Ides of April: A Flavia Albia Mystery: 1 - Tapa blanda

"Davis combines excellent research, expansive knowledge, and vivid writing to immerse readers in ancient Rome. The people and the places of the city seem both authentic and familiar...a great read!" --Library Journal

"A series debut that's both suspenseful and sly. Davis delights once again with her trademark blend of quirky characters and rich period detail...Readers can anticipate Flavia Albia to be a compelling presence for years to come." --Booklist (starred)

"Davis (Nemesis) ingeniously breathes life into her Ancient Rome series...Provides hope that Flavia could have as long a literary run as Marcus." --Publishers Weekly

Falco: The Next Generation--Flavia Albia has taken up her father's profession. Only, now Rome is a more dangerous, mercurial place than it was back in dear old dad's day . . .

Flavia Albia is the adopted daughter of Marcus Didius Falco and Helena Justina. From her mother, she learned how to blend in at all levels of society; from her father, she learned the tricks of their mutual professional trade. But her wits and (frequently) sharp tongue are hers alone.

Now, working as a private informer in Rome during the reign of Domitian, Flavia has taken over her father's old ramshackle digs at Fountain Court in the Surbura district, where she plies her trade with energy, determination, and the usual Falco luck. Recently hired to help investigate a fatal accident, she finds herself stuck with a truly awful person for a client and facing a well-heeled, well-connected opponent.

That is, until her client unexpectedly dies under what might be called "suspicious circumstances." While this is not a huge loss for society, it is a loss for Flavia Albia's pocket. Even worse, it's just one of a series of similar deaths for which she now finds herself under suspicion. Before things go from abysmal to worse, Flavia must sort out what is happening, and who is responsible, in Lindsey Davis'Ides of April.