[Previous entry: "No More Beard Watching"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "Chuq on Signatures"]

01/19/2003 Archived Entry: "Steven Saylor, Lindsey Davis"

Accompanying me at dance camp and during my recent move struggles were the Ancient Rome mystery novels of Steven Saylor, collectively called (by him) Roma Sub Rosa, Rome under the rose (of secrecy). This series follows Gordianus the Finder through the last years of the Roman republic and the beginnings of the Roman Empire -- a very turbulent time! I'd always meant to read these, and when one of the only drawers of books accessible to me contained them, it seemed that now was the time. They are good mysteries and good novels, too. Saylor chose to jump over rather large periods of time in his detective's life in order to cover the history that interested him. Maybe he'll go back and do some filling in? He tallks about a possible movie version and has some things to say about Gladiator.

I also like Lindsey Davis's Falco novels, also set in Roman times. She answers reader mail from her postbag.