Rating: 
Summary: A decent new case, but still witty character interaction
Review: "Venus in Copper," the third Falco novel, marks his first new 'case,' as the previous two novels covered facets of the same extended plot. However, the social scheming of the freed slaves the Hortensii, the reputedly deadly widow Severina Zotica, Falco's clashes with the Emperor's agents, and poisonings at banquets don't provide as exciting a plot as the political conspiracy of the first two novels. In addition, the action never moves outside of Rome, and therefore lacks the charm of the additional rural settings of Britannia and Pompeii featured in the previous novels. Falco still spars with his patrician girlfriend Helena Justina, often in the best of Davis's subtle and evocative prose, and Falco's morose attitude about the future of the relationship is skillfully fueled by the entrance of true historical personality Titus Caesar as a suitor. The Falco-Helena character relationship is the real core of these novels, not the actual plots, so the slightly lesser mystery in "Venus" does not detract from the continuing development of these rich characters.
Rating:
Summary: A decent new case, but still witty character interaction
Review: "Venus in Copper," the third Falco novel, marks his first new 'case,' as the previous two novels covered facets of the same extended plot. However, the social scheming of the freed slaves the Hortensii, the reputedly deadly widow Severina Zotica, Falco's clashes with the Emperor's agents, and poisonings at banquets don't provide as exciting a plot as the political conspiracy of the first two novels. In addition, the action never moves outside of Rome, and therefore lacks the charm of the additional rural settings of Britannia and Pompeii featured in the previous novels. Falco still spars with his patrician girlfriend Helena Justina, often in the best of Davis's subtle and evocative prose, and Falco's morose attitude about the future of the relationship is skillfully fueled by the entrance of true historical personality Titus Caesar as a suitor. The Falco-Helena character relationship is the real core of these novels, not the actual plots, so the slightly lesser mystery in "Venus" does not detract from the continuing development of these rich characters.
Rating:
Summary: A decent new case, but still witty character interaction
Review: "Venus in Copper," the third Falco novel, marks his first new 'case,' as the previous two novels covered facets of the same extended plot. However, the social scheming of the freed slaves the Hortensii, the reputedly deadly widow Severina Zotica, Falco's clashes with the Emperor's agents, and poisonings at banquets don't provide as exciting a plot as the political conspiracy of the first two novels. In addition, the action never moves outside of Rome, and therefore lacks the charm of the additional rural settings of Britannia and Pompeii featured in the previous novels. Falco still spars with his patrician girlfriend Helena Justina, often in the best of Davis's subtle and evocative prose, and Falco's morose attitude about the future of the relationship is skillfully fueled by the entrance of true historical personality Titus Caesar as a suitor. The Falco-Helena character relationship is the real core of these novels, not the actual plots, so the slightly lesser mystery in "Venus" does not detract from the continuing development of these rich characters.
Rating:
Summary: Not remotely hard-boiled
Review: Don't expect --as some review suggest -- a Chandleresque hard-boiled novel in ancient Rome. These are farce with historical interest. Davis knows her period, has a lot of colour, and a sense of fun. But the characters are very modern, the writing lacks tautness, and there is little memorable here.
Rating: 
Summary: I Actually Enjoyed This Book
Review: I enjoyed this third book in the Falco series. It was as entertaining as the first one - The Silver Pigs. I think Ms. Davis gives her readers a rare view of ancient Rome, and Falco is a treat! The books are funny and there is a good mystery in them. In this one Falco has no shortage of suspects, and he gets in his usual scrapes trying to suss them out. Helena plays more of a role in this book too, and I think she's going to be a real asset to Falco to help solve his crimes. She can get into places and into households that he can't and helps him get the information he needs. It's almost like Thomas and Charlotte Pitt set in an much more ancient era. Only this hero gets into a lot more scrapes, and gets beat up a lot more than poor Thomas ever does. Read this series if you're looking for light-hearted, funny mystery stories.
Rating:
Summary: I Actually Enjoyed This Book
Review: I enjoyed this third book in the Falco series. It was as entertaining as the first one - The Silver Pigs. I think Ms. Davis gives her readers a rare view of ancient Rome, and Falco is a treat! The books are funny and there is a good mystery in them. In this one Falco has no shortage of suspects, and he gets in his usual scrapes trying to suss them out. Helena plays more of a role in this book too, and I think she's going to be a real asset to Falco to help solve his crimes. She can get into places and into households that he can't and helps him get the information he needs. It's almost like Thomas and Charlotte Pitt set in an much more ancient era. Only this hero gets into a lot more scrapes, and gets beat up a lot more than poor Thomas ever does. Read this series if you're looking for light-hearted, funny mystery stories.
Rating: 
Summary: Well plotted historical mystery with meaty characters...
Review: I have read all of the Marcus Didius Falco mysteries and
Venus In Copper is my favorite. Ancient Roman life is
weaved around the characters delightfully giving a fine historical milieu. Falco is a salt-of-the-earth
type of character with honour and nobility yet a certain baseness that we can all relate to. The
characters are well thought out, the prose is witty,
and the premise is interesting. The femme fatale quality
of this book reminds one of Chandler. Highly Recommended!!
Rating:
Summary: Very Funny!!
Review: I LOVED this book!! It's packed full of that synical Falco humor! This book leans on the other two far less than Shadow In Bronze did. This you could read all by it's self. The only problem I have with this book is that it's a little long, but not extremely so. I highly suggest this book to anyone who needs a laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Very Funny!!
Review: I LOVED this book!! It's packed full of that synical Falco humor! This book leans on the other two far less than Shadow In Bronze did. This you could read all by it's self. The only problem I have with this book is that it's a little long, but not extremely so. I highly suggest this book to anyone who needs a laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Great Wit--Great History!
Review: I'd give this novel a 4.5 if I could. It isn't the top of the line as Falco stories go, but it's so far superior to most other historical mysteries that I hated to rate it less than 5. This is the novel that contains Davis's most waggish bit of BRITISH fun, on page 135 (paperback version): "It was a hundred years since Rome decided to civilize the Gauls;. . . I am prepared to concede that one day the three cold Gallic provinces will come up with a contribution to the civilised arts--but nobody is going to convince me that it will be mastery of cuisine." My best friend, married to a Frenchman who is an excellent home-kitchen chef, fell off her chair at that one, as I had done when I read it a few years earlier! And that's just one sample of Davis's mordant sense of "tweak." I demand to know why this book is out of print!
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