leave the past where it belongs; in history. As no-one alive today suffered this injustice (not included the victims of IS and other religious nutcases or those of human trafficking) we should look forward to the future instead of wallowing about the past historical crimes that everybody acknowledges as being wrong.
Life in the first century posed many of the same problems, vices and crimes we know today; greed, adultery, organised crime families, unpaid debts and collecting them, … And there is the Saturnalia festival that has eerie similarities to our Christmas period in its customs and significance; greenery decorations, family reunions, gifts for the children, large meals, oil lamps and candles to illuminate the festivities (and cause a fire hazard) ... So, humanity hasn’t changed very much in the last 2000 years and that may well be the forte of this series
Even though this is the 8th book in this series, I had no problems with the story. Explanation about certain situations and people were given where necessary. Some of the hints about Flavia’s history piqued my interest to read the earlier books as well. There’s a long, slow introduction that gets you acquainted with all the characters and some of their history. Some of the events seem irrelevant but later on, in the book, those seemingly uninteresting encounters and observations turn out to be very valuable after all. It’s very cleverly put together. It definitely is a series that deserves more attention.
I must thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the free ARCC they provided and this is my honest, unbiased review of it.
I was really happy to find a series that takes places in Rome towards the end of the 1st century. After all, the Roman Empire had a huge influence on the shape, laws and customs of modern-day Europe and the rest of the Western civilisation. A mystery set in those days intrigued me from the start. Thank you to my GR friend Paromjit who pointed it out to me.
What is not to like about Flavia? She's far from perfect and will be the first one to admit this. She’s a breath of fresh air and adorable as well. Born in Britain, she lost her parents during the Boudicca uprising and ended up in Rome where she was exploited and abused by some very nasty and cruel individuals. She was noticed and later adopted by Falco and Helena her new parents and things started to look a bit better for her. She works as an informer, a term that covers the whole scheme of private detective work from simple background checks over finding missing relatives to solving crimes and murder. She learned that trade from her dad Falco but no-one has ever heard of a successful female PI. Until now, that is. She’s a level headed and logical young woman that suffers no fools.
Her husband is an aedile in charge of weights and measurements band the quality of goods that are offered for sale. He’s widely known as a stickler to the rules who crosses all t’s and dots every I.
The title may mislead you into thinking it is a comedy but it is historical crime fiction that has its funny moments, a lot of them in connection with the festive season. There are plenty of funny one-liners that may raise a few smiles as well, especially those incidents where you think “that could happen today”. The book is also sprinkled with all sort of interesting facts about life in that day and age.
There’s an extensive cast of characters and some clever person did the right thing and put the list of their names at, the beginning of the book! Maybe they heard my usual complaint as to why so many publishers put those lists at the end of an e-book, which is totally unpractical. One thing that I would have liked to see in this book is a map of Rome at the time as there are a lot of references to streets and other geographical places.
Then there’s the topic of slavery. As I understand it, Flavia and Tiberius are very liberal and tolerant in the treatment of their slaves and try to educate them for a life in freedom. I don’t think that was the general practice but I do believe that most house slaves were treated in an acceptable, humane manner. After all, they were expensive to replace. There was a hierarchy between the slaves as well. No, I don’t think that slavery is an acceptable institution but at the time, this was standard practice, not just in Rome but almost everywhere in the world there existed a form of slavery. We do have to look at it with the eyes of the period. Things were what they were. But I do wonder if we must look at the modern Italians and ask repair for the countless people of West European countries that were stolen and sold into slavery? I think it best to leave the past where it belongs; in history. As no-one alive today suffered this injustice (not included the victims of IS and other religious nutcases or those of human trafficking) we should look forward to the future instead of wallowing about the past historical crimes that everybody acknowledges as being wrong.
Life in the first century posed many of the same problems, vices and crimes we know today; greed, adultery, organised crime families, unpaid debts and collecting them, … And there is the Saturnalia festival that has eerie similarities to our Christmas period in its customs and significance; greenery decorations, family reunions, gifts for the children, large meals, oil lamps and candles to illuminate the festivities (and cause a fire hazard) ... So, humanity hasn’t changed very much in the last 2000 years and that may well be the forte of this series
Even though this is the 8th book in this series, I had no problems with the story. Explanation about certain situations and people were given where necessary. Some of the hints about Flavia’s history piqued my interest to read the earlier books as well. There’s a long, slow introduction that gets you acquainted with all the characters and some of their history. Some of the events seem irrelevant but later on, in the book, those seemingly uninteresting encounters and observations turn out to be very valuable after all. It’s very cleverly put together. It definitely is a series that deserves more attention.
I must thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the free ARCC they provided and this is my honest, unbiased review of it.
March 26, 2025
It's Saturnillia in Rome, a time of excess and wild parties where the everyday order is overturned, slaves become masters/masters slaves (just for a day) somebody is appointed Lord of Misrule and leads the household in crazy jokes and fun. Not the time of year that anyone is looking to hire an informer, so Flavia Albia sits at home bored, well She should be preparing for the festivities but can't be bothered. Tiberius has his own mystery, there's tainted nuts being sold into the food supply and lots of Romans are falling I'll because ofit, no one is willing to say where these nuts are coming from but Tiberius is determined to get to the bottom of it before his term as Aediele ends in a few weeks. Then Flavia Albia receives a visit from a woman wanting her husband followed, she is convinced he's having an affair and wants proof, at least that's what she says, but there's something off about her that Flavia can't put her finger on. But a paying client is a paying client and there are bills.to be paid so she accepts the commision. Little can she know where her routine enquiry will lead. But it involves a sheep,..................
August 6, 2021
I have enjoyed first the Falco series and followed on with reading all of Flavia's adventures in Rome. I don't think I have missed any of the books through the years. I must say this latest book centered on the Roman Saturnalia preparations and celebrations may be my least favorite. It starts out with a female seeking help from Flavia under false pretenses that expands into extensive criminal investigation leading to quite the explosive, dramatic climax somewhat challenging to keep up with.
July 27, 2025
This one felt more chaotic than the previous ones, not sure if it’s because it happens on the eve of Saturnalia, but it certainly made for an interesting mystery.
As always, Tiberius and Albia were extremely adorable ❤️
As always, Tiberius and Albia were extremely adorable ❤️
October 26, 2021
Saturnalia and and mobsters in the Rome of Domitian. Albia's life keeps getting more complicated as she and Tiberius are now raising his two motherless nephews in their ever-expanding Roman household of employees, slaves, builders, Put-Out-To Pasture gladiators, farm animals, and many of Albia's amusing relatives. And then there are her clients - wronged women, gamblers, Saturnalia toy and nut sellers. Enjoyable and relaxing.
