Rating:  - Falco in Greece
It's hard to believe that this book is the 17th in the Falco series, for the plot and the action seem fresh. Once again we are taken, along with Falco and party, to a different province of the Roman Empire, this time Greece. There are two mysterious deaths of young women, and Falco wangles some travelling money from the Imperial treasury to do investigating. The writing, as usual is crisp and humorous, and the characters are extremely well-defined, particularly the members of the ill-fated touring group involved in one of the deaths. The plot goes round and round, and the ending is quite a shock, although the author has laid clues here and there throughout the book. Looking forward to the 18th entry in the Falco series!
Rating:  - Audio Version of a Fun Road Trip Mystery
It always makes me happy to see a new Falco mystery. In fact I was somewhat surprised to realize that although this is the 17th case for Falco only about five or six years had passed in the Roman Empire.
Anyway, this one is definitely one of Davis' better efforts. While Falco had previously traveled outside of Rome on a number of adventures, this book is a great satire of travel tours-- both ancient and modern. I sympathized with Falco beating off guides at various historical sites and dealing with the odd assortment of people who seem to end up together in tour groups.
As for the narrator, Christian Rodska, he does a very believable Falco, a little coarse and tough, with a cynical outlook. However he is a sentimental pushover when it comes to those he loves.
If you have about 11 hours and 15 minutes of driving time (or house work time for that matter) then give this one a try.
Rating:  - Not historical enough
I like a lot of history with my fiction, and the Steven Saylor Gordianus the Finder series is much better at that.
Rating: - Falco: A Series to Love
This is the 17th (!) book in the amazing series about Didius Falco, an "informer" and sometime imperial agent in Rome circa 76AD. As usual, much of the book involves interactions between Falco, his wife, family and friends in the context of imperial Rome. This time we travel through various towns in Greece investigating two murders on two different foreign tours booked from Rome.
Each book can be read separately from the rest of the series, but ideally the reader will start at the beginning, Silver Pigs. It is important to not miss Two for the Lions, which resolves threads from earlier volumes.
The Silver Pigs (1989)
Shadows in Bronze (1990)
Venus in Copper (1991)
The Iron Hand of Mars (1992)
Poseidon's Gold (1993)
Last Act in Palmyra (1994)
Time to Depart (1995)
A Dying Light in Corduba (1996)
Three Hands in the Fountain (1997)
Two for the Lions (1998)
One Virgin Too Many (1999)
Ode to a Banker (2000)
A Body in the Bath House (2001)
The Jupiter Myth (2002)
The Accusers (2003)
Scandal Takes a Holiday (2004)
See Delphi and Die (2005)
Saturnalia (2007)
[...]
Rating: - Falco on the road again
While I don't think that the plot of this Marcus Didius Falco potboiler was the best of the series to date, the vast array of information presented the reader about First Century AD Rome and Greece is simply terrific. For example, here is a rarely presented account of tourism in the classic age as well as much intriguing information about the Olympic Games, albeit in the Roman period. The author, Lindsey Davis, is well acquainted with the subject of early travel, having sent Falco on the road many times before, but this book's setting in Greece is quite enjoyable on its own. Also always enjoyable is the interplay between the members of Falco's family. What's not to like?
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