“There are rules for private informers accepting a new case. Never take on clients who cannot pay you. Never do favors for friends. Don’t work with relatives. If, like me, you are a woman, keep clear of men you find attractive.”
“Will I never learn?”
In ancient Rome, the number of slaves was far greater than that of free citizens. As a result, often the people Romans feared most were the “enemies at home,” the slaves under their own roofs. Because of this, Roman law decreed that if the head of a household was murdered at home, and the culprit wasn’t quickly discovered, his slaves—all of them, guilty or not—were presumed responsible and were put to death … without exception.
When a couple is found dead in their own bedroom and their house burglarized, some of their household slaves know what is about to happen to them. They flee to the Temple of Ceres, which by tradition is respected as a haven for refugees. This is where Flavia Albia comes in. The authorities, under pressure from all sides, need a solution. Albia, a private informer like her father, Marcus Didius Falco, is asked to solve the murders.
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"I loved the Falco books and when they ended, continued with Flavia Albia, whose character might not totally measure up to her father’s, but presents a strong female character, which I always enjoy. I always learn a lot about Ancient Rome (often checking facts) from Davis, and this time she had a deeper presentation of the position of slaves than in her previous books. This was very well done and was a significant aspect of the story. I recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed other fiction taking place in Ancient Rome. Lucy Davis did a superb job. Some of her male voices were not quite “male” enough, but her reading was beautiful, nevertheless."
— Dfkinjer (5 out of 5 stars)
“In this, her second novel, [Flavia’s] skills at investigation and diplomacy are put to the test…Perhaps the most appealing thing about Davis’ Roman mysteries is their nimble prose, unfettered by clots of scene-setting and drawn-out historical exposition. The dialogue is breezy, free of faux-historical grammatical constructions, and the characters feel like contemporary men and women.”
— Booklist (starred review)“Davis’ sequel to 2013’s The Ides of April boasts a strong female lead…Diamond Dagger Award winner Davis vividly portrays the setting, ‘a poisoned city, where a paranoid emperor had caused often-lethal mistrust.’”
— Publishers Weekly“Faustus’ reappearance as a sidekick enlivens the story considerably, and things really get interesting when Flavia consults her shrewd uncles, both quick to offer advice and to call her out on her recklessness and her little deceits….A solidly plotted traditional whodunit with some nice historical touches. As the heroine become more fully fleshed, her challenges become more and more interesting.”
— Kirkus Reviews“Flavia Alba [is] wonderfully performed by Lucy Brown…Lucy Brown’s voice is lovely, and she has a wonderful way with the tongue in cheek, which suits Davis’ style perfectly. Brown’s Flavia is likable and pragmatic but not hard, and she delineates a diverse cast with ease. Delightful.”
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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.
Lucy Brown is a voice talent and audiobook narrator.