Lindsey Davis

How are great turning points in history experienced by individuals?As Britain pulls away from Europe great British writers come together to give voice to their innermost feelings. These writers include novelists, writers of books for children, of comic books, humourists, historians, biographers, nature writers, film writers, travel writers, writers young and old and from an extraordinary range of backgrounds. Most are famous perhaps because they have won the Booker or other literary prizes, written bestsellers, changed the face of popular culture or sold millions of records. Others are not yet household names but write with depth of insight and feeling.There is some extraordinary writing in this book. Some of these pieces are expressions of love of particular places in Europe. Some are true stories, some nostalgic, some hopeful. Some are cries of pain. There are hilarious pieces. There are cries of pain and regret. Some pieces are quietly devastating. All are passionate.Conceived as a love letter to Europe, this book may also help reawaken love for Britain. It shows the unique richness and diversity of British cultures, a multitude of voices in harmony.Contributors include:Hugh Aldersey-Williams, Philip Ardagh, Jake Arnott, Patricia Atkinson, Paul Atterbury, Richard Beard, Mary Beard, Don Boyd, Melvyn Bragg, Gyles Brandreth, Kathleen Burke, James Buxton, Philip Carr, Brian Catling, Shami Chakrabarti, Chris Cleave, Mark Cocker, Peter Conradi , Heather Cooper, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Roger Crowley, David Crystal, William Dalrymple, Lindsey Davies, Margaret Drabble, Mark Ellen, Richard Evans, Michel Faber, Sebastian Faulks, Ranulph Fiennes, Robert Fox, James Fox, Neil Gaiman, Evelyn Glennie, James Hanning, Nick Hayes, Alan Hollinghurst, Gabby Hutchinson-Crouch, Will Hutton, Robert Irwin, Holly Johnson , Liane Jones, Ruth Jones, Sam Jordison, Kapka Kassabova, AL Kennedy, Hermione Lee, Prue Leith, Patrick Lenox, Roger Lewis, David Lindo, Penelope Lively, Beth Lync, Richard Mabey, Sue MacGregor, Ian Martin, Frank McDonough, Jonathan Meades, Andrew Miller, Deborah Moggach, Ben Moor, Alan Moore, Paul Morley, Jackie Morris, Charles Nicholl, Richard Overy, Chris Riddell, Adam Roberts, Tony Robinson, Lee Rourke, Sophie Sabbage, Marcus Sedgwick, Richard Shirreff, Paul Stanford, Isy Suttie, Sandi Toksvig, Colin Tudge, Ed Vulliamy, Anna Whitelock, Kate Williams, Michael Wood, Louisa Young

Rome is in chaos. The empire of a mobster chief is falling apart following his death. Rivals, fearsome relatives and associates are taking up position to vie for the spoils. With hideous murders in the streets of Rome, a lone female traveller arrives with an agenda of her own. But when her corpse is dragged out of the river bearing signs of foul play, Flavia Alba is drawn in, concerned about her fellow Briton's fate. Alba's quest to find the killer becomes deeply personal when she discovers a man at the centre of the plot is an old adversary of hers. Will she be obsessed by revenge? Can she let the past go, or will it consume her?

Rome is in chaos. The empire of a mobster chief is falling apart following his death. Rivals, fearsome relatives and associates are taking up position to vie for the spoils. With hideous murders in the streets of Rome, a lone female traveller arrives with an agenda of her own. But when her corpse is dragged out of the river bearing signs of foul play, Flavia Albia is drawn in, concerned about her fellow Briton's fate. Albia's quest to find the killer becomes deeply personal when she discovers a man at the centre of the plot is an old adversary of hers. Will she be obsessed by revenge? Can she let the past go, or will it consume her?

