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Voices of Rome: Four Tales of Ancient Rome
Lindsey Davis has received the Crime Writer's Association Lifetime Achievement Award for her two immortal series of detective novels featuring Marcus Didius Falco and his adopted daughter, Flavia Albia. She is regarded as the finest living novelist of Ancient Rome. Here, for the first time in book form, are four novella-length stories written to illuminate her unparalleled output of the last 30 years.
The Bride from Bithynia tells the story of Aelia Camilla who travels 1000 miles to Britain to marry Gaius Flavius, a Roman officer. But their relationship struggles, then the province explodes in the Boudican Revolt. Now, it will be up to Aelia to save herself from the conflagration.
The Spook Who Spoke Again. Marcus Didius Alexander Postumus is an odd boy who has known two families. That of Marcus Didius himself and his actual birth mother, Thalia the Snake Dancer. Things begin to unravel quickly when he decides to emulate his adopted father and investigate a death in Thalia's troupe of exotic performers.
Vesuvius by Night. Two men share a room but seldom meet. Nonius is a pimp and part time thief who operates at night, Larius is a fresco painter who dreams of artistic greatness by day. When the volcano erupts, one will begin looting hastily abandoned villas, the other will do anything he can to save himself and his family.
Invitation to Die. When the Emperor Domitian invites the entire senatorial class to a banquet to honour the recent war dead, many think he intends to take revenge on his enemies. When the Camillus brothers enter the black-painted hall where the feast is being held and see their names engraved on monumental stones, they fear they will not survive the night...
Four pivotal events, fact and fiction. Four stories which allow Davis's much-loved characters new space and the opportunity to take personal roles in tense situations, with moving results. They face villainy, tragedy, accident, confusion and fear - but each story is told with the wry humour, and underpinned by human wisdom, courage and love.
The Bride from Bithynia tells the story of Aelia Camilla who travels 1000 miles to Britain to marry Gaius Flavius, a Roman officer. But their relationship struggles, then the province explodes in the Boudican Revolt. Now, it will be up to Aelia to save herself from the conflagration.
The Spook Who Spoke Again. Marcus Didius Alexander Postumus is an odd boy who has known two families. That of Marcus Didius himself and his actual birth mother, Thalia the Snake Dancer. Things begin to unravel quickly when he decides to emulate his adopted father and investigate a death in Thalia's troupe of exotic performers.
Vesuvius by Night. Two men share a room but seldom meet. Nonius is a pimp and part time thief who operates at night, Larius is a fresco painter who dreams of artistic greatness by day. When the volcano erupts, one will begin looting hastily abandoned villas, the other will do anything he can to save himself and his family.
Invitation to Die. When the Emperor Domitian invites the entire senatorial class to a banquet to honour the recent war dead, many think he intends to take revenge on his enemies. When the Camillus brothers enter the black-painted hall where the feast is being held and see their names engraved on monumental stones, they fear they will not survive the night...
Four pivotal events, fact and fiction. Four stories which allow Davis's much-loved characters new space and the opportunity to take personal roles in tense situations, with moving results. They face villainy, tragedy, accident, confusion and fear - but each story is told with the wry humour, and underpinned by human wisdom, courage and love.
374 pages, Hardcover
Published May 14, 2024
122 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Lindsey Davis
81 books1,510 followersLindsey Davis, historical novelist, was born in Birmingham, England in 1949. Having taken a degree in English literature at Oxford University (Lady Margaret Hall), she became a civil servant. She left the civil service after 13 years, and when a romantic novel she had written was runner up for the 1985 Georgette Heyer Historical Novel Prize, she decided to become a writer, writing at first romantic serials for the UK women's magazine Woman's Realm.
Her interest in history and archaeology led to her writing a historical novel about Vespasian and his lover Antonia Caenis (The Course of Honour), for which she couldn't find a publisher. She tried again, and her first novel featuring the Roman "detective", Marcus Didius Falco, The Silver Pigs, set in the same time period and published in 1989, was the start of her runaway success as a writer of historical whodunnits. A further nineteen Falco novels and Falco: The Official Companion have followed, as well as The Course of Honour, which was finally published in 1998. Rebels and Traitors, set in the period of the English Civil War, was published in September 2009. Davis has won many literary awards, and was honorary president of the Classical Association from 1997 to 1998.
