Kerry Hood was in publishing for many years, working in publicity for several publishers over the time, working on fiction and non-fiction titles. Crime and thrillers have always been those she turns to first, however, and the ones she reads late at night or when she has a quiet moment.
When you pick up a new Lindsey Davis novel, you know several things; that you are in for fun combined with serious historical knowledge, there will be entertainment together with danger, life – in all its ragtag colour and chaos - alongside death and misery, and, ultimately, a few hugely enjoyable hours with familiar characters who feel like friends.
This new Flavia Albia novel is Lindsey Davis’s fifteenth, and before this, there were twenty-three Falco mysteries. Add in several stand-alone novels and you will understand why Davis is widely regarded as our foremost Ancient Rome author, with awards from the UK and from across Europe.
Murder in Purple and Gold tackles a new aspect of Roman life – one that is, of course, wide open to underhand deals, subterfuge, huge money being made, and horrible death. This then, is Chariot racing.
Flavia Albia finds a body one night whilst, prosaically, walking the dog. It is that of the young, rising star of the Purple chariot racing team. The Purple and Gold of the book’s title are those two teams introduced by the Emperor Domitian. To lose the young star of the Purple faction is therefore always going to attract the attention of the Master and God emperor – someone you really don’t want to cross.
Albia is charged by the Gold team with investigating the death. The Gold’s own rising star is a direct rival of the dead boy, and therefore in the spotlight as the number one suspect. However, there are four other racing teams, Reds, Blues, Greens and Whites, and with no obvious leads to follow, Albia must investigate them all. Slowly, slowly, she builds up her own knowledge of the racing fraternity and the characters, shady deals, money makers, backers, obsessive fans, and people in high places who have vested interests in the sport. It is a very steep learning curve.
So, was the murderer a tribune afraid of losing his status, a jealous rival, someone who had a grudge, a lover, a sour ex-racer invalided out of the violent sport, or a chancer who happened across the lone boy that night and thought he might have a full purse on him?
As always, we learn a lot about Roman life and Rome herself, without really knowing we are being instructed – from food and chefs to low lifers and the aristocracy, from hairstyles and beauty salons to slavery, and in this case, how to race chariots.
One of the main reasons for Lindsey Davis’s enduring success is that her readers are totally invested in Flavia Albia, her ‘old grey eyes’ husband, and heir chaotic household. Not only does our heroine run all their lives, from doorman to donkey, but she sorts out murder and mayhem whole investigating Rome’s grubby corners and batting away baddies with nothing more than quick wits and timely luck. Now there is the possibility of a pregnancy and a baby to spice it all up.
Davis’s writing is funny, irreverent, entertaining, gripping and always fascinating. You can pick up the novels mid-way in the series, or in any order, and step into the flow without a hiccough.
