A Comedy of Terrors, by Lindsey Davis

Flavia Albia and her husband Tiberius have taken his young nephews into their growing household after the death of their mother. This makes the imminent Saturnalia celebration of the winter solstice a little different from usual, although the lame practical jokes and drunken debauchery remain the same. Tiberius is approaching the end of his magistracy and wants to make his mark before he finishes, while Albia is facing a seasonal drought in her informer work. Meanwhile, someone is supplying Rome with poisonous nuts and there is a power play taking place amongst the city’s organised crime figures. Can the dream team sort it all out? Of course it can. Albia’s family makes a welcome appearance, especially Falco and Helena Justina providing timely professional and personal advice.