August 4, 2021
Flavia has come full circle as a Roman wife quite following Helena's role model here. Not in any sense of staid or pious either. But savvy and elemental while executing all the various multiple skills demanded. Tiberius too is at peak form and operation. His various crews are exquisitely done in this one. Adiele year is coming to an end but that aspect of association is merely one of them.
Prime characters expand. There are now dozens. Dromo is a classic. It's overlong for a reason. Because it is Saturnalia! More than five days of misrule in Domination's reign. Believe it.
This one is the best Albia so far. For me, without question. Not only because of the two new tots either. Mobsters in depth and freedom caps all around. I will tell you little more. Oh maybe that there are woman gladiators, nuts, costumes, and a parrot in the mix. Also a genius dwarf with a new tool. All hail Sol - our source and ever returning sun.
And Falco and Petro too with the classic 4th Cohort and Annual Vigile's bash. No wives allowed. Too many histories to list. And brutality and danger twisted into every quickly decaying garland. Merky also gets panniers. Better to load the two moppets, my dear.
Prime characters expand. There are now dozens. Dromo is a classic. It's overlong for a reason. Because it is Saturnalia! More than five days of misrule in Domination's reign. Believe it.
This one is the best Albia so far. For me, without question. Not only because of the two new tots either. Mobsters in depth and freedom caps all around. I will tell you little more. Oh maybe that there are woman gladiators, nuts, costumes, and a parrot in the mix. Also a genius dwarf with a new tool. All hail Sol - our source and ever returning sun.
And Falco and Petro too with the classic 4th Cohort and Annual Vigile's bash. No wives allowed. Too many histories to list. And brutality and danger twisted into every quickly decaying garland. Merky also gets panniers. Better to load the two moppets, my dear.
August 3, 2021
Io, Saturnalia!*
I really loved this episode in Flavia Albia's life. I don't know if it was because I've been unable to vacation, but this book did what I believe most authors want their book to do- let the reader escape to another place and time.
I loved the characters that fill Albia's Aventine neighborhood, and the twisty-turny mystery of who did what and who was who, and I especially loved the bits of information on how they lived in ancient Rome- that was probably what made me want to prolong the read- parse it out like little, wonderful, delicious pieces of exquisite chocolates of another place and time. And yes, all the family Didii make an appearance. Lindsey Davis does it again! And makes it fun!
* an exclamation of joy for the festival of Saturnalia- sometimes said quite sarcastically. ;)
[I was given an Advance Reader copy for an honest review, so thank you, Goodreads and Minotaur Books. I had a blast!]
I really loved this episode in Flavia Albia's life. I don't know if it was because I've been unable to vacation, but this book did what I believe most authors want their book to do- let the reader escape to another place and time.
I loved the characters that fill Albia's Aventine neighborhood, and the twisty-turny mystery of who did what and who was who, and I especially loved the bits of information on how they lived in ancient Rome- that was probably what made me want to prolong the read- parse it out like little, wonderful, delicious pieces of exquisite chocolates of another place and time. And yes, all the family Didii make an appearance. Lindsey Davis does it again! And makes it fun!
* an exclamation of joy for the festival of Saturnalia- sometimes said quite sarcastically. ;)
[I was given an Advance Reader copy for an honest review, so thank you, Goodreads and Minotaur Books. I had a blast!]
November 12, 2021
This is one of the best Flavia Albia stories so far- not so much for the crime solving as for the humour and portrayal of family and Roman life. I thought the voice of Flavia sounded a lot more like Falco, which I found to be a point in its favour. I loved Sheep and Murky the donkey and the insertion of the little nephews, Rodan and the whole household was perfect. Saturnalia is always fun to read about. I’ve had my reservations about some of the previous books in this series but here my faith has been happily restored! Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
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September 12, 2021Io, Saturnalia! Lindsey Davis's latest mystery takes place during the most rowdy of Roman festivals. For families, the 5 days of Saturnalia are a time of gift-giving, festive meals, decorations made of greenery, and family reunions. For some sections of the general public, it's a time of drunken revelry in the streets, unchecked by local law-enforcement (who take those 5 days as vacation time).
For Albia and her husband Manlius, it is turning into a time of major stress.
What follows is a typical Davis mystery. Albia gets involved in what she thinks is a case of an abused wife who wants to flee her husband. Manlius (who still has several weeks left in his term as aedile) becomes embroiled in a case of a power grab by a new criminal organization, one that isn't afraid of using deadly force to get what it wants. There are numerous twists and turns, of course, before we get to the grand climax.
Albia retains her general snarkiness, thank goodness. Her comments serve to lighten the mood of a story that gets quite dark in places.
I had a good time, catching up with these characters. I'll be on hand for the next book.
For Albia and her husband Manlius, it is turning into a time of major stress.
What follows is a typical Davis mystery. Albia gets involved in what she thinks is a case of an abused wife who wants to flee her husband. Manlius (who still has several weeks left in his term as aedile) becomes embroiled in a case of a power grab by a new criminal organization, one that isn't afraid of using deadly force to get what it wants. There are numerous twists and turns, of course, before we get to the grand climax.
Albia retains her general snarkiness, thank goodness. Her comments serve to lighten the mood of a story that gets quite dark in places.
I had a good time, catching up with these characters. I'll be on hand for the next book.
August 30, 2021
Received an arc from goodreads giveaways & leaving this review freely. *I will also note this is the first of Davis’ novels I’ve read so those invested in the series may enjoy*
Unfortunately this novel just wasn’t for me even though I originally was really excited for it. As someone who’s in school essentially specializing in classics and can understand all the roman references, I was super excited for a Roman mystery. I should’ve DNF’d but felt obligated to finish since I won a copy. Overall I wasn’t a giant fan of the story or the writing.
I found this book extremely boring and Flavia herself to be unlikeable. Around the half way point I did get more invested in the Nephele betrayal but that intrigue didn’t last long. I felt like a lot of this book was filler and/or mentioned so early and then revisited too late to the point that you barely remembered the original point of mention for it to be relevant. I also felt like this just wasn’t resolved even though it technically was. Not to say I wanted a more stereotypical mystery plot line but I do think it would’ve benefitted to have more suspense, build up and more focus on certain aspects so that I could be more invested in the plot.
Overall just left with a “that’s it?” Feeling finishing this book.
