What do you think?
Rate this book
Flavia Albia #8
The Grove of the Caesars
Too many people tell Flavia Albia, 'Don't go to the Grove'. Such warnings will only lure her to the place she is warned away from, Julius Caesar's Gardens, where she finds more than one intriguing mystery.
Someone has buried tattered scrolls here, by unreadable ancient philosophers. Hardly has she taken an interest in what looks like book collecting fraud, when far worse happens. A present evil stirs in the undergrowth. A man holds a birthday party that goes terribly wrong, exposing a long series of neglected crimes.
Albia learns that a serial killer has haunted the gardens and grove for years targeting women. It isn't her place to investigate; that's the job of a dubious vigiles cohort, beefed up by the sinister imperial agent, Julius Karus who she thinks is vile. But sympathy for the dead women and their grieving relatives resonates with Albia. Even if she has to work with Karus, nothing will stop her until the serial killer in the sacred grove is at last caught and brought to justice.
Praise for Lindsey Davis and the Flavia Albia series
'Lindsey Davis has seen off all her competitors to become the unassailable market leader in the 'crime in Ancient Rome' genre . . . Davis's squalid, vibrant Rome is as pleasurable as ever' - Guardian
'Davis's prose is a lively joy, and Flavia's Rome is sinister and gloriously real' - The Times on Sunday
'For fans of crime fiction set in the ancient world, this one is not to be missed' - Booklist
'Davis's books crackle with wit and knowledge . . . She has the happy knack of making the reader feel entirely immersed in Rome' - The Times
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2020
262 people are currently reading
2247 people want to read
About the author
Lindsey Davis
78 books1,493 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
February 24, 2021
This very exciting Roman murder mystery is the 8th volume of the wonderful "Flavia Albia" series, from the well-known author, Lindsey Davis.
At the beginning of the book you'll notice a very well-drawn map of Region XIV Transtiberina in Rome, AD 89, as well as a list of Characters who are featuring in this great Roman historical adventure.
At the end of the book you can read an informative and funny Appendix concerning this great mystery.
Storytelling is once again of a top-notch quality, all characters, whether they are real great historical or wonderful fictional, come vividly to life within this superb mystery of murder and mayhem, while the dark and brooding atmosphere of Rome comes splendidly off the pages.
This Roman mystery is set in December in the year, AD 89, during the reign of the deranged Emperor Domitian, and self-styled Master and God of Rome.
This story is about the killings of women in the consecrated grounds of the Grove of the Caesars, murdering deeds perpetrated by someone with a devious and ruthless mind, while as a second subject there's the counterfeiting of literary scrolls by various people and these actions are coupled with murders also.
What will follow is an action-packed and fast-paced murder mystery, along with great interaction and dialogue, in which Flavia Albia by using her wits and shrewd thinking, while also helped along the way by the Seventh Cohort Vigiles Boss, Ursus, and after some twists and turns and by deduction, Flavia Albia will come to know in her own remarkable and clever way the identity of the real culprit of these horrible murders, and together with Ursus they will be able to apprehend the murderer in the end, while this other business with the counterfeit scrolls will come also to a most resolute and satisfied conclusion.
Very much recommended, for this is another fantastic addition to this series, and that's why I want to call this episode: "Flavia Albia Back At Her Peak"!
At the beginning of the book you'll notice a very well-drawn map of Region XIV Transtiberina in Rome, AD 89, as well as a list of Characters who are featuring in this great Roman historical adventure.
At the end of the book you can read an informative and funny Appendix concerning this great mystery.
Storytelling is once again of a top-notch quality, all characters, whether they are real great historical or wonderful fictional, come vividly to life within this superb mystery of murder and mayhem, while the dark and brooding atmosphere of Rome comes splendidly off the pages.
This Roman mystery is set in December in the year, AD 89, during the reign of the deranged Emperor Domitian, and self-styled Master and God of Rome.
This story is about the killings of women in the consecrated grounds of the Grove of the Caesars, murdering deeds perpetrated by someone with a devious and ruthless mind, while as a second subject there's the counterfeiting of literary scrolls by various people and these actions are coupled with murders also.
What will follow is an action-packed and fast-paced murder mystery, along with great interaction and dialogue, in which Flavia Albia by using her wits and shrewd thinking, while also helped along the way by the Seventh Cohort Vigiles Boss, Ursus, and after some twists and turns and by deduction, Flavia Albia will come to know in her own remarkable and clever way the identity of the real culprit of these horrible murders, and together with Ursus they will be able to apprehend the murderer in the end, while this other business with the counterfeit scrolls will come also to a most resolute and satisfied conclusion.
Very much recommended, for this is another fantastic addition to this series, and that's why I want to call this episode: "Flavia Albia Back At Her Peak"!
April 13, 2020
Another extremely enjoyable and entertaining detective case for Flavia Albia, daughter of Falco, in Domitian's Rome. As usual in this favourite series, the narrative is packed with interesting background details which bring ancient Rome to life. There is a horrific crime at the heart of this novel, which somehow, in my opinion, doesn't fit with the humorous and ironic tone of the prose, but otherwise this is a worthy addition to the series. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
September 26, 2020
Great and entertaining read as usual from this author. Now I think this makes 28 books penned by her that I have read and appreciated. It's Flavia! You know there will be murder and dastardly deeds to uncover whilst left alone in the city when husband has to go tend to dying sister.
There is a serial killer to be unmasked, a scroll forger to discover and many other acts of bravery for Flavia Albia to accomplish. We know she is up to it.
Library Loan
Note on September 26, 2020: YIPPEE, my downtown loft had package in package room since August they had not advised me about and I actually WON a Goodreads request for this book. It is a beautiful hardback edition I shall cherish. Cannot believe I actually won a Goodreads giveaway. Hooray! Thanks to MINOTAUR BOOKS!
There is a serial killer to be unmasked, a scroll forger to discover and many other acts of bravery for Flavia Albia to accomplish. We know she is up to it.
Library Loan
Note on September 26, 2020: YIPPEE, my downtown loft had package in package room since August they had not advised me about and I actually WON a Goodreads request for this book. It is a beautiful hardback edition I shall cherish. Cannot believe I actually won a Goodreads giveaway. Hooray! Thanks to MINOTAUR BOOKS!
March 5, 2025
Ursus rallied. 'Flavia Albia, I'd heard about you, but I didn't believe the stories, It's one big adventure after another when you are around!
Our dearest Albiola is alone in this book, as her beloved husband Tiberius has gone to visit her sick sister. Quite by chance, or if you believe in such things, fate, Albia finds herself investigating two different crimes: the forgery of scrolls and a series of Jack the Ripper style murders of women in the Grove of the Caesars, a garden originally bequeathed to Rome by Julius Caesar.
Down where Julius Cesar once stomped around his arbours, dreaming of world domination, a verge of warehouses was creeping into existence beside the water.
