In Rome, ruled by the erratic Emperor Domitian, Flavia Albia is dragged into the worst sort of investigation―a politically charged murder.
A man falls to his death from the Tarpeian Rock, which overlooks the forum from the Capitoline Hill in ancient Rome. While it looks like a suicide, one witness swears that she saw it happen and that he was pushed. Normally, this would attract very little official notice, but this man happened to be in charge of organizing the imperial triumphs demanded by the emperor.
The Emperor Domitian, autocratic and erratic, has decided that he deserves two triumphs for his so-called military victories. The triumphs are both controversial and difficult to stage because of the not-so-victorious circumstances that left them without treasure or captives to be paraded through the streets. Normally, the investigation would be under the auspices of her new husband, but, worried about his stamina following a long recovery, private informer Flavia Albia, daughter of Marcus Didius Falco, steps in.
What a mistake that turns out to be. The deceased proves to have been none too popular with far too many others with much to gain from his death. With the date of the triumphs fast approaching, Flavia Albia must unravel a truly complex case of murder before danger shows up on her own doorstep.
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“It’s up to Flavia to sort out who did what, but it’s the delicious details that are the real appeal here. Only Davis could somehow ace the insertion of the anachronistic expression ‘pimping his ride’ into a narrative about the splendors of ancient times.”
— Booklist (starred review)
“Davis does her usual brilliant job of integrating the history of the period, warts and all…with a fast-paced and fair whodunit. This entry reinforces her place at the top of the historical mystery pack.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“The abundant charm of the heroine and the heavily detailed historical background will hook readers and keep them hooked.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Davis balances grit and frivolity with ease. Flavia feels like the love child of Philip Marlowe and Carrie Bradshaw—she’s on the case, observing and reporting with care, but keeps a running line of saucy commentary on everyone throughout.”
— BookPageBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Lindsey Davis is an English novelist of historical fiction and best known for her award-winning historical crime stories set in ancient Rome and its empire, the acclaimed Marcus Didius Falco series and the Flavia Albia series. Her novels have won numerous awards, including the Crime Writers’ Association Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award and in 2011 the Cartier Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers Association for lifetime achievement. Born and raised in Birmingham, England, she read English at Oxford and worked for the civil service for thirteen years before becoming a writer.
Jane Collingwood is an actress, voice-over artist, and audiobook narratior.