A Capitol Death by Lindsey Davis

A Capitol Death: A Flavia Albia Novel by Lindsey Davis --- 308 pages, including a map and a List of Characters.

The seventh book in Lindsey Davis' outstanding historical mystery series sent in first century A.D. Rome during the reign of the Emperor Domitian is everything we expect from a Lindsey Davis book:  a cracking good mystery, meticulous historical detail, and a world weary and street smart detective in dogged pursuit of a murderer.

It is 89 A.D. and the egomaniacal Emperor Domitian is demanding not just one but a double Triumph to celebrate two so-called victories over two rebellious Germanic tribes. Actually, Domitian resorted to enormous bribes to "subdue" the tribesmen, but no one in Rome is prepared to quibble over details with their irrational self-proclaimed Master and God. Preparations for the Emperor's parade are derailed however, when Gabinus, the official responsible for overseeing transport for the Triumph, falls to his death from the ancient Tarpeian Rock at the top of the Capitoline Hill, the sacred precinct of the gods of Rome, and the site of the Temple of Jupiter Best and Greatest.

At first the authorities assume that the dead man either fell accidentally or jumped on purpose. But then a witness turns up insisting that Gabinus was pushed to his death.  An accident or a suicide was bad enough, but a murder was an affront to the gods that could pollute the Emperor's Triumph and unleash Domitian's indiscriminate rage.

Someone will have to investigate, but of course no one wants a job that could make them the prime target of Domitian's wrath. Eventually the job gets handed off to the plebian aedile, Tiberius Manlius Faustus. Still recuperating from the effects of the lightning that struck him on his wedding day (talk about dire portents), Tiberius asks his new wife, Flavia Albia, one of Rome's best informers (ie. private inquiry agent for hire), to look into the matter.

Flavia Albia suspects this is a case of murder, as she quickly discovers Gabinus was despised by everyone who had the misfortune of having to deal with him.  He was an abusive swine who cheated and swindled and made life a misery for everyone who crossed his path. She finds evidence Gabinus was rigging contracts, taking bribes and kickbacks, and running scams on contractors, including one concerning the supply of imperial purple dye and a gullible family of shellfish-boilers from the coast near Rome. When yet another person is found dead at the foot of the Rock, she realizes more lives are at risk.

As Flavia finds herself drawn deeper into the strange world of carnival floats, musicians, dancers, impersonators of ritual victims, incense and sacrificial beasts, can she see past the deceptions to the heart of the matter and break the cycle of vengeance before more deaths occur?

Click HERE to read the * review from Publishers Weekly.

Click HERE to read the review from Kirkus Reviews.

Click HERE to read the review from the forwinternights blog.

Click HERE to read the review from Crime Reviews.

Enemies at Home by Lindsey Davis

Enemies at Home: A Flavia Albia Novel by Lindsey Davis --- 342 pages

This is Davis's second historical mystery set in Rome during the first century A.D., featuring Flavia Albia, the smart, strong-willed adopted daughter of Marcus Didius Falco and Helena Justina. Falco and Helena were the featured characters in Davis's previous best-selling series of Roman mysteries.

Now that her parents have retired to their villa on the coast and a life of well-earned leisure, Albia has taken up the job of private informer in her father's footsteps. In the first book of the new series, The Ides of April, Albia identified a serial killer committing murders during the Cerelia or harvest festival. In the course of that investigation she clashed with the plebian aedile, Tiberius Manlius Faustus. Although by the end of the case she and Faustus had come to respect each other's professional abilities, Albia reminds herself not to hope for a personal relationship with him. She would never be a suitable wife for a Roman with political ambitions.  

In this new story, which begins a few months later, Faustus hires Albia Flavia to assist him in investigating the murder of wealthy newlyweds Valerius Aviola and Mucia Lucilia, found strangled in their bed two days after their wedding. A valuable collection of silver serving pieces is missing, and the night porter is found beaten senseless at the open front door. Over a dozen other household slaves were in the house that night yet all swear that they saw and heard nothing out of the ordinary until they discovered the bodies the next morning.

Roman law is clear: when the head of a household is murdered, his slaves are immediately suspect. If no other killer is swiftly identified, then all of the household slaves are assumed guilty, tortured until they confess, and summarily executed.  Aviola's household slaves, knowing their fate, have fled to sanctuary in the Temple of Ceres.

Faustus has two choices: quickly prove someone else is the killer, or proceed with the execution of the slaves. Albia investigates Aviola's family and friends, and identifies several alternative suspects, but she's also certain the slaves know more than they are saying. Can she find the truth in time?

An intelligent, irreverent mystery set against a vivid portrait of life in Imperial Rome. Davis is currently working on a third novel featuring Flavia Albia. It's possible to read these new stories without knowing the twenty novels in the Marcus Didius Falco series, but if you enjoy Albia you will want to make the acquaintance of Falco. Read them in order, starting with The Silver Pigs.

Click HERE for another review of Enemies at Home.