Flavia Albia doesn’t disappoint, she is as far from an unreliable narrator as you can get. In this installment, we see her detective and profiling skills in action as she solves both cases. By the end, she even acquires new family members. I can’t wait to see her next adventures.
Our dearest Albiola is alone in this book, as her beloved husband Tiberius has gone to visit her sick sister. Quite by chance, or if you believe in such things, fate, Albia finds herself investigating two different crimes: the forgery of scrolls and a series of Jack the Ripper style murders of women in the Grove of the Caesars, a garden originally bequeathed to Rome by Julius Caesar.
Down where Julius Cesar once stomped around his arbours, dreaming of world domination, a verge of warehouses was creeping into existence beside the water.
Flavia Albia doesn’t disappoint, she is as far from an unreliable narrator as you can get. In this installment, we see her detective and profiling skills in action as she solves both cases. By the end, she even acquires new family members. I can’t wait to see her next adventures.
August 11, 2020
Slow start, but good at the end. Many lost boys. I hope that Falco's auction house and his favorite niece continue to figure in the stories. I do hope Lindsey Davis is immortal, as I need my annual Flavian mystery.
June 1, 2020
I received a copy of The Grove of the Caesars from Hachette Australia to review.
Get ready for an outstanding historical murder mystery as one of my favourite authors, Lindsey Davis, returns with another book in her amazing Flavia Albia series, The Grove of the Caesars.
“Don’t go to the Grove.”
Rome, 89 AD. Flavia Albia, professional informer and all-around busy body, is still adjusting to domestic life with her new husband. When he is called away for a family emergency, Flavia takes up the reins of his construction business and begins to supervise several of their projects, especially a demolition and construction job within the sprawling gardens outside the city that Caesar long ago gifted to the people of Rome.
Ignoring the subtle warnings of those men familiar with the gardens to stay away from them and their accompanying sacred grove, Flavia visits the worksite, where she finds a series of mysterious scrolls buried in a cave. Why has someone buried a mass of scrolls from obscure Greek philosophers, and what dark secrets do the scrolls hold? Before Flavia can investigate any further, a woman is brutally murdered at a party held at the grove, and two of Flavia’s slaves go missing.
It turns out that there is a killer lurking in the sacred grove; one who targets women and who has successfully avoided detection for years. With the local vigiles failing to properly investigate the crime, Flavia decides to take on the case. However, can Flavia catch a murderer clever enough to escape justice for two decades, especially once the Emperor’s sinister secret agent Karus takes over the investigation? Forced to work with Karus once again, can Flavia find justice for all the murdered women, or will she end up as the next victim of one of Rome’s most dangerous killers?
To see the full review, click the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/06/01/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
Get ready for an outstanding historical murder mystery as one of my favourite authors, Lindsey Davis, returns with another book in her amazing Flavia Albia series, The Grove of the Caesars.
“Don’t go to the Grove.”
Rome, 89 AD. Flavia Albia, professional informer and all-around busy body, is still adjusting to domestic life with her new husband. When he is called away for a family emergency, Flavia takes up the reins of his construction business and begins to supervise several of their projects, especially a demolition and construction job within the sprawling gardens outside the city that Caesar long ago gifted to the people of Rome.
Ignoring the subtle warnings of those men familiar with the gardens to stay away from them and their accompanying sacred grove, Flavia visits the worksite, where she finds a series of mysterious scrolls buried in a cave. Why has someone buried a mass of scrolls from obscure Greek philosophers, and what dark secrets do the scrolls hold? Before Flavia can investigate any further, a woman is brutally murdered at a party held at the grove, and two of Flavia’s slaves go missing.
It turns out that there is a killer lurking in the sacred grove; one who targets women and who has successfully avoided detection for years. With the local vigiles failing to properly investigate the crime, Flavia decides to take on the case. However, can Flavia catch a murderer clever enough to escape justice for two decades, especially once the Emperor’s sinister secret agent Karus takes over the investigation? Forced to work with Karus once again, can Flavia find justice for all the murdered women, or will she end up as the next victim of one of Rome’s most dangerous killers?
To see the full review, click the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2020/06/01/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
September 22, 2021
Not bad - solid 4 stars I think. When I read the first one, I got the impression she was trying too hard to recapture the light/fun feeling of the first Falco mysteries and wasn't too impressed. I think Ms Davis has found her stride again and this really was a fun read. I think I'll have to go back and read some of the other entries in the series.
The plot has Flavia Albia trying to solve the murder of a upstanding matron in the Grove of the Caeser. As she investigates, she turns up evidence that this is not the first time a body of a woman has been found in the Grove over the years - It seems there is a serial killer on the loose, and has been for over 20 yrs. I'll leave the description at that, but needless to say she does solve the mystery, find the killer and during the process irritate the powers that be, including some close to the emperor.
The plot has Flavia Albia trying to solve the murder of a upstanding matron in the Grove of the Caeser. As she investigates, she turns up evidence that this is not the first time a body of a woman has been found in the Grove over the years - It seems there is a serial killer on the loose, and has been for over 20 yrs. I'll leave the description at that, but needless to say she does solve the mystery, find the killer and during the process irritate the powers that be, including some close to the emperor.
September 12, 2022
I’ve been a Lindsey Davis fan since her Didius Falco days, and probably prefer those earlier books to the Flavia Albia mysteries. But “The Grove of the Caesars” is more than an exception—it may be one of the best tales in either enjoyable series. Albia is at her cynical and yet touching best, especially in the final pages of the novel. Three storylines get underway quickly, two of them violent and the third an exercise in scholarly skullduggery that manages, despite one truly dull chapter on ancient Rome’s bibliomania, to deliver quite a punch. Overall, the plot is complex and layered without being confusing. As always, the city of Rome is rendered as convincingly as present-day London or New York.
August 4, 2020
I always love the Flavia Albia books because I enjoy the characters so much. However, this one had a weak plot and then a side excursion into the selling of ancient scrolls that detracted from the main story. Still love Davis' work, but this was not her best.
January 30, 2023
In this episode Flavia Albia finds herself alone as her husband Tiberius has been called away by a family emergency. He asks her to monitor the work of his building crew while he is away although the last thing he says is that she does not need to visit their work site which is at the Grove of the Ceasars. Of course being Flavia Albia one of the first things she does is head off to these public gardens looking for whatever it is Tiberius is trying to hide from her. After questioning/bullying the workers she finds out there have been multiple women who go missing at the Grove with some bodies later found, the missing and murdered women to back twenty years with no clues as to who is responsible. Flavia Albia's interest is piqued but she has no client and much to do without Tiberius at home so she puts it to one side, then another woman goes missing and unlike previous victims she is the wife of a wealthy influential man so now there are calls for the killer to be tracked down. Now in a position to offer her services Flavia Albia takes on a case which will.strike very close to.home.............
