First published 2001
A prominent Athenian banker lies dead in Rome, his body mutilated beyond recognition. Marcus Didius Falco, the city's most reluctant private investigator, finds himself pulled into another deadly case. The victim's wealth made him many enemies, but his gruesome end suggests something more personal than a business dispute. Falco must navigate Rome's criminal underworld, questioning suspicious associates and dodging dangerous adversaries who want the investigation buried. The banker's connections reach into the highest levels of Roman society, where money flows as freely as blood. Every lead Falco follows seems to multiply into three more, each more treacherous than the last. As he digs deeper into the victim's affairs, Falco discovers that in Rome's financial circles, murder might be the most honest transaction of all. The case will test not only his investigative skills but his ability to survive in a world where asking the wrong questions can prove fatal.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigation, murder-mystery
Setting: Athens, Rome
Period: Ancient
368 pages · Hardcover · Mysterious Press