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Apr 25, 2009

Jamie rated it:

Wow, I really liked this! It's very accessible; you can enjoy it even if you don't know a thing about the history of Ancient Rome. The author supplies historical details smoothly without lecturing the reader.

The mystery itself wasn't especially gripping, but the story was fast-paced, with truly likeable characters and great dialogue. I started snickering at the dramatis personae and continued to be amused all the way through the book.

There are frequent, oddly placed parag More...

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Aug 30, 2007

Delphine rated it:

When a Philip-Marlowe like character becomes the narrator of events that take place in Ancient Rome, you get Lindsey Davis! The research is excellent, the stories are fascinating, the historical truth is respected and… a sort of hard boiled detective investigates. Probably one of the best historical novels, along with Sharan Newman, on the market.

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Eileen rated it:

Run don't walk to your local bookseller and start this fantastic series of first century Rome detective Marcus Falco. He will win your heart and his nutty family and associats will continue to delight through many adventures.

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Catherine rated it:

The first book in a fine, fine series, and I am not a fan of the mystery genre. Unforgettable characters.

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 09, 2007

Kei rated it:

Oh - where do I start? A private eye series set in ancient Rome. This is the first one - I won't add all the books individually, there are (I think) 18 by now, but it's set in Rome in 70AD, the hero is Marcus Didius Falco, a Roman 'informer'.... and his friends, and his over the top family, and his lady, Helena Justina, the senator's daughter, way out of his league but that doesn't stop them, lol, and HER family... They are my favourite ancient Roman couple Evah. There is adventure all over the More...

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Dec 21, 2008

Angela rated it:

LJ user cafiorello had recommended the Marcus Didius Falco series to me some time ago, but I only just recently got around to buying the first book--because it only just recently got re-released in a new edition. On the strength of her recommendation, for lo Cathy is cool, I happily picked it up and have finally read it. Short form, Marcus Didius Falco is an "informer" in ancient Rome, circa AD 70, in the reign of the Emperor Vespasian. In this first book he is pulled into what proves More...

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Aug 09, 2011

procrastin8or rated it:

This is the first in a highly successful series of historical crime novels set in First Century Rome. At the end of the year of the four Emperors, Marcus Didius Falco, an informer by trade (essentially a private detective) has the unfortunate honour of stumbling upon a conspiracy to trade silver ingots (pigs) on the black market. When the young girl who brought it to his attention is killed, Falco is hired by her father to find the killer and simultaneously hired by Emperor Vespasian to unravel More...

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Feb 25, 2011

Jim rated it:

I first encountered Marcus Didius Falco in a short story in Classical Whodunits, many years ago. At the time I was more interested in the late Roman Republic, so I was more drawn to the Steven Saylor mysteries featuring Gordianus the Finder, contemporary of Cicero and Julius Caesar and the significant events of that era. I later rediscovered Falco through audiobook versions of "A Body in the Bath House" and "The Jupiter Myth," which occur much later in the series. "The More...

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Nov 06, 2010

Kasey added it

Loved it! Davis writes Roman era mysteries set in 1st century CE--each a good read AND a great introduction to ancient Roman culture, history, politics, and law. However, I keep coming back to this series because of the characters; reading a new one has that "catching up with old friends" feeling.

Silver Pigs is the first in the series, and it introduces informaer (read: investigator) Marcus Didius Falco, his lovely patrician companion, Helena Justina, Falco's pal and vig More...

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Feb 26, 2011

Rosanne rated it:

I like mysteries, I love historical fiction, and it’s always an added bonus to read a book that’s part of a series — if it tickles your fancy, you know that there’s more just like it.

The Silver Pigs, by Lindsey Davis, is the first book in the Marcus Didius Falco canon, a series of detective novels set in ancient Rome. Marcus, an Imperial informer (translation: private detective) trying to scrape together a living, narrates the story with a breezy, humorous style making this romp throug More...

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Feb 04, 2008

Malcolm rated it:

The first Marcus Didius Falco mystery, set in ancient Rome. Somehow, the author takes a sort of wisecracking, hard-boiled private eye character in Falco and makes it work in an historically accurate and very entertaining story.

