Lindsey Davis

Often, when a mystery series has matured over the years, the author has an idea for a novella when a novel is what is needed. To pad the text, every one of the central characters' family, friends, and associates is brought in to add often pointless fullness to the book. Davis is a good writer, but this book could have been halved without wasting any plot points. Also, the addition of a large cast of new folk to the large ongoing cast, with their sometimes confusing names, made me wish for that standard in mysteries of the Twenties and Thirties, the "Cast of Characters" so that I didn't have to tax my memory.… (more)

Very much a continuation of the previous Falco and Flavia Alba books dealing with Roman crime families.

More sarf london gangster turf war set in Flavian Rome. It was quite a dark read; I've noticed Lindsey Davies has been trending darker since her hubby died a few years ago. Still fun, especially when Falco and Petro pay a visit to a brothel; which turns out to be Lalage's place.

Recommended, but it helps to understand the background of the gangs which means reading at least 2 Falcos (Time to Depart, A Body in the Bath-house) as well of at least one previous Flavia Alba (Pandora's Boy).… (more)