First published 2009
Marcus Didius Falco returns home to find his bath house renovation has taken a deadly turn. A corpse lies among the construction debris, transforming his domestic improvement project into his latest murder investigation. The thirteenth case for Rome's unofficial detective arrives literally at his doorstep, where the empire's building boom meets brutal reality. Falco must navigate the world of contractors, architects, and bath house builders while determining who wanted the victim dead. The investigation pulls him between his professional duties and personal life as his own home becomes a crime scene. This case tests Falco's skills close to home, where the stakes feel more personal than his usual assignments in the Roman streets.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-detective, personal-stakes
Setting: Rome
Period: Ancient
Kindle Edition · Mysterious Press