It is the city of Rome – Rome of the first century – that Lindsey Davis takes the reader on a trip through time for the setting of THE ACCUSERS.  Marcus Didius Falco works as an informer.  His business, Falco & Associates, consisting of himself, his wife Helena, and her brothers Aelianus and Justinus, handles jobs on the lowest end of the informer’s scale.

One case in point is where the story of THE ACCUSERS brings the reader in.  A  prosecutor, in a legal case involving corruption charges against Roman Senator Rubirius Metellus, needs the affidavit from a witness outside of Rome .  Falco & Associates collect the affidavit and become embroiled in a legal wrangling of greater consequence than the basic charges of corruption the senator faced.   Rubirius Metellus is found guilty.  The next day he is found dead – reportedly discovered as a suicide.  The prosecutor of the case, Silius Italicus, employs Falco & Associates again to prove the death was not self-inflicted.  A suicide – within the Roman legal system – disavows the family of any responsibility towards the debt Metellus would otherwise have been required to pay, thus robbing Silius Italicus of his profit.  Murder, however, would give recourse in recouping the funds.

With the information Falco uncovers in his investigation, Silius takes Metellus’ daughter, Juliana, to court for the murder of her father.   Paccius Africanus defends her and proves her innocence with a rather bold legal move a la Perry Mason.

This loss in court leads Silius to next accuse Metellus Negrinus, Metellus’ only son, of the senator’s murder.  He was disinherited from his father’s estate, in favor of his ex-wife, Saffia Donata, which is what Silius views as motive.  When confirmed by Calpurnia Cara, Negrinus’ mother, the fate of Metellus’ only son appears sealed.

Yet Negrinus turns to Falco for representation in the case.  Falco’s concession to do so witnesses the solidarity between two perceived enemies, Paccius Africanus and Silius Italicus, revealing this exercise in justice involves more than simply the execution of Roman law.

It literally amazed me at how dexterous Lindsey Davis was in taking me from contemporary thought of how things are perceived and altering that concept into a society foreign, with laws and customs out of step with 21^st century ideals, but perfectly suited for the tunic-wearing citizens of imperial Rome .

The depiction of the Roman legal system was uniquely 1^st century Roman – with justice taken no more seriously than the performance of those seemingly intent on disseminating it; and charges being brought against anyone on the flimsiest of circumstantial evidence – as well as striking, by parallel, to American jurisprudence.  Any cynic would relish the apparent silliness of some facets of Roman law when comparing it to our American courts.

There is definitely an original idea here that works well.  THE ACCUSERS is a good read with enjoyable characters and a compelling intricate plot.  However, the setting of 1^st century Rome may propel those fearful of a challenge away from even giving the book a chance.  Differing ideas of law and culture, difficult names to attach a character to, a setting hard to envision within one’s imagination will throw back the readers caught in Davis’ literary net to the shallow, and frequented, waters of “Dick & Jane”.

Aside from the main characters, I did find it a hard task to keep the minor characters’ names straight.  Fortunately, Davis took the multi-syllabic nature of classic Roman names into account and included a brief listing of the characters’ role.  I wish she had made the list more exhaustive, as I referred back to it repeatedly; nevertheless, what she does offer is enough to propel one into the story with enough to grasp hold of for the ride.

After reading through the entire 368 pages of this legal thriller of antiquity, I can state unequivocally Lindsey Davis’ definitive manner in capturing the aura of a specific time, coupled with her adept way of creating the reality of something from a era long past (the Roman way of justice and the role of informer, accuser, aedile, vigils and the like of their culture) stimulated my interest enough to desire a second read-through.  The first reading did not tell me enough.  Reading it a second time will expound upon the mystery of this unique time and place far removed from our 21^st century version of civilization.  It is worth the challenge it poses for the rewards of an experience new and charmed with delight.