Desperate Undertaking (okładka  miękka, wyd. 04.2022)

Rome, the very end of December. The Field of Mars is packed with monuments, none more beautiful than Domitian`s new Odeon and Stadium. But the area has been overtaken by ugly events: elaborately staged murders. Someone bears a spectacular grudge against the theatrical community, and intends to get revenge in the most spectacular way possible. The killer`s method is to re-enact bloody scenes from the gruesome side of popular theatre, where characters in plays really die on stage. A figure from the past wants Flavia Albia`s father to investigate, but Falco is out of Rome for the holidays. Albia seizes the commission. And begins to regret doing so almost immediately. `The undertaker did it!` the first victim croaks before expiring. This seems to make no sense, because surely people are already dead when they go to their funeral? Though there is a serial killer at large, the authorities would prefer a cover-up but Albia is driven to discover what is going on. How much blood must be shed before the mania ends? And could her own family be on the list for a frightful stage death? Praise for Lindsey Davis and the Flavia Albia series `It positively crackles with knowledge of the city and its people, mixed with social comment, ingenious and bloody plots and sharp observational skills leavened by more than a smattering of genuine and sometimes earthy humour` Crime Review `Lighthearted, witty and effortlessly clever, just like its wonderful heroine, this is a window into ancient Rome, and a tonic and a joy to read` The Observer `For a totally exhilarating romp through Ancient Rome, Lindsey Davis` latest Flavia Alba novel won`t be beaten and offers an immersive experience of a vibrant world full of real, recognisable characters` Shotsmag `In this witty novel by the mistress of Roman crime, the reader is transported behind the scenes of a Triumph into a fascinating world of actors, costumiers and animal trainers, all united in their hatred of the murdered man` [...]