The Bottom Line
In this, the 15th Falco mystery by Lindsey Davis, we readers find out what Falco's job really is. Falco is an informer, or accuser, a low-born hanger-on, considered a parasite bent on destroying respectable men, but he's a lovable one with a conscience who, unlike some of his patrician colleagues, would rather stick to destroying people who deserve it.
Pros
- Examines important undesirable Roman jobs
- Falco is back in Rome where a Roman mystery series belongs
- Nicely convoluted plot
Cons
- Little on the family of Falco
- Falco's in-laws behave somewhat out of character
- Somewhat less upbeat than usual
Description
- Falco and family have returned from Britain with Falco's two in-laws in his employ.
- Falco is commissioned by another, higher class informer to act as courier in a corruption case.
- When convicted of corruption in office, a heavy financial penalty must be paid.
- Suicide is one way out of paying a penalty.
- Falco sets out to prove the suicide was murder and runs through a few suspects.
- Falco is not the only one to have been set up by other unscrupulous informers.
Guide Review - 'The Accusers,' by Lindsey Davis Review
Marcus Didius Falco, now an equestrian, married to a senatorial class helpmate named Helena Justina (whose brothers also work for Falco), usually works for Emperor Vespasian. He, along with his hangers-on, have recently returned from Britian, where Vespasian had sent Falco. But such imperial commissions are secret. Because he has been away, Falco has neglected his sinecure as procurator of the sacred geese. Not that there's much to do, other than gather up the ingredients for a tasty omelette, but it's a charge that can be made against him should he fail to bow to the wishes of his strong arming fellow -- but higher class -- informers.... Informers, in general, make their money from the misery of other people. Some set up victims years in advance so they can take their 25% cut when they can prove the accused guilty. That's 25% of their assets, which in the case of a corrupt senator, means at least a 250,000 sesterces payment. Falco isn't so organized or lucky. His advertising chalk marks were washed away while he was abroad, and all his normal clients have found other solutions, so Falco is stuck working for corrupt noble informers, specifically, Paccius Africanus and Silius Italicus, who start out on opposite sides of the courtroom. Most of The Accusers takes place in court or preparing for court, leaving scant room for the normal, fun exchanges between Falco and his followers.
