The Recurring Cast
Character guide · 34 books · 1989 to 2026 · Set in Rome

Lindsey Davis

Crime and mysteryPrivate eyeHistorical crime

Marcus Didius Falco is a sardonic informer in Vespasian’s Rome who marries the senator’s daughter Helena Justina. Their adopted daughter Flavia Albia, raised from the streets of Londinium, takes up the family trade in her own series.

Best estimate, compiled from series guides, publisher descriptions and reviews where available, and from memory otherwise. Book level only, not chapter level. Minor includes cameos and brief references. Each book carries a confidence rating in its tooltip. The Spook Who Spoke Again, a novella, is left out.

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Who appears in which book

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LLeadMMajor·MinorHas a note
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Lindsey Davis books in order

Each series in publication order, with its lead characters. Where the story runs in a different order, switch to Story order. Crossover books are marked and listed under their main series. Use My books to track what you have read.

Marcus Didius Falco

20 books · Set in RomeHistorical crimePrivate eye
  1. 1The Silver Pigs1989With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Shadows in Bronze1990With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Venus in Copper1991With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  4. 4The Iron Hand of Mars1992With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  5. 5Poseidon’s Gold1993With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Last Act in Palmyra1994With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  7. 7Time to Depart1995With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  8. 8A Dying Light in Corduba1996With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  9. 9Three Hands in the Fountain1997With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  10. 10Two for the Lions1998With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  11. 11One Virgin Too Many1999With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  12. 12Ode to a Banker2000With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  13. 13A Body in the Bath House2001With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  14. 14The Jupiter Myth2002With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  15. 15The Accusers2003With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  16. 16Scandal Takes a Holiday2004With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  17. 17See Delphi and Die2005With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  18. 18Saturnalia2007With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  19. 19Alexandria2009With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon
  20. 20Nemesis2010With Marcus Didius FalcoBuy on Amazon

Flavia Albia

14 books · Set in RomeHistorical crimePrivate eye
  1. 1The Ides of April2013With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Enemies at Home2014With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Deadly Election2015With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  4. 4Graveyard of the Hesperides2016With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  5. 5The Third Nero2017With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Pandora’s Boy2018With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  7. 7A Capitol Death2019With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  8. 8The Grove of the Caesars2020With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  9. 9A Comedy of Terrors2021With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  10. 10Desperate Undertaking2022With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  11. 11Fatal Legacy2023With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  12. 12Death on the Tiber2024With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  13. 13There Will Be Bodies2025With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon
  14. 14Murder in Purple and Gold2026With Flavia AlbiaBuy on Amazon

Characters

7 recurring and key characters, with the book each one first appears in.

Falco

Flavia Albia