The Third Nero

The Third Nero: or Never Say Nero Again
Cover image showing a ceramic two-faced Janus head
Cover of 2017 UK first edition
AuthorLindsey Davis
SeriesFlavia Albia
Genrehistorical fiction, crime fiction
PublisherHodder & Stoughton, St. Martin's Press
Publication date
6 April 2017
Publication placeUK
Media typePrint, e-book, audiobook, large print
Pages398
ISBN978-1-4736-1343-0
Preceded byThe Graveyard of the Hesperides 
Followed byPandora's Boy 

The Third Nero: or Never Say Nero Again is a historical crime novel by British writer Lindsey Davis, the fifth in her Flavia Albia series.[1][2] It was first published in the UK on 6 April 2017 by Hodder & Stoughton (ISBN 978-1-473-61343-0) and in the United States in 2017 by St. Martin's Press.[3][4]

The tale is set in Ancient Rome and opens in September AD 89, immediately after the previous novel The Graveyard of the Hesperides closes (Flavia's husband having been struck by lightning during their wedding celebration).[5]

The story revolves around the third Pseudo-Nero, who had the support of the Parthians. Falco and Helena, Albia's adoptive parents, are mentioned but do not appear. The plot also involves a vicious white cat, a war elephant, a military archive, cataphracts and several references to public toilets including "the event which would supersede everything else when the Daily Gazette wrote up today's events".[6]

The UK paperback cover image is of a two-faced Janus head from Vulci.[5]

The book received a starred review in Publishers Weekly.[7] Writing for the Historical Novel Society, Marilyn Sherlock positively compared it to Davis' Marcus Didius Falco series and called the characters "well-drawn".[8]

References

  1. ^ "Davis, Lindsey: THE THIRD NERO". Kirkus Reviews. 1 June 2017 – via Gale.
  2. ^ Murphy, Jane (1 June 2017). "The Third Nero". Booklist. 113 (19–20): 62–63 – via Gale.
  3. ^ "The Third Nero – or Never Say Nero Again". Lindsey Davis website. Lindsey Davis. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  4. ^ "The Third Nero by Lindsey Davis". Crime Review. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  5. ^ a b Davis, Lindsey (2017). The Third Nero – or Never Say Nero Again (UK pbk ed.). Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-1-473-61343-0. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  6. ^ From a reading of the book; quote is from chapter 61, page 392
  7. ^ "The Third Nero: A Flavia Alba Novel by Lindsey Davis". Publishers Weekly. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  8. ^ Sherlock, Marilyn (August 2017). "The Third Nero". Historical Novel Society. Retrieved 27 October 2024.


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