Unfortunately this novel just wasn’t for me even though I originally was really excited for it. As someone who’s in school essentially specializing in classics and can understand all the roman references, I was super excited for a Roman mystery. I should’ve DNF’d but felt obligated to finish since I won a copy. Overall I wasn’t a giant fan of the story or the writing.
I found this book extremely boring and Flavia herself to be unlikeable. Around the half way point I did get more invested in the Nephele betrayal but that intrigue didn’t last long. I felt like a lot of this book was filler and/or mentioned so early and then revisited too late to the point that you barely remembered the original point of mention for it to be relevant. I also felt like this just wasn’t resolved even though it technically was. Not to say I wanted a more stereotypical mystery plot line but I do think it would’ve benefitted to have more suspense, build up and more focus on certain aspects so that I could be more invested in the plot.
Overall just left with a “that’s it?” Feeling finishing this book.
April 3, 2021
I do enjoy this series (I love Flavia Albia) and this could well be my favourite as Flavia Albia takes on Rome's gangsters (male, female and parrot) through the unruly festival of Saturnalia. Lindsey Davis is always good at filling her stories with fascinating historic detail and this novel gives us such an insight into what life would have been like during this most famous of festivals, with its similarities to how Christmas is celebrated today. Really enjoyed it! Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
May 26, 2021
I always enjoy Lindsey Davis, and I have been following, first Falco, and now Albia Flavia from the beginning. This novel, set during Saturnalia, is of course not terrifying at all, but a series of comic adventures as Albia sets out to get to the bottom of a scam, uncovering a gang of ruthless murderers, all while guiding slaves, children and husband through the lawless, drunken holiday period.
August 4, 2021
Io Saturnalia! This will be Flavia Albia’s first festival as the wife of aedile and building contractor Manlius Faustus and matron of a rapidly expanding household. (They were married only four months before, but to readers it may seem much longer because the wedding took place four books and five years ago.). But no prim, stuffy Roman matron is our Flavia Albia—she continues to work as a private informer (detective) in the Rome of Emperor Domitian. She is street smart and wisecracking with an irreverent view of Roman customs and institutions. She is after all, a child from that strangest of provinces, Britain, and abandoned by her parents during the Boudiccan rebellion, only to be adopted by the informer Falco and his patrician wife, Helena. So when her husband showed up at the end of the last book, The Grove of the Caesars, with his 5 and 3 year-old orphaned nephews, Flavia Albia readily accepts them and pooh-pooh’s the idea that she does not know how to look after small boys.
With everyone making preparations for the Saturnalia festival, business is slow for private informers and our heroine is desperate for some work. While on a shopping trip to buy the traditional (but horrible) little figurines for the boys to give as gifts, she witnesses a domestic dispute. The wife has locked her husband out of the house and they are screaming at each other—she from an open second-story window—over custody of a pet parrot. Just the thing for our heroine who thinks:
“Reconciliation? I loathed it. What was the point of keeping families together? I needed devastated clients, insoluble rifts, frail women desperate for me to squeeze financial settlements from utter bastards whom they would never forgive. Forget compromise.”
Later, the wife does come to Flavia Albia seeking to escape from her husband whom she claims is abusive. The husband and his brother are local loan sharks. Flavia Albia does help the woman to go into hiding, but later has cause to wonder if the woman really is a battered wife.
Meanwhile, Flavia Albia’s husband is investigating the distribution of some rancid nuts. As an aedile, Manlius Faustus is responsible for neighborhood law and order—“fair trading, clean streets, quiet baths and decorous brothels.” Unlike his fellow magistrates, he’s a stickler and takes his duties seriously. The bad nuts case is not a trivial matter as it turns out that the local nut sellers are being forced to buy their products from a new wholesale cartel. When some nut sellers refuse to buy their supplies from the cartel, they meet grisly deaths.
Have the loan shark brothers expanded their criminal enterprise into extortion and murder? Or, is a notorious crime boss reasserting his power on the Aventine? Flavia Albia and Manlius Faustus join forces to find out. The solution to the mystery depends too much on coincidence—i.e., Albia’s chance meeting at a bathhouse with someone who knows everything about everyone in the local crime families. The mystery may not be the main attraction, but a surprising and gratifying conclusion is provided: Just when it seems the culprit will get off the hook, our heroes step forward to charge him with a technicality. (The Roman equivalent of getting Capone for tax evasion.)
The tone is tongue-in-cheek and the heroine is witty, making the books in this series very likeable reads. .We meet a troupe of interesting characters in a world that might not have been too different from our own. The parallels between today’s Christmas celebrations and those of Saturnalia are obvious, but nonetheless, delightful. We witness the same frantic gift buying, the drunken revelers, and even the equivalent of an office party as the Fourth Cohort of vigiles gets together for its annual drinks party where Manlius gets hammered. And like the lords of misrule in later times, each household chooses a King for the day who will create as much mischief as possible. What I also appreciate about the series is the mature and loving relationship between Flavia Albia and her husband Manlius Faustus. I will look forward to reading the next entry in this series.
With everyone making preparations for the Saturnalia festival, business is slow for private informers and our heroine is desperate for some work. While on a shopping trip to buy the traditional (but horrible) little figurines for the boys to give as gifts, she witnesses a domestic dispute. The wife has locked her husband out of the house and they are screaming at each other—she from an open second-story window—over custody of a pet parrot. Just the thing for our heroine who thinks:
“Reconciliation? I loathed it. What was the point of keeping families together? I needed devastated clients, insoluble rifts, frail women desperate for me to squeeze financial settlements from utter bastards whom they would never forgive. Forget compromise.”
Later, the wife does come to Flavia Albia seeking to escape from her husband whom she claims is abusive. The husband and his brother are local loan sharks. Flavia Albia does help the woman to go into hiding, but later has cause to wonder if the woman really is a battered wife.
Meanwhile, Flavia Albia’s husband is investigating the distribution of some rancid nuts. As an aedile, Manlius Faustus is responsible for neighborhood law and order—“fair trading, clean streets, quiet baths and decorous brothels.” Unlike his fellow magistrates, he’s a stickler and takes his duties seriously. The bad nuts case is not a trivial matter as it turns out that the local nut sellers are being forced to buy their products from a new wholesale cartel. When some nut sellers refuse to buy their supplies from the cartel, they meet grisly deaths.