An unpaid bar bill leads Flavia Albia to her most bitter and complex case yet. Decades earlier Appius Tranquillus Surus wrote his will: it freed his slaves and bequeathed his businesses to them. He left an orchard to the Prisci, a family he was friendly with, on the condition that his freedmen could still take its harvest. The convoluted arrangement has led to a feud between the two families, each of which has its own internal strife. Endless claims and counterclaims lead to violence and even death. Lawyers have given up in exasperation as the case limps on. The original will has disappeared, along with a falsified codicil - and might there be another one? But is there a solution? Two youngsters from each side of the divide, Gaius Venuleius and Cosca Sabatina, have fallen in love, which could unite the feuding families. There is only one problem: were Sabatina's grandmother and father really liberated in the Surus will? If not, the stigma of slavery will stop the marriage and the dispute will rage on forever. Reconciliation seems impossible, but Albia will try. Her investigation must cut through decades of secrets, arguments, lies and violence to reach a startling truth. 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 'Fiendishly twisted mystery' Mail on Sunday 'Great fun, shot through with sharp observations' SHOTS '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' Sunday Express Magazine

Lindsey Davis has received the Crime Writer's Association Lifetime Achievement Award for her two immortal series of detective novels featuring Marcus Didius Falco and his adopted daughter, Flavia Albia. She is regarded as the finest living novelist of Ancient Rome. Here, for the first time in book form, are four novella-length stories written to illuminate her unparalleled output of the last 30 years.The Bride from Bithynia tells the story of Aelia Camilla who travels 1000 miles to Britain to marry Gaius Flavius, a Roman officer. But their relationship struggles, then the province explodes in the Boudican Revolt. Now, it will be up to Aelia to save herself from the conflagration. The Spook Who Spoke Again. Marcus Didius Alexander Postumus is an odd boy who has known two families. That of Marcus Didius himself and his actual birth mother, Thalia the Snake Dancer. Things begin to unravel quickly when he decides to emulate his adopted father and investigate a death in Thalia's troupe of exotic performers.Vesuvius by Night. Two men share a room but seldom meet. Nonius is a pimp and part time thief who operates at night, Larius is a fresco painter who dreams of artistic greatness by day. When the volcano erupts, one will begin looting hastily abandoned villas, the other will do anything he can to save himself and his family.Invitation to Die. When the Emperor Domitian invites the entire senatorial class to a banquet to honour the recent war dead, many think he intends to take revenge on his enemies. When the Camillus brothers enter the black-painted hall where the feast is being held and see their names engraved on monumental stones, they fear they will not survive the night...Four pivotal events, fact and fiction. Four stories which allow Davis's much-loved characters new space and the opportunity to take personal roles in tense situations, with moving results. They face villainy, tragedy, accident, confusion and fear - but each story is told with the wry humour, and underpinned by human wisdom, courage and love.

Hæsblæsende og underholdende tur gennem det antikke Rom - fra skummel undergrund til magtens tinder i haserne på den private efterforsker og ekslegionær Marcus Didius Falco. Rom, 71 e.Kr.: Ingen kender byen bedre end Marcus Didius Falco. Ekslegionæren regnes for den bedste efterforsker, og alligevel mangler han altid penge. Men en dag spiller skæbnens gudinde ham et lovende job i armene i form af den unge, smukke Sosia Camillina, som er på flugt fra sine kidnappere. Snart bliver Falco viklet ind i et drabeligt plot, der involverer stjålne sølvbarrer og sender Falco til sølvminerne i de britiske provinser. Der, i udkanten af ??imperiet, afslører han en sammensværgelse, hvis net strækker sig helt ind i magtens hjerte - og som vil kunne kaste imperiet ned i afgrunden. Og dér møder han Helena Justina, senatorens datter, og forsegler ubevidst sin skæbne … Sølvgrisene er første bind i serien om Marcus Didius Falco. Lindsey Davis (f. 1949 i Birmingham), arbejdede i årevis som embedsmand indtil hendes store interesse for historie og arkæologi fik hende til at skrive Sølvgrisene. Det blev startskuddet til en serie på i alt 20 bind, der har solgt millioner af eksemplarer verden over. Lindsey Davis har modtaget en lang række prestigefulde krimipriser.

