The Silver Pigs by Lindsey DavisMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Missing the Ruth Downie Medicus series decided to try another set in ancient Rome. Unlike Gaius on the former as a doctor in the Roman legions in Britannica, Falco in the latter is a private informer in the heart of Rome. The author has stated that she wanted what would be a modern PI with no family, possibly a divorce in the background and a love'em and leave 'em attitude toward women to be the complete opposite of her hero. She has succeeded, Falco is almost an 30 year old ,barely living on his own in a sixth floor walk-up, with a mother who periodically shows up to clean it up, bring him food and toss out his latest floozy. He also has a crazy family of sisters, brothers-in-law he can barely stomach and a brood of little ankle biters, also known as nieces and nephews.
The story is funny in places, confusing in others, and definitely more than Falco can handle. Someone is stealing and hiding silver pigs that have been mined and molded in Britannica and sent home to Rome to be presented to the Emperor. Who is managing to take a cut and where are the purloined silver pigs being secreted? Under guise of bringing a Senator's daughter home to Rome from Britain, Falco heads over to the mines and serves uncover as a slave to get a handle on the situation.
His sleuthing and matching wits with the Senator's daughter, Helena Justina is fun and the solution to the mystery is satisfying. Not Gaius but totally different--think I'll try another book in the series.
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