In the year of 77 A.D., Marcus Didius Falco, Roman informer, faces a summer full of sorrow. He finds relief from his unexpected miseries by confronting a set of mysteries. A couple who supplied Falco's father with statues has disappeared after an altercation with the Claudii, their brutal neighbors. His longtime friend, Petronius, is on the case of a killer who mutilates his victims. But just as they are making headway, Anacrites (the Chief Spy) takes the case away from them making it clear the violent Claudii have the highest form of protection in the empire. Falco and Petronius refuse to give up, and continue to dig deeper; especially as the case and the killer creep closer to their homes and loved ones.

Long time and first time readers of the Falco series will be thrilled with NEMESIS by Lindsey Davis. Long time readers will be anxiously awaiting the next installment featuring Marcus Didius. First time readers likely will be downloading or buying the previous volumes quicker than you can say "carpe diem."

Overall, I liked NEMESIS. I enjoyed the characters' wit, and how Davis captured the family dynamics. I loved how Marcus and Helena worked with, and against, each other. However, the one aspect of the story I didn't care for was the tendency for Marcus to act out of character. For example, instead of being a respected informer, he was the man left paying the tab after a big meal.

The mystery will keep you guessing who, how, and why, and then how again. You'll want to reread the book just to see what all you've missed. You will find yourself asking, "Oh, how could I have missed that?". Personally, I will be counting down the days for the next Falco book.