Scandal Takes a Holiday

July 12, 2004
The Rome of Vespasian and Titus comes to life in Davis's entertaining 16th entry in her popular ancient historical series (after 2003's The Accuser
) featuring "finder" Marcus Didius Falco. The staff of the official government newspaper retains Falco when Diocles, the paper's gossip columnist, disappears while on a visit to Ostia. At the seaport, a cesspool of corruption, Falco follows up on rumors that pirates, supposedly put out of business by Pompey the Great decades earlier, are engaged in smuggling and a kidnapping racket. Utilizing his street smarts and well-earned cynical view of humanity, Falco moves in and out of dives and places of worship on the trail of a mysterious figure who acts as the middleman between the kidnappers and the victims' families. Disturbingly, some of the clues point to one of the detective's disreputable relatives. Longtime fans will enjoy the additional background on Falco's family, but first-timers, aided by a family tree and an introductory cast of characters, will be able to plunge right in. Unlike Steven Saylor in his Roma Sub Rosa series, Davis makes less use of the history of the time. While her deliberately modern colloquialisms ("Go with the flow, man," Falco is told) take a little getting use to, they help maintain the light arch tone that also distinguishes these fun novels from Saylor's more serious tales. Agent, Jane Chelius.

April 1, 2005
Adult/High School -In this 16th mystery set in the Roman Empire (76 A.D.), Falco investigates the disappearance of the official scandal columnist for the "Roman Daily Gazette". When last heard from, the scribe had been leaving for vacation at Ostia. The private informer notes with typical irony that at first this assignment "had all the signs of a nice little escapade that I could handle blindfolded," but he soon finds himself pursuing a bewildering and seemingly unconnected variety of leads that involve kidnappings, Mediterranean pirates, local dives, religious customs, a teenager's romance, and an outrageous funeral celebration. His independent inquiry is complicated somewhat by his helpful wife (a Senator's daughter) and their children, several other family members, and his best friend, a policeman. Falco and company are kindly, intelligent people who live in a brutal time; they survive with integrity intact through humor, loyalty to one another, and a tough acceptance of the inevitable. Readers might be daunted by lists of characters, maps with strange place names, Briticisms, or Falco's casually allusive narrative style, but those who persevere will be richly rewarded, becoming immersed in fascinating details of a distant time and place populated by recognizable human beings. Though this story can be read independently, the series is best read in order, beginning with "Silver Pigs" (Crown, 1991); the novels progress satisfyingly through Falco's life as they explore many far-flung corners of the Empire." -Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VA"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2004
In his sixteenth case, private informer (that is, private investigator) Marcus Didius Falco is asked to look into the disappearance of Infamia, a notorious gossip columnist with the " Daily Gazette "of ancient Rome. Infamia has gone to the port town of Ostia, just outside Rome, ostensibly to visit his aunt, but is he really on the lookout for more scandal? While searching for Infamia, Falco is forced to widen the parameters of his case as rumors of piracy surface and wealthy women are kidnapped and held for ransom. Falco's wife and other, often disagreeable relatives add humor and personality while complicating Falco's investigation. A leisurely pace allows details of place, time, and sociopolitical context to be woven into the fabric of the story. First-person narration, sardonic humor, and lively characters add to this historical mystery with a contemporary feel--so contemporary, in fact, that the Falco series may also appeal to fans of modern private-eye novels.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)