August 5, 2020
2020 bk 262. I don't know how she does it, but I am glad she does. Lindsey Davis does an excellent job of recreating the Rome of Domitian, the discomforts of being a woman of foreign birth in a closed society. She is an amazing informer, using her differences to wiggle information out of people who might not speak to others, putting the clues together, using those very differences as a strength. Sometimes I wish she would do more paired work with her father in one of the stories, but am thoroughly enjoying the tales of Flavia Albia. This was the best of the 8 so far.
June 22, 2020
Serial Rapist/Murderer That Reached Into Albia’s Household
This novel opens with extended B-storyline threads. If you are a Falcophile/Albiaphile as I am this section was wonderful. This section had more about Falco that has appeared in all of the previous novels in this series even though he did not make an appearance. In this section the author slips in the start of one main storyline thread in these opening chapters.
The other main storyline thread begins with a large birthday celebration for Cluventius, who moves heavy goods throughout the empire. The party is held in the Groove of the Caesars where Tiberius, Albia’s husband, has a crew building a nymphaeum. During the party Cluventius’s wife disappears. Her body, nude and raped, is found the next morning. Discovered at the same time is that two young slave boys, gifts from the Emperor Domitian to Tiberius and Albia, are missing. At the crime scene Albia meets a vigile’s local inquiry chief who professionalism surprised her. Albia enjoys a good working relationship with the inquiry chief. Also, she is hired by Cluventius to investigate his wife’s murder as the vigile investigation is not progressing well. Julius Karus, a Domitian favorite for questionable tasks, is assigned to beef up the inquiry. The main storylines proceeds from here.
The main storyline threads are woven well into an enjoyable narrative. In addition to the murder and rape and the missing slave boys, there is the building of the nymphaeum in the groove, the building of a water-feature in Albia’s residence, and the investigation of the authenticity of some scrolls discovered at the building site of the nymphaeum.
The B-storylines are rich especially in the beginning as noted above. More background is revealed on Albia, the Didii Clan members and associates, Tiberius and his family, and the auctioneer business throughout the novel. Being an avid reader of this series, this aspect of the novel enriched and heighted my enjoyment in reading this novel.
As with the trend of this and Falco series, the sexual content is non-existent. I only found eight instances of one minor expletive. While danger and anxiety is present, violence is described after the fact. I do recommend reading this novel on an e-reader with Internet access, as the author uses many Latin terms to enhance authenticity to the period and many British words. I used this capability to understand better what is happen.
What I really liked was that most of the main and B-storyline threads grabbed my attention and held it throughout the novel. Unfortunately, one main storyline thread involving the scrolls was slow reduced my desire to continue reading. Do not get me wrong, this thread was well researched and well presented, but for me it slowed the flow of the novel every time it became the current thread. Another characteristic of Lindsay Davis’s Falco and Albia novels is the addition of some interesting trivia. This one concerns the Lucius and Gaius Caesar figures in the Ara Pacis. Having visited that site and taken pictures of all the figures, I can’t confirm the author’s interpretation but it is feasible and adds a nice little touch.
Overall I rate this with four stars as the scroll thread dragged it down from five stars. Again, to be honest, this rating is for Falcophiles/Albiaphiles as I am. If this is the first book in this series that you are thinking of reading, I would recommend starting with an earlier novel in this series.
I have received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from St. Martin’s Press with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
This novel opens with extended B-storyline threads. If you are a Falcophile/Albiaphile as I am this section was wonderful. This section had more about Falco that has appeared in all of the previous novels in this series even though he did not make an appearance. In this section the author slips in the start of one main storyline thread in these opening chapters.
The other main storyline thread begins with a large birthday celebration for Cluventius, who moves heavy goods throughout the empire. The party is held in the Groove of the Caesars where Tiberius, Albia’s husband, has a crew building a nymphaeum. During the party Cluventius’s wife disappears. Her body, nude and raped, is found the next morning. Discovered at the same time is that two young slave boys, gifts from the Emperor Domitian to Tiberius and Albia, are missing. At the crime scene Albia meets a vigile’s local inquiry chief who professionalism surprised her. Albia enjoys a good working relationship with the inquiry chief. Also, she is hired by Cluventius to investigate his wife’s murder as the vigile investigation is not progressing well. Julius Karus, a Domitian favorite for questionable tasks, is assigned to beef up the inquiry. The main storylines proceeds from here.
The main storyline threads are woven well into an enjoyable narrative. In addition to the murder and rape and the missing slave boys, there is the building of the nymphaeum in the groove, the building of a water-feature in Albia’s residence, and the investigation of the authenticity of some scrolls discovered at the building site of the nymphaeum.
The B-storylines are rich especially in the beginning as noted above. More background is revealed on Albia, the Didii Clan members and associates, Tiberius and his family, and the auctioneer business throughout the novel. Being an avid reader of this series, this aspect of the novel enriched and heighted my enjoyment in reading this novel.
As with the trend of this and Falco series, the sexual content is non-existent. I only found eight instances of one minor expletive. While danger and anxiety is present, violence is described after the fact. I do recommend reading this novel on an e-reader with Internet access, as the author uses many Latin terms to enhance authenticity to the period and many British words. I used this capability to understand better what is happen.
What I really liked was that most of the main and B-storyline threads grabbed my attention and held it throughout the novel. Unfortunately, one main storyline thread involving the scrolls was slow reduced my desire to continue reading. Do not get me wrong, this thread was well researched and well presented, but for me it slowed the flow of the novel every time it became the current thread. Another characteristic of Lindsay Davis’s Falco and Albia novels is the addition of some interesting trivia. This one concerns the Lucius and Gaius Caesar figures in the Ara Pacis. Having visited that site and taken pictures of all the figures, I can’t confirm the author’s interpretation but it is feasible and adds a nice little touch.
Overall I rate this with four stars as the scroll thread dragged it down from five stars. Again, to be honest, this rating is for Falcophiles/Albiaphiles as I am. If this is the first book in this series that you are thinking of reading, I would recommend starting with an earlier novel in this series.
I have received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from St. Martin’s Press with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
June 7, 2021
A welcome return to form for this good writer who puts an amusing touch on the crimes of Ancient Rome.
April 2, 2021
Usually Flavia Albia comes across all manner of unlikeable characters - hardly surprising, in her line of work. I seem to remember more than usual in the last book. This one, however, takes a different tack.
Many of the people Flavia encounters seem drawn with a softer brush, whether this be the victim’s family, the Seventh Cohort’s captain Ursus (who genuinely wants to solve the crimes, whatever his motive, and who is mostly content to team up with Flavia Albia - he comes to regard her as a kind of mascot!) or her husband’s team of builders. There are others, too. Even the annoying slave Dromo has his moment. He takes a surviving victim under his wing, and treats him with grave kindness. He fusses over him, as Flavia says, like a child with a doll.
