En 70 après Jésus-Christ, Rome est en proie à une instabilité politique croissante. Depuis la mort de Néron, deux ans plus tôt, les empereurs d'un jour se succèdent et les conspirateurs redoublent d'ingéniosité pour accéder au pouvoir. Certains, profitant de la décadence de l'Empire, se servent même dans les caisses de l'État en toute impunité. Marcus Didius Falco, détective privé cynique, séducteur maladroit et républicain notoire, se retrouve malgré lui chargé d'une enquête qui l'emmènera de sa Rome natale aux îles Britanniques. Ces investigations seront loin d'être anodines, car entre machinations et jeux de pouvoir, elles pourraient bien impliquer de hauts dignitaires du régime...
Rome, the very end of December. The Field of Mars is packed with monuments, none more beautiful than Domitian''s new Odeon and Stadium. But the area has been overtaken by ugly events: elaborately staged murders. Someone bears a spectacular grudge against the theatrical community, and intends to get revenge in the most spectacular way possible. The killer''s method is to re-enact bloody scenes from the gruesome side of popular theatre, where characters in plays really die on stage. A figure from the past wants Flavia Albia''s father to investigate, but Falco is out of Rome for the holidays. Albia seizes the commission. And begins to regret doing so almost immediately. ''The undertaker did it!'' the first victim croaks before expiring. This seems to make no sense, because surely people are already dead when they go to their funeral? Though there is a serial killer at large, the authorities would prefer a cover-up but Albia is driven to discover what is going on. How much blood must be shed before the mania ends? And could her own family be on the list for a frightful stage death? Praise for Lindsey Davis and the Flavia Albia series ''It positively crackles with knowledge of the city and its people, mixed with social comment, ingenious and bloody plots and sharp observational skills leavened by more than a smattering of genuine and sometimes earthy humour'' Crime Review ''Lighthearted, witty and effortlessly clever, just like its wonderful heroine, this is a window into ancient Rome, and a tonic and a joy to read'' The Observer ''For a totally exhilarating romp through Ancient Rome, Lindsey Davis'' latest Flavia Alba novel won''t be beaten and offers an immersive experience of a vibrant world full of real, recognisable characters'' Shotsmag ''In this witty novel by the mistress of Roman crime, the reader is transported behind the scenes of a Triumph into a fascinating world of actors, costumiers and animal trainers, all united in their hatred of the murdered man'' Sunday Express Magazine
Saturnalia, the Romans'' mid-December feast, nominally to celebrate the sun''s rebirth but invariably a drunken riot. Flavia Albia needs a case to investigate, but all work is paused. The Aventine is full of fracturing families. Wives plot to leave their husbands, husbands plot to spend more time with their mistresses. Masters must endure slaves taking obscene liberties, while aggressive slaves are learning to ape dangerous masters. But no one wants to hire an investigator during the holiday. Albia is lumped with her own domestic stress: overexcited children and bilious guests, too many practical jokes, and her magistrate husband Tiberius preoccupied with local strife. He fears a Nut War. Nuts are both the snack and missile of choice of tipsy celebrants, so there is a fortune to be made. This year a hustling gang from the past is horning in on the action. As the deadly menace strikes even close to home, and with law and order paused for partying, Albia and Tiberius must go it alone. The Emperor has promised the people a spectacular entertainment - but Domitian himself is a target for the old criminals'' new schemes. Can the Undying Sun survive the winter solstice, or will criminal darkness descend upon Rome? Praise for Lindsey Davis and the Flavia Albia series ''For a totally exhilarating romp through Ancient Rome, Lindsey Davis'' latest Flavia Alba novel won''t be beaten and offers an immersive experience of a vibrant world full of real, recognisable characters'' Shotsmag ''In this witty novel by the mistress of Roman crime, the reader is transported behind the scenes of a Triumph into a fascinating world of actors, costumiers and animal trainers, all united in their hatred of the murdered man'' Sunday Express Magazine ''Davis does her usual brilliant job of integrating the history of the period, warts and all, with a fast-paced and fair whodunit'' Publishers Weekly
Luckily the judge was eager to adjourn for lunch.' Having returned from his trip to Londinium, Falco takes up employment with two lawyers at the top of their trade. For the trial of a senator, they need Falco to make an affidavit confirming repayment of a loan. Having been out of the country and starved of Forum gossip for some time, Falco has little interest in this trial, so he makes his deposition and then leaves.
The prosecution are successful and a large financial judgment is made, but one month later the senator is dead, apparently by suicide. The heirs are now in a situation of not having to pay up, and the prosecutor suddenly decides to seek out Falco. With a little coercion, Falco joins the prosecution in seeking to persuade a magistrate to instigate a new trial. Blinded by the vision of rich pickings to be gained by the prosecution, Falco temporarily forgets that, if they fail, the financial penalties levelled against the informers who brought the case are potentially enormous.
We first met Flavia Albia, Falco's feisty adopted daughter, in The Ides of April. Albia is a remarkable woman in what is very much a man's world: young, widowed and fiercely independent, she lives alone on the Aventine Hill in Rome and makes a good living as a hired investigator. An outsider in more ways than one, Albia has unique insight into life in ancient Rome, and she puts it to good use going places no man could go, and asking questions no man could ask.
