• The Ides of April

  • By: Lindsey Davis
  • Narrated by: Lucy Brown
  • Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (326 ratings)

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The Ides of April  By  cover art

The Ides of April

By: Lindsey Davis
Narrated by: Lucy Brown
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Publisher's summary

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.

©2013 Lindsey Davis (P)2013 AudioGO

What listeners say about The Ides of April

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Prefer dead old dad

I purchased this as I love the Falco stories. Sadly, this lacks the humor. Perhaps it's because Falco is such a clearly drawn "character" (in more ways than just one) that a young female just can't compete with him. This isn't a mystery - I knew from the get go who the murderer was, what would be his uh downfall and what the mistaken identity was. I don't recall the Falco stories as being so transparent, but even if they were the stories were just plain fun. In this one, whenever she went to her parents house I'd think "Great, now the story will get more lively" but alas, Falco is not permitted an appearance. The reader was OK....I just miss Falco and the person who reads those books is terrific - just the right amount of dry humor. I think, if you've not read any of Davis' other Roman stories, this would probably work just fine, but for me, I'm just hoping we get to hear from dear old "pa" Falco in the near future.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Mildly disappointed in this book.

I loved the Falco series. That might be the reason that I am disappointed with Ides of April. I find that I was disappointed in the character of Albia, and didn't really like her. She makes snap judgements about people, often disparaging ones, and justifies them based on her 'training' as an informer. I kept thinking " Falco wouldn't have taught her that..." Half the story she is trying to make it in a man's world, and is frustrated about not being treated as an equal (an opinion I think is totally justified in the world of ancient rome), but then she spends the rest of the time gushing about the love interest (who she has only known for a couple of days) like she is a love-struck teenager. Having gotten to know her character in the Falco series, I found I really didn't care for the adult she had become. Hopefully any future books in this series will feature a less petty heroine.

I think that this book might be best enjoyed by someone who hasn't read the Falco series. The mystery is pretty good, and I enjoyed listening to the twists and turns in the plot. I think, though, that it is probably best enjoyed without any prior knowledge of Marcus Didius Falco.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Maudlin and Foolish

This book isn't the worst I've listened to, but it doesn't even manage mediocrity. I first thought it might be a lighthearted, easy listen; I was disappointed. The author's attempts at humor are more maudlin than funny, and the heroine's foolish behavior, in direct contrast to claims of wit and perceptiveness, became unbearable by hour six. Additionally, the mystery plot is one dimensional and devoid of suspense. I began to wonder if Ms. Davis thinks the general readership is dim because a student in second grade could foresee the conclusion. Disappointing.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

not as good as falco

this story overwritten overlong and too young woman to appeal to former Falco reading audience. Davis should have chosen to pull in Falco to story.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best narrator

Wish all my audible books were narrated by this woman, very expressive , wonderful. Makes you feel like you're there.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Domitian and Aedile

The Ides of April was a bit underwhelming coming right off of reading the Falco series. The mystery was pretty basic and Lindsey Davis seems to be a bit too caught up in romantic/sexual encounters for Flavia. Still, if you like Falco, you'll probably like Flavia and I have hopes the future books will be a bit less simplistic and Flavia will show a bit more intelligence.

One trigger warning: The ancient Romans were a cruel and brutal people and their cruelty definitely extended to both wild and domesticated animals. I think Lindsey Davis occasionally went over the top in her detailed descriptions of animal cruelties in some of the Falco books. The Ides of April is another one of those. There were a few sections I had to FF due to graphic description of animal torture.

Lucy Brown is OK as the narrator. I found her over-enunciated, aristocratic British accent sort of pulled me out of a story set in ancient Rome with a main protagonist who is definitely not upper class. I can probably get used to that in future books, but I'm never going to be OK with her mispronunciation of AEDILE and DOMITIAN. Both words used frequently and mispronounced every time. Why do the narrators not check this and why do the audio producers let those glaring errors stand?

I'm not sure, but I suspect that Flavia will be more appreciated by those who have read some of the Falco books first.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Pretentious disapproving feminist. Too unlikeable

I only survived the first 2 hours so perhaps I haven’t earned the right to review. Our protagonist judges and labels and criticises almost non-stop. Has she earned her sense of superior self-worth? There’s nothing to suggest it.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Not Falco, but so what…

I don’t find too many authors with voices (written voice, not physically reading) I really enjoy, but Davis could probably write a dictionary and I’d enjoy it. Although it name checked Falco and the others from earlier books a few times this was fresh and new. Well done, keep up the good work.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

It’s ok but fluffy

The plot was predictable. The main character anachronistic with 21st century views dressed up in ancient Roman attire. However, it was fun anyway.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

She’s wonderful

I was afraid of Flavia Alba because I loved Falco so much. She’s every bit her own person and every bit as wonderful. I’m glad I finally succumbed

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