Venus in Copper: A Marcus Didius Falco Mystery (Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries)
Lindsey Davis
Language: English
Pages: 368
ISBN: 031264728X
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Rome, AD 71. Marcus Didius Falco is deperate to leave the notorious Lautumiae prison - though being bailed out by his mother is a slight indignity...
Things go from bad to worse though when a group of nouveau riche ex-slaves hire him to outwit a fortune-hunting redhead, whose husbands have a habit of dying accidently, leaving him up against a female contortionist, her extra-friendly snake, indigestible cakes and rent racketeers. And, all the while, trying to lure Helena Justina to live with him, a dangerous proposition given the notorius instability of Roman real estate. In a case of murder as complicated as he ever faced, this Lindsey Davis' classic tale Venus in Copper shows Falco at his very finest.
him there’s not enough to take her to court alone. I made her admit she had a partner until recently, but that’s all.” “No other evidence?” asked Lusius. “Zilch.” I gained the impression he was holding something back. I gripped his elbow and drew him into the pool of light from a bronze lantern which hung on Severina’s porch. He made no resistance. “What’s the idea, Lusius? You look pretty pleased with yourself!” The clerk grinned. “This is mine, Falco!” I raised both hands, backing off. “If
those were quite attractive). Also, private clients paid their bills. (Unlike the Palace, who quibbled over every innocent expense.) If I ever managed to regain my freedom, working for myself again was beckoning attractively. Three days in jail had doused my happy-go-lucky nature. I was bored. I grew morose. I was suffering physically too: I had a sword-cut in my side—one of those slight flesh-wounds which chooses to fester. My mother was sending in hot dinners to comfort me, but the jailor
Titus had already edged in, looking startled, before Helena and I could emerge with the kind of refined welcome he had learned to expect. My relations immediately grabbed him and sat him on a stool with a bowl of olives on one knee, to watch his turbot cooking. Next thing I knew, everyone seemed to have introduced themselves without waiting for me, Helena was testing the fish with a knifepoint, Petronius shoved a full winecup under my elbow, and the chaos redoubled while I stood there like a
needs some privacy…” “We’ll see.” Helena look unimpressed. “The runabout has found someone who can help you; he will bring her tomorrow morning. Can you be here? She works in the kitchen so it has to be early. Also the cook’s funeral will be on Thursday, if you want to go.” “Yes; I owe Viridovix a respectful gesture.” “I said I thought you would. The other message was from Petronius Longus; he wants to see you urgently.” * * * Petronius was working, so I found him on the Aventine. He took
for my prospective clients. V The freedman Hortensius Novus lived in the north of the city, on the scented slopes of the Pincian Hill. His house stood surrounded by a perfectly plain wall of sufficient height to prevent people peeping over the top, had any of his well-heeled neighbours lived near enough. None of them did. It was an area where the grounds of the private villas were even more spacious than the public gardens which were graciously allowed to fill the lesser spaces in between.