Have the loan shark brothers expanded their criminal enterprise into extortion and murder? Or, is a notorious crime boss reasserting his power on the Aventine? Flavia Albia and Manlius Faustus join forces to find out. The solution to the mystery depends too much on coincidence—i.e., Albia’s chance meeting at a bathhouse with someone who knows everything about everyone in the local crime families. The mystery may not be the main attraction, but a surprising and gratifying conclusion is provided: Just when it seems the culprit will get off the hook, our heroes step forward to charge him with a technicality. (The Roman equivalent of getting Capone for tax evasion.)
The tone is tongue-in-cheek and the heroine is witty, making the books in this series very likeable reads. .We meet a troupe of interesting characters in a world that might not have been too different from our own. The parallels between today’s Christmas celebrations and those of Saturnalia are obvious, but nonetheless, delightful. We witness the same frantic gift buying, the drunken revelers, and even the equivalent of an office party as the Fourth Cohort of vigiles gets together for its annual drinks party where Manlius gets hammered. And like the lords of misrule in later times, each household chooses a King for the day who will create as much mischief as possible. What I also appreciate about the series is the mature and loving relationship between Flavia Albia and her husband Manlius Faustus. I will look forward to reading the next entry in this series.
August 9, 2021
Lines from a Bob Dylan song kept running through my mind as I was reading this. Remember "When I Paint My Masterpiece"? It's the one that starts "Oh, the streets of Rome are filled with rubble..." and it goes on to mention several famous sites in Rome. The streets of 89 C.E. Rome may not have been filled with rubble exactly, but they often seem to have been strewn with quite a lot of the less salubrious effluvium of city life. In other words, you had to watch your step. With these kinds of meticulous details, Lindsey Davis paints vivid pictures of ancient Rome in her historic mysteries. The reader can easily imagine herself on those streets.
Several years ago, Davis had a series featuring private detective, or "informer" as she styles the profession, Marcus Didius Falco. The first in the series came out in 1989 and the twentieth and last book was published in 2009. I read and loved them all. Falco was and is a great character, tough and full of sardonic humor but with a heart of gold for the underprivileged. But then his father died and left him the family auction business and Falco hung up his gumshoes, so to speak, and became a businessman. But he and his wife Helena had an adopted Briton daughter called Flavia Albia who had learned well at her father's knee. Independent-minded and seeking to be self-sufficient and with her parents' blessing, she set herself up as a private informer. Thus began a new series that has now grown to nine books. I read the first one when it came out in 2013, then I moved on to other things and I never got around to the later books. But when I saw that the latest one had been published, I decided it was time to visit ancient Rome once again. It's nice to learn that Lindsey Davis hasn't lost her touch.
Flavia Albia is now pushing thirty and is recently remarried (after widowhood) to one of Rome's aediles (magistrates) and they are foster parents to the aedile's two young nephews whose mother has died and whose father is irresponsible. Albia and husband Tiberius preside over a chaotic but benevolent household of various family members, servants, and hangers-on. We meet them all during December Saturnalia celebrations when things are possibly even more chaotic than usual.
Albia's work is in a slow period but she is determined to continue with it despite her new responsibilities as a parent. When she is approached by a woman who claims to want to leave her abusive husband and disappear into a new life, she takes the case and agrees to help her. It is only later that she learns that the situation may not have been quite what the woman had described.
Meantime, Tiberius is conducting his own investigation with the help of the vigiles (police/firemen in ancient Rome). It is an investigation of fraud in the nut-selling business, an important enterprise, especially during Saturnalia. One nut leads to another and soon the investigation reveals even more rampant fraud, bribery, intimidation, and murder. Moreover, the investigation overlaps with Albia's case, and the two join forces to combat evil and a threat to their family. They are on a tight schedule because Tiberius' term in office and his authority end with the new year so they need to wrap it all up swiftly.
This story includes some fairly disgusting and grisly goings-on at times as one might expect in ancient Rome but Davis tells it all with a light touch. Albia has evidently learned her humor from her father so she has a way of delivering the narrative (and we see everything through her eyes) with frequent sardonic bon mots that can't fail to bring a smile. Davis even brings on Falco and Helena in guest appearances for nostalgia's sake. Best of all perhaps, Lindsey Davis continues to excel at her descriptions of life in that ancient city. Walk through those streets and watch out for the rubble and that less salubrious effluvium and you'll find that the city teems with all the delight and delirium of life lived large. I'm glad I decided to check in on this series again.
Several years ago, Davis had a series featuring private detective, or "informer" as she styles the profession, Marcus Didius Falco. The first in the series came out in 1989 and the twentieth and last book was published in 2009. I read and loved them all. Falco was and is a great character, tough and full of sardonic humor but with a heart of gold for the underprivileged. But then his father died and left him the family auction business and Falco hung up his gumshoes, so to speak, and became a businessman. But he and his wife Helena had an adopted Briton daughter called Flavia Albia who had learned well at her father's knee. Independent-minded and seeking to be self-sufficient and with her parents' blessing, she set herself up as a private informer. Thus began a new series that has now grown to nine books. I read the first one when it came out in 2013, then I moved on to other things and I never got around to the later books. But when I saw that the latest one had been published, I decided it was time to visit ancient Rome once again. It's nice to learn that Lindsey Davis hasn't lost her touch.
Flavia Albia is now pushing thirty and is recently remarried (after widowhood) to one of Rome's aediles (magistrates) and they are foster parents to the aedile's two young nephews whose mother has died and whose father is irresponsible. Albia and husband Tiberius preside over a chaotic but benevolent household of various family members, servants, and hangers-on. We meet them all during December Saturnalia celebrations when things are possibly even more chaotic than usual.
Albia's work is in a slow period but she is determined to continue with it despite her new responsibilities as a parent. When she is approached by a woman who claims to want to leave her abusive husband and disappear into a new life, she takes the case and agrees to help her. It is only later that she learns that the situation may not have been quite what the woman had described.
Meantime, Tiberius is conducting his own investigation with the help of the vigiles (police/firemen in ancient Rome). It is an investigation of fraud in the nut-selling business, an important enterprise, especially during Saturnalia. One nut leads to another and soon the investigation reveals even more rampant fraud, bribery, intimidation, and murder. Moreover, the investigation overlaps with Albia's case, and the two join forces to combat evil and a threat to their family. They are on a tight schedule because Tiberius' term in office and his authority end with the new year so they need to wrap it all up swiftly.
