Last Act in Palmyra - SPOILER Thread - (Falco #6) (Jan/Feb 24)

[Susan]

Welcome to our Jan/Feb 24 buddy read of Last Act in Palmyra first published in 1994 and the sixth book in the Marcus Didius Falco series.

The spirit of adventure calls Marcus Didius Falco on a new spying mission for the Emperor Vespasian to the untamed East. He's picking up extra fees from his old friend Thalia, the snake dancer, as he searches for Sophrona, her lost water organist. With the Chief Spy Anacrites paying his fare, Falco knows anything can go wrong.

A dangerous brush with the Brother, the sinister ruler of Nabataean Petra, sends Falco and his girlfriend Helena on a fast camel-ride to Syria. They join a traveling theatre group, which keeps losing members in non-accidental drownings.

The bad acting and poor audiences are almost as bad as the desert and its scorpions - then as the killer hovers, Falco tries to write a play. . .

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

[Susan in NC]

I read and enjoyed it, but the whole premise seemed weak - I wasn’t really sure why Falco went to Petra in the first place. It opened with Thalia and her circus group, and that was good for laughs, observing Helena and Thalia bantering about Falco and men in general. Next thing, it just so happens Thalia lost a star performer to a traveling merchant from the area Falco is traveling to on an errand from the Emperor (via Anacrites, his archenemy). Seemed odd, as Falco points out to us that Helena demanded no more imperial jobs after the last one; yet here we are. And there they went - Helena went with him. Anyway, F agrees to take on Thalia’s job while doing whatever he’s supposed to do for Vespasian. Even Falco admits to himself eventually that they aren’t making much progress asking about the organ player all over - until she miraculously drops from the sky into our plot…

So Helena goes along, and is needed to move plot along, providing humor, conversation, interrogating witnesses for Falco, and as a sounding board (and the victim of a life-threatening episode) - but miraculously Thalia shows up, in the middle of the Syrian desert, with a cure…and Thalia was found by the young Nabatean priest who just happened to be accompanying Falco and Helena - we never really know why. They were tossed out of Petra after finding a drowned playwright in a sacred pool, and the priest was apparently ordered to go with them - why? Make sure they left? Spy? What could he do? How’d he find Thalia? So many coincidences and questions. I couldn’t help thinking ‘Deus ex machina ’ (sorry for slaughtering that, learned in high school literature class). Mrs. Jones told us it’s a literary trick using an unforeseen device to solve a knotty plot problem - definitely seemed to happen left and right here!

Falco questions the head of the acting troupe the victim was traveling with, and talks his way into a job, so they’re off with the traveling players with our hero as playwright. It provides a convenient “closed circle” of possible killers, but why? Why does Falco feel the need to investigate this supposedly awful man’s death? He has no authority here.

Later, there is a second drowning death, more understandable need to investigate, but the closed circle becomes annoying, bouncing from member to member, asking seemingly pointless questions. And I could not keep “the two clowns” straight, and they became the main suspects. There was an exciting climax when the killer was revealed on stage, but so much of this plot felt like brilliant cinematic scenes and characters the author wanted to use, and strung them together anyhow to get to the next scene. Didn’t love this one, confess I skimmed a bit in the last third or so…I kept thinking, it’s like a grand adventure epic, an insight into desert travel for a poor ancient Roman (as opposed to the powerful, who would have a troupe of slaves to put up their tent, cook meals, keep togas clean) more than mystery, and I do like the characters. I will read on, but no rush.

[Jill]

This was a really up-hill struggle for me. I get annoyed at all the repetition. Being told that Helena looks better in blue or red , but white does not suit her, and the heat of the day and cold of the night. At least the state of their relationship seems to have been decided, but Falco's continuous stating that he really isn't good enough for her is boring. This makes these books so long and could easily be cut down. The ending was somewhat a farce, but then that is what theatre can be.
I very much doubt that I will be reading on with this series. I don't think I could do 20 books like this one.

[Susan]

I did read more previously, I am hopeful they improve once Falco and Helena sort themselves out.

[Rosina]

What really annoyed me (beyond continuing) was Falco going on and on, while Helena was trying to tell him about finding the body of Ione.

I must have been enjoying the series enough when they were coming out to have bought each one - some in hardback. But I am now less patient.

[Susan]

I think I was the same, Rosina. I really enjoyed these the first time round, so I am going to continue for now.

[Susan in NC]

I do like the premise of the setting, but I think I prefer them in Rome - or Britannia was interesting. I remember reading the first in another ancient-Romans-in-England mystery series, Medicus I think - I need to get back to that series, too. I think I read it when the first book came out, there have been more since then. And forgive me if it’s already been discussed, but has anyone read the spin-off Flavia series by this author?

[Rosina]

I have read the Flavia books as they came out. Without wishing to add spoilers, is a 'sequel' to this book, re-introducing some of the characters.

[Susan_MG]

I know I read some of this series quite a few years ago. I don’t remember them all but I know I would remember a long trip to Syria. The story was ok but certainly not riveting. I didn’t find the theater comedy humorous. My late husband would say it’s because I don’t have a sense of humor…

[Sandy]

I am reading the Flavia books but am not current so now looking forward to the 'sequel' which is three books in the future. Falco and family often get at least a mention.

Regarding Roman Britian, I read Medicius, but didn't continue the series. I have started yet another Roman Britian series with a freed slave mosaic layer as the lead character. The second book is A Pattern of Blood. I can remember that title as I read it this month. Anything much further back is gone.

[Rosina]

I've read several of the Medicus series, as they were available on Kindle Unlimited, and have been enjoying them. I also remember the mosaicist - from way back, and haven't read them recently - so many books!