Marcus Didius Falco
Created by Lindsey Davis

Tough. Hardboiled. A loner and proud of it. MARCUS DIDIUS FALCO is a typical P.I. in a typical big, rotting city. Except this city is Rome, circa 70AD, during the reign of Vespasian. The Cleveland Plain Dealer calls him "Sam Spade in a ratty toga," but Publisher's Weekly .may be more on target, calling him "the Travis McGee of early Rome", given that under that ratty toga and coarse cynicism beats the heart of a poetry-writing romantic. He often finds himself working as a special investigator for His Imperial Majesty Vespasian, Emperor of Rome, despite the fact Falco has some rather dangerous leftist, Republican leanings.

In his first recorded case, The Silver Pigs (1989), he hooks up with Helena Justina, daughter of a Senator, and they promptly become lovers and sparring partners, a rather unique spin on the whole Nick and Nora thing.

Excellent historical fiction, an appealing hero, and more trivia than you'd ever want to know about Imperial Rome. Like, don't ask how they get those togas so white. More adventure than mystery, perhaps, and possibly a little more romance than some readers might enjoy, the series nevertheless features a private eye by almost any definition of the word.

Lindsey Davis was born in England, and studied at Oxford. She currently lives in London, and writes full time.

RIYL: If your appetite is whetted by the setting, you could also check out Steven Saylor's Gordianus the Finder.

NOVELS

• The Silver Pigs (1989). Buy this book
• Shadows in Bronze (1990). Buy this book
• Venus in Copper (1991). Buy this book
• The Iron Hand of Mars (1992). Buy this book
• Poseidon's Gold (1993). Buy this book
• Last Act in Palmyra (1994). Buy this book
• Time to Depart (1995). Buy this book
• A Dying Light in Corduba (1996). Buy this book
• Three Hands in the Fountain (1997). Buy this book
• Two For the Lions (1998)...Buy this book
• One Virgin Too Many (1999)..Buy this book
• Ode to a Banker (2000)...Buy this book
• A Body in the Bathhouse (2001).. Buy this book
• The Jupiter Myth (2002).. Buy this book
• The Accusers (2003) .. Buy this book
• Scandal Takes a Holiday (2004).. Buy this book
• See Delphi and Die (2006)
• Saturnalia (2007)

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.