I Read Books: See Delphi And Die
See Delphi And Die
Falco, 1st century Roman informer (private investigator) gets a letter from his brother-in-law, on his way to Athens to study there. It seems a Roman woman was killed at Olympia, sit of the Olympic Games; worse still this is not the first female visitor to die there. After visiting the father of the first dead woman, Falco manages to get the Imperial authorities to commission him to investigate.
Both it seems were on a tour with Seven Wonders Tour Company; Falco makes up a party to visit Greece, taking the opportunity to visit all the great sights. And also many non-great ones. The authorities at Olympia do not want any bad publicity with the Olympic Games coming next year (having been put back on their regular schedule after Nero moved them to take part). Aulus, the brother-in-law has rounded up the tour party, the main suspects, but has no evidence. The distraught husband of the murdered woman is seeking word from oracles.
A look into ancient tourism, and religious tourism, with a murder mystery to provide the spine. The inconveniences, difficulties and expenses of travelling, a consistent theme in these books, are front and centre. It’s very cynical, authorities wanting to cover up, no one wanting to blame anyone who makes them money or rock the boat. And at least one oracle’s mysteries are revealed as a trick. The recurring mention of some of the more grotesque Greek myths does pay off in one of the most lurid sections of the series.
Read This: Fun trek across ancient Greece converted into
Roman tourist trap with murder mystery on top
Don’t Read This: Travel is bad, serial killers worse
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