Only she knows the number for the box, and the two thugs were going to take her to the box and force her to open it. She looked overdressed and dangerously hot, but sunstroke or suffocation had not yet finished her off.

The Silver Pig FROM THE OYSTER ROOM - The Silver Pig

He discovers that the scheme is not just about stealing silver, but also encompasses a plot to overthrow the emperor. Publication date 2006 Topics Falco, Marcus Didius (Fictitious character) -- Fiction, Helena Justina (Fictitious character) -- Fiction, Private investigators -- Rome -- Fiction, Rome -- History -- Vespasian, 69-79 -- Fiction, Great Britain -- History -- To 449 -- Fiction Publisher St.We understand that not everyone can donate right now, but if you can afford to contribute, we promise it will be put to good use.

The Silver Pigs: (Marco Didius Falco: book I): the first

She confesses to him that she is fleeing for her life, and Falco makes the rash decision to rescue her—a decision he will come to regret. Davis's story, though couched in period detail, rewards as much for deft handling of plot and depth of characterization as for its historicity. Her feet would slip against the wet soles of her sandals, runnels of sweat dash her warm throat into interesting crevices under all that fancy bodicework .

After a final, bloody, retribution is carried out in the climax, Falco is offered a promotion to the equestrian rank. After being rescued by Helena and a friendly centurion, Falco heads back to Rome, as the reluctant charge of the even more reluctant Helena. However, there is no justice, as one of the culprits is Domitian, the Emperor's wayward son, and the only other surviving culprit is very close to Helena and her senator father. Getting out of the mines is difficult; Helena Justina uses her influence and social status to get him freed. This criminal scheme is described as so large and brazen it threatens the economic security of the empire.

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Falco, The Silver Pigs - Episode guide

She was shining and sticky as a glazed pastry plait, and when she hurtled up the steps of the Temple of Saturn straight towards me, I made no attempt to move aside. Vespasian came from an equestrian family that rose into the senatorial rank under the Julio–Claudian emperors, and although he fulfilled the standard succession of public offices, he had really made his name and earned his power in military service. are each signed, uniquely inscribed and dated at or near their respective dates of publication by the author to the same two close friends.Rufrius Vitalis - Ex-Centurion of the Second Augustan Legion, living in retirement at Isca Dumnoniorum. The stallholder's thin cry was lost as bouncing flagons, ewers and urns sped at a denting pace down the Temple steps, followed by their despairing owner and numbers of righteous passers-by—all hoping to stroll home with a nice new fluted fruitbowl under one arm. I felt my leg crunch, but the draught-ox staggered into his evil friend so they teetered backwards like faltering acrobats. As an equestrian Falco would be upper middle class and could marry Helena without bringing her or her family shame, as would with his current meagre earnings.

The Silver Pigs | Lindsey Davis

Once there he meets a lady way out of his class, Helena Justina, the daughter of the Senator who hired him, and Sosia's cousin. A few days later, however, Falco reconsiders—he realizes that refusing the emperor’s offer must have insulted and hurt Helena terribly.I greeted this smouldering apparition with the keenness of a man who needs troubles taken off his mind. The Silver Pigs is very lightly marked on its upper cover (the dust jacket is not affected) and has a couple of small, light creases where the lower cover meets the spine (about three inches from the head), and the Official Companion has a tiny puncture mark near the right-hand edge of the front free endpaper (which runs very lightly through the following pages), but overall this is a very fresh and attractive set of first editions. Our resources are crucial for knowledge lovers everywhere—so if you find all these bits and bytes useful, please pitch in.