Venus in Copper: A Marcus Didius Falco Mystery (Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries, 3)

Rome, AD 71. Marcus Didius Falco is deperate to leave the notorious Lautumiae prison - though being bailed out by his mother is a slight indignity... Things go from bad to worse though when a group of nouveau riche ex-slaves hire him to outwit a fortune-hunting redhead, whose husbands have a habit of dying accidently, leaving him up against a female contortionist, her extra-friendly snake, indigestible cakes and rent racketeers. And, all the while, trying to lure Helena Justina to live with him, a dangerous proposition given the notorius instability of Roman real estate. In a case of murder as complicated as he ever faced, this Lindsey Davis' classic tale Venus in Copper shows Falco at his very finest. The bestselling author of Shadows in Bronze presents the third book in this acclaimed series, featuring Marcus Didius Falco. Most recently a palace spy for Emperor Vespasian, Marcus Didius Falco is now in private service--and investigating a red-haired temptress who has the misfortune of marrying men who die rather quickly and under mysterious circumstances. "Rome, AD 71. Marcus Didius Falco is desperate to leave the notorious Lautumiae prison - though being bailed out by his mother is a slight indignity. Things go from bad to worse though when a group of nouveau riche ex-slaves hire him to outwit a fortune-hunting redhead, whose husbands have a habit of dying accidentally, leaving him up against a female contortionist, her extra-friendly snake, indigestible cakes and rent racketeers. And, all the while, trying to lure Helena Justina to live with him, a dangerous proposition given the notorious instability of Roman real estate. In a case of murder as complicated as he ever faced, this classic tale shows Falco at his very finest"--Back cover. Imperial Rome's private investigator Marcus Didius Falco takes on a case involving the murder of a wealthy real estate developer