Hæsblæsende og underholdende tur gennem det antikke Rom - fra skummel undergrund til magtens tinder i haserne på den private efterforsker og ekslegionær Marcus Didius Falco. Rom, 71 e.Kr.: Marcus Didius Falco, eks-legionær og privat efterforsker er nået langt: Hans klienter bor ikke længere i de mørke gyder i Suburra, men i byhuse på Palatinerhøjen. Nærheden til magten har dog en pris: Før Falco ved af det, skal han påtage sig delikate og farlige opgaver for kejser Vespasian - opgaver som aldrig må forbindes med herskerens navn. På vegne af kejseren rejser Falco til det sydlige Italien, hvor der går rygter om en ny sammensværgelse mod kejseren. Men missionen er langt mere kompliceret, end han kunne have forestillet sig – og lige da Falco mindst venter det, dukker Helena Justina, senatorens datter, som han har gjort alt for at glemme, op igen. Bronzeskygger er andet bind i serien om Marcus Didius Falco. Lindsey Davis (f. 1949 i Birmingham), arbejde i årevis som embedsmand indtil hendes store interesse for historie og arkæologi fik hende til at skrive Sølvgrisene. Det blev startskuddet til en serie på i alt 20 bind, der har solgt millioner af eksemplarer verden over. Lindsey Davis har modtaget en lang række prestigefulde krimipriser.

Ten years after the eruption of Vesuvius, the surrounding countryside lies buried and barren. But the destroyed cities and luxury villas on the Bay of Naples are not utterly lost.Flavia Albia and her husband Tiberius Manlius are tasked with restoring one villa and identifying any surviving remains.What they unearth is beyond disturbing. When the volcano erupted some people were left to their fate here, unable to escape. They included the previous owner, Publius Primus - laid out carefully and covered by falling ash.Was Primus murdered? And, if so, why? Can Flavia Albia solve the mystery?There Will Be Bodies looks beyond the well-known tragic events to what must have happened afterwards. It is the most intriguing crime novel of Lindsey Davis's long and celebrated career.

A decade after the destructive eruption, Flavia Albia finds herself investigating family secrets and possible crimes buried in the ash of Mount Vesuvius.In first century Rome, Flavia Albia--daughter and successor to Marcus Didius Falco--is once again faced with uncovering the truth. Quite literally. Only ten year's previous, Mount Vesuvius erupted and rained ash down about the Roman cities and towns along the Bay of Naples. But while some cities were destroyed, others were merely badly damaged. And the uncle of Flavia Albia's husband seizes the opportunity to buy a villa...cheap It just has to be dug out of the ash, and restored. Oh, and any bodies uncovered, including the previous owner, given a proper burial. And as the Villa is being renovated, there are indeed bodies found. But one is not like the others--instead of buried in the ash, the previous owner's body is found in a locked storeroom and Albia is immediately suspicious that he didn't die in the eruption. With suspicious caretakers, a large inheritance, untrustworthy friends and a Sicilian pirate sniffing around, Albia must solve the riddle of a long ago death, maybe murder, to prevent another one.

Ten years after the eruption of Vesuvius, the surrounding countryside lies buried and barren. But the destroyed cities and luxury villas on the Bay of Naples are not utterly lost.Flavia Albia and her husband Tiberius Manlius are tasked with restoring one villa and identifying any surviving remains.What they unearth is beyond disturbing. When the volcano erupted some people were left to their fate here, unable to escape. They included the previous owner, Publius Primus - laid out carefully and covered by falling ash.Was Primus murdered? And, if so, why? Can Flavia Albia solve the mystery?There Will Be Bodies looks beyond the well-known tragic events to what must have happened afterwards. It is the most intriguing crime novel of Lindsey Davis's long and celebrated career.