This story includes some fairly disgusting and grisly goings-on at times as one might expect in ancient Rome but Davis tells it all with a light touch. Albia has evidently learned her humor from her father so she has a way of delivering the narrative (and we see everything through her eyes) with frequent sardonic bon mots that can't fail to bring a smile. Davis even brings on Falco and Helena in guest appearances for nostalgia's sake. Best of all perhaps, Lindsey Davis continues to excel at her descriptions of life in that ancient city. Walk through those streets and watch out for the rubble and that less salubrious effluvium and you'll find that the city teems with all the delight and delirium of life lived large. I'm glad I decided to check in on this series again.
March 12, 2021
I would like to thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy of A Comedy of Terrors, the ninth novel to feature private informer Flavia Albia, set in Ancient Rome.
AD 89. Rome is gearing up for Saturnalia, a time of excess and mayhem and a dearth of paying customers. Flavia Albia is therefore happy to take on Nephele as a client. She suspects her husband of straying and wants Flavia Albia to investigate. In the meantime Tiberius, Flavia Albia’s husband is investigating a case of organised crime which has started with rotten nuts, a serious issue as fresh nuts play a major role at Saturnalia.
I enjoyed A Comedy of Terrors which is an entertaining and informative romp through Ancient Rome, told in the first person by Flavia Albia. Her keen eye and caustic wit make the novel fun and her tenacious nosiness allows her to solve the case, although in this novel it is her husband who steals the show at the end with an audacious reading of the facts and the law. This cleverness is well worth the read and caps an already clever novel.
The Nut War might not seem particularly prepossessing in terms of great crimes, but it is a universal theme in life, suppliers selling out of date product and in this case being strong armed into doing so. Not to mention how far the criminals are prepared to go to make money. It’s fun and ingenious- I wish I had that kind of imagination. Flavia Albia’s own investigation takes a few interesting turns and, again, you can see modern day themes reflected in it, but it is her take on it that makes the novel fun.
I like this series, not just for the fun scenarios or because I can see the universality of human nature and their motives, but because it reads like contemporary fiction. Most historical fiction tries to mimic the era in its dialogue but this series tells it as it is in straightforward language. Flavia Albia is not happy about potentially losing her career now that she has two motherless nephews to care for and is happy to discuss it. There is an easiness in her tone and some stroppiness in her attitude that make her modern and easy to relate to.
A Comedy of Terrors is a good read that I can recommend.
AD 89. Rome is gearing up for Saturnalia, a time of excess and mayhem and a dearth of paying customers. Flavia Albia is therefore happy to take on Nephele as a client. She suspects her husband of straying and wants Flavia Albia to investigate. In the meantime Tiberius, Flavia Albia’s husband is investigating a case of organised crime which has started with rotten nuts, a serious issue as fresh nuts play a major role at Saturnalia.
I enjoyed A Comedy of Terrors which is an entertaining and informative romp through Ancient Rome, told in the first person by Flavia Albia. Her keen eye and caustic wit make the novel fun and her tenacious nosiness allows her to solve the case, although in this novel it is her husband who steals the show at the end with an audacious reading of the facts and the law. This cleverness is well worth the read and caps an already clever novel.
The Nut War might not seem particularly prepossessing in terms of great crimes, but it is a universal theme in life, suppliers selling out of date product and in this case being strong armed into doing so. Not to mention how far the criminals are prepared to go to make money. It’s fun and ingenious- I wish I had that kind of imagination. Flavia Albia’s own investigation takes a few interesting turns and, again, you can see modern day themes reflected in it, but it is her take on it that makes the novel fun.
I like this series, not just for the fun scenarios or because I can see the universality of human nature and their motives, but because it reads like contemporary fiction. Most historical fiction tries to mimic the era in its dialogue but this series tells it as it is in straightforward language. Flavia Albia is not happy about potentially losing her career now that she has two motherless nephews to care for and is happy to discuss it. There is an easiness in her tone and some stroppiness in her attitude that make her modern and easy to relate to.
A Comedy of Terrors is a good read that I can recommend.
April 4, 2021
This latest book featuring Flavia Albia is set during the Saturnalia festival in AD 89 - where slaves become Masters and gifts given and received and drunkenness and revelry abounds .
Whilst out shopping for gifts Flavia along with her two nephews she finds a dead vendor ........ but it was just
a joke , one of many being carried out that day .................. but when he is found dead for real shortly after she decides to investigate .
Her husband Tiberius Manlius is investigating a case of local nut sellers being forced to by their produce from a new cartel , with aggressive sales tactics and a very poor product . But as usual Flavia also decides to get involved with her husbands case and meddles to her hearts content ..... is there a connection to her case ?
This is another murder mystery involving our married duo with moments that make you laugh out loud -
thoroughly enjoyable . The times reflect those of today with vices and crimes - greed , adultery , debt collection and organised crime - which the Author fully captures in her writings .
I look forward to reading more in this series by the Author in the future
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Whilst out shopping for gifts Flavia along with her two nephews she finds a dead vendor ........ but it was just
a joke , one of many being carried out that day .................. but when he is found dead for real shortly after she decides to investigate .
Her husband Tiberius Manlius is investigating a case of local nut sellers being forced to by their produce from a new cartel , with aggressive sales tactics and a very poor product . But as usual Flavia also decides to get involved with her husbands case and meddles to her hearts content ..... is there a connection to her case ?
This is another murder mystery involving our married duo with moments that make you laugh out loud -
thoroughly enjoyable . The times reflect those of today with vices and crimes - greed , adultery , debt collection and organised crime - which the Author fully captures in her writings .
I look forward to reading more in this series by the Author in the future
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 26, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC!
I'm going to keep this book review short and sweet and simply say that this was not my type of book. Pretty much from the beginning I should've DNF it, but I have a hard time stopping books once I started it. It was pretty grueling to get myself to finish this book.
I simply wasn't a fan of the writing. It was hard to follow along and the wording made it hard for me to understand what was being said. I often had to go back and reread very slowly to pick up the meaning. I also was not a fan of the characters. I feel like a lot of them act childish and they aren't well developed. Except for maybe the main character all the other characters are not thoroughly explored, and I felt no attachment to them or their lives.
I also found no interest in the crimes in this book. I found it hard to follow along with all the little clues that were taking place and for me the crimes that took place were not that exciting and little suspense was given. The book was a slow build and so it was just too long and for me boring. Maybe others who have read the previous books will enjoy this book more, but it wasn't for me.
I'm going to keep this book review short and sweet and simply say that this was not my type of book. Pretty much from the beginning I should've DNF it, but I have a hard time stopping books once I started it. It was pretty grueling to get myself to finish this book.
