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Product Description
Review
Nobody does it better than Lindsey Davis - the unassailable mistress of the historical thriller. For Falco, a relaxed visit to Helena's relatives in Britain turns serious at the scene of a downtown murder. The renegade henchman of Rome's vital ally, King Togidubnus, has been stuffed headfirst down a barroom well - leading to a tricky diplomatic situation that Falco must diffuse. One murder leads to others. Londinium now has a forum and an amphitheatre; the town is a magnet for legitimate traders - and for criminals from Rome. With his pal Petronius, Falco leads the hunt for gangsters who are intent on taking over. Death lurks everywhere, from the new wharves beside the River Thames to the familiar old haunts of organised crime back in Italy. Davis on cracking form.
Few in the know would argue with the statement that Lindsey Davis is the unassailable mistress of the historical thriller. Her Rome-set novels featuring the resourceful (and politically savvy) Falco are invariably real treats for the true admirer of the genre, with all the tangy historical detail that makes this series so very plausible. For Falco, a relaxed visit to Helena's relatives in Britain turns serious at the scene of a downtown murder. The renegade henchman of Rome's vital ally, King Togidubnus, has been stuffed head-first down a bar-room well, leading to a tricky diplomatic situation which Falco must diffuse. One murder leads to others. Londinium now has a forum and an amphitheatre; the town is a magnet for legitimate traders - and for criminals from Rome. Drinking dens are plundered by extortionists, prostitution reigns in the dark streets, and the army turns a blind eye. With his associate Petronius, Falco leads the hunt for gangsters who are intent on taking over. This will bring unwelcome encounters with faces from the past and grave threats to their present relationships. Danger and death lurk throughout their pursuit, all the way from the brand new wharves beside the River Thames to the familiar old haunts of organized crime back home in Italy. Falco remains one of the most brilliantly realized protagonists in all historical fiction, and his survival (in the face of considerable odds) is always a relief for the reader. Lindsey Davis on top form - who could ask for more? (Kirkus UK)
Roman auditor Marcus Didius Falco (A Body in the Bathhouse, 2002, etc.) visits the bustling metropolis of London in its ancient version: muddy, provincial Londinium, a.d. 75. Along with his wife, children, sister, nieces and nephews, nursemaid, and best friend, Falco is in Londinium visiting his wife Helena's aunt and her uncle, who just happens to be procurator Gaius Flavius Hilaris, second in command of Britain. When a prominent Briton is drowned in a tavern well, Governor Fron