The Jupiter Myth

When last we saw wise cracking Roman gumshoe Marcus Didius Falco, he'd just solved the mystery of the Body in the Bathhouse. Now he has to solve the murder of the body in the well. He and his family are staying with his uncle-in-law, the procurator of finance, which is why, when a centurion decides to send for a higher power to take a look at what has happened, Falco gets brought along. It's the fact that he knows who the victim is that gets him in trouble. Readers may remember Verovulcus from the last book...and therefore remember that Verovulcus is King Togidubnus's oldest friend. The King is also one of the best allies Rome has in what can best be described as a delicate political balance, so it's up to Falco to discover who killed Verovulcus and why before the situation gets out of hand. What he soon discovers is that various establishments in the area...The Golden Shower, The Swan, Europa...all have more in common than names relating to Jupiter and his various amorous adventures. They are all establishments paying protection. He, his best friend Petronius and even his long-suffering wife Helena go undercover to find out just how far this plague has spread...and what it has to do with Verovulcus.

What I really enjoyed about this book is the different perspective it gave me on London. A mind-boggling amount of the mysteries I read take place in England/London, and so to read a story taking place in Londinium was rather fun. We get to see the setting in a new light, way before the buildings and places we have come to regard as essential for a London setting existed. It's almost like another land entirely, and one where Davis doesn't flinch from using to its greatest potential, from little ironies (one of the characters has the not so thrilling distinction of being one of the first bodies to be disposed of in the Thamesis) to how Falco's reminiscences of the horrors that he witnessed during the Icenian revolt color the setting. We also are treated to comparisons and contrasts of it with Rome, which works well because our common perception of Rome is probably much clearer than that of Londinium AD 75. In this, the map in front is helpful, in that it doesn't just mark out the things Falco would have seen, such as the Temporary Bridge, but also marks where the Tower of London and the other bridges will someday be, giving us an idea of where the Roman buildings such as the forum are in relationship to the things we know.

The historical aspects are obviously well researched. Not only does it make the setting special, but brings some other interesting aspects into play. We meet female gladiators and get a glimpse into their lives, we meet sleazy salesmen trying to convince people to buy jet jewelry and British born dogs. It gives Davis a chance to give us a colorful palette of characters, from the noble to the ignoble, allowing her plenty of room to make things interesting while creating room for humor. Falco's run in with an honest lawyer and his amazement at finding one made me smile.

What really makes this book special...indeed, the books of this series I've read so far...is that Falco is extremely pleasant to spend time with. His relationships with Helena, his beloved wife and Maia, his sister, are well done, and his interchanges with them are often quite funny. He maintains a combination of hard boiled gumshoe and half hearted respectability that makes him comfortable and interesting to hang around with for the length of the book. And, of course, awkward things happen...such as one of the female Gladiators being an old flame...and Helena's suspicion that Falco might not behaving himself make us wince and feel bad for him.

The mystery of who's running the rackets in Londinium and what it has to do with the murder is nifty, with plenty of twists to keep the readers guessing. I especially thought that the fact that the houses paying up all had names to do with some aspect of the Jupiter myth was an elegant touch.

Falco may be yearning to go home to Rome, but I enjoyed the setting and his reaction to it so much that even if he doesn't miss Londinium, I certainly will.