I think this persistent thread of humanity and decency is necessary, a counterpoint to the horrible crimes Flavia is investigating. A murderer has been preying on women in the Grove for years. It’s a difficult case for Flavia, one she’s passionately determined to solve. Talking with Domitian’s hitman, who’s been put on the case, she describes the victims as destitute women trying to put food on the table for their children. Many times we see her compassion for them, as she weeps with a victim’s spouse (they actually come from all types of backgrounds), or holds back tears over the evidence which she and Ursus eventually discover.
Death is everywhere. When a turns up dead, the funeral is poignant. The tomb guardian found me an old terracotta pot. It had a rough surface and a large chip out of the rim but was suitable. I collected the few ashes into this simple container....I was told that the family who had built (the tomb) were generous; nobody would object to their ancestors being joined by one more sad little spirit.
Flavia’s husband Tiberius is absent because of a bereavement. She feels his grief, too, after joining him in the country for his sister’s funeral. Tiberius might be absent for most of the book, but he’s often in her thoughts. The bond these two share is heartwarming. At the very end, a lovely moment: My husband was pleading, though he had no need. There he was, with his grey eyes, warmth of heart, easy attitude. Upon his arrival, for me the troubled world had stilled. As for what Tiberius was asking, well, it was something kindhearted Flavia wouldn’t deny him and which I’m sure will be an interesting dynamic for the next book. I’m looking forward to seeing more of ‘old Grey Eyes’ then.
Flavia has two mysteries to solve in this book. The outcome of the mystery surrounding the scrolls was something I’d pretty much guessed from the beginning. But the means by which the killer’s identity is finally uncovered is clever, linked to a bizarre incident which takes place on the Naumarchia, a watery arena for trireme battles which has fallen into disuse. Flavia and Urses end up in their very own Despite the situation, this is another example of how Ms Davis so brilliantly conjures this ancient world, ever taking us into it’s unexpected corners. The range of knowledge behind these books always astounds me, as does the way it’s served up to the reader.
Many of the people Flavia encounters seem drawn with a softer brush, whether this be the victim’s family, the Seventh Cohort’s captain Ursus (who genuinely wants to solve the crimes, whatever his motive, and who is mostly content to team up with Flavia Albia - he comes to regard her as a kind of mascot!) or her husband’s team of builders. There are others, too. Even the annoying slave Dromo has his moment. He takes a surviving victim under his wing, and treats him with grave kindness. He fusses over him, as Flavia says, like a child with a doll.
I think this persistent thread of humanity and decency is necessary, a counterpoint to the horrible crimes Flavia is investigating. A murderer has been preying on women in the Grove for years. It’s a difficult case for Flavia, one she’s passionately determined to solve. Talking with Domitian’s hitman, who’s been put on the case, she describes the victims as destitute women trying to put food on the table for their children. Many times we see her compassion for them, as she weeps with a victim’s spouse (they actually come from all types of backgrounds), or holds back tears over the evidence which she and Ursus eventually discover.
Death is everywhere. When a turns up dead, the funeral is poignant. The tomb guardian found me an old terracotta pot. It had a rough surface and a large chip out of the rim but was suitable. I collected the few ashes into this simple container....I was told that the family who had built (the tomb) were generous; nobody would object to their ancestors being joined by one more sad little spirit.
Flavia’s husband Tiberius is absent because of a bereavement. She feels his grief, too, after joining him in the country for his sister’s funeral. Tiberius might be absent for most of the book, but he’s often in her thoughts. The bond these two share is heartwarming. At the very end, a lovely moment: My husband was pleading, though he had no need. There he was, with his grey eyes, warmth of heart, easy attitude. Upon his arrival, for me the troubled world had stilled. As for what Tiberius was asking, well, it was something kindhearted Flavia wouldn’t deny him and which I’m sure will be an interesting dynamic for the next book. I’m looking forward to seeing more of ‘old Grey Eyes’ then.
Flavia has two mysteries to solve in this book. The outcome of the mystery surrounding the scrolls was something I’d pretty much guessed from the beginning. But the means by which the killer’s identity is finally uncovered is clever, linked to a bizarre incident which takes place on the Naumarchia, a watery arena for trireme battles which has fallen into disuse. Flavia and Urses end up in their very own Despite the situation, this is another example of how Ms Davis so brilliantly conjures this ancient world, ever taking us into it’s unexpected corners. The range of knowledge behind these books always astounds me, as does the way it’s served up to the reader.
July 30, 2020
At least 2020 gives us the latest adventure by Flavia Albia, Roman informer and wife and business partner of Tiberius Manlius Faustus, building contractor and soon to be retiring aedile. As the story opens, Hubby must go to the country because of the serious illness of his sister, leaving Albia to oversee the building business. One of the projects in progress is located near the Grove of the Caesars. Hubby tells her, “Don’t go to the Grove.” Of course, she soon does just that, and becomes involved in two mysteries. The first one occurs when the building crew discovers what might be a treasure trove of ancient manuscripts. Then a grisly rape-murder is committed during a large birthday party which takes place nearby.
The rape-murder is the main storyline and sees the informer/investigator Flavia Albia go into action. She is hired by the bereaved husband (the honoree at the birthday bash) of the victim. She learns that a series of rape murders have occurred in this area over the course of a decade or more, with the vigiles doing little to catch the perpetrator. She works well with the vigile’s local inquiry chief, and both of them unite to discover the perpetrator despite the problems caused by the intervention of the emperor’s special agent. While this plot line is fairly absorbing, it smacks too much of a 21st century investigation with profiling of a “typical serial rapist murderer (likable, ordinary, may have a wife, etc) transferred to 1st century Rome. Also there is one episode only tangentially related to the investigation where our heroine steps up to become Flavia Albia, hostage negotiator. ( While the author typically makes some parallels between our modern life and the Roman world, the parallel was a little too blatant for my taste.)
After the resolution of the main mystery, Flavia Albia goes on to unravel the mystery of the forged ancient scrolls which incidentally involves the unmasking of another multiple murderer. I have to admit that I found this storyline a bit tedious, and the discovery of the related murders came as an anticlimax in the last few pages.
One of the strengths of this book—and the whole series—is the character of Flavia Albia: she is cynical and wisecracking, and her assessment of the cast of characters who parade through the tale is engaging. But she can recognize the goodness of people, as well. After meeting with the husband of the first victim (the husband is always a suspect!) and seeing his friends and family, she concludes that he is a good person who truly loved his wife. And it is very touching when she returns to him the necklace that the murderer had taken from her as a “trophy.” Another treat in this series is reading how she copes with running her every expanding household as well as her relationship with her husband.
The rape-murder is the main storyline and sees the informer/investigator Flavia Albia go into action. She is hired by the bereaved husband (the honoree at the birthday bash) of the victim. She learns that a series of rape murders have occurred in this area over the course of a decade or more, with the vigiles doing little to catch the perpetrator. She works well with the vigile’s local inquiry chief, and both of them unite to discover the perpetrator despite the problems caused by the intervention of the emperor’s special agent. While this plot line is fairly absorbing, it smacks too much of a 21st century investigation with profiling of a “typical serial rapist murderer (likable, ordinary, may have a wife, etc) transferred to 1st century Rome. Also there is one episode only tangentially related to the investigation where our heroine steps up to become Flavia Albia, hostage negotiator. ( While the author typically makes some parallels between our modern life and the Roman world, the parallel was a little too blatant for my taste.)
