Saturnalia

Marcus Didius Falco, Book 18

By: Lindsey Davis

Narrated by: Christian Rhodska

Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

It is the Roman holiday of Saturnalia. The days are short, the nights are for wild parties. A general has captured a famous enemy of Rome, and brings her home to adorn his Triumph as a ritual sacrifice. But the logistics go wrong.

©2014 Audible, Inc. (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"As always, the shrewd and outspoken Falco is helped by his headstrong wife, Helena Justina, and hindered by nefarious Anacrites, Rome's Chief Spy. Davis serves up a huge cast of characters and colorful descriptions of daily life in first-century Rome, details sure to please readers with an affinity for ancient history." ( Booklist)

Outstanding episode

I’ve been enjoying the whole series. This episode is outstanding, even among this excellent series. The plot was good, the characters were fun as always, and I particularly enjoyed hearing about the Saturnalia customs. I appreciate the fact that I learn about ancient Roman culture while having a good time. Christian Rhodska is a great narrator, and this time I thought he really shined. His different voices and accents add so much to the listening pleasure. I’ve got just two more in this series, and I will be sad when I’m done, but looking forward to the spinoff series.

"We ... know how to give a turnip a good time"

Continuing the exploits of Marcus Sirius Falco, his wife Helena, and his entire aesthetically members, including friend Petro, as they enter the chaos of the season of gifts and misrule, Saturnalia in Rome in the year AD 76 . And as the city descend into polity and japes, Falco is charged by the state with finding a missing prisoner, a beautiful foreign princess brought back to Rome 'for safety',, by his family to find his brother in law who'd gone missing after a row with his wife, and even the the dog disappeared for a while. And dead bodies, never in short supply on Rome's streets, are turning up with increased frequency. Is there a serial killer, or two, at work?
Always amusing, atmospheric and great fun as well as good mysteries, Saturnalia, no:18, is one of the funniest of the Falco series and Christian Rhodska's performance is excellent with individual voicing for all of the characters even if I still find some of the female voices just a little too rough. But his involvement with the story, the pacing and the intonation are, as always perfectly tuned.

A stand alone story, recommended to anyone who enjoys mysteries set in an earlier time period, especially those with an enjoyment of the Roman Empire : great colour and a sense of actually being there, plus fun and humour. For readers who do not know this series at all, best to start with book one: though it's not necessary, already knowing the past of these characters does enhance the overall enjoyment.