In this, the fourth Falco to get the BBC dramatization treatment, the series is really starting to gel.
The Emperor Vespasian sends Falco to Germany to solve several seemingly impossible problems.
Rebellious legions, missing legates, murderous warriors and a beautiful priestess all have their parts to play in the story.
Falco even inadvertently stumbles across the site of the infamous massacre in the Teutoberger Forest, when three entire Roman legions were lost during the reign of Augustus. These scenes are memorably creepy and capture the atmosphere of Tacitus' historical account of the disaster.
`The Iron Hand of Mars' introduces some intriguing characters, such as Xanthus, a flamboyant barber and Dubnus, a peddler whose wares are even more dubious than their seller. Fortunately for Falco, some old friends from earlier in the series turn up to extricate him from the tight corners he gets himself into.
Anton Lesser (as Falco) and Anna Madeley (as Helena) make an excellent leading pair. The supporting cast, including the regulars like Titus, Vespasian, Petro and Justinus, contribute admirably to the drama.
The exotic setting is well exploited by the producers. They should also be praised for helping the listener to differentiate easily between characters from various parts of the Roman Empire - and the hostile areas on its borders.
One can only hope that the next in the series, `Poseidon's Gold', is not too long in the making.
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