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| photo credit: book dog groucho via photopin (license) |
But this one? Gladiators on a trampoline, it was awesome.
The book is Deadly Election by Lindsey Davis, third in the Flavia Albia mystery series, with continuing characters from the Marcus Didius Falco series.
Why is it so amazing?
- Flavia Albia is seriously hilarious. Lots of really witty observations.
- Well written.
- She's a 1st century detective. How cool is that?
- I like stories that I can painlessly learn something (through the action). These stories are well researched, yet her research was represented in vivid interaction with the time and place, not dry facts.
- A love interest who does NOT get tossed to the side or murdered.
- I like mysteries.
- Good editing.
- She's widow living on her own, and an adopted Briton with no known past, so she's a mystery and a bit of outsider even though she's totally accepted by her adopting family.
- Her family has money but she doesn't, except what she earns.
- She's capable and smart and kind, but also strong mentally. She's a woman so she notices stuff like jewelry and makeup and how a home is put together from the woman's point of view and women's roles in her society.
Deadly Election: A Flavia Albia Mystery
In the first century A.D., during Domitian's reign, Flavia Albia is ready for a short break from her family. So despite the oppressive July heat, she returns to Rome, leaving them at their place on the coast. Albia, daughter of Marcus Didius Falco, the famed private informer (now retired), has taken up her father's former profession, and it's time to get back to work. The first order of business, however, is the corpse that was found in a chest sent as part of a large lot to be sold by the Falco family auction house. As the senior family representative in Rome, it falls upon Albia to identify the corpse, find out why he was killed, who killed him, and, most important, how did it end up in the chest.
At the same time, her potential young man, Faustus, comes looking for help with his friend Sextus's political campaign. Between the auction business and Roman politics, it's not quite clear which one is the more underhanded and duplicitous. Both, however, are tied together by the mysterious body in the chest, and if Albia isn't able to solve that mystery, it won't be the only body to drop.
Deadly Election is available on Kindle and Nook as well as Kindle UK. It's also available in hardcover and paperback (and audio at Amazon.com).
Frankly, doing book reports as a child was grueling. I just wanted to read the story, to experience the adventure and the emotion. But I do want to share my favorites with you. Hope you enjoyed this glimpse into a book I've enjoyed!