I simply wasn't a fan of the writing. It was hard to follow along and the wording made it hard for me to understand what was being said. I often had to go back and reread very slowly to pick up the meaning. I also was not a fan of the characters. I feel like a lot of them act childish and they aren't well developed. Except for maybe the main character all the other characters are not thoroughly explored, and I felt no attachment to them or their lives.
I also found no interest in the crimes in this book. I found it hard to follow along with all the little clues that were taking place and for me the crimes that took place were not that exciting and little suspense was given. The book was a slow build and so it was just too long and for me boring. Maybe others who have read the previous books will enjoy this book more, but it wasn't for me.
February 14, 2021
Flavia Albia is wife to local magistrate Tiberius but a private investigator in her own right. The Roman feast of Saturnalia is in full flow and this story delves into the many practices that occur in full glory. Tiberius is involved in a case of local gangsters and a turf war coming starting with a local currency Nuts. Flavia is hired to help a wife escape her gangster husband but all is not clear. This is story following the high jinks of Roman family life intertwined with murder. It combines the witty characters Flavia encounters on a daily basis and how she is the silent investigator behind her husband. You will find the relationship between master and slave is blurred at the time of Saturnalia. It would be well worth checking out other stories about this very engaging family.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2021
I really enjoyed the original series of the adventures of Marcus Didius Falco in Vespasian's Rome. However, when the author moved on to his adopted daughter - Flavia Albia - I lost interest. What had been witty, sharp dialogue became just sarcastic nonsense.
However, I decided to give this book a whirl, and was really pleased I did, as once again the author is on her game and Flavia is an interesting and amusing character. The clever repartee is still there, if borderline acceptable, but for me it works as a fun tale set in Rome. I just hope she doesn't get too sharp and sardonic.
It is the season of Saturnalia, when slaves become masters and gifts are given to all. But murder, gang family warfare and corruption lurk in Rome, and Flavia and her long-suffering husband Tiberius are on the spot to resolve matters, involving nut wars, a dead sheep and some really nasty characters. A fun read. Io Saturnalia!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
However, I decided to give this book a whirl, and was really pleased I did, as once again the author is on her game and Flavia is an interesting and amusing character. The clever repartee is still there, if borderline acceptable, but for me it works as a fun tale set in Rome. I just hope she doesn't get too sharp and sardonic.
It is the season of Saturnalia, when slaves become masters and gifts are given to all. But murder, gang family warfare and corruption lurk in Rome, and Flavia and her long-suffering husband Tiberius are on the spot to resolve matters, involving nut wars, a dead sheep and some really nasty characters. A fun read. Io Saturnalia!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 15, 2021
Set immediately after the close of the last book. Tiberius has brought home his deceased sister’s two young children to add to the chaos facing Albia as she prepares for her fist Saturnalia as matron of a household. Not among the best of the series to date. Overly complicated both on home front as well as mystery angles. Some of the humor felt forced or overdone. A lot of similarities are brought out between Saturnalia and the commercialization of modern day Christmas celebrations. Some complain about Davis’s inclusion of anachronistic language in her books. I see it as merely “translation” for modern readers of similar expressions of Roman folk of that time. I enjoy the snappy language.
August 9, 2022
This is part of a series I have heard a lot about. Very funny and great detail about everyday life in first century Rome. Especially interesting this is set during the winter solstice festival upon which many of our Christmas traditions are based and the similarities are striking. The actual mystery is a bit complicated and maybe made more so by the many Roman names and titles.
August 12, 2021
NUTS !!!!!!!!
March 6, 2022
Great fun - a Saturnalian crime caper.
August 10, 2021
This book takes place immediately after the events of Grove of the Caesars. In fact, when you look at the last several books in the series, only a few months have passed.
Flavia Albia and her husband Tiberius are preparing to spend their first Saturnalia festival as a married couple, along with their oddly assorted household. At the end of the last book Tiberius had returned from his sister's funeral with her two young sons in tow. In this book, Flavia is adjusting to her new role as a mother.
Aside from a woman who may or may not be leaving her husband, there are few people requesting her services as an investigator during the holiday season, so she helps Tiberius with a case of gangster intimidation on the Aventine. At the same time she is carrying out preparations for the holiday like aquiring festive garlands, candles, costumes and small toys. Flavia is always ready to set off across the city to follow up a lead, while commenting on the riotous celebrations around her.
The family life and character interactions are more important than the mystery being solved. Helena and Didius make an appearance as hosts of a Saturnalia family party. Other events include a holiday party hosted by the Vigiles, a fracas in their courtyard featuring some thugs routed by judicious use of a false leg. The final action set piece at the Coliseum is full of Saturnalia revelry at a party catered by the Emperor, complete with female gladiators and a flaming replica of the Sol Invictus to celebrate the winter solstice.
Flavia Albia and her husband Tiberius are preparing to spend their first Saturnalia festival as a married couple, along with their oddly assorted household. At the end of the last book Tiberius had returned from his sister's funeral with her two young sons in tow. In this book, Flavia is adjusting to her new role as a mother.
Aside from a woman who may or may not be leaving her husband, there are few people requesting her services as an investigator during the holiday season, so she helps Tiberius with a case of gangster intimidation on the Aventine. At the same time she is carrying out preparations for the holiday like aquiring festive garlands, candles, costumes and small toys. Flavia is always ready to set off across the city to follow up a lead, while commenting on the riotous celebrations around her.
The family life and character interactions are more important than the mystery being solved. Helena and Didius make an appearance as hosts of a Saturnalia family party. Other events include a holiday party hosted by the Vigiles, a fracas in their courtyard featuring some thugs routed by judicious use of a false leg. The final action set piece at the Coliseum is full of Saturnalia revelry at a party catered by the Emperor, complete with female gladiators and a flaming replica of the Sol Invictus to celebrate the winter solstice.
August 3, 2021
I was very fortunate to receive a free copy of A Comedy of Terrors from Minotaur Books through the Goodreads giveaway. Thank you!
After reading the words "poisonings, murders and bloody gang war" in the book blurb I was expecting action-packed detective work. However, the author predominantly focuses on the daily life of the female (feminist) detective protagonist in ancient Rome. It was well researched and interesting to read but my expectations were already set for a James Bond kind of novel so the slow everyday drudgery of it all was more of a nuisance for me.
In my opinion the detective work itself was very slow and I personally found the conclusion anti-climactic. I had a "that's it?" moment. The novel itself was good just not in my taste pallet.