Her interest in history and archaeology led to her writing a historical novel about Vespasian and his lover Antonia Caenis (The Course of Honour), for which she couldn't find a publisher. She tried again, and her first novel featuring the Roman "detective", Marcus Didius Falco, The Silver Pigs, set in the same time period and published in 1989, was the start of her runaway success as a writer of historical whodunnits. A further nineteen Falco novels and Falco: The Official Companion have followed, as well as The Course of Honour, which was finally published in 1998. Rebels and Traitors, set in the period of the English Civil War, was published in September 2009. Davis has won many literary awards, and was honorary president of the Classical Association from 1997 to 1998.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 16, 2023
Oh Lindsey Davis has such a way with words. These short stories are not all new, two of them at least I already had in my collection but I love her work so much I had to buy this set. The Vesuvius by night story I just confess I have never been able to bring myself to.read. It centres on the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii. Now the main character of the book is a young man named Larus and his family, Larus is a nephew of Falco (for those of you not familiar with her work he is the main character in her Roman detective series) we meet Larus for the first time as a young teen when he accompanies his uncle on.one of his cases. In Vesuvius by night Larus and.his.family perish in the eruption, knowing this (it's in the blurb for the book so no spoilers) I've never been able to read of his (and his families ) tragic end. Sentimental.maybe but till I actually read the.book Larus is.still alive and I like it that way. Then there's the Invitation to Dinner Falco's two brothers in law (both senators) are invited to attend a celebration dinner thrown by the Emperor Dominitan, the two brothers fully expect to not make it through the dinner alive (Dominita n was insane) and the dinner is an actual.historical fact, it really took place and what went on at the dinner has to be on of the most these and terrifying evenings. Then there's the Bride from Bythinia, in which we learn how Helena's (Falco's wife) aunt came to marry and settle in Britian, a fun story with some drama as it coincides with the Boudicca rebellion. Last but not least, in fact for me the best of the bunch is The Spook Who Spoke Again. Posthumous, the adopted son of Falco, (he may be Falco's half brother) is a strange young boy, known to be slightly emotionally detached from people, (today he would be tested to see if he was autistic) has reached the age of twelve (thought Helena thinks he could be eleven as his mother has never been exactly clear on when he was born) and his mother Thalia is in Rome to perform at the circus with her travelling troupe, which is made up of exotic animals and circus performer s. Thalia wants Posthumous to spend the season with her at the circus which Falco and Helena can find no reason to deny her. It might be good for the big to get to know his.natural mother. While there Posthumous intends to investigate the mystery of who his father really is (he knows of three possible options). His parents assure him should be want to come home he has only to say but Posthumous is not a boy to suffer from homesickness and he has his best friend with him, his pet ferret. What he doesn't know.is that his mother's main act is snake dancing and she keeps the snake, a large python named Jason, in her tent and he is not confined most of the time. Within twenty four hours Posthumous 's ferret has disappeared and he is sure Jason is to blame it he's right he intends to punish his mother, severely, but first he must have proof so there's a crime to solve before he can get to the mystery of who his father is.................. I love this boy his thinking is so clever but also precocious I just wish the story were longer or that we get more stories of Posthumous growing up in the future...
October 15, 2024
Off to a fine start. Four novellas: well. Read the publisher's and author's introductions first.
"The Spook Who Spoke Again" (2015). Marcus Didius Alexander Postumus! 12 years old, or is it 11? He's sent to visit Thalia, his "second mother," an erotic dancer with an enormous python. The python promptly (or so Postumus believes) devours his pet ferret. Justice must be served, and evil-doers must pay! A surprising discovery. Falco to the rescue! Postumus, as the author notes, is one sweet kid. First-rate story, an easy 4 stars.
"Vesuvius by Night (2017)." The great eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. "All that crud is going to come down on us." Ayup. Pompeii and Herculaneum both became enormous graveyards. Small mercies: the people died quickly, the fat in their bodies burned them in place. Uncounted thousands of victims, many still lie unknown and undisturbed. The author says that she had a tough time writing this one. It's a major work, the best thing of hers I've read. A full 5 stars from me. Worth getting the book just for this story. Absolutely not to be missed!
