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Desperate Undertaking

Flavia Albia

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Desperate Undertaking

By: Lindsey Davis
Narrated by: Jane Collingwood
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About this listen

The next witty must-listen book in the Flavia Albia series.

Rome, the very end of December. The Field of Mars is packed with monuments, none more beautiful than Domitian's new Odeon and Stadium. But the area has been overtaken by ugly events: elaborately staged murders. Someone bears a spectacular grudge against the theatrical community and intends to get revenge in the most spectacular way possible. The killer's method is to re-enact bloody scenes from the gruesome side of popular theatre, where characters in plays really die on stage.

A figure from the past wants Flavia Albia's father to investigate, but Falco is out of Rome for the holidays. Albia seizes the commission. And begins to regret doing so almost immediately. 'The undertaker did it!' the first victim croaks before expiring. This seems to make no sense, because surely people are already dead when they go to their funeral?

Though there is a serial killer at large, the authorities would prefer a cover-up, but Albia is driven to discover what is going on. How much blood must be shed before the mania ends? And could her own family be on the list for a frightful stage death?

©2022 Lindsey Davis (P)2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Detective Fiction Historical Mystery Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Crime Murder Witty

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All stars
Most relevant  
I've followed all the Falco and Flavia Albia stories so far but I'm afraid this is not a good example. Successive novels are becoming more and more like a travelogue of first century Rome with less and less interesting plots and characters.

Tiring

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The narrator made Albia sound too young and girlish, she is a streetwise, twice married Roman matron. To be fair the book doesn’t always help veering between: the horrors I have seen, and a chick lit level of fluffy he’s my man ….
These stories are ok but flabbier than the Falco novels and really need editing back. This one had way to much detail on Roman theatre and Greek / Roman drama far more than is is required for the story. This then slows the story down and means it feels much less exciting than it has the potential to be. Also it was quite unpleasantly gory, again with too much detail- might have been a shock if you were expecting a more “cosy” crime novel.

Another outing for Albia

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I love the Albia character, and had trouble reading the book, in fact I didn’t finish the book.
However the audible book was very good, I was able to follow the story and enjoyed listening to it.

Thoroughly enjoyable

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Far too long. It's essentially a description of the architecture and the life of ancient Rome, with a convoluted tale woven through.
Like many other reviewers, I've read every one of the series, starting with Falco. I think it's gone on too long. It's lost its spark. I'm sorry. Albia doesn't have the appeal of her father.
The outcome was predictable. It took too long to get there.

Needed editing

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I’m still not warming to this new series. I hope with every new book we shall have something as good as the Falco series which I can listen to time and time again. I’m still left hoping after this one, it will not be revisited.

Slow

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I love nearly all of Falco & Albia, this is no exception.
Well read again! Entertaining & gives an atmosphere of a lively Roman Rome.
Great stuff

Humour, history & murder

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The narration was good, well varied and well pitched.

I loved the original series and the early Albia books but this one - very disappointing.

I wanted to enjoy it but it seems to have a cast of thousands and little meaningful plot, just a regurgitation of the gruesome parts of Greek and Roman ancient texts.

Really disappointing.

Disappointing

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I found this one, with its series of very gory murders, a tough listen despite the interesting Roman history and sparky
character of the heroine. Not out of keeping with the circus/slavery horrors of Ancient Rome but also challenging for a softhearted listener!

Gruesome!

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I have read all the Flavia Albia stories but this one was a bit gruesome. Too much description of murders and less fun than others. Excellently read as usual.

Gruesome

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We sometimes need a bit of a jolt in a book series and ‘Desperate Undertaking’ does this for the Flavia Albia Series. It is not as shocking – in the sense of surprise - as Flavia Albia’s newly married husband tangling with the elements, but presents us with some genuinely gruesome and detailed deaths. This contrasts with our female informer’s ever youthful and innocent sounding characterisation by performer Jane Collingwood. For all this the listener’s attention is held well as murder follows murder and we seek to detect who is responsible. This is not a title that I am likely to return to. This comment comes after my reflections on the Falco series and a hankering to revisit many of those.

Take Deep Breaths…

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