After reading the words "poisonings, murders and bloody gang war" in the book blurb I was expecting action-packed detective work. However, the author predominantly focuses on the daily life of the female (feminist) detective protagonist in ancient Rome. It was well researched and interesting to read but my expectations were already set for a James Bond kind of novel so the slow everyday drudgery of it all was more of a nuisance for me.
In my opinion the detective work itself was very slow and I personally found the conclusion anti-climactic. I had a "that's it?" moment. The novel itself was good just not in my taste pallet.
December 20, 2021
When is a Christmas story not a Christmas story? When it's a Saturnalia one...
Flavia Albia is at a loose end without any work When she stumbles across a body, but it turns out just to be a Saturnalia prank... her husband as Aedile is investigating public quality control on snacks, mouldy old nuts are making Romans ill... Davis skillfully weaves threads and clues throughout and they all eventually fall nicely into place with some cameos from our old favourites Falco, Helen and Petro...
Flavia Albia is at a loose end without any work When she stumbles across a body, but it turns out just to be a Saturnalia prank... her husband as Aedile is investigating public quality control on snacks, mouldy old nuts are making Romans ill... Davis skillfully weaves threads and clues throughout and they all eventually fall nicely into place with some cameos from our old favourites Falco, Helen and Petro...
April 26, 2022
I am a big fan of several great historical fiction series currently running, but one I find to be particularly entertaining is the Flavia Albia series from bestselling author Lindsey Davis. Davis has been dominating the ancient historical murder mystery scene for years, first with her extensive Marcus Didius Falco novels, and then with the successor Flavia Albia series, which follows the daughter of the original series’ protagonist. While I never had the opportunity to get into the Falco novels, I have been reading the Flavia Albia books since the outset and have had a brilliant time with all of them, including The Third Nero, Pandora’s Boy, A Capitol Death, and The Grove of the Caesars, each of which have been excellent in their own way. Indeed, this is such a great series that I have been pretty eager to start reading the latest novel, Desperate Undertaking, which I just got my hands on a couple of days ago. I really want to read it next, but before I start, I absolutely must do a review of the preceding novel in the series, A Comedy of Terrors.
A Comedy of Terrors was the ninth book in the Flavia Albia series and was released this time last year. I had initially planned to read A Comedy of Terrors when it first came out, but unfortunately, it took me a little longer to grab it than I intended. By the time I was able to fit it into my reading schedule, I was a bit rushed off my feet with other reviews and other reading (excuses, excuses!), so I never got a chance to really write anything about it when I finished. This was an inexcusable oversight of my behalf, and it is one that I really wanted to fix before checking out Desperate Undertaking, so here we are.
A Comedy of Terrors was another fun book from Davis that takes the reader back to ancient Rome to investigate an intriguing mystery. In this case, the book revolves around Flavia and her family’s dangerous interaction with a criminal gang who are trying to take advantage of a religious festival and have come into conflict with Flavia’s husband Tiberius. This results in an interesting story which sees Flavia getting involved in several conflicts, intimidation attempts, assorted mysteries and other connected events, all in the name of investigating the gang’s activities and trying to bring them down. At the same time, Flavia is dealing with multiple personal and familial issues, as she and Tiberius now find themselves responsible for Tiberius’s semi-orphaned nephews.
I must admit that this wasn’t my absolute favourite Flavia Albia novel, and I felt that the story was lacking some of the usual flair and tight storytelling that I usually so enjoy from Davis’s novels. A Comedy of Terrors’s narrative was a bit unfocused in places, particularly when it came to main storyline involving the ancient Roman gang. Rather than the series’ typical attention on a central investigation, this was a bit more of a meandering affair, which, while interesting in places, did seem to go on some random tangents. There was also a much greater examination of the protagonist’s home life, as not only did Flavia and Tiberius have their young relatives to look after, but there was also some domestic drama around their unusual household of slaves, servants and random family members. While I enjoyed seeing the continued domestic evolution of the formerly wild Flavia and the notoriously honest Tiberius, which resulted in several rather entertaining scenes, I could see newer readers who came for the mystery getting a bit frustrated with this extra attention on family life. Still, A Comedy of Terrors did have some great moments throughout its plot, and Davis did the usual excellent job of combining crime fiction and historical elements together into an entertaining story filled with the writer’s fantastic sense of humour. In addition, the characters were sharply written as always, there were some intriguing historical crime fiction elements to the plot (who would have thought there was criminal opportunity in festival nuts?), and I still really enjoy the author’s inclusion of modern attitudes and reactions in this historical environment. I particularly loved the final resolution of the case which saw a classic gangster move turned around on its user in dramatic fashion, which served as an amazing end to this fantastic book.
Overall, A Comedy of Terrors was another great addition to the Flavia Albia series by Lindsey Davis. While it lacked some of the focus and compelling mystery of some of Davis’ most impressive reads, this was still a clever piece of historical crime fiction, and I loved seeing the continuation of her character-driven storylines. A must read for fans of this series, I cannot wait to see what happens in the 10th book, Desperate Undertakings.
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
A Comedy of Terrors was the ninth book in the Flavia Albia series and was released this time last year. I had initially planned to read A Comedy of Terrors when it first came out, but unfortunately, it took me a little longer to grab it than I intended. By the time I was able to fit it into my reading schedule, I was a bit rushed off my feet with other reviews and other reading (excuses, excuses!), so I never got a chance to really write anything about it when I finished. This was an inexcusable oversight of my behalf, and it is one that I really wanted to fix before checking out Desperate Undertaking, so here we are.
A Comedy of Terrors was another fun book from Davis that takes the reader back to ancient Rome to investigate an intriguing mystery. In this case, the book revolves around Flavia and her family’s dangerous interaction with a criminal gang who are trying to take advantage of a religious festival and have come into conflict with Flavia’s husband Tiberius. This results in an interesting story which sees Flavia getting involved in several conflicts, intimidation attempts, assorted mysteries and other connected events, all in the name of investigating the gang’s activities and trying to bring them down. At the same time, Flavia is dealing with multiple personal and familial issues, as she and Tiberius now find themselves responsible for Tiberius’s semi-orphaned nephews.
