Customer Reviews

Last Act in Palmyra (Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I don't care what everyone else had to say about this book. I really enjoyed it. It was rollicking good fun. Didio and his beautiful Helena are on the road again, this time in Syria, and they join up with a travelling group of performers. The antics and adventures that they get into during the book are hilarious. The actual catching of the killer is done in the most unique way (as part of a performance). Falco gets better with each outing. Ms. Davis' writing is sparkling with wit, and her characters breathe! This book is back to a real whodunit format, and that was fun as well. Bring on the rest!

Quite a number of authors have jumped on the sleuth in Ancient Rome bandwagon, but Lindsey Davis is probably the best of the lot. Her leading character Marcus Didius Falco has been sent out of Rome on a dangerous mission to spy out the Lands of the East. An Imperial order sends him and his girlfriend Helena Justina, the daughter of a Senator to the rose red city of Petra. There they discover a murdered playwright.
Falco feels obliged to investigate the murder and soon becomes embroiled in more murder and mayhem, making him wish he had not left his beloved Rome. All the author's books have been entertaining and of a very high standard, this one is no different.

This was one of the more enjoyable Falco mysteries. I'm a great fan of Shakespeare, and Lindsey Davis's many references to the bard are hilarious. The way she portrays theatre life and it's stereotypical components are very amusing, and the ending left me rolling on the floor with laughter.

Unlike some readers, I felt no disappointment in Last Act in Palmyra. If anything, it contained more creativity than the other books in the series as well as an intentionally Shakespearesque tying together of loose ends by the conclusion. The supporting characters were all interesting and mostly sympathetic, if slightly more 2-dimensional than usual for Lindsey Davis.

Thoroughly enjoyable book!

Marcus Didius Falco returns, this time on a mission to discover a missing water-organist. While travelling through a number of Greek cities, he stumbles upon a murder - nothing ever changes - and he finds himself joining a group of actors to try to find the killer.
This is like a humorous version of Mary Renault's The Mask of Apollo in many ways. There is an incredibly large amount of possible suspects, and the scenes leading up to the denoumont make for exciting reading. Still, a few of the Falco icons, such as his money-grubbing landlord and his friend Petro, are noticeable by their absence. Can't wait for Time to Depart

In this Falco story, he hits the road going to the empire in the East. The story is good, with the usual witty dialogue. However it is not the best of the series.

Note the title of this novel departs from the author's usual combination of Roman deity and metal.

The best Falco novels are set in Rome. I think Falco sums it up in the story when he says "the Aventine is my territory". This story lacks somewhat by the absence of Petronious Longus, Falco's extended family, and the Roman political machine.

Besides the title change, one thing I didn't like was how Helena Justina stole the story. Falco comes off like a "Honeymooners" Ralph Cramden to her Gladys. I like the way Helena complicates his life and acts as a foil. However, Falco novels have traditionally been gum-shoe, detective classics. I finished this novel wondering if I'd read a V.I. Warshowski spin-off.

"Last Act in Palmyra" is worth reading, however it is not the best in the series. Falco remains at his best beating the cobbles of Rome.

'Last Act in Palmyra' follows the trend established by Lindsey Davis in the Falco series. Ms Davis spends considerable time exploring the growth in the unlikely relationship between Falco and his aristocratic girl friend, Helena Justina. The characters are well-drawn and the wry humour throughout the book makes it an easy read; however Ms Davis does gloss over the squalor and less savoury practices that prevailed in ancient Rome and its empire. Read the very latest Falco book 'Three Hands in the Fountain', a copy of which I have just received from Britain. Ms Davis has maintained her momentum in depicting further Falco's developing domestic life with his new baby daughter

I have read all the books in the series, some more than once. This one stands up very well, and is one of my favorites. Falco's talents are extended to surprising lengths.

I loved this one - one of my favorite Falco stories. I had just visited Petra, so that made it even better.

Killer entertainment.


Falco is undercover for the Emperor again, and Helena is along for the ride. A disappeared muso lands our intrepid Informer in the middle of a travelling theatre show, and murder isn't far behind. Even worse, Falco tries writing his own.

A reasonable book, but if you have no theatre interest at all you may not enjoy it as much with all the jokes there.


3.5 out of 5