Further books in this series are also very recommended; they explore the characters introduced in the first few novels in much greater detail, and eventually, the series becomes more about them than about any mystery, per se.

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 25, 2009

Scot rated it:

This is the first in the Marcus Didius Falco series. Falco is a hard boiled detective (called an "informer"), a wisecracking cynic with a heart of gold beneath that rollicking rowdy exterior--and he lives in a carefully researched Rome of 70 AD. Even better, the author Lindsey Davis is obviously having fun telling the story, and her jolly attitude is a bit infectious--so this is, in sum, a well written historical novel mystery series in which you come to care about the characters and More...

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Jun 14, 2007

Annie rated it:

A hardboiled detective novel (a la Dashiell Hammett) set in Ancient Rome. Falco is a private informer, occassionally employed by the new emperor Vespasian. An army veteran (his unit had the unfortunate distinction of NOT responding to the Boudican rebellion!) Falco revisits Britian to solve a mystery, and escort a senator's daughter back to Rome.
Romance, humour, mystery and Ancient History in a well-written package. What more could a reader want?

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 30, 2011

Ann rated it:

Kay Beardsley lent me this very enjoyable and witty mystery in the Marco Didius Falco series by British author Lindsey Davis. This particular book was an American reprinting of the first book in the series which now includes over 15 other books. Lindsey Davis wrote in her introduction for this book that this book is now apparently assigned in college curricula, presumably as an insight into day-to-day Roman life. Davis has done extensive research into the period (during the reign of Vespasian More...

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Aug 28, 2011

Marcus rated it:

This book is the first in a series about Marcus Didius Falco, an informant in city of Rome during the reign of Vespasian. I must admit that when I started to read this book, I didn't really know what to expect from it, except for some sort of detective story placed in Imperial Rome. And of course it is a detective story and a very good one at that. So if that's what you're looking for, it is a fascinating read based solely on its plot.Thing that made this book one of my new favourites is howeve More...

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Apr 26, 2011

stormhawk rated it:

It's a detective novel, set in AD 70(ish), Rome.

It's got all the hallmarks of the hardboiled detective novel … snappy patter, shady histories, and smart, attractive dames.

It's got all the hallmarks of Ancient Rome … togas, plots, and reeking vats of urine.

Unfortunately, the two don't work as well together, at least in this first of the Marcus Didius Falco mysteries. I've read other mysteries in olden times sorts of books, but there's something that's not r More...

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Jul 29, 2011

Kate rated it:

This is an absolutely outstanding work on many levels. To begin with, Lindsey Davis brings to life a world which existed 2000 years ago. She details daily life, from Falco's apartment to upper class living, and even the politics of the time, allowing you to experience the Roman empire hands on. But there is much more to this book than just Davis' ability to let you experience a new world - there is the amazing fact that this all really happened. There is evidence that Falco existed, that he fell More...

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Feb 19, 2008

Damien rated it:

Great mysteries set in Imperial Rome. The whole series (18+?)is worth reading, with some books better than others. The Roman Empire provides a great setting, with adventures ranging from Spain to Syria and North Africa to Britian, with the capitol of it all - Rome, as a center piece. The characters, especially Falco's families, provide great comic relief in these light readers.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 13, 2011

Caroline rated it:

I really wanted to love the Silver Pigs by Lindsay Davis. It is a historical mystery, set in Ancient Rome. Marcus Didius Falco is a poverty-stricken, irreverent, wisecracking “informer” (some kind of private detective?) whose quips mask a painful past and a strong moral sense. He is an exceedingly engaging character and I would not mind reading about him again.

One day he runs into a beautiful teenaged girl, Sosia, fleeing from her abductors. By rescuing her he gets himself involved in More...

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Dec 21, 2009

Mari rated it:

Learning about the past was never my strong point. Years of labour in history classes did nothing to inspire me. Perhaps it was my strong dislike for repetitive topics covered for years on end, or the manner teachers conveyed the subject matter; regardless, I was never a fan of history, and I never thought I could be. When I came across Lindsey Davis’s novels, they immediately grabbed my attention and sparked something in me that I believed I would never feel involving anything historical: inter More...

