The Grove of Caesars, by Lindsay Davis

Her husband is out of town on a family matter, so Flavia Albia must oversee his building business. Their major project is clearing up a neglected section of some public gardens – the Grove of Caesars. There they find some old scrolls, which may prove valuable. Nearby to the building site a grisly murder takes place and Flavia Albia uncovers a conspiracy of silence about what may prove to be a long history of serial killings. Can she solve the mystery before the killer strikes again? Immersion in ancient Rome is once again total, although the level of detail on the city’s layout does tend to read too much like a Roman street directory. In the end the perpetrator is obvious, more to the reader than to Albia, but it’s still an exciting ride getting there – if a rather dark and grisly one. Already softened up by the addition of a dog to the household, Albia’s personal life takes an interesting turn in this novel, possibly promising a more domestic bent in future tales of the informer.