This is the first Lindsay Davis novel which has disappointed me. My indifference to Last Act in Palmyra may be more my problem than the author’s. Ironically, it is the very nature of the “realism” in the book that seems to have removed my “suspension of disbelief” for the story. I realize it is somewhat oxymoronic when I say that the realism of Falco’s investigative procedure is what undermined my immersion into this first century setting, but the plodding itinerary of the investigation with very few discoveries of possible clues worked against my enjoyment. I’m glad this isn’t my first experience with this marvelous series because I believe it would have been a bad first impression. This disappointment will not keep me from reading other novels in the future.Of course, with a title like Last Act in Palmyra it is no surprise that the important revelations would occur in the Roman settlement (nee Tadmor) named Palmyra. I just think the pacing was too weak to make that exciting. I think part of my disappointment may be predicated on the fact that there were, as often is the case, at least two mysteries being solved in parallel. The plot begins with “theater” and the beads of events and clues are strung on a tour with a traveling drama troupe. At first, I thought this was going to be an excellent structure, but it eventually prolonged the mystery so artificially (and mundanely) that I had trouble staying with the book with any sustained intensity. For more than two-thirds of the book, Falco (even with the help of the delightful Helena Justina), Falco draws “blanks” which don’t even have the value of taking the reader on a rabbit chase (or convince the reader to fish for a “red herring.” The initial motive is a “missing persons” case, but if you know Falco, you know it won’t be long before at least one homicide occurs. Unfortunately for my level of impatience, Last Act in Palmyra is so realistic that it resembles the complexity and ambiguity of “real life.” Perhaps, I was hoping too much for simple escapism—even in this historical fiction/mystery hybrid. Though there was a large portion of the novel where I suspected that there was a small conspiracy to have committed the murder(s), I was never really derailed from the solution I suspected—whether perpetrator or perpetrators.Strangely enough, in spite of my disappointment with this novel, I did find two lines that really grabbed me in the course of reading this novel. Even stranger, after plodding through what I considered a lethargically presented story (emulating the story’s trip through the Transjordan region and the Decapolis all too well), the two best lines in the book were only three pages apart. The first came after Falco identified the leader of the dramatic troupe as one of those fortunate who always seem to be bailed out by Fate (or the Fates, as Falco insists). “I knew they never learned from their mistakes because they never had to suffer from them.” (p. 251) The funniest described the typical politician of any age: “He loved the fine idea of democracy, like most men who couldn’t organize an orgy with twenty bored gladiators in a woman’s bathhouse on a hot Tuesday night.” (p. 254)In addition, those who regularly read my reviews know that I love the use of colorful words. On page 394, I was delighted to read, “If someone got stabbed, the blood would not be cochineal.” Only in my archaeological reading on dye have I seen reference to the Phoenician process of creating purple-like dyes/inks. Of course, pacing is a matter of taste. I personally think the “last act” for which Last Act in Palmyra came too far after the intermission. Others may find it all to be as frenetic as the “last act” itself. As I mentioned earlier, it won’t stop me from reading other Falco stories (even though I don’t always read them in their virtual-chronological order).
Originally published on my blog here in July 1998.The sixth in Davis' Falco series about a first century private detective. Falco combines several investigations into one trip. Firstly, he's asked by the imperial household (the customer who expects to pay no fees) to take a look at the state of Nabatea, independent but only just over the edge of the empire. An old friend, the snake-dancer Thalia (now circus entrepeneur), asks him to look for a missing protege of hers, the water-organ player Sophrona; she is missing somewhere in the Decapolis, the Roman province north of Nabatea.Falco travels to Nabatea with his "high class girlfriend" Helena, trying to pose as tourists. When they arrive, Falco discovers a body on one of the holy mountains; it is one of a company of travelling actors. Falco and Helena join the troupe, as they are told by the authorities that they need to leave Nabatea anyway. Falco takes over the dead man's position as writer, adapting classic Greek plays for contemporary audiences, and at the same time investigates the murder.The whole plot, after some amusing digs at today's contemporary theatre (even then, managers were moaning about the imminent demise of live theatre) and the classics, comes to a climax in the Decapolitan city of Palmyra.Once again, Davies produces an interesting and amusing dective story, and one which doesn't lay quite such an emphasis on the unsanitary aspects of ancient life as some of the earlier novels.
What do You think about Last Act In Palmyra (1997)?
I had not read this one of Davis`s works and i really enjoyed it. It moves along well and has the added fun since I have been to Petra, scene of the first murder!
—Meg Morden
Falco has been asked by Thalia to try and find one of her employees who has disappeared. Fortunately he can combine the search with a commission from the Emperor Vespasian so he decides to combine business with pleasure and take Helena with him. After finding a dead body at the top of a hill at a shrine, Falco and Helena have to move on hurriedly and a priest, Musa, goes with them. They join forces with a travelling theatre group and Falco acquires the job of tracking down the murderer who was one of the group.I am enjoying reading this interesting series. I love the wry humour of the writing and the characters of Falco and Helena. In fact all the characters in the books are well drawn and first century life is vividly and evocatively described. I find the historical detail fascinating and I can almost believe I am there with the characters when I’m reading.If you like your mysteries set in an historical background then there are few authors who write as well as Lindsey Davis in my opinion. This book is the number six in the series of twenty which started with ‘The Silver Pigs’ they can be read in any order but it is preferable to read them in the order in which they were published in order to track the development of the series characters.
—Damaskcat
I keep waiting for the next book in the series to be a dud, but they just seem to get better and better. I'm enchanted by the romance between Falco and Helana--like Nick and Nora Charles in Imperial Rome--I like the carelessly anachronistic attitude toward speech and detail, and the author's continual allusions to British history and literature is a charming running joke. I suspect part of the reason I enjoy reading these stories is because the author enjoys writing them. They come across as light, fun, and consistently entertaining.
—Matthew Gatheringwater
