From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Venus in Copper

Lindsey Davis

Start date: January 15, 2023

Finish date: February 7, 2023

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Next in this popular series.
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What Members Thought

Jan 03, 2023 Susan in NC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I’m enjoying this series more with each book, read with the Reading the Detectives group.

I’ve grown to care about Didius Falco, a poor man who works as an “informer” in Ancient Rome (read private detective), his true love, Helena Justina (a senator’s daughter, so out of his reach, socially), his best friend, Petronius, and his large family.

We get to see more of his long-suffering mother and family in this outing. It opens with mum bailing him out of jail, and one of the funniest scenes involve I’m enjoying this series more with each book, read with the Reading the Detectives group.

I’ve grown to care about Didius Falco, a poor man who works as an “informer” in Ancient Rome (read private detective), his true love, Helena Justina (a senator’s daughter, so out of his reach, socially), his best friend, Petronius, and his large family.

We get to see more of his long-suffering mother and family in this outing. It opens with mum bailing him out of jail, and one of the funniest scenes involves an impromptu rowdy feast of a mammoth turbot gifted to him by Emperor Vespasian’s son - who turns up unexpectedly to dine on it, along with the whole family.

Despite the attempts to draw Falco back to imperial service, he decides to go back to private work. Falco is hired by two former female slaves, who, along with their husbands, are partners in Rome’s shady real estate business. The fifth member of the household and business is Hortensius, a bachelor who’s recently gotten engaged. But his intended has already buried three husbands; the two women clients think she’s a gold digger out to kill another husband and get his portion of the business.

I alternated between reading the book and listening to the Audible, wonderfully narrated by Simon Prebble. I’ve realized this series works best for me as an audiobook- Prebble really captures the dry, self-deprecating humor, and his wry delivery makes the most of the Roman noir vibe. Author Lindsey Davis’s research is very good, she really enveloped me in the Ancient Roman world of shoddy tenement living, corruption and greed. Petronius helps his friend Falco with information on how shady real estate developers operate: What happens is: the Hortensii own a piece of property, and raise a loan secured on it. Then they repeat the process - same property but a new lender; and again;as many times as possible. They pick simple minded investors who don’t know - or don’t enquire - that there are previous secured debts.

But it’s not just about greedy landlords - people die when buildings collapse. It becomes very personal for Falco, and the last quarter or so of the book was especially engrossing for me (no spoilers). ...more

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Dec 30, 2022 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Rome AD 71 and, when we catch-up with Falco, he is languishing in prison. However, this is the third in the series and Davis moves away from the lead ingots storyline and we see Falco taking on a private case. This is a really entertaining mystery, as Falco is hired by a group of nouveau riche, ex-slaves, who live and work together. One of their number, Hortensius Novus, is betrothed to the beautiful Severina Zotica. The problem being that she has had three previous husbands, who all died in unu ...more

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Apr 16, 2017 John Frankham rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-detective

The third in this series. Good plotting, dialogue, and most important to the author, lots of information about life in Rome in the first century AD. Good development of our hero's love life with Helena, the senator's daughter, who really is too good for him - such is love!

Marcus Didius Falco, Imperial Rome's answer to Columbo, is hired by relatives of a wealthy real estate developer, Hortensius, to find his murderer. What Falco uncovers is a hotbed of crime in the unscrupulous business dealings ...more

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Jan 07, 2023 Jill rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: jill-s-ninth-year-challenge, lindsey-davis

This is the third book in the series, and the on/off relationship between Falco and Helena is still going on. Having lost a baby, Helena has gone back to live with her parents, although she has paid three months rent on Falco's apartment.
This book starts with Falco being in prison, for stealing some lead ingots, which he use in book 2. His mother does pay to have him released, and so he is now able to carry on his profession as being an informer. His first case is for that is from two women who ...more

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Aug 23, 2018 Sandy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-detective-grp, mystery-historical, z2023-settings, rread-2023, rread-2018

Second time through and just as good as the first time. The scene with the turbot is both tense and hilarious. The resolution is quirky. Any visit with Falco and company is a treat.

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