THE SILVER PIGS

If you want to start at the beginning of Davis's ingenious detective series set in ancient Rome, this is your chance. In his first case, Marcus Didius Falco investigates a murder, becomes a slave in a British silver mine, and rescues a senator's feisty daughter, Helena Justina. Christian Rodska's performance keeps the pace at breakneck speed and the dialogue sharp and snappy. When Falco discovers a plot against the emperor, everything, including his relationship with Helena Justina, heats up. Rodska has fun with Falco's ironic attitude and handles Davis's realistic picture of ancient Rome admirably. While characters sound more British than Italian, thanks to Rodska's vocal expertise, people and situations are wholly believable. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 06]