After the resolution of the main mystery, Flavia Albia goes on to unravel the mystery of the forged ancient scrolls which incidentally involves the unmasking of another multiple murderer. I have to admit that I found this storyline a bit tedious, and the discovery of the related murders came as an anticlimax in the last few pages.
One of the strengths of this book—and the whole series—is the character of Flavia Albia: she is cynical and wisecracking, and her assessment of the cast of characters who parade through the tale is engaging. But she can recognize the goodness of people, as well. After meeting with the husband of the first victim (the husband is always a suspect!) and seeing his friends and family, she concludes that he is a good person who truly loved his wife. And it is very touching when she returns to him the necklace that the murderer had taken from her as a “trophy.” Another treat in this series is reading how she copes with running her every expanding household as well as her relationship with her husband.
March 22, 2023
I find serial killer books unpleasant both in principle and usually in practice, but I'm too committed to this series to skip one. And I'm glad I did read this - Flavia Albia's worldly wise narrative voice is entertaining and on form and the after a slow start, the plot canters along well and doesn't get bogged in the procedural. Without spoilers, this also avoids some of the more clichéd things that might happen with a lone female detective hunting a serial killer and mostly avoids the borderline TSTL behavior Albia has sometimes displayed at the sharp end of previous books.
There is also a more interesting subplot about possibly forged scrolls, and a setpiece on a marine amphitheatre that felt a little too much like "this facility is so awesome, we must use it in the plot...". Her ability to "profile" the killer felt historically unlikely but this series has always flaunted and delighted in both detailed historical details about Roman life and a certain cheery anachronism in its transplant of the gumshoe genre.
Albia's husband is kept conveniently out of town for most of the book otherwise he would quite reasonably not have let her wander around a park with a killer targeting lone women. Or at least tried to. The rest of her family and increasingly large found-family household do make appearances and this is a series with strong relational and soap operatic threads, it's part of the charm.
There is also a more interesting subplot about possibly forged scrolls, and a setpiece on a marine amphitheatre that felt a little too much like "this facility is so awesome, we must use it in the plot...". Her ability to "profile" the killer felt historically unlikely but this series has always flaunted and delighted in both detailed historical details about Roman life and a certain cheery anachronism in its transplant of the gumshoe genre.
Albia's husband is kept conveniently out of town for most of the book otherwise he would quite reasonably not have let her wander around a park with a killer targeting lone women. Or at least tried to. The rest of her family and increasingly large found-family household do make appearances and this is a series with strong relational and soap operatic threads, it's part of the charm.
June 29, 2020
Another very enjoyable book in this series. Though I liked the side plot a little bit more than the main one. But I liked the serial killer story. As always it was wonderful to see different people from the Didi family. I also really liked the personal aspect that played out for Albia in this story, for me it was a perfect circle kind of mirroring her life, and how she adapted bringing in all the strays after Helena Justina.
I really liked the eerie feeling of this story, everything happening in the Grove of Caesars was a little creepy, and scarry. I really enjoyed the murder mystery, as well as mentioned before side plot with the forgery. I really liked how everything was balanced in this book. Both plots were happening in two very different settings, but still both gripped me as a reader.
I can't wait for what's next for Flavia Albia and her investigative work, as well as her family life, because it's getting adorably crowded lately.
I really liked the eerie feeling of this story, everything happening in the Grove of Caesars was a little creepy, and scarry. I really enjoyed the murder mystery, as well as mentioned before side plot with the forgery. I really liked how everything was balanced in this book. Both plots were happening in two very different settings, but still both gripped me as a reader.
I can't wait for what's next for Flavia Albia and her investigative work, as well as her family life, because it's getting adorably crowded lately.
May 30, 2021
I believe this is the best Flavia Albia novel I've read to date. The mystery is gripping, but with an unexpected conclusion that leaves your head spinning. A secondary mystery involving forged scrolls becomes quite the labyrinthian quest for the truth, and a family drama turns into an emotionally satisfying climax. Multi-layered, enjoyable, funny character drama, with a wry-and-dry woman of intellect and skill at its heart.
August 5, 2020
The best yet in this witty series. Flavia Albia, wise-cracking investigator of all things fishy, takes on a serial murderer and a scroll forging ring, all while running a business and a large household. She the wonder woman of ancient Rome, and I love her sense of humor.
December 18, 2020
Enjoyed.
May 8, 2020
I love Lindsey Davis' work, being a long-time fan of Falco, but I have to confess to having found Albia much more difficult to like as a protagonist. She's a more hardboiled character in a lot of ways, lacking Falco's easygoing, romantic charm. Not surprising considering her background, and perhaps as a cynical, embittered woman, she is a better fit for the darkness of Domitian's Rome, which must have been a very different proposition from the city during Vespasian's reign. I have come to appreciate Albia's unique qualities, but this book has been just a touch disappointing. Perhaps I'm becoming too attuned to how Ms Davis writes, but I found I'd spotted the murderer in his first appearance, and guessed most of the plot's twists and turns in advance too.
It's not to say this is a bad book - far from it! - and as always Albia's relationships with her friends and familia are charmingly quirky. I do love the way she works out a discount on Faustus' birthday and Saturnalia presents for the foreseeable future - a very practical woman!
It's not to say this is a bad book - far from it! - and as always Albia's relationships with her friends and familia are charmingly quirky. I do love the way she works out a discount on Faustus' birthday and Saturnalia presents for the foreseeable future - a very practical woman!
July 11, 2020
Albia is one tough cookie, so funny.
Yet again Lindsey comes up with a fab crime novel with so much humour - superb .
Yet again Lindsey comes up with a fab crime novel with so much humour - superb .
November 2, 2021
For some years now, I’ve been meaning to read the books of Lindsey Davis. For those who don’t know, she is the famous author of numerous historical mystery novels set in ancient Rome. The first series she wrote focused on the informer Marcus Didius Falco, but her more recent books have focused on Falco’s adopted daughter Flavia Albia, and that includes The Grove of the Caesars. It’s just the kind of mystery novel/historical fiction thriller that you can really sink your teeth into on a chilly fall day.
The minute that I opened this book, I fell in love with the heroine. She’s everything that you could possibly want out of a fictional ancient Roman detective: sassy and smart, with little to no patience for bullshit or ignorance from those who are stupid enough to underestimate her. In this novel, we actually get two mysteries. In the first, major plot Flavia is called in to help investigate a brutal murder in the Grove of the Caesars which, as it turns out, is but the latest crime perpetrated by a serial killer. The other, equally fascinating (but definitely minor) plot involves a scheme of forging supposedly ancient manuscripts (and there’s a bit of murder thrown in there, too).
