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Ode to a Banker

Falco, Book 12

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Ode to a Banker

By: Lindsey Davis
Narrated by: Gordon Griffin
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About this listen

"The first concern of an author is to do down his colleagues."

In the long, hot Roman summer of AD 74, Falco, private informer and spare-time poet, gives a reading for his family and friends. Things get out of hand, as usual. The event is taken over by Aurelius Chrysippus, a wealthy Greek banker and patron to a group of struggling writers, who offers to publish Falco's work. A visit to the Chrysippus scriptorium implicates Falco in a gruesome literary murder, so when commissioned to investigate, Falco is forced to accept.

Lindsey Davis' twelfth novel wittily explores Roman publishing and banking, taking us from the jealousies of authorship and the mire of patronage to the darker financial world, where default can have fatal consequences.

©2000 Lindsey Davis (P)2015 Audible, Ltd Crime Fiction Historical Fiction Mystery Fiction Crime

Critic reviews

"Davis's writing zings with fun." ( Daily Mail)
All stars
Most relevant
A true portrait of the Roman lifestyle alongside a remarkably good Murder mystery plot

Another great read from Lindsey Davis

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The reader has been badly chosen a first-person narrator representing the plebeian, ironic, canny Falco. If Christian Rodska had told this tale, I’d have chuckled out loud several times- even on second or third listenings. Griffin reads slowly and enunciates clearly, even pedantically. Perhaps the publishers thought this bland performance would be more accessible for those for whom British English is not the mother tongue. The story is good, a nod to 20th century “body in the library” whodunnits, with a Poirot style denouement but with well-researched background on publishing and banking, and casual cultural jokes, like the dubious publishing house rejecting the writings of a certain Martialis as “crap”, unmarketable.

Inappropriate narrator, good story.

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A n excellent twisty plot rendered difficult to listen too by an almost ladylike delivery.

Good story, shame about the voice.

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I liked all of it good plot as always keeps you on your toes thanks a lot.

falco

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Of course if your new to the Falco series, the advice is to start with book 1. The end of this book is straight out of Agatha Christie with our Roman Poirot revealing the murderer to a room of assembled suspects.

A tribute to Agatha

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