Time to Depart: 7 (Marcus Didius Falco) Audio CD – Unabridged, 28 June 2018

The novel links factual history and fiction in a very readable style

This is a wonderful series: Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries. The setting, Early Imperial Rome, adds such a wonderful flavor to these witty, intriguing, amusing mysteries. The author, Lindsey Davis, brings a wealth of accurate historical knowledge to create a murder mystery in 1st Century AD Rome. Her characters are believable, funny, witty, amusing, and, in the case of the villains, evil. Her hero, Marcus Didius Falco, is diligent in his pursuit of the truth and arrest. He is supported by his "wife" Helena Justina a senatorial daughter who has aligned herself with an "informer" Rome's equivalent of a PI! In this tale, MDF is assisting his best friend Lucius Petronius Longo, a vigile/law officer, in exiling a particularly nefarious criminal, Balbinus. They get this criminal boss to the exile boat and then the tale begins. MDF, the lovely Helena Justina, and LPL pursue leads that uncover conceit, conspiracies, deceit, and vigile/police corruption. The author, Lindsey Davis, marches us through Rome, meeting amazing characters and plots, which are unraveled by MDF, Helena Justina, and LPL. A truly remarkable set of characters who are intriguing and who lead us through a beguiling mystery. A wonderful read!

This series progresses well. Falco and Helena are back from their sojourn in the East; along with a nice collection of objects that Helena has brought back for Falco's father. Falco wants to get back at the man who sent him to his death, and try and work out what to do to ensure that he and Helena have a slightly better future. He also helps put a banished gang leader on a boat out of Rome. What could go wrong?The relationship between Falco and Helena continues to develop nicely (with a storyline that was rather hinted at in the last book) as does his relationship with the rest of her family. The story is fairly simple, but with many twists and turns (and perhaps one too many coincidences!); there is a wedding, a foundling baby, a stray dog, one or two big robberies and a few murders. Just a typical few days for Falco!

Falco is back, and back in Rome. Facing off with villains and stollen antiquities, and having to spy on his closest friend. This with mounting pressure of expanding family, and a foundling, add to all the pans he must keep on the stove. If you like Roman and feeling caught up the lives of people of the time, with intrigue to boot, then this is the story and series for you.

Another case from the files of Marcus Didius Falco and well told yarn. Davis does a great job here in combining actual historic events and historical characters with the storyline. We see more of Petronius than we have in a while. Falco's long suffering family involve themselves much to Falco's annoyance. Titus is his normal friendly and helpful self. The big question still is will Falco tie the knot. The villains are many but there is only one "big rissole" (Falco's words) who obviously meets a deserved end. A fun wedding (not our hero's) leads to a few laughs and an unexpected denouement. All in all, a good read. I don't want to go into too much detail as this would spoil the storyline.