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Apr 10, 2008

Srochat rated it:

I discovered this one while I was in college. The idea of a private eye mystery set in Ancient Rome intrigued me and continued to do so long after the book was finished. There's several others in this series -- some good, some so-so -- but don't miss this one. This is Marcus Didius Falco, private informer, at his best.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 21, 2011

Lollyletsgo rated it:

The Silver Pigs are about silver ingots from Britain. Let’s just get that out of the way. At first, I felt like I was trudging through all of the -ius and -iums (& I even took Latin in HS!), but once accustomed to it, the story flew. It was enjoyable to get everything from the protagonist's POV, even if it was wrong or misogynistic at times- just showed how flawed the character was.

Falco, the main character, is a pretty affable guy; you know that the first few pages, but Lindsey Dav More...

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Mar 11, 2008

Paul rated it:

I am a history buff, so if you want Rome in the time of Vespatian, this is your series. Marcus' brother was killed in the siege of Jerusalem...very unfortunate. I love his domestic life and his friends. Very cool plots. Am in the midst of Saturnalia as a write this review. I have enjoyed the series.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 03, 2010

Christine rated it:

I thought this series rocked the first time I read it years ago and upon second reading, I still think so.

Didius Falco is one of the most interesting and likable lead characters in any mystery series, and his dry, self-deprecating voice makes him one of my favorite characters of all time. Davis' depiction of the Roman Empire circa 74 AD is meticulously researched and the plot of this story, involving a murder, corruption in the silver mining industry of the Roman Empire and the ris More...

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Feb 18, 2010

Deb rated it:

Ancient Rome, theft, murder, damsels in distress, and true love - Lindsey Davis introduces Marcus Didius Falco, a professional informer and investigator. The silver pigs in this novel refer to silver ingots that have been disguised as lead. Is a Senator involved in smuggling these ingots out of Britain to finance the overthrow of the emperor Vespasian? Who is responsible for the death of Sosia, the beautiful niece of the beautiful, but fiery Helen Justinia? Ancient Rome is brought to life i More...

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Oct 04, 2009

Sara rated it:

This definitely makes the cut as one of my all time favorites. Though there are quite a few out there in the 'Ancient Roman P.I. mystery' genre, the Falco books are particularly charming, with their well-researched history couched in very modern language. The juxtaposition works--and what is more, Marcus Didius Falco is a deeply likable character. Wise-cracking P.I. (private informer, that is) he may be, but he's also very honorable and incredibly courageous. There aren't many heroes out there w More...

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Jan 27, 2012

Tatum rated it:

This is the first book in the Marcus Didius Falco series. Now normally I have no problem with reading mystery series out of order as they are complete stories in themselves, but if you plan to read this series, I must recommend starting with this one as it has background info I don't think you'll get in subsequent titles.

If you are looking for something steeped in historical fact and detail, this is probably not the book for you. If you are looking for a fun mystery in a rather unique More...

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Nov 14, 2009

Sarah Kate rated it:

The first of the Marcus Didius Falco books. Falco is an informer in Imperial Rome at the time of Vespasian's rule. A republican who never has enough money, spends a lot of time dodging his landlord, and self-confessedly only does enough work to get by, he becomes embroiled in a case which involves a senator's family.

He travels to Britain where he works under cover in a lead mine and is rescued from certain death by the senator's daughter, with whom he has, to say the least, a fie More...

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Dec 23, 2011

Marta! rated it:

"Una de las primeras realidades de la vida que el hombre comprende es que jamás debe decir la verdad a una mujer. Pero yo se la dije a Helena: siempre lo he hecho y seguiré haciéndolo-. Helena Justina, he renunciado a seducir a las mujeres.

Cogí su rostro entre mis manos e impedí que el pelo le cubriera las mejillas. Helena me contempló muy seria.

- ¿Fue un juramento a los dioses?
- No, fue una promesa que me hice a mí mismo. [...]

-¿Se trata de una promesa q More...

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Jul 01, 2011

benebean rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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