Deadly Election: A Flavia Albia Mystery

In her third outing (after The Ides of April and Enemies at Home), private informer Flavia Albia, the adopted daughter of Marcus Didius Falco, gets immersed in the dangerous world of Roman politics during the reign of Domitian. First, her father's auction business discovers a corpse inside a strongbox set to be sold. Soon after, Manlius Faustus, her potential love interest and frequent investigative partner, asks her to dig up dirt on the competitors of his friend Sextus, who is running for aedile. What initially seems to be two unrelated events quickly become intertwined and seemingly benign candidates begin to reveal sinister motivations. As always, Davis vividly paints an ancient Rome full of grandiose architecture and ominous dark alleyways in the sweltering summer heat. Her characters are equally well designed, with distinct personalities that complement the winding mystery.