Time to Depart

Rome's most notorious gangster, Balbinus Pius, has finally been convicted of a capital crime, but a quirk of Roman law allows him to choose exile rather than execution. His departure sets off a power vacuum that every criminal operation in the city scrambles to fill, flooding Rome with unprecedented violence. Private informer Marcus Didius Falco must navigate the chaos while harboring a private suspicion that Balbinus's exile may be less permanent than officially announced.

Simon Prebble is a strong vocal match for Falco's dry, streetwise narration, capturing the character's blend of cynicism and genuine moral commitment. The Roman political setting, drawn with Lindsey Davis's characteristic mix of historical accuracy and modern sensibility, comes across with texture in Prebble's delivery. At just under thirteen hours, this seventh Falco entry is a well-paced Roman procedural with an unusually propulsive premise.