In 1989, Lindsey Davis introduced readers to Marcus Didius Falco, the Roman informer, in her first novel in the popular Falco series: The Silver Pigs. Twenty books later, Davies created a Falco companion for her loyal fans.Only here will you learn about the author’s private background, including her descent from a failed assassin and how atheism improved her knitting. Here, too, are the real glories and heartache involved in the research and creation of her books.This companion covers perennial issues and comes complete with a hundred illustrations and enlightening quotations from the Falco books and eminent sources: Juvenal, through Chandler, to 1066 and All That.It's time to spill beans on the travertine. . .********************************************************************************'Her research has been assiduous and detailed, her commitment to the subject is impressive, and the background detail is often eye-opening' Hilary Mantel, Observer'One of the best writers in this field!' Donna Leon, The Times' The best historical detective in the business' Daily Telegraph'Every book in this series is a delight. . . highly recommend!!' Library Journal********************************************************************************Why Readers Love Lindsey Davis:'Be careful, if you get the taste for this you'll end up reading them all... I can think of worse ways to pass the time' -- ***** Reader review'This series is just so addictive!' -- ***** Reader review'I just could not put it down' -- ***** Reader review'Engrossing' -- ***** Reader reviewFans of S. J. Parris, Donna Leon, Steven Saylor and C. J. Sansom will absolutely love this gripping page-turner of a historical mystery from multi-million copy bestselling author Lindsey Davis. Full of twists, turns and tension - you will be hooked from page one.

Lindsey Davis has received the Crime Writer's Association Lifetime Achievement Award for her two immortal series of detective novels featuring Marcus Didius Falco and his adopted daughter, Flavia Albia. She is regarded as the finest living novelist of Ancient Rome. Here, for the first time in book form, are four novella-length stories written to illuminate her unparalleled output of the last 30 years.The Bride from Bithynia tells the story of Aelia Camilla who travels 1000 miles to Britain to marry Gaius Flavius, a Roman officer. But their relationship struggles, then the province explodes in the Boudican Revolt. Now, it will be up to Aelia to save herself from the conflagration.The Spook Who Spoke Again. Marcus Didius Alexander Postumus is an odd boy who has known two families. That of Marcus Didius himself and his actual birth mother, Thalia the Snake Dancer. Things begin to unravel quickly when he decides to emulate his adopted father and investigate a death in Thalia's troupe of exotic performers.Vesuvius by Night. Two men share a room but seldom meet. Nonius is a pimp and part time thief who operates at night, Larius is a fresco painter who dreams of artistic greatness by day. When the volcano erupts, one will begin looting hastily abandoned villas, the other will do anything he can to save himself and his family.Invitation to Die. When the Emperor Domitian invites the entire senatorial class to a banquet to honour the recent war dead, many think he intends to take revenge on his enemies. When the Camillus brothers enter the black-painted hall where the feast is being held and see their names engraved on monumental stones, they fear they will not survive the night...Four pivotal events, fact and fiction. Four stories which allow Davis's much-loved characters new space and the opportunity to take personal roles in tense situations, with moving results. They face villainy, tragedy, accident, confusion and fear - but each story is told with the wry humour, and underpinned by human wisdom, courage and love.

Hæsblæsende og underholdende tur gennem det antikke Rom - fra skummel undergrund til magtens tinder i haserne på den private efterforsker og ekslegionær Marcus Didius Falco. Rom, 71 e.Kr.: En lille regnskabsfejl har gjort, at Marcus Didius Falco må dele celle med en stor rotte i det berygtede Lautumiae-fængsel, indtil han bliver løsladt mod kaution – betalt af hans mor. At blive reddet af sin mor er slemt nok, men tingene går fra slemt til værre, da en gruppe frigivne slaver hyrer ham til at overliste den rødhårede Severina Zotica, som de mistænker for at være lykkejæger. Falco påtager sig at efterforske Severinas sande hensigter, men befinder sig hurtigt i et farligt virvar af løgne og intriger, der risikerer at påvirke både ham selv og hans store kærlighed, Helena Justina.Venus i kobber er tredje bind i serien om Marcus Didius Falco. Lindsey Davis (f. 1949 i Birmingham), arbejde i årevis som embedsmand indtil hendes store interesse for historie og arkæologi fik hende til at skrive Sølvgrisene. Det blev startskuddet til en serie på i alt 20 bind, der har solgt millioner af eksemplarer verden over. Lindsey Davis har modtaget en lang række prestigefulde krimipriser.