The Grove of the Caesars deftly weaves together these two plots, even as it also gives us insight into Flavia’s personal life. Her husband, Tiberius, emerges from these pages as a kind and loving man, and it’s clear that Flavia loves him deeply. By this point in Flavia’s life, she has managed to forge a lovely little domestic haven, which is quite an accomplishment, considering that she began life as a waif on the streets of Londinium in faraway Britain.
Of course, the centerpiece of the novel is the murder itself, and Davis allows us to see the steps that Flavia uses to get to the bottom of things. Given that this is a murder mystery, we have to have some misdirections, as well as some obstruction from those who think that they know better than she does how the murder should be investigated. Her major nemesis is one Karus, who is one of the Emperor Domitian’s favorite spies. He is, to put it bluntly, a nasty piece of work, the type of person who is more than willing to frame an innocent man just so he can say that he has done his job and found the perpetrator. And there are, naturally, some side quests, some of which are more than a little tragic.
The English major in me also enjoyed the side plot in which Flavia investigates various manuscripts that may or may not be of ancient provenance. The whole adventure is a reminder of just how little textual evidence remains of the ancient world, and how much of what we do have may be of an entirely different nature than what it was in its original context.
Just as importantly, I also enjoyed the way that The Grove of the Caesars, like all of Davis’ work, never loses sight of the fact that we read these books because of her skill in depicting the world of ancient Rome. This isn’t the Rome of the early emperors — which remains one of the favored periods in which historical fiction is set — but instead the equally dangerous and unsettled reign of the Emperor Domitian, who has gone down in history as one of the most paranoid men to have occupied the imperial throne. Though he doesn’t make an actual appearance in the novel, he is always lurking in the background, a potential threat. What’s more, he also gifts Albia and Tiberius a a pair of dancing boys, who have the misfortune of actually witnessing the horrible murder.
And the murder has more significance than just the individual victim. It is, in a strange way, fortunate that she is a woman of means, because this grants her death and importance that it would otherwise lack. Given that the serial killer has been prowling the Grove for decades, it’s somewhat shocking that he’s been able to get away with it, until you consider that his victims have been: a.) women (and thus of a lower interest to the powers-that-be in Rome) and b.) women of a lower class (who have even less value). As a woman who has had to claw her way into some measure of stability, Flavia clearly feels a keen desire to see to it that the mystery is solved, both for the newest victims and also for those who have fallen to his predations in decades past.
The Grove of the Caesars also immerses us in the hustle and bustle of ancient Rome and, once again, it’s the Rome of the people rather than just the marble halls of the imperial palace. Davis has a keen eye for how to keep her readers interested in both the central enigma of who is responsible for the murders and in the city of Rome itself. Though this is my first Davis novel, I’m also surprised that the book didn’t feel formulaic (which tends to happen after one has been writing books for decades). Instead, it has a fresh and lively voice and, cliche as it might sound, I did actually feel as if I was walking with our heroine through the rather seedy streets of Rome, just as I felt I was with her when she visits her husband’s family in the country.
Overall, I have to say that I very much enjoyed The Grove of the Caesars. It was everything that I wanted and more. Flavia Albia is just the type of heroine that I can envision spending more time with as I make my way through the rest of her books. Fortunately for me, my local library has plenty of them in stock, so I will definitely be checking them out, ready and willing to immerse myself in the fascinating, deadly, and at times beautiful world of ancient Rome during the reign of Domitian.
Stay tuned for more of my reviews!
The minute that I opened this book, I fell in love with the heroine. She’s everything that you could possibly want out of a fictional ancient Roman detective: sassy and smart, with little to no patience for bullshit or ignorance from those who are stupid enough to underestimate her. In this novel, we actually get two mysteries. In the first, major plot Flavia is called in to help investigate a brutal murder in the Grove of the Caesars which, as it turns out, is but the latest crime perpetrated by a serial killer. The other, equally fascinating (but definitely minor) plot involves a scheme of forging supposedly ancient manuscripts (and there’s a bit of murder thrown in there, too).
The Grove of the Caesars deftly weaves together these two plots, even as it also gives us insight into Flavia’s personal life. Her husband, Tiberius, emerges from these pages as a kind and loving man, and it’s clear that Flavia loves him deeply. By this point in Flavia’s life, she has managed to forge a lovely little domestic haven, which is quite an accomplishment, considering that she began life as a waif on the streets of Londinium in faraway Britain.
Of course, the centerpiece of the novel is the murder itself, and Davis allows us to see the steps that Flavia uses to get to the bottom of things. Given that this is a murder mystery, we have to have some misdirections, as well as some obstruction from those who think that they know better than she does how the murder should be investigated. Her major nemesis is one Karus, who is one of the Emperor Domitian’s favorite spies. He is, to put it bluntly, a nasty piece of work, the type of person who is more than willing to frame an innocent man just so he can say that he has done his job and found the perpetrator. And there are, naturally, some side quests, some of which are more than a little tragic.
The English major in me also enjoyed the side plot in which Flavia investigates various manuscripts that may or may not be of ancient provenance. The whole adventure is a reminder of just how little textual evidence remains of the ancient world, and how much of what we do have may be of an entirely different nature than what it was in its original context.
Just as importantly, I also enjoyed the way that The Grove of the Caesars, like all of Davis’ work, never loses sight of the fact that we read these books because of her skill in depicting the world of ancient Rome. This isn’t the Rome of the early emperors — which remains one of the favored periods in which historical fiction is set — but instead the equally dangerous and unsettled reign of the Emperor Domitian, who has gone down in history as one of the most paranoid men to have occupied the imperial throne. Though he doesn’t make an actual appearance in the novel, he is always lurking in the background, a potential threat. What’s more, he also gifts Albia and Tiberius a a pair of dancing boys, who have the misfortune of actually witnessing the horrible murder.
And the murder has more significance than just the individual victim. It is, in a strange way, fortunate that she is a woman of means, because this grants her death and importance that it would otherwise lack. Given that the serial killer has been prowling the Grove for decades, it’s somewhat shocking that he’s been able to get away with it, until you consider that his victims have been: a.) women (and thus of a lower interest to the powers-that-be in Rome) and b.) women of a lower class (who have even less value). As a woman who has had to claw her way into some measure of stability, Flavia clearly feels a keen desire to see to it that the mystery is solved, both for the newest victims and also for those who have fallen to his predations in decades past.
The Grove of the Caesars also immerses us in the hustle and bustle of ancient Rome and, once again, it’s the Rome of the people rather than just the marble halls of the imperial palace. Davis has a keen eye for how to keep her readers interested in both the central enigma of who is responsible for the murders and in the city of Rome itself. Though this is my first Davis novel, I’m also surprised that the book didn’t feel formulaic (which tends to happen after one has been writing books for decades). Instead, it has a fresh and lively voice and, cliche as it might sound, I did actually feel as if I was walking with our heroine through the rather seedy streets of Rome, just as I felt I was with her when she visits her husband’s family in the country.