"Invitation to Die" (2019). In 89 AD, Emperor Domitian invited the entire Senate to a Black Feast, intending to put the fear of execution into the Senators. The fear part worked just fine. But the two youngish Senators who star in this fine, scary story have grit, walk out, and organize resistance to the tyrant. Rome had checks and balances, as Domitian discovered. He was assassinated in 96 AD: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domitian I enjoyed the story and recommend it: 4 stars.
"The Bride from Bithynia" (1991), novelette. An early work. The bride travels to Britain to marry a Roman mine-surveyor. They are caught up in a tribal revolt. It's, well, just OK. Short and has moments. For me, 2.5 stars, rounded up.
The three novellas carry the collection. The Vesuvius piece is a masterwork, not to be missed.
"The Spook Who Spoke Again" (2015). Marcus Didius Alexander Postumus! 12 years old, or is it 11? He's sent to visit Thalia, his "second mother," an erotic dancer with an enormous python. The python promptly (or so Postumus believes) devours his pet ferret. Justice must be served, and evil-doers must pay! A surprising discovery. Falco to the rescue! Postumus, as the author notes, is one sweet kid. First-rate story, an easy 4 stars.
"Vesuvius by Night (2017)." The great eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. "All that crud is going to come down on us." Ayup. Pompeii and Herculaneum both became enormous graveyards. Small mercies: the people died quickly, the fat in their bodies burned them in place. Uncounted thousands of victims, many still lie unknown and undisturbed. The author says that she had a tough time writing this one. It's a major work, the best thing of hers I've read. A full 5 stars from me. Worth getting the book just for this story. Absolutely not to be missed!
"Invitation to Die" (2019). In 89 AD, Emperor Domitian invited the entire Senate to a Black Feast, intending to put the fear of execution into the Senators. The fear part worked just fine. But the two youngish Senators who star in this fine, scary story have grit, walk out, and organize resistance to the tyrant. Rome had checks and balances, as Domitian discovered. He was assassinated in 96 AD: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domitian I enjoyed the story and recommend it: 4 stars.
"The Bride from Bithynia" (1991), novelette. An early work. The bride travels to Britain to marry a Roman mine-surveyor. They are caught up in a tribal revolt. It's, well, just OK. Short and has moments. For me, 2.5 stars, rounded up.
The three novellas carry the collection. The Vesuvius piece is a masterwork, not to be missed.
July 3, 2024
I’m a great fan of Lindsey Davis’ Falco series of novels about Marcus Didius Falco, informer, set in the era of the Flavian emperors of Rome (69-96 CE). If asked to describe the series and character of Falco, I would say think of it as The Rockford Files of the ancient world. I was interested then to find this title on the new books shelf at one of my libraries.
Voices of Rome collects four stories from that same era or just before involving several side characters from the Falco novels.
“The Spook Who Spoke Again”: Falco’s adopted son Postumus spends a week with his birth mother when she and her circus troupe visit the city for a festival. Postumus and his pet ferret, Ferret, have a few interesting days & some close calls before Falco shows up to rescue him and take him back to his real home. The most light-hearted of the four, “The Spook” is fun to read & not to be taken too seriously.
“Vesuvius by Night”: This story takes a decidedly darker turn as we follow Falco’s cousin Larius and his family on Pompeii and Herculaneum’s last day.
“Invitation to Die”: Domitian was the younger son of Vespasian. He was an insecure and paranoid man whose tyrannies eventually alienated enough people that he was assassinated after 15 years of misrule (96 CE). Before then, however, he enjoyed terrorizing his supposed enemies, especially the Senate. Notoriously he once invited the Senate to a dinner and proceeded to provide a night of terror, where no senator was sure he would see the dawn. Aulus and Quintus are Falco’s brothers-in-law and young, obscure senators who have a past with the Flavians that makes them and their families doubly sure something awful is going to happen.
“The Bride from Bithynia”: This involves the generation before Falco – Aelia Camilla is his wife Helena’s aunt, who marries Gaius, the chief of mining operations in the newly conquered province of Britannia. She must survive the Boudiccan Revolt (60-61 CE).
The stories are fine but definitely resonate more if you’re familiar with the Falco series and its spin off with this adopted daughter Flavia Albia so I’ll only recommend it with that caveat.
Voices of Rome collects four stories from that same era or just before involving several side characters from the Falco novels.
“The Spook Who Spoke Again”: Falco’s adopted son Postumus spends a week with his birth mother when she and her circus troupe visit the city for a festival. Postumus and his pet ferret, Ferret, have a few interesting days & some close calls before Falco shows up to rescue him and take him back to his real home. The most light-hearted of the four, “The Spook” is fun to read & not to be taken too seriously.
“Vesuvius by Night”: This story takes a decidedly darker turn as we follow Falco’s cousin Larius and his family on Pompeii and Herculaneum’s last day.
“Invitation to Die”: Domitian was the younger son of Vespasian. He was an insecure and paranoid man whose tyrannies eventually alienated enough people that he was assassinated after 15 years of misrule (96 CE). Before then, however, he enjoyed terrorizing his supposed enemies, especially the Senate. Notoriously he once invited the Senate to a dinner and proceeded to provide a night of terror, where no senator was sure he would see the dawn. Aulus and Quintus are Falco’s brothers-in-law and young, obscure senators who have a past with the Flavians that makes them and their families doubly sure something awful is going to happen.
“The Bride from Bithynia”: This involves the generation before Falco – Aelia Camilla is his wife Helena’s aunt, who marries Gaius, the chief of mining operations in the newly conquered province of Britannia. She must survive the Boudiccan Revolt (60-61 CE).
The stories are fine but definitely resonate more if you’re familiar with the Falco series and its spin off with this adopted daughter Flavia Albia so I’ll only recommend it with that caveat.
May 25, 2025
4 short stories in the Falco universe, the writing is as good as the books and we get a sideways look at some other family members...
December 9, 2024
Lindsey Davis. The consummate Historical Whodunit writer. Give yourself an absolute treat and read both her Falco and Flavia Albia series as well. You will thank me. This book contains four stories featuring 'spinoff' characters, skirting the edges of the family. Vesuvius by Night is heart wrenching. Just read it.
March 27, 2025
Enjoyable read, professionally executed.
December 5, 2023
Readers of Lindsey Davis will not want to miss this one. Highly recommend the Audible version—the author reading her own introduction was a special treat.
June 19, 2024
I have read 3 of these stories before, when they were released as stand-alone ebook editions. I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting them in the new released edition.
--The Spook Who Spoke Again uses Didius and Helena's adopted son Posthumus as the narrator. This slightly odd 11 or 12 year old boy (they have doubts about his actual age for complicated reasons) has a unique narrative voice. His mother, the snake dancer / circus troupe leader Thalia asks to have him come stay with the troupe for a memorable few weeks while they are in Rome, but finds her offspring has ideas of his own on how the outfit should operate. We also witness a rehearsal for a repeat performance of Falco's famous ghost play.
--Vesuvius by Night is a more somber story, telling the tale of Falco's nephew Larius and his family, who were killed in the eruption. Davis uses details of actual persons found in the archeological digs to create their story.
--Invitation to Die tells the story of Domitian's Black Banquet, where he invited all the senators of Rome (including Helena's 2 brothers). The room was painted black, all the foods were dyed black, and each couch had a tombstone at the end to complete the threatening atmosphere.
--The Bride from Bythnia was a new to me story, but was written for the BBC radio early in Davis' career. It tells the story of how Helena's aunt came to settle in Britain and her experiences during Boudicca's rebellion.
--The Spook Who Spoke Again uses Didius and Helena's adopted son Posthumus as the narrator. This slightly odd 11 or 12 year old boy (they have doubts about his actual age for complicated reasons) has a unique narrative voice. His mother, the snake dancer / circus troupe leader Thalia asks to have him come stay with the troupe for a memorable few weeks while they are in Rome, but finds her offspring has ideas of his own on how the outfit should operate. We also witness a rehearsal for a repeat performance of Falco's famous ghost play.
--Vesuvius by Night is a more somber story, telling the tale of Falco's nephew Larius and his family, who were killed in the eruption. Davis uses details of actual persons found in the archeological digs to create their story.
--Invitation to Die tells the story of Domitian's Black Banquet, where he invited all the senators of Rome (including Helena's 2 brothers). The room was painted black, all the foods were dyed black, and each couch had a tombstone at the end to complete the threatening atmosphere.
--The Bride from Bythnia was a new to me story, but was written for the BBC radio early in Davis' career. It tells the story of how Helena's aunt came to settle in Britain and her experiences during Boudicca's rebellion.
July 29, 2024
Four stories based around the families of Didius Falco, who is one of the main characters in Lindsey Davis’s books. The first is based around Postumus, a child that Falco and his wife have adopted. He returns to his mother Thalia, the snake dancer. Postumus ‘s pet ferret disappears and he blames Jason the snake, he decides to investigate.
The second story I found quite emotional. It is written just before Vesuvius erupts, burying Pompeii. The main character is a nephew of Falco, a painter and shares a room with a part time thief. Luckily they seldom meet, as one has the bed at night and vice versa. This is what happens before, during and a little bit after the eruption.
The third is based on Falco’s brothers in law. They are invited to a meal at the emperor Domitian palace to honour the recent dead. Will they survive the meal or is this the end for the senatorial class.
The last one is about a girl who travels to Britain to marry a Roman Officer. They marry and then the province erupts due to the Boudican revolt. Do they survive?
These stories are good, well written as I would expect from this author. They bring the atmosphere of the Roman times alive. And although I would have liked to see more of Falco, it is good to broaden out the character field. ( was pleased to see Helena appear)
The second story I found quite emotional. It is written just before Vesuvius erupts, burying Pompeii. The main character is a nephew of Falco, a painter and shares a room with a part time thief. Luckily they seldom meet, as one has the bed at night and vice versa. This is what happens before, during and a little bit after the eruption.
The third is based on Falco’s brothers in law. They are invited to a meal at the emperor Domitian palace to honour the recent dead. Will they survive the meal or is this the end for the senatorial class.
The last one is about a girl who travels to Britain to marry a Roman Officer. They marry and then the province erupts due to the Boudican revolt. Do they survive?
These stories are good, well written as I would expect from this author. They bring the atmosphere of the Roman times alive. And although I would have liked to see more of Falco, it is good to broaden out the character field. ( was pleased to see Helena appear)
April 23, 2024
( Format : Audiobook )
"Don't eat the mushrooms."
Four novellas by Lindsey Davis, set in the world peripheral to the family of that of Falco, plus an introduction by the author herself, which was interesting for those readers already familiar with the Falco series. Vesuvius by Night I had recently re-read, a reconstruction of the night the world erupted for the people of Pompeii and Herculean, and performed by Jonathan Keeble, who also narrates the story, of a meal with the Emperor Domitian, An Invitation to Die. A more gentle look at the young adopted son of Falco and Helena, young Posthumous, when he goes to stay briefly, with his birth mother Thalia and her python occurs in The Spook who Spoke Again, narrated nice!y by Thomas Judd, and the final tale, read by Jane Collingwood, follows the young girl Aelia Camilla from childhood through to marriage and her new home and husband in Britannia
An enjoyable peek through the cracks of the wider Roman world.
"Don't eat the mushrooms."
Four novellas by Lindsey Davis, set in the world peripheral to the family of that of Falco, plus an introduction by the author herself, which was interesting for those readers already familiar with the Falco series. Vesuvius by Night I had recently re-read, a reconstruction of the night the world erupted for the people of Pompeii and Herculean, and performed by Jonathan Keeble, who also narrates the story, of a meal with the Emperor Domitian, An Invitation to Die. A more gentle look at the young adopted son of Falco and Helena, young Posthumous, when he goes to stay briefly, with his birth mother Thalia and her python occurs in The Spook who Spoke Again, narrated nice!y by Thomas Judd, and the final tale, read by Jane Collingwood, follows the young girl Aelia Camilla from childhood through to marriage and her new home and husband in Britannia
An enjoyable peek through the cracks of the wider Roman world.
June 4, 2024
I don’t normally enjoy short stories but these were OK. Davis takes minor characters or events from her Falco and Albia books and gives them their own stories. The first featured Falco’s “ward” Postumus and includes the reappearance of an awful play Falco wrote in the Last Act in Palmyra (one of my favorites in that series). Another has a very vivid depiction of the eruption of Vesuvius and the last days of so many Pompeiians. Helena”s senatorial brothers have a close call with one of Domitian’s “entertainments” and an early story involving Helena’s aunt is set in Brittania. What I liked most was the introduction by Davis where she describes why and when she wrote each story and how it fit into the various series. Made me recall so many moments from so many books. Davis really makes you “see” her Rome and the provinces.
November 24, 2025
When you're looking for short historical fiction, Voices of Rome is a good choice. Lindsey Davis gives us four short stories/novellas about life in the ancient Roman Empire.
The first is narrated by a boy, Postumus, and is about the loss of his beloved ferret. The second is a story about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The third tells us about life under the emperor Domitian--not good. Finally, we have the story of a bride who leaves Italy to go to the British territories.
My favorite was the last story; my least favorite, the first. It's not that Postumus' story isn't good; it's more that it drags on too much. The final story is the shortest, and it's the pruning of excess that makes it the best.
The first is narrated by a boy, Postumus, and is about the loss of his beloved ferret. The second is a story about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The third tells us about life under the emperor Domitian--not good. Finally, we have the story of a bride who leaves Italy to go to the British territories.
My favorite was the last story; my least favorite, the first. It's not that Postumus' story isn't good; it's more that it drags on too much. The final story is the shortest, and it's the pruning of excess that makes it the best.
September 30, 2024
Excellent collection of four "short stories" with characters from the author's Falco and Flavia Albia series. I especially enjoyed the first one which has a narrator of pre-teen age and pre-teen interests including his pet ferret. The Vesuvius at Night story is told by several victims of the eruption of the volcano at Pompeii and Herculaneum, The book can be read by anyone interested in fiction about ancient Rome, but it helps a little to have read the author's two above-mentioned series.
January 17, 2025
These short stories are filled with amazing historic Roman detail and enlighten the readers perceptions of Didius Falco’s family. From the adopted ‘’nephew/step brother’ learning many things in a family of circus performers and Didius Falco’s affluent and politically connected wife & growing brood, to the tense Domitian dinner all senators must attend which includes Falco’s 2 brothers in-law. To Mt. Vesuvius by night, Lindsey Davis weaves in and out of this intelligent and thoughtful family. She provides new perspectives and furthers background on her characters. Well worth my time.
June 14, 2024
Four novellas that fill in some of the times between Ms. Davis's longer books. No too much Falco but rather members of his family (a family tree might have come in helpful). Good stories as one would expect. If you like Falco and Albia Flavia you will like this.
January 30, 2026
Four solid stories about ancient Rome. Loved "Vesuvius by Night." Beautiful job building characters and getting us to care about them.
Very creeped about by the one about the Camilli brothers. Now I'm curious whether that was based on a historical event or not.
Very creeped about by the one about the Camilli brothers. Now I'm curious whether that was based on a historical event or not.
March 23, 2024
Top of her game; the Vesuvius story is particularly affecting.
April 10, 2024
Good varied collection of stories for fans of Lindsey Davis. I could not resist at a reduced price from Amazon and was happy I made the purchase.
September 8, 2024
I really enjoyed this book, particularly the last story. Various minor characters get to tell their story and it filled in blanks, and added new dimensions.
October 13, 2024
A disappointment. I could only read the last story from start to finish.
February 25, 2025
Spoiler!
The only characters I cared about were killed off in Novella # 2, "Vesuvius" so I didn't finish.
The only characters I cared about were killed off in Novella # 2, "Vesuvius" so I didn't finish.
Read
April 6, 2025Feels like I should read the actual series first before reading this book.
Might come back to it later?
Might come back to it later?
June 1, 2025
brilliant and at times poignant read
Loved the stories -never to short and a real affirmation of Lindsey Davis’ ability to bring Ancient Rome back to life
Loved the stories -never to short and a real affirmation of Lindsey Davis’ ability to bring Ancient Rome back to life
December 2, 2025
Four quite enjoyable novellas set in Ancient Rome.
December 26, 2023
Having not read any of the previous books reading this book was impacted by same.
I have been a 'romophile' [is that a word?] since I was very young hence my attraction to this book.
It was just okay...I will not be reading the others.
I have been a 'romophile' [is that a word?] since I was very young hence my attraction to this book.
It was just okay...I will not be reading the others.
October 8, 2023
I would like to thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy of Voices of Rome, a collection of 4 stories told by various peripheral characters in Falco’s world of the 1st century Roman Empire.
It should be noted that all 4 stories have been published previously, 3 as Kindle Singles (The Spook Who Spoke Again, Vesuvius by Night and Invitation to Die) while the fourth, The Bride from Bithynia was first published in 1991 in a magazine. The author provides a very comprehensive foreword explaining how she came to write them and her thinking behind them, so I won’t do more than generalise about the collection. I found it very interesting and a great insight into her methodology.
The novellas, as she prefers to call them, are all told by different characters and, apart from The Spook Who Spoke Again, take a look at seminal events from the point of view of ordinary, relatively powerless citizens. There is little by way of crime, my main reading matter, but they do bring the ancient world alive through humour and period detail. The strength, however, is in the characterisation where the men tend to be rather feckless, while the women are quite strong. Obviously this is a bit of a generalisation with exceptions on both sides, but it doesn’t stop the characters coming to life on the page and exposes their strengths and weaknesses when confronted with peril.
It seems to me that The Spook Who Spoke Again is the outlier in this collection. It is all about Postumus, Falco’s rather strange adopted son, and his adventures at the circus. He is not a likeable child and his adventure is more fun than character forming. I thought it was a bit contrived, but I loved the ending.
Voices of Rome is a good read that I can recommend.
It should be noted that all 4 stories have been published previously, 3 as Kindle Singles (The Spook Who Spoke Again, Vesuvius by Night and Invitation to Die) while the fourth, The Bride from Bithynia was first published in 1991 in a magazine. The author provides a very comprehensive foreword explaining how she came to write them and her thinking behind them, so I won’t do more than generalise about the collection. I found it very interesting and a great insight into her methodology.
The novellas, as she prefers to call them, are all told by different characters and, apart from The Spook Who Spoke Again, take a look at seminal events from the point of view of ordinary, relatively powerless citizens. There is little by way of crime, my main reading matter, but they do bring the ancient world alive through humour and period detail. The strength, however, is in the characterisation where the men tend to be rather feckless, while the women are quite strong. Obviously this is a bit of a generalisation with exceptions on both sides, but it doesn’t stop the characters coming to life on the page and exposes their strengths and weaknesses when confronted with peril.
It seems to me that The Spook Who Spoke Again is the outlier in this collection. It is all about Postumus, Falco’s rather strange adopted son, and his adventures at the circus. He is not a likeable child and his adventure is more fun than character forming. I thought it was a bit contrived, but I loved the ending.
Voices of Rome is a good read that I can recommend.
November 24, 2023
This book is made up of four novellas featuring characters from her series ( three of which have been published before ) - there is need to read the previous books as this set can be read as standalones
Each book explores the Author's world in Ancient Rome and beyond - written with humour the stories are entertaining , filled with intrigue and drawing the reader into a different world told from various perspectives
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Each book explores the Author's world in Ancient Rome and beyond - written with humour the stories are entertaining , filled with intrigue and drawing the reader into a different world told from various perspectives
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
November 22, 2023
Not quite up to the usual Lindsey Davis standard. 2 really enjoyable stories about the Camilli brothers Quintus and Aulus invited to a feast by Domitian and their aunt Aelia Camilla in Britain. But the other two I found unsatisfying; Postumus, Falco’s adopted son is a strange boy and this adventure seemed to be written in a very stilted style, and the tale of Nonius and Larius just didn’t capture me.
November 27, 2023
I’m a fan of Lindsey Davis, always eagerly waiting for each new title, that whisks me back to Ancient Rome to enjoy the cast of characters that people the world of Falco and Albia. Beautifully written, these four short stories take you to new perspectives for already familiar characters. Moving, exciting and comedic by turns, they have absorbed me and taken me straight back to revisit her earlier novels.
November 19, 2023
Lindsay Davis never disappoints and her stories and characters are always well developed. These stories are entertaining and compelling.
Thoroughly enjoyed them
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Thoroughly enjoyed them
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
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