The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis

The Silver Pigs
by Lindsey Davis

The libraries’ Just Desserts mystery book discussion group had selected the historical mystery series featuring Marcus Didius Falco, Ancient Rome’s version of a private investigator, for our February 2018 meeting, only to have an ice storm keep most of the group’s members home from the meeting. This was particularly frustrating to me, as I tremendously enjoyed reading the first of the Falco books, The Silver Pigs, and was eager to learn the opinions of the other Just Desserters about the series.

In this series premiere volume, private “Informer” Falco literally stumbles into the biggest job of his career, when he assists a young noblewoman to escape some thugs who were pursuing her. This leads to him being hired to investigate what turns out to be a major case of corruption involving Roman government officials. As part of his investigation, Falco must go undercover in a brutal silver mine in the Roman territory of Britain. Add to that that Falco develops strong feelings for a second headstrong young noblewoman, whom he must escort from Britain back to Rome, and then he has to figure out which politician he can trust, and which wants to kill him, and you’ve got a fast-paced, colorful mystery novel.

The Falco series is an acquired taste, and I’ve run into many mystery fans who don’t care for it. Personally, I love the gritty, noir-like style that Davis writes this series in, and I find Marcus Didius Falco to be a funny, admirable character — an occasionally foul-mouth tough guy, with a mushy heart of gold. I will definitely look forward to reading more in this 20-volume series! In our group discussion of the series, we learned that Davis varies the writing style in future volumes — they’re not all “noir” novels, some volumes in the series are legal thrillers, others are psychological suspense, and others are serial killer thrillers. But, The Silver Pigs is definitely a “noir” private eye novel set in Ancient Rome.

You can join Just Desserts for the March 2018 meeting TONIGHT, at South Branch Library (27th & South St.) at 6:30, when we'll be discussing Triple Crown by Felix Francis.

[ official The Silver Pigs page on the official Lindsey Davis web site ]

Check out the series handout from the Just Desserts meeting, chronicling the entire Marcus Didius Falco series, plus a follow-up series featuring his daughter.

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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