Rating: 
Summary: a light, funny mystery set in Rome? yes, but VERY light..
Review: 'Silver Pigs', the first of the Falco mystery series, is my first book by Lindsey Davis. I had expectations of a tight mystery set in ancient Rome which would prove entertaining, humorous, and educational. Were my expectations met? Well, not exactly.'Silver Pigs' is a historical mystery novel with a very light touch. We are introduced to a bumbling yet totally likeable investigator (Falco) who is tasked to find out who is stealing ingots from the government. Falco travels to where the precious metal is mined (in England), falls in love, gets his heart broken, and meets all sorts of nasty people ... all in a day's work. Believable? Hardly. Enjoyable? Well the author does make her detective hero character into a charmer, so it is a pleasent enough read. But I found it to be a generally unfulfilling experience. I didn't learn much about ancient Rome, none of the other characters were well developed, the humour in the novel was merely cute rather than funny, and the prose was not particularly strong. Not a bad read, just an entirely forgettable one. Bottom line: a trifling novel which doesn't take any chances, leaving this reader unenthused (I will not read any of the other Falco novels). Not recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as I'd hoped...
Review: As a fan of Stephen Saylor's work, I was hoping to find another series that would immerse me in the world of ancient Rome. Instead, I found a light-weight piece of detective fiction that was in parts poorly written, and had throughoout little or no atmosphere. Compared to Saylor (or even Ross Leckie) this is thin stuff indeed.
Rating: 
Summary: Most unusual historical mystery
Review: Can you imagine Sam spode in an historical novel? I couldn't until I met Falco a Roman Private Eye. This was an excellent book more so as it was a first novel. The research was meticulous but it didn't read like an historical novel. The pace was fast and furious , the love story really held the interest and the mystery had red herrings galore . I can't wait to read the next one in the series. Ellis Peters eat your heart out!.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Novel which happens to be a mystery
Review: Davis acheives a level of storytelling which many genre authors feel is unnecessary. The characters are well-rounded, realistic individuals, whether they are the main characters or supporting actors. Davis has researched her book so that it is accurate to the time. Fun, informative, and engaging: a must for any lovers of Ellis Peter's Cafael series who want more to read. The only complaint is that the Roman world is a bit confusin - but it also seems to have been to the Romans.
Rating:
Summary: A book so intterestiing and irreverent I didn't put it down!
Review: Davis brings history alive with a biting look at ancient Rome
through the eyes of slightly seedy, yet inherently honest investigator. Everyone benefits from learning the little things about great civilizations...You'll laugh or you'll grimace when you discover how laundry was done!
Rating:
Summary: Not out of print everywhere
Review: Davis infuses the historical setting and the stock private detective milieu with masterful and compassionate writing, far beyond the talent of most of her contemporaries. She richly describes ancient Rome, daily life for the middle classes, and the political intrigue of the upper classes. The stereotypical hard-boiled detective dialog can get tiresome, but the depth of Falco and Helena as characters far outshines these genre trappings. In genre fiction, where gimmick settings and crazy plot twists usually outsell skillful writing, Davis's work provides a refreshing escape from clumsy pulp.
Rating: 
Summary: Good story, colorful setting, great writing.
Review: Davis infuses the historical setting and the stock private detective milieu with masterful and compassionate writing, far beyond the talent of most of her contemporaries. She richly describes ancient Rome, daily life for the middle classes, and the political intrigue of the upper classes. The stereotypical hard-boiled detective dialog can get tiresome, but the depth of Falco and Helena as characters far outshines these genre trappings. In genre fiction, where gimmick settings and crazy plot twists usually outsell skillful writing, Davis's work provides a refreshing escape from clumsy pulp.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read!
Review: For any historical fiction or detective fan, Silver Pigs is a must. It introduces Marcus Didius Falco, a wonderfully sympathetic detective, who makes the ideal protagonist for such an adventurous, riotous story. The reader will not be disappointed with his "partner" Helena. A street smart, witty, and sentimental detective paired with an outspoken, clever senator's daughter make this book a wonderful read.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating little bits of scholarship. . .
Review: for example, learn the accountancy methods by which Roman emperors tracked their treasure from mine to mint. It's fun.
Rating:
Summary: Utterly charming introduction to Didius Falco series
Review: For starters, I'm a big fan of the wise-cracking school of detectives. Stephanie Plum, Alan Gregory, and others always bring a smile to my face. Now I can add Didius Falco. What is different is that his snide remarks are 1,930 years old and concern things like going to that barberic land called Britain where, heaven forbid, it's so cold you have to wear socks. I happen to love fictional history so this is a great match of mystery and history. I learned more about the Roman Empire under Vespesian than I've learned since college. And it wasn't just politics--- the book includes a good sense of everyday life. Did you know that urine was used as bleach? There's also a dandy mystery with complicated webs of politics and greed and murder to be solved. Didius has a few missteps but ultimately has the moxy to unravel the tangled mess. My only quibble is a modest one. I listened to the unabridged tapes. The narration is in first person, past tense which is ok. Unfortunately, the narrator has the voice of a fifty/sixty year old man. This made it a little hard to visualize a 29 year old Falco (particularly in some of the more romantic moments). Bottom line - a series I'm eager to continue reading for the clever mystery plotting, the engaging main characters and the history lessons.
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