It has been almost two years since I read the previous book in the series so I am certainly overdue! One Virgin Too Many is the eleventh book in Davis' celebrated Falco series about a retired legionary setting himself up as a private detective in Vespasian's Rome. The series is funny, educational and clever as far as crime fiction goes and this is and always has been an enormous selling point for Davis, arguably a giant in the historical fiction world.Following on immediately from Two For the Lions, Falco returns home to inform his sister of hrt husband's death at the hands of a lion. He has no time to rest; a young patrician girl is waiting for him and needs Falco's help. Despite being no older than six, she seems very confident that a family member will soon try to kill her and she asks Falco to protect her. What's more, she is the granddaughter of a chief priest and is about to be entered into a lottery to choose a Vestal Virgin. As these things are usually rarely random, it is expected that she will be the new initiate.Naturally with these things, there is a murder prior to the ceremony which Falco must investigate. Soon afterwards, Gaia goes missing. Falco's job once again is to find the killer and locate the girl before she suffers what some suspect to be a grisly fate.You know what to expect by the time you get to book 11. The author clearly settled into her style and characters long ago. Now is the time to push the story forward and that's just what she is doing now. The brief ceasefire between Falco and Anacrites is over, much to Falco's relief and his mother's disappointment. Anacrites is not fully healed though and his memory is still returning; therefore he is still around and not able to start scuppering Falco again or try to have him bumped off. So it's largely back to the status quo and that's not to say that there are no surprises.Falco has finally been granted social promotion to the Equestrian Class but it doesn't come with the prestige we might have hoped - it is both amusing and a little tragic. As part of his *honour*, Falco is made Procurator of Poultry, a role that puts him in charge of administering ritual chickens and geese and adds extra comic relief to the story.The story moves along quite nicely. It feels a rather cosy family affair, rather in the tradition of Miss Marple. A lot of the previous books have had an international flavour but this gets back to basics and puts the mystery back at the heart of Rome. Overall, this is a great contribution to the series and I'm looking forward to the next one already.See more book reviews at my blog
Falco and familia are back in Rome from northern Africa only a few weeks before the next corpse is stumbled over. This time it is Helena's "other brother," the surly, churlish one, Aelianus, who literally trips over the dead body. The gruesome discovery comes at the end of a day-long religious ceremony run by an ancient cult called the Arval Bretheren, who operate more like a supper club. Aelianus is trying to join the club/cult as a way to boost his career, which has suffered a recent, family-related set-back. This time, Lindsey Davis takes us behind the scenes of ancient Rome's state religion. Even Falco has got a religious job, as Procurator of the Sacred Geese of Juno, a reward for catching tax evaders for Emperor Vespasian in the last book. With the position comes "elevation" to the respectable equestrian class (ancient Rome's middle class). The title refers to Rome's Vestal Virgins, and by the end of the book we get a close look at the mysteries of that order when Falco scales a wall with a ladder (but enough said about that). Sure, it's a "crime novel," but solving the crime really runs in the background of these books. And, yes, it's set in ancient Rome, and most people will probably think it has only niche interest for that reason. But they'd be missing out on the great story-telling, smart dialogue, elegant writing, Davis' gift for comedy, which encompasses witty repartee, broad humor, and even slap-stick in this book, and the developing, deepening relationships between the characters. The ending is really very moving.
Do You like book One Virgin Too Many (2001)?
c1999: FWFTB: poultry, vestal, relation, kill, partner. This may not be the most flattering description of the book but whenever I start to read the Falco stories it is like slipping on a favourite pair of slippers. I know the characters, settings and pacing. I learn something from each book - this time it is about all the various cults and religions that were practised by Romans prior to the Christian onslaught. There are some great set pieces and even more development of the various characters - I am even getting to like Anacrites. "A young man in his twenties, with no occupation and very few manners, can dominate a household even if he spends most of his time out on the town."
—Ruth
Ah--Marcus Didius Falco is back as the Procurator of Poultry, no less. But he doesn't let it get in the way of solving the puzzle presented...FROM THE PUBLISHERMarcus Didius Falco, the cynical, hard-boiled investigator from the rough end of Rome, is back from a difficult mission in North Africa. As a result of his hard work, Emperor Vespasian awards Falco with the title of Procurator of Poultry for the Senate and People of Rome, or keeper of the city's sacred geese. Not much of a salary, of course, but the title does give him a better standing with his in-laws. Now, all Falco wants is to spend time relaxing at home with his family. But there is no rest for Falco as he finds himself drawn into the world of the Roman religious cults...and the murder of a member of the Sacred Brotherhoods. And then there's the disappearance of the most likely new candidate for the Order of Vestal Virgins. Falco soon uncovers a sinister cover-up-and is too deeply involved to back away from the truth.
—bookczuk
Eleventh in the series, and a very entertaining and informative installment. In this one Vespasian has made Falco, newly promoted to equestrian status, Procurator of the Sacred Poultry, overseer of the select fowls associated with certain first century Roman state rituals. This connects to a larger theme of this particular Falco book, a look at the rules, rites, and regulations associated with several of the "old religion" cults still maintained in Rome in 70 AD, and I find this topic fascinating. Helena's brother Aelianus is trying to get the nod as Falco's new partner, but he's also trying to get accepted into the elite and arcane Arval Brotherhood--too bad he stumbles upon a corpse at the sacred grove. In a separate chain of events, a precocious six year old, born into an elite priestly family and selected to compete for the coveted position of the next Vestal Virgin, turns to Falco for advice and then mysteriously disappears. A subplot about a scandal involving the Emperor's son Titus and Queen Berenice of Judea brings in characters we will no doubt spend more time with in later volumes. This satisfying blend of comedy, religious history, and witty Falco commentary, enveloping the discussion and evaluation of grisly murder needing to be solved, builds to a long, exciting finish that will keep you flipping the pages with satisfaction. If you have any friends who enjoy Roman culture and history, have a sense of humor but never read these books, I would recommend giving the first volume as a present, because an introduction to this series is a gift that keeps on giving.
—Scot