Even as the dust settles from her last case, Albia finds herself once again drawn into a web of lies and intrigue. Two mysterious deaths at a local villa may be murder and, as the household slaves are implicated, Albia is once again forced to involve herself. Her fight is not just for truth and justice, however; this time, she's also battling for the very lives of people who can't fight for themselves.
Enemies at Home presents Ancient Rome as only Lindsey Davis can, offering wit, intrigue, action and the further adventures of a brilliant new heroine who promises to be as celebrated as Marcus Didius Falco and Helena Justina, her fictional predecessors.
For Marcus Didius Falco, agent to the Emperor Vespasian, Alexandria holds fascination and a hint of fear. Beautiful, historic and famously unruly, the great cosmopolitan city wears Roman rule lightly. While his wife, Helena Justina, wants to see the Lighthouse and the Pyramids, Falco has a mission at the Great Library.
Crime & mysteryThe fifteenth title in this series of murder mysteries set in Ancient Rome. The last five in the series have been Top Ten Sunday Times bestsellers in hardback. Falco is involved in corruption, informers and the Roman courts of law. "Queen of the humorous crime romp" Guardian
Crime & mystery/Historical fictionLindsey Davis's historical novels set in Ancient Rome are becoming increasingly popular, as the sales of A Dying Light In Corduba and Time To Depart have recently shown. This latest paperback centres around the relationship between the Emperor, Vespasian and his freed slave mistress, and how it is threatened by political intrigue and the struggle for power in the Empire. "She brings Ancient Rome to life" Ellis Peters
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.
Alors que dans Rome des révoltes ne cessent d'éclater, l'empereur Vespasien confie à son espion Falco une bien curieuse mission : rapporter à un sénateur établi dans la Magna Graecia les cendres de son frère, disparu dans un incendie apparemment accidentel.Mais hors de la Via Appia, point de salut : l'empire et ses lois s'arrêtent aux portes de Rome et au sud, les clans s'affrontent encore selon des rites ancestraux ; on s'y égorge pour un mot malheureux prononcé imprudemment.Lorsqu'arrivé à Crotone Didius Falco échappe de peu à la mort, c'est pour tomber sur quelques colosses qui, pour de mystérieuses raisons, ont l'air déterminé à l'empêcher d'atteindre le but de son voyage... Traduit de l'anglais par Jean-Pierre Massias
En ce 1er siècle après Jésus-Christ, l'empereur Vespasien a toutes les peines du monde à faire régner sa puissance sur les terres lointaines qu'il souhaite garder sous l'emprise de Rome. C'est le cas de la Syrie qui regorge de trésors et où il envoie son homme de main, le détective Marcus Didius Falco, afin qu'il y assied la toute-puissance romaine. C'est une tache à laquelle Falco est habitué et de Gaule en Germanie en passant par la Grèce, il a déjà accompli bien des missions périlleuses pour l'empereur. Seulement cette fois il doit se rendre à Palmyre...Il découvrira que ce n'est pas si simple de voyager au fin fond du désert pour parvenir aux limites de l'Empire. Et ce ne sont pas les quelques cadavres, ni le python ou encore ce dangereux criminel croisés en chemin qui vont l'encourager à poursuivre son périple.
Lindsey Davis' sixteenth novel in the bestselling Marcus Didius Falco series is a tale of scandal, piracy and deception. Large-scale press campaign scheduled for paperback publication, and simultaneous author tour promoting Lindsey's new novel, 'See Delphi and Die', in Century hardback.
With safe seas, good roads, a common currency, and lots of interesting conquered territory, the Romans naturally invented tourism. They believed in a life of leisure and some would set off on their travels for maybe five years at a time. As these ancient culture vultures descended on the sights, the tour guide was born to cater to their needs.
The eighth in the series of crime novels set in Ancient Rome and featuring the classical sleuth, Marcus Didius Falco. When a man is killed and Rome's Chief of Spies left for dead, Falco's investigation plunges him into the fiercely competitive world of olive-oil production.
A general has captured a famous enemy of Rome, and brings her home to adorn his Triumph as a ritual sacrifice. The logistics go wrong; she acquires a mystery illness - then a young man is horrendously murdered and she escapes from house arrest.
In the high summer of 77AD, Roman informer Marcus Didius Falco is beset by personal problems. Newly bereaved and facing unexpected upheavals in his life, it is a relief for him to consider someone else''s misfortunes. A middle-aged couple who supplied statues to his father, Geminus, have disappeared in mysterious circumstances. They had an old feud with a bunch of notorious freedmen, the Claudii, who live rough in the pestilential Pontine Marshes, terrorising the neighbourhood. When a mutilated corpse turns up near Rome, Falco and his vigiles friend Petronius investigate, even though it means travelling in the dread marshes. But just as they are making progress, the Chief Spy, Anacrites, snatches their case away from them. As his rivalry with Falco escalates, he makes false overtures of friendship, but fails to cover up the fact that the violent Claudii have acquired corrupt protection at the highest level. Making further enquiries after they have been warned off can only be dangerous - but when did that stop Falco and Petronius? Egged on by the slippery bureaucrats who hate Anacrites, the dogged friends dig deeper while a psychotic killer keeps taking more victims, and the shocking truth creeps closer and closer to home...
Set against the terrible struggle of the English Civil War and the dark plots of the Commonwealth, this title tells the story of soldiers, adventurers, aristocrats and kings, tradesmen, politicians, radicals and scavengers - and the hopes and dreams that carried them through one of the most turbulent eras of English history.
