jacey | Booklog 63/2024: Lindsey Davis: The Iron Hand of Mars – Falco #2

Emperor Vespasian sends Falco to Germany to investigate the 14th Legion and clear up some events following a rebellion, the disappearance of a legate and the possibility of corruption. His obvious purpose is to deliver a large statue, the Iron Hand of Mars. Falco didn't want to go in the first place, but when his girlfriend, Helena Justina flounces off in a huff, he hopes she might be visiting her bother Justinius, already in Germany, so he agrees to the mission with a second purpose in mind. He finds Helena Justina, but ends up doing exactly what he didn't want to do, crossing the Rhine into the un-Romanised lands of the Celtic tribes. After a couple of narrow escapes he manages to complete his mission. This is the BBC audio drama, so it's an abridged version of the story, starring Anton Lesser as Falco. I enjoyed listening to them serialised on Radio4, so it was good to revisit. Anton Lesser makes an excellent Falco.