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Book Review By Alan J. Bishop
The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis

Marcus Didius Falco is an informer (private investigator) with a slightly sleezy reputation but a strong sense of justice. So when he helps rescue a beautiful young girl from a pair of thugs and learns of her detested uncle's plans for her marriage, he considers getting involved. When the girl is killed, he wants to find the killer! But the family's high class and importance makes it difficult, and the Emperor Vespasian wants him for a different investigation. Falco discovers the two are linked, so he reluctantly accepts the Emperor's commission - to investigate fraud and the siphoning of valuable silver from the Imperial Treasury.

The big down-side is that to find the killer - and the silver - Falco must return to a place he hates; Brittannia. He must also go undercover as a mine slave ... a potentially fatal occupation.
This first volume in the series is a great introduction to Ancient Rome and the world of Falco. He wisecracks, fights and thinks his way into - and out of - many situations with a strong sense of justice and a unerring ability to rub some people up the wrong way!


Plot & Themes
Tone of story - very humorous
How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 80%
Kind of investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
descript. of violence and chases - 20 %
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 %
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20 %
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status:

Main Adversary
Identity: - none

Setting
Europe Yes
City? Yes
City: - Dirty, dangerous (like New York)

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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