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Two for the Lions (Marcus Didius Falco, #10)

Lindsey Davis

Start date: June 15, 2025

Finish date: July 7, 2025

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Continuing this popular series
[close] Continuing this popular series

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What Members Thought

Jun 14, 2025 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is the tenth in the Falco series, which I am enjoying re-reading. At the start of this novel, Falco is still saddled with Anacrites as his partner. The two set out to make some money as auditors for the census. Their work takes them to the arena, where they begin to audit Calliopus, who not only trains gladiators but also imports exotic animals. One of his animals is a lion, called Leonidas, who is scheduled to kill a criminal that Falco caught in an earlier book. When the lion is killed, F ...more

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May 28, 2025 Susan in NC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: detbuddy25, kindle, library-book, audiobook

I enjoyed this leisurely outing with my favorite Roman informer (like a private detective). I almost didn’t read it, as it opens with the death of an animal, usually a no-no for me.

Falco and his new partner have taken on work with the Emperor Vespasian’s census. They’re basically auditors, checking up on sketchy filers - they investigate their lifestyles and records to make sure they’ve declared everything they owe. If not, Falco & Co. have the authority to write up what is really owed, and get I enjoyed this leisurely outing with my favorite Roman informer (like a private detective). I almost didn’t read it, as it opens with the death of an animal, usually a no-no for me.

Falco and his new partner have taken on work with the Emperor Vespasian’s census. They’re basically auditors, checking up on sketchy filers - they investigate their lifestyles and records to make sure they’ve declared everything they owe. If not, Falco & Co. have the authority to write up what is really owed, and get a cut of the penalty for their fee. Falco is hoping to finally make enough to buy his way into a higher rank, worthy of his noble lady love.

The story opens as they’re checking out the gladiator training facility of an owner who also imports wild beasts to fight in the games. A champion lion, a trained man eater who disposes of convicted criminals for the entertainment of Rome, is found dead in his cage, speared to death. Falco can’t imagine how it was done, as it appears to have happened elsewhere; who did it, and how? Why? Then the most famous gladiator in Rome is found dead in his bed. Falco’s detective instincts are at war with his desire to make money through the census…

Then the story takes an odd, meandering turn; nothing happens with the ‘dirty tricks’ war between the gladiator camps for months. Falco has a series of disappointments, then somehow ends up in Libya, ostensibly looking for his girlfriend Helena’s beloved younger brother, who eloped with the heiress who was supposed to marry his elder brother at the end of the last book.

It was all interesting, but felt like 2 (or more) different books! The mystery was pretty weak, and before the travel to Africa I was enjoying the book but not sure where it was headed. As I often do when not sure if I want to carry on with a meandering mystery, I read other GR reviews; one was really interesting and helpful, said it was as if the author wanted to write a detailed, well-researched historical fiction set in the first century AD of Rome, but threw in a bit of a mystery.

I think that sums it up well - I’m glad I stuck with it, and will definitely read on - I love Falco, Helena and their families and ever-expanding entourage, and the dry humor and snarky take on the greed and corruption of Ancient Rome really suits my mood these days! But it definitely seemed to bang on and wander about a good deal. I simply speed up the audiobook, beautifully narrated by Simon Prebble - he’s a huge part of my enjoyment of the series. Luckily my library has many of the books, and I’m happy to use an audible credit to enjoy his reading, he puts the humor across wonderfully!

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