Lindsey Davis

Working as a private informer in Rome during the reign of Domitian, Flavia Albia is hired to investigate a fatal accident, an investigation that turns sinister when her client dies under suspicious circumstances that place Flavia's reputation at stake.

A Flavia Albia Mystery

The Ides of April

Ilse

I do rather enjoy a good murder mystery now and then, and one set in ancient Rome immediately intrigued me enough to buy the book. Unfortunately, it wasn’t too hard to figure out the killer, and after enjoying Flavia’s character for the first few chapters, she stopped resonating with me. That didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the story too much, though, as it’s really different from what I’ve been reading so far. 

Lindsey Davis’ descriptions of the city and atmosphere really brought the story to life, and although not resonating with me I think Flavia’s spunky character will definitely be some people’s taste. All in all, it was a fun and enjoyable enough read that I might recommend those liking this genre to check out.

Chosen by The Times as one of the Top Ten Crime Novels Written by Women since 2000 Flavia Albia is the adopted daughter of a famous investigating family. In defiance of tradition, she lives alone on the colourful Aventine Hill, and battles out a solo career in a male-dominated world. As a woman and an outsider, Albia has special insight into the best, and worst, of life in ancient Rome. A female client dies in mysterious circumstances. Albia investigates and discovers there have been many other strange deaths all over the city, yet she is warned off by the authorities. The vigils are incompetent. The local magistrate is otherwise engaged, organising the Games of Ceres, notorious for its ancient fox-burning ritual. Even Albia herself is preoccupied with a new love affair: Andronicus, an attractive archivist, offers all that a love-starved young widow can want, even though she knows better than to take him home to meet the parents... As the festival progresses, her neighbourhood descends into mayhem and becomes the heartless killer's territory. While Albia and her allies search for him, he stalks them through familiar byways and brings murder ever closer to home. The Ides of April is vintage Lindsey Davis, offering wit, intrigue, action and a brilliant new heroine who promises to be as celebrated as Marcus Didius Falco and Helena Justina, her fictional predecessors.

The Ides of April A Flavia Albia Mystery

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