Bronze shadows

My name is Didius Falco, and I am the snoop of Emperor Vespasian.

Didius Falco, Marcus to his friends, was a private informer whose services were also used by the imperial palace. And because he proved himself, he became an agent of Emperor Vespasian. As a new broom, he is thrown the worst jobs, like cleaning up a decomposing corpse. But there is a more important task coming - to find the conspirators eager to remove the emperor and negotiate with them.

The search brings Falco and his friend Petronius to Naples, where every corner is a danger to him. The Emperor's enemies have people everywhere... Falco also meets his unattainable love Helena, whose presence means further complications.

Lindsey Davis's Falcon series, spiced with dry British humour, also provides a wealth of interesting information about everyday life in ancient Rome.