Overall, I have to say that I very much enjoyed The Grove of the Caesars. It was everything that I wanted and more. Flavia Albia is just the type of heroine that I can envision spending more time with as I make my way through the rest of her books. Fortunately for me, my local library has plenty of them in stock, so I will definitely be checking them out, ready and willing to immerse myself in the fascinating, deadly, and at times beautiful world of ancient Rome during the reign of Domitian.
Stay tuned for more of my reviews!
April 13, 2020
Going to write my thesis on Obfusculans the Obscure 😂
August 8, 2020
This left me cold. It all seemed a little bit 2d, no one came alive for me.
October 2, 2020
In this 8th Flavia Albia murder mystery our plucky detective joins forces with the hated 7th cohort and thuggish Imperial Investigator Karus to hunt a serial killer murdering prostitutes in the sacred Grove of the Caesars. We also get a second mystery of scroll forging which also leads to murder...
On the whole I loved this one as much as all Davis' other novels. She really does make 1st Century Rome come alive, and its great to see ordinary people going about ordinary lives - we have builders, gardeners, scroll dealers all given individual voices which is so refreshing.
What I particularly liked about this one is Flavia working so closely with the 'police' - Really liked Urusus. He was actually competent and I'd love to see them collaborate in future. She working with her prejudice against the 7th, and him working against his prejudice against women. Karus was interesting too. At times you found yourself almost liking him, but at other times he was actually quite frightening with his snap judgements and brute tactics. It'll be really interesting if he makes spymaster. I really miss Anacrities from the Falco books, he was a great spymaster.
Tiberius is taken out of the action from the get go - packed off to help his ailing sister. While this does enable Flavia to act independently, it does seem a bit contrived. He's nearly always out of the action - 1st struck by lightening, then recuperating, then off on some official business.... It would be nice for once to see him working together with his wife.
Interestingly, political affairs are very much absent from this one. While the emperor is mentioned, there is very little Imperial or senatorial presence here. I'm not sure how I feel about that. The ancient historian in me really wants more historical realism and the novel loving side of me is arguing, but it gives ordinary people a chance to shine. This is a slight departure for Davis being the least historically based of her novels that i can think of, focusing much more on the fictional plot and character than the wider historic context.
The plot itself is average. I was a bit disappointed that the serial killer plot and the scroll forging are completely separate cases with unrelated perpetrators. The only real connection is the titular Grove of Caesars - used both the murder prostitutes and to 'age' forged scrolls. I would have loved more of a connection. As it is the second case distracts from the main murder mystery.
Over all though, despite not being the most tightly plotted this is still classic Lindsey Davis. There is a reason she is top in her field. She manages to bring 1st Century Rome to life in a way that has kept me enthralled for over 20 years. Fans won't be disappointed.
On the whole I loved this one as much as all Davis' other novels. She really does make 1st Century Rome come alive, and its great to see ordinary people going about ordinary lives - we have builders, gardeners, scroll dealers all given individual voices which is so refreshing.
What I particularly liked about this one is Flavia working so closely with the 'police' - Really liked Urusus. He was actually competent and I'd love to see them collaborate in future. She working with her prejudice against the 7th, and him working against his prejudice against women. Karus was interesting too. At times you found yourself almost liking him, but at other times he was actually quite frightening with his snap judgements and brute tactics. It'll be really interesting if he makes spymaster. I really miss Anacrities from the Falco books, he was a great spymaster.
Tiberius is taken out of the action from the get go - packed off to help his ailing sister. While this does enable Flavia to act independently, it does seem a bit contrived. He's nearly always out of the action - 1st struck by lightening, then recuperating, then off on some official business.... It would be nice for once to see him working together with his wife.
Interestingly, political affairs are very much absent from this one. While the emperor is mentioned, there is very little Imperial or senatorial presence here. I'm not sure how I feel about that. The ancient historian in me really wants more historical realism and the novel loving side of me is arguing, but it gives ordinary people a chance to shine. This is a slight departure for Davis being the least historically based of her novels that i can think of, focusing much more on the fictional plot and character than the wider historic context.
The plot itself is average. I was a bit disappointed that the serial killer plot and the scroll forging are completely separate cases with unrelated perpetrators. The only real connection is the titular Grove of Caesars - used both the murder prostitutes and to 'age' forged scrolls. I would have loved more of a connection. As it is the second case distracts from the main murder mystery.
Over all though, despite not being the most tightly plotted this is still classic Lindsey Davis. There is a reason she is top in her field. She manages to bring 1st Century Rome to life in a way that has kept me enthralled for over 20 years. Fans won't be disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2020
When Flavia Albia's aedile husband Tiberius goes out of town to attend on his dying sister, Albia is left with the mess of sorting out his construction company's building projects and finding a serial killer in the gardens that Julius Caesar donated to the people over a century ago. Apparently some wretched pervert has been murdering women in the Grove of the Caesars for a decade and a half, but it's only now that he's throttled a woman of the higher class that the case is getting imperial attention. Expertly navigating the patriarchal Roman society, Albia offers her skills as an informer (translation: detective) to the bereaved husband. Teaming up with the Seventh Cohort of vigiles (translation: firemen or policemen), Albia sets out to find the most ordinary-looking man in Rome who has perpetrated the most extraordinary crimes.
I remember this series starting out a little underwhelming (The Ides of April: Flavia Albia #1) , but I wonder if perhaps I've missed a couple volumes since this book is all the way up to number eight? I can definitely say that Albia comes into her own in this book, scattering dry humor about like pearls as she observes the acquisitiveness of her meretricious maid Suza, the immoral antics of Domitian's dancing boys, and the lazy habits of the painters and slaves who loll about her residence. Her famous father Falco never appears in this book, but he gets more than a handful of mentions, and Albia even horns in on his auction house to help solve a side-mystery involving ancient scrolls that may or may not be forgeries.
While the psychological profiling that Albia and her vigilis counterpart Ursus use does feel a little modern, there is so much depth to the Roman world that Lindsey Davis has created that this anachronism hardly matters. Now that I've warmed up to our heroine, I'm looking forward to seeing what's next in the Flavia Albia series...and maybe catching up on all the ones I've missed!
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I remember this series starting out a little underwhelming (The Ides of April: Flavia Albia #1) , but I wonder if perhaps I've missed a couple volumes since this book is all the way up to number eight? I can definitely say that Albia comes into her own in this book, scattering dry humor about like pearls as she observes the acquisitiveness of her meretricious maid Suza, the immoral antics of Domitian's dancing boys, and the lazy habits of the painters and slaves who loll about her residence. Her famous father Falco never appears in this book, but he gets more than a handful of mentions, and Albia even horns in on his auction house to help solve a side-mystery involving ancient scrolls that may or may not be forgeries.