I must admit that this wasn’t my absolute favourite Flavia Albia novel, and I felt that the story was lacking some of the usual flair and tight storytelling that I usually so enjoy from Davis’s novels. A Comedy of Terrors’s narrative was a bit unfocused in places, particularly when it came to main storyline involving the ancient Roman gang. Rather than the series’ typical attention on a central investigation, this was a bit more of a meandering affair, which, while interesting in places, did seem to go on some random tangents. There was also a much greater examination of the protagonist’s home life, as not only did Flavia and Tiberius have their young relatives to look after, but there was also some domestic drama around their unusual household of slaves, servants and random family members. While I enjoyed seeing the continued domestic evolution of the formerly wild Flavia and the notoriously honest Tiberius, which resulted in several rather entertaining scenes, I could see newer readers who came for the mystery getting a bit frustrated with this extra attention on family life. Still, A Comedy of Terrors did have some great moments throughout its plot, and Davis did the usual excellent job of combining crime fiction and historical elements together into an entertaining story filled with the writer’s fantastic sense of humour. In addition, the characters were sharply written as always, there were some intriguing historical crime fiction elements to the plot (who would have thought there was criminal opportunity in festival nuts?), and I still really enjoy the author’s inclusion of modern attitudes and reactions in this historical environment. I particularly loved the final resolution of the case which saw a classic gangster move turned around on its user in dramatic fashion, which served as an amazing end to this fantastic book.
Overall, A Comedy of Terrors was another great addition to the Flavia Albia series by Lindsey Davis. While it lacked some of the focus and compelling mystery of some of Davis’ most impressive reads, this was still a clever piece of historical crime fiction, and I loved seeing the continuation of her character-driven storylines. A must read for fans of this series, I cannot wait to see what happens in the 10th book, Desperate Undertakings.
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
July 8, 2021
Mortal Danger Invades Albia’s Home
It is Saturnalia, and everyone is in a festive mood. Albia, the heroine, is hurrying to purchase some gift statues with her two nephews who are staying with her and Tiberius. She walks into the statue-makers residence and discovers a murder scene. Io Saturnalia! When she returned sans children and with Tiberius and a vigile investigator, the body was gone. She found the body drinking with his brother in a tavern. He was lucky not to be killed a second time that day! The day continues. Albia’s chief took offense that he could not cook a newly acquired sheep and leaves. The steward rushes to procure some meaty pies. Unfortunately, quite a few family members became quite ill. As Tiberius is an Aedile, this is in his bailiwick. He goes to the pie shop to find out why and discovers a large nut scamming problem. The is a second main storyline that involves Albia. Tiberius and the vigile investigator will allow Albia to participate in the investigation but unpaid. UNPAID! Not Albia’s style. Through a tip from a recalled vigile, she finds a woman who believes that her husband is cheating on her and wants proof. The main story lines proceed from here.
The main storyline is told primarily by Albia. Most of the progress of the nut scamming investigation is provided by discussions between Tiberius and the investigator in which Albia participates. As for her own investigation, what looked like a simple and quick job, turns out to be neither. After a few surprises, I was hooked. Then, a literary bombshell goes off, and Albia’s entire family is in mortal danger. In every book, this happens Albia and some family members, but now the mortal danger invades her home. The twists and turns in the main storylines continue right up to the end. For me, this book was the best main storyline yet.
One reason that I enjoy reading Lindsey Davis novels is the B-storyline so rich and integrated so well with the main storylines. In this novel, Albia works hard to keep her household running even during such trying times as Saturnalia. Her household has grown by two young and at time unruly boys. One B-storyline thread explains an what is behind an important decision for Albia. I will let you read how that turned out. Albia has taken up one trait from Falco. In exasperation, she uses the exclamation, “Cobnuts.” One outstanding feature that I really enjoyed in this novel is that Falco and Helena make speaking and contributing roles in this story. I hope that this continues in future novels.
For aspects to which some readers object, this novel is quite clean. There are not any intimate scenes. Rude language had a count of one. The author does use some British informal that required me to use the Internet feature of my e-reader app to determine the exact meaning. Also, some words use the British spelling, as would be expected.
Overall, I could not find a single aspect with which I had an issue. For me, this was a very enjoyable read. I was engaged all the way to the end where all the loose ends were tied up — a bit unexpectedly I might add. As I mentioned before this book was the best so far in this series and can be your first read of the series. I rate this novel with five stars.
I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from St. Martin’s Publishing Group with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
It is Saturnalia, and everyone is in a festive mood. Albia, the heroine, is hurrying to purchase some gift statues with her two nephews who are staying with her and Tiberius. She walks into the statue-makers residence and discovers a murder scene. Io Saturnalia! When she returned sans children and with Tiberius and a vigile investigator, the body was gone. She found the body drinking with his brother in a tavern. He was lucky not to be killed a second time that day! The day continues. Albia’s chief took offense that he could not cook a newly acquired sheep and leaves. The steward rushes to procure some meaty pies. Unfortunately, quite a few family members became quite ill. As Tiberius is an Aedile, this is in his bailiwick. He goes to the pie shop to find out why and discovers a large nut scamming problem. The is a second main storyline that involves Albia. Tiberius and the vigile investigator will allow Albia to participate in the investigation but unpaid. UNPAID! Not Albia’s style. Through a tip from a recalled vigile, she finds a woman who believes that her husband is cheating on her and wants proof. The main story lines proceed from here.
The main storyline is told primarily by Albia. Most of the progress of the nut scamming investigation is provided by discussions between Tiberius and the investigator in which Albia participates. As for her own investigation, what looked like a simple and quick job, turns out to be neither. After a few surprises, I was hooked. Then, a literary bombshell goes off, and Albia’s entire family is in mortal danger. In every book, this happens Albia and some family members, but now the mortal danger invades her home. The twists and turns in the main storylines continue right up to the end. For me, this book was the best main storyline yet.
One reason that I enjoy reading Lindsey Davis novels is the B-storyline so rich and integrated so well with the main storylines. In this novel, Albia works hard to keep her household running even during such trying times as Saturnalia. Her household has grown by two young and at time unruly boys. One B-storyline thread explains an what is behind an important decision for Albia. I will let you read how that turned out. Albia has taken up one trait from Falco. In exasperation, she uses the exclamation, “Cobnuts.” One outstanding feature that I really enjoyed in this novel is that Falco and Helena make speaking and contributing roles in this story. I hope that this continues in future novels.
For aspects to which some readers object, this novel is quite clean. There are not any intimate scenes. Rude language had a count of one. The author does use some British informal that required me to use the Internet feature of my e-reader app to determine the exact meaning. Also, some words use the British spelling, as would be expected.
Overall, I could not find a single aspect with which I had an issue. For me, this was a very enjoyable read. I was engaged all the way to the end where all the loose ends were tied up — a bit unexpectedly I might add. As I mentioned before this book was the best so far in this series and can be your first read of the series. I rate this novel with five stars.
I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from St. Martin’s Publishing Group with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
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