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In this eighth mystery featuring hard-boiled Roman PI Marcus Didius Falco, Davis creates a chiaroscuro world of evil plots and dark humor, as olive oil whets a villain's appetite for power and his taste for murder. Surprisingly, nobody is poisoned at the Society of Olive Oil Producers banquet-the attempted murder of Rome's chief spy occurs immediately afterward. Suspicion falls, quick as the Italian night, on the dinner's sinuous dancer, a lady who has already left for Corduba, Spain. show more Naturally, Marcus Didius Falco, the Philip Marlowe of Roman detectives, is dispatched to follow her. But he has pledged to stay with Helena, his pregnant, patrician wife, until she gives birth. Caught between Scylla and Charybdis, Falco makes what may be a fatal mistake: he brings Helena with him to a terra incognita of olives and intrigue, where a dies irae and a remorseless killer wait. show lessTags
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When Falco’s nemesis, the chief spy Anacrites, is attacked and left for dead after a dinner party that they both attended, Falco is commissioned by the head of Anacrites’ rival agency to investigate the attack. The investigation centers on politicians and dignitaries from the province of Baetica, in what is now Spain. Falco needs the income, but he is troubled by the strong possibility that he will let down the love of his life, Helena. With the impending birth of their child, a trip to Baetica and back will be cutting it close, and Falco knows that Helena will never forgive him if he misses the birth. The problem is partly solved when Helena decides to go to Baetica with Falco. Her aristocratic connections might prove useful in show more solving the crime, but there’s still the problem of getting Helena safely back to Rome in time for the birth.
This book followed Davis’s established pattern for the series. Since the previous book was set in Rome, it was time for Falco to travel to one of the provinces. I’m finding that I enjoy the books set in Rome more because the secondary characters add so much to the stories set there. Falco’s relationships with them have developed over the course of several books. When Falco and Helena travel to the provinces, they’re interacting with a different cast of characters each time. These characters aren’t as well-developed as the series regulars. show less
This book followed Davis’s established pattern for the series. Since the previous book was set in Rome, it was time for Falco to travel to one of the provinces. I’m finding that I enjoy the books set in Rome more because the secondary characters add so much to the stories set there. Falco’s relationships with them have developed over the course of several books. When Falco and Helena travel to the provinces, they’re interacting with a different cast of characters each time. These characters aren’t as well-developed as the series regulars. show less
This is a typical Falco detective mystery set this time in Roman Spain. Here we get a close look at the commodities markets that supplied Rome. In this case the olive oil cartel where some of the key players are trying market manipulation and are not playing nicely. Falco is on hand to sort things out along with his pregnant girl friend and their dog Nux. Why anyone would take an expectant mother and an annoying dog halfway across the Empire to solve a murder mystery is beyond me. However, they are fun and keep our hero on his toes.
Another bit of fun from the Falco series, enjoyable reading for when you don't want to have to engage your brain. Davis manages to make Roman society sound remarkably like our own. 15 December 2016
A pretty good entry in this series, taking Marcus and Helena to Spain to solve a murder and possibly an oil cartel activity. Helena is near term but insists on going with him, of course. Complications, as usual, ensue.
Marcus Didius Falco, Roman private informer from the time of Emperor Vespasian, goes to Hispania (Roman Spain) to discover who attacked the imperial spy, Anacretes, and killed one of Anacrites' agent. A great picture of the key olive oil industry with, as always, a wonderful, knowledgable view of what Rome would've been like. Could've used a few less British slang terms. Of course, the ancient Romans would've had their own slang terms which would've confused readers. Except for Lindsay Davis. Another great novel from Falco's chronicler.
This is a Marcus and Helena go to Spain, have a baby and solve an oil cartel problem on the side plot. I liked it, less than when I first read it many, many years ago.. I had forgotten most of the oil cartel plot points but it's the beginning of Marcus and Helena as a family, Anacrites has met Falco's mother and boy.. does that turn out to be a pain for our poor, suffering hero in the long run. Light reading with no consequences.
Falco's number eight takes him to what's now southern Spain, trying to find out who tried to kill his old enemy, the chief spy. Meanwhile, back in Rome, Helena is about to give birth. Less compelling than some of the other novels, though the Spanish sidetrip is interesting, and one still cares about Falco and Helena.
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Author Information
57+ Works 26,471 Members
Lindsey Davis lives in London, England. (Publisher Provided) Lindsey Davis was born in Birmingham, England in 1949. She earned her English degree at Oxford. Her published works include The Course of Honour and The Silver Pigs, the first in the Falco series which won the Authors' Club Best First Novel award in 1989. In 1999 she received the show more Sherlock Award for Best Comic Detective for her creation, Marcus Didius Falco. (Publisher Provided) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- A Dying Light in Corduba
- Original title
- A Dying Light in Corduba
- Original publication date
- 1996
- People/Characters
- Marcus Didius Falco; Helena Justina; Aelia Annaea (widow); Anacrites (spy); Annaeus Maximus; Aulus Camillus Aelianus (Helena Justina's brother) (show all 34); Decimus Camillus Verus (Helena Justina's father); Q. Camillus Justinus (Helena Justina's brother); Calisthenus (architect); Claudia Adorata (wife of Licinius Rufius); Claudia Rufina; T. Claudius Laeta (clerk); Cornelius (ex-quaestor); Cornix; Cyzacus junior (poet); Cyzacus senior; Gorax; Helva (usher); Junilla Tacita (Falco's mother); Julia Justa (Helena Justina's mother); Licinius Rufius; Marmarides (driver); Momus; Norbanus; Nux (dog); Perella (dancer); L. Petronius Longus; Gn. Drusillus Placidus (procurator); Prancer (horse); Quinctius Attractus; T. Quinctius Quadratus; Rufius Constans; Selia (dancer); Stertius
- Important places
- Rome, Italy; Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain (Corduba); Corduba, Hispania Baetica, Roman Empire
- Important events
- Reign of Vespasian (69 AD | 79 AD)
- Dedication
- In memory of Edith Pargeter
- First words
- Nobody was poisoned at the dinner for the Society of Olive Oil Producers of Baetica - though in retrospect, that was quite a surprise.
- Quotations
- Details to follow, but rumours that the baby was delivered by the father while the mother yelled, 'I don't need you; I'll do it myself, just like I have to do everything!' are believed to exaggerate.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Our daughter is showing signs of her future personality; she closes her eyes on the crisis and goes fast to sleep.
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