While the psychological profiling that Albia and her vigilis counterpart Ursus use does feel a little modern, there is so much depth to the Roman world that Lindsey Davis has created that this anachronism hardly matters. Now that I've warmed up to our heroine, I'm looking forward to seeing what's next in the Flavia Albia series...and maybe catching up on all the ones I've missed!
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
October 18, 2020
Second book in a row that happens to feature a craze for collecting (see The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne)- here the focus is on scrolls, the more obscure and rare the better. Lots of musings on literature, poetry and philosophy. Flavia is investigating two mysteries. The first being the rape and murder of a well to do matron which leads to a pattern of such crimes going back decades but with the victims more commonly being prostitutes plying their trade in the Grove of the Caesars. The second mystery involves a hoard of scrolls found by workmen in the Grove’s grotto feature currently being dismantled. Are they real or fakes?
Overall the story was a bit too complicated to be truly enjoyable. I did appreciate the veiled commentary on attitudes toward immigrants and low paid workers relegated to lives of poverty in squalid neighborhoods which reflect our modern day. And I loved some of the comments on “literature”, ex. p103: “I expect they [writers] prided themselves on being difficult. Setting challenges for simple folk lets writers disport themselves as mighty intellects. Struggle is presented as commendable.Even intelligent readers may feel proud of suffering over unintelligible bosh...” This made me think of several modern “literary” authors whose style is so difficult and odd that to read them makes you feel a bit stupid about not “getting it” so you figure it must be Great Writing. ( see A Reader's Manifesto: An Attack on the Growing Pretentiousness in American Literary Prose )
A final small gripe: as usual a map is included but this map of the Transtiberina area was less than helpful. Many of the the buildings, bridges and roads of this ‘wrong side of the tracks’ were labeled but very few of the places actually pertinent to this story were indicated. Frustrating.
Overall the story was a bit too complicated to be truly enjoyable. I did appreciate the veiled commentary on attitudes toward immigrants and low paid workers relegated to lives of poverty in squalid neighborhoods which reflect our modern day. And I loved some of the comments on “literature”, ex. p103: “I expect they [writers] prided themselves on being difficult. Setting challenges for simple folk lets writers disport themselves as mighty intellects. Struggle is presented as commendable.Even intelligent readers may feel proud of suffering over unintelligible bosh...” This made me think of several modern “literary” authors whose style is so difficult and odd that to read them makes you feel a bit stupid about not “getting it” so you figure it must be Great Writing. ( see A Reader's Manifesto: An Attack on the Growing Pretentiousness in American Literary Prose )
A final small gripe: as usual a map is included but this map of the Transtiberina area was less than helpful. Many of the the buildings, bridges and roads of this ‘wrong side of the tracks’ were labeled but very few of the places actually pertinent to this story were indicated. Frustrating.
September 21, 2020
What a wonderful surprise!
I approached “The Grove of the Caesars” with some trepidation, I was a huge fan of Lindsey Davis’ Falco series when it first came out but felt that the later books had lost their way. So the idea of a new series, set (roughly) in the same setting, seemed like a way to keep things going longer than necessary.
I was wrong. Flavia Albia is a delightful character, and Ms. Davis’ wit and humor are out in full force. Flavia has taken over the role of informer, following in her father’s footsteps. Her husband Tiberius is called away to tend to family issues, leaving Flavia to supervise their construction business. One of the projects is the dismantling of a manmade cave in the Grove of the Caesars, which sets the setting for our two main story lines: the discovery of a batch of ancient (?) scrolls, and the activity of a serial killer who has been preying on women for decades.
The ancient scrolls lead Flavia to an assortment of dealers, collectors, experts, all out for themselves. The action shifts to Falco’s auction house before the truth is figured out by our intrepid informer. The serial killer is a bit more elusive, and a bit more critical than the scrolls. Flavia tries to figure out the clues before the killer strikes again.
The mysteries aren’t overly complex, but it’s the glimpse of everyday life in ancient Rome that make this such a fascinating read. The office politics, the psychology of a serial killer, dealing with home contractors, the role of Flavia as both a woman and an outsider (she was born in Britannia), the market for fake antiquities – all are problems that we have in society today, so it’s interesting to see how little things have changed. The ending feels a bit rushed, but that’s a minor complaint – it’s great to have Ms. Davis back in top form!
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
I approached “The Grove of the Caesars” with some trepidation, I was a huge fan of Lindsey Davis’ Falco series when it first came out but felt that the later books had lost their way. So the idea of a new series, set (roughly) in the same setting, seemed like a way to keep things going longer than necessary.
I was wrong. Flavia Albia is a delightful character, and Ms. Davis’ wit and humor are out in full force. Flavia has taken over the role of informer, following in her father’s footsteps. Her husband Tiberius is called away to tend to family issues, leaving Flavia to supervise their construction business. One of the projects is the dismantling of a manmade cave in the Grove of the Caesars, which sets the setting for our two main story lines: the discovery of a batch of ancient (?) scrolls, and the activity of a serial killer who has been preying on women for decades.
The ancient scrolls lead Flavia to an assortment of dealers, collectors, experts, all out for themselves. The action shifts to Falco’s auction house before the truth is figured out by our intrepid informer. The serial killer is a bit more elusive, and a bit more critical than the scrolls. Flavia tries to figure out the clues before the killer strikes again.
The mysteries aren’t overly complex, but it’s the glimpse of everyday life in ancient Rome that make this such a fascinating read. The office politics, the psychology of a serial killer, dealing with home contractors, the role of Flavia as both a woman and an outsider (she was born in Britannia), the market for fake antiquities – all are problems that we have in society today, so it’s interesting to see how little things have changed. The ending feels a bit rushed, but that’s a minor complaint – it’s great to have Ms. Davis back in top form!
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
May 5, 2021
I must admit it took me a couple of books to get into the Flavia Albia series, because I was very attached to her parents Falco and Helena Justina. But I think Lindsey Davis ultimately made the right decision, switching the focus to a younger character who is less established in the world and therefore more likely to get into interesting scrapes than one who has joined the equestrian class!
The plot followed Albia as she investigates serial murders, assisted by the Ancient Roman equivalent of the typical British "plod" who needs saving from his incompetence. In the case of Ancient Rome the vigiles who are officially there to put out fires but act as de facto police.
There were plenty of exciting twists and turns, a few occasions when I was shouting "No, stay away from the Grove etc". I found the sub plot about the scrolls a little convoluted. Interesting idea but there were so many different authors involved I got a bit lost trying to keep track of them and the scroll experts.
But the important elements were all there. What I particularly enjoy about Lindsey Davis is the clever and deliberate way she describes the authentic elements of Roman life in a way that immediately and entertainingly brings the modern equivalent to mind, whether it is fast food stalls, the police or removal men.
As Flavia Albia has apparently formed a partnership with new husband Tiberius Manlius (I am evidently a couple of books behind), I hope we will see them working together in future episodes. He sounds like a nice guy who presumably doesn't cramp her style!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews