Nemesis Lindsay Davis

Principal characters

Marcus Didius Falco a man of mixed fortunes and seeker after truth

Helena Justina his true love, sought and won

Falco’s family low grade, but not as bad as they seem:

Junilla Tacita formidable wife to the deplorable Geminus

Maia Favonia Falco’s sister, the best of the bunch

Flavia Albia heart-broken and ready to break heads

Katutis Falco’s secretary, a disappointed man

Helena’s family high class, but not as good as they look:

Aulus Camillus Aelianus keeping a low profile

Quintus Camillus Justinus keeping his career on target, thanks to:

Claudia Rufma his wife and financial backer

Lentullus an accident waiting to happen

Falco’s associates in Rome

Lucius Petronius Longus an upright vigiles enquirer (low pay)

Lucius Petronius Rectus his brother, feeling off colour

Nero their ox, another one gone missing

Tiberius Fusculus Petro’s second in command

Sergius their whip man (always encouraging)

Clusius a devious rival auctioneer (low motives)

Gaius a dubious apprentice (high hopes)

Gornia a tight-lipped porter (no comment)

Septimus Parvo a family lawyer (absolutely no comment)

Thalia a contortionist with a problem to wriggle out of

Philadelphion and Davos her lovers, keeping well off the scene

Minas of Karystos a lawyer, on the up

Hosidia Meline a bride (on the make?)

Also in Rome

Tiberius Claudius Laeta a smooth bureaucrat with high aspirations

Momus a rough-edged auditor with low habits

Tiberius Claudius Anacrites the Chief Spy, a high-flyer of low worth

The Melitans his agents (dodgy connections)

Perella an assassin who wants a new job (her boss’s)

Heracleides party-planner to the stars

Nymphidias his thieving chef

Scorpus a singer, spying on spies (an idiot)

Alis a fortune-teller who blames Mum (a wise woman)

Arrius Persicus a philanderer, oversexed and over-budget

A courier newly wed and newly dead

Volusius Mum’s boy, a numerate victim

In Latium

Januaria a waitress at Satricum, an all-rounder

Livia Primilla amp; Julius Modestus complainants in high dudgeon

Sextus Silanus their nephew in Lanuvium, in low spirits

Macer their loyal overseer, gone missing

Syrus their runaway slave, fatally roughed up

A butcher in Lanuvium a very careless creditor

The horrible Claudii neighbours from Hades:

Aristocles and Casta cold-natured, hot-tempered parents (deceased)

Claudius Nobilis so notorious, he has ‘gone to see his granny’

Pius and Virtus the twins, ‘working away from home’

Probus ‘upholding the family name’

Felix ‘lost’

Plotia and Byrta downtrodden wives

Demetria runaway wife of Claudius Nobilis (low esteem)

Costus her new boyfriend (asking for trouble)

Vexus her father (anticipating the worst)

Thamyris employer of Nobilis and Costus (over-confident)

Silvius an officer of the Urban Cohorts, undercover

Plus full supporting cast:

Jason the python, dogs, missing persons, slaves (non-persons), personal

beauticians, impersonal magistrates

And featuring:

The Praetorian Guards bastards!

ROME AND LATIUM: SUMMER, AD 77