Desperate Undertaking - Day 6 (August 2022)

 For Day 6 of Bout-of-Books (August 2022),  we're going back in time to the Roman Empire.

“Desperate Undertaking: A Flavia Albia Mystery #10” by Lindsey Davis

Murder in First-Century Rome!

Flavia Albia, adopted daughter of famed informer Marcus Didius Falco, takes on her tenth case as an Informer in Rome. Informer is Roman speak for Private Investigator. Flavia Albia is good at her job. She’s courageous, smart, and street savvy.

As Saturnalia ends, there’s a horrifying murder of the actor Chremes. No sooner is his crucified body discovered, then his wife, Phrygia is also found murdered, her dying words are “The Undertaker did it!”.

Who is this mysterious undertaker if not Suedius the gravedigger?

The murders fit a pattern; they are taken from famous Greek and Roman plays. Chremes and Phrygia’s acting company is in shock. They are all suspects, of course.

Actor Davos and his partner, Thalia ask Flavia Albia to investigate. Their acting company is also threatened by the killer or killers. They are terrified as are all actors in the city.

Flavia Albia teams up with Mucius, lead investigating officer of the VII Cohort of Vigiles, the local policing force. Mucius is experienced as are his officers. Together, Flavia Albia and Mucius interview suspects, study crime scenes and dead bodies, and wrangle with clues as they race to prevent yet another murder based on a play.

The plot is complex, the murderers diabolical, and the clues… they lead to more clues found in the names and themes of plays. Who could be so cruel and twisted?

Lindsey Davis has another hit with “Desperate Undertaking” starring Flavia Albia and her keen detecting skills. The writing is fluid, the murders ingenious, and the culprits are well-disguised.

Flavia Albia’s previous investigation is “Comedy of Terrors” . You might start at the beginning with “The Ides of April.” No matter what, there’s plenty of action and suspense in all of